Wallace Couuty Council.

Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 21, 19 September 1905, Page 2

Wallace Couuty Council.

Tne tfltaai mqhthly meeting of this* cotlnoil was held on Friday last, when there were* present Councillors Clarke (chairman), Cupples, Newton, Pdwer, Stevens; Hirst, Fraser, Dyer, and Eingj

DBUMHONd'S frEBBY. Mr C. W, •Hurgtbouse (Chief Hoad Engineer J wr.te stating th\t the request of the counc.l that the Government should provide £150, b^ing half the cot of constructing a new punt for Drummond's Ferry, would be carefully considered wheu framing this gear's Estimates.—Receive i.

DOUfiLK CABBAOK TREK SCABR. The cl<rk rwul the following letter from Sir Joseph Ward (Minister for JoKffi ways) :— " With reference to your letter of jhe 22nd ult., m regard to the placing of a suA of £5iK) ou the E- tiumtes this session forriver protection works at Double Calibaga Ttee,.l have the honour to inform yoa that the matter has received careful consideration, arfd l\ regret that I cannot see my way to comply with the request. The Kailwi^y^Department has already contributed tqwafifejoe cost of protective works at the plaife •rfaraeiT, and I regret that I cannot admit any further liability m regard to the matter. The question of further protection, if necessary, is one for the local bodies concerned, and does not affect the Bailway Department m any way." Cr Cupples said he did not think very much of the reply. (Laughter.) He had his doubta about it and thought it oama from the Engineer, Mf McCredie. Some time ago Mr MoCredie said that, m constructing the railway, they had provided for the river coming down there._ One thing he could Bay -wbb; that if the river did come down there, they would know all about it m a few yearg. He would like the clerk to record what be (Mr Cupples) had said about it, so that m a year or two, when he was dead and gone, his words would be remembered. In spite of the Minister's letter, something would have to be done. True, there had^ been no floods for a number ci years, but what happened occe would happen again. •He could tell SirJoseph Ward that if he were only living m the district, he would at once put money oil the Estimates, for the sake of the Government railway, for £500 speiit now, mipht suve £5000 hei c ifter.

Crs Fraser and Power thou-ht it would be well to get the Minister to visit the pUce. Letter received.

TARINGATURA ROADS,

A letter was received from ihe Eoads Department with reference to the taking and. dosing of roads m the Taringajuira district, and stating that, as it had b^en found that the sections were not properly enumerated m the previous proclamation, an amending proclamation had been gazetted. — Bectived.

A RAILWAY' CROHBI.YQ

A communication was read from the Bailway Department offering to put m a level crossing between sees 19 and 46, block 18, Jacob's Biver Hundred, on condition that the council paid the cost, and undertook to form a road on the road line alongside the railway between this crossing and the next crossing, on the east side of the Oraki Station.

Cr Hirst said the road lines were there years before the railway was made, and why the local body should be asked to contribute towards these crossings, when the railway dapartment snould put th. m m, be could not undei stand. , .He would taJcu no steps m the matter until the next meeting.— Eeceived.

A HARD CASE

The Commissioner of Crown Lands, Invercargil). replying to the letters forwarded to him from Messrs Pearce ;;Bros. and J. J. H. McLean, advocating that the road be takea through the latter's property, solely to benefit the former, he could not see his way to take any action m the matter, because Pearca Bros' sections fronted a road towards theeast, and it appeared to him that the road they wanted through Mr McLean's section was simply a private one.

Several councillors described this as a hard oase, the settlers conoerned having practica'ly no access to their land, and Mr McL an being quite willing to give the land for the road.

The Chairman : They are Crown tenants and it is the Commissioner's place to do what is wanted. If be won't, what can we do? We can't put a road through without the commissioner's approval. Ultimately, on the suggestion of Or Hirst, the matter wa: left iv abeyance, to enable further representations to be mode to the Commissionrr. CASTLKUOCR RESERVE NOT WANTFD. A communication was received frum the Commissioner of Crown Lands, saying npplicatiou had been made to purcha- e thr-e sniall sections of land adjoining Bee. 84, Taringatura Survey District, containing only about five acres. He asked whether the council required this land or any portion of it, for a gravel reserve. The Engineer reported that he had m Bpected the land m question, whioh was immediately alongside the river and would not, be thought, be required by the council for a gravel reserve, as plenty of better gravel could be obtained from the river, easier than from the reserve, where stripping would be required. In answer to councillors, the chairman satd the reserve was at Castlerock. On the motion of Crs Dyer and Fraser, it was resolved that the Commissioner be informed that the council did not require the reierve. BY.-LAWS AND TRACTION ENGrNEB. Mesjrs Macalistor Bros., Solicitors, addreßsed the following letter to the council : " There are come test cases pending 'now between owners of traction engines and the Southland County Council, m reference to traction engine licenses. The question has been raised as to whether a County Council can compel a traction engine owner to take out a license and pay a license fee. The Southland County Council has laid infor. mation under their new by-law against owners of traction engines. The traction engine owners m Southland have formed an association, for tbe purpoae of testing the validity of these new by-laws, and the question is bo important to the Wallace County Council at the present juncture, that we propose to hold over the printing of the by-laws pending the result of these oases. We understood from the chairman some weeks ago, that there was no need for haste m the matter, and we think it wise to delay a little. A later letter from the solicitors said tbe test cases would not come on before the 13th September, and an appeal was certain to be made to the Supreme Court on the point as to whether a oounty council could make a by-law providing for the payment of a license fee for traction engines. They thought it was a moot point.

Cr Cupples : I move that Messrs Macalister Bros be thanked for their honest advice, and that this council take no further action m the matter until after the election of the new council.

Cr Fraser : We have nothing to do with the election ot & new council.

Cr Hirst thought that the motion should be that the advice of the solicitors Bhould be accepted, and that no further action be taken m the meantime.

CrCupple*. Tfaat'B not my motion. My motion is that there be no further steps taken until after the election of the new council Cr Hirst can make the thing up m his own grammatical way, but I would like to have a say m it. I think the motion I have moved is quite m order and lam not going to alter it for Cr Hirst.

The Chairman : This council won't be tonext council. There will be a new couno Xou mnid «ov« that it by a matter for

fc6nsideration of the next council. We don't know who 4s coming back. ,'•■■■• Cr Newton seconded Cr Gupples' motion. Cr Hint : I move as art amendment that the advice tendered by the solicitors be revived and that no further action with respect to the by-laws be taken. Cr Cupples : What's the difference? Cr Hirst : A great d*al of difference. Cr Cupples .: Not a bit. Cr Newton : If we do that, all our trouble m connection with the by-laws is chucked over. The amendment was seconded, but upon the matter being put to the vote the motion was carried. m'killop to thb county. Messrs Macalist^r Bros advised the council that, as there was no road line giving access to the piece of land which the council had' bought from Mr McKiliop, viz., the northern part of section 30, Block I, Jacob's River Hundred, the District Land Registrar declined to complete the registration of the transfer until he was satisfied that the county did not intend to erect a dwelling-house upon the land. The council were the efore asked to give a certificate to the effect that the land was not intended to be used fc/ the erection of a dwelling bouse, and that the provisions of section 2 of the Public Works Act, 1903, should not apply.- The council gave a certificate accordingly. THE PAPATOTABA DIBPDTE. A letter was received from D. Macpherson, of Papatotara, and another from W. Hotter of the same place, m further reference to the outiall difficulty there. The council agreed that, having sent the county engineer out to adjust matters,- they could do no more. Mr Macpherson's letter was received, and to Mr Holter, the clerk was directed to reply that the council had no power to interfere further and r/cornmendixrp^hhn io »pply> : to -the Cdinnrissibner of CrawnLands. • -.: ORAWU VALLEY ROAD. •■•.. Mr .Roderick MeKenzie, of' Birchwood, 1 wrote reminding the council of the impassable and highly dangerous condition of the culverts m the Orawia Valley Boad (along the telephone line) from Wairio to Birchwood, and complaining that the promise given by the council some montha ago that the matter "would be attended to. had not been fulfilled. If the work was mnch. longer neglected, serious results might fairly be anticipated. Cr Power said no doubt there were a lot of culverts on this ti ack. Some of them ' were blocked through the timber being broken down and the road was practically impassable. Cr Newton : Thnre are seventeen culverts on the track. Many of them could have been dispensed with and fords made. The .track is not much used, and it is only for the i benefit of the Birohwood station. It would require a good deal of money to make the road viable. We had better put a small vote on for the next meeting. - .. ' Cr King favoured suspending the Standing Orders and putting a vote through that day, as the work was urgently required to be done After a short discussion, Cr Newton moved that the letter bn received and the writer m formed that a vote will be On the order paper for the next meeting. This was seconded and carried. k WBBYB BUSH CULVERT. E. Reynolds, of Wrey's Bush, complained that nothing had been done to the culvert m Dover Street, Wreys Bush, as promised, and threatened that unless something were done m the matter without delay, further proceedings would be taken. The chairman explained that the matter had already been placed m the hands of the Engineer for him to dial with it.

Cr Power said it would take a bridge 20ft wide to carry away. the water m flood time. He thought the proper course would be to xnake a ford at the place. A culvert would be of no use at all, owing to the* great .volume of water that came down there . when there was a flood. •...••■• --.

Cr Newton said no doubt the" Engineer knew whether a culvert or a ford Was best at the .place; and he hoped he would do ' something there before long. The Engineer stated that he inspected the place and was of opinion that a 2ft concrete culvert would carry the water ordinarily and h-3 instructed the surfaceman to put it m. Cr Power, however, told him (the Engineer) afterwards that he had seen the place and that m time of flood the proposed culvert would not carry the water. He Agreed with Cr Power that m time of a big flood, it would not carry all the water.

Cr Power: A two-feet culvert was there before, but it would not carry the flood water ; it became choked;

Cr Newton said as a matter of fact, none of the culverts would really carry the water m the ease of floods. He thought the Engineer should attend to the matter at once. The Chairman said the Engineer was not to blame m the matter, because he had instruoted the Surfaceman to put m a culvert, but Cr Power stopped the work. Cr Newton said there was something wrong about the way m which matters were oonducted, when this sort of thing could occur. Cr Powar denied that he stopped the work. In answer to Cr Cupples, the Engineer ■aid the culvert would cost £10.

Cr Power thought it would be a great pity to sink £10 there.

Nothing further was said on the matter.

HAMILTON BUBN STOCK BBIDOB

Mr Geo. Ghewings, of Glenelg, Mossburn, wrote enclosing cheque for £10, being the Amount of Us contribution towards the cost of the stock bridge over the Hamilton Burn. He thanked the counoil and staff for the efficient way m which the work was carried out. •■»■

Cr Dyer: I move that Mr Chewing be thanked for the prompt manner m which he has forwarded the cheque to the counoil and lor the very satisfactory way m whiph he carted the material. (Hear.Hear). In answer to Cr Fraser Or Dyer stated that ihe bridge cost £35 8s 7d.

Cr Dyer's motion wes seconded and carried.

•jpOLhTSa BOOTH AT BSftfOKT.

Messrs R. Beggs, W. Bradley; L. MiEenzie, Haider and Awdry, H. MeLees, A. Glendinning and H. Studholme, ratepayers m the Upper Waiau Riding, asked that there should be a polling booth at Belmont woolshed for the benefit of the district. They stated that some of the ratepayers had to travel 30 miles to the neareßt polling booth as at present. In answer to Cr Newton, Cr King stated that the polling place nearest to the writers waa Eastern Bush. '■' .

The request was granted, FINANCE.

On the recommendation of the Finance Committee accounts to the amount of £632 Is lid were passed for payment, including £200 for Charitable Aid.

: • A ENGINEER'S REPORT I / The Engineer reported as fQlloWs ton . bubn stock ' bridge. .r-This bridge has been, completed at a- total cost of' £85 8s 7d. It is 60 feet m" length, m three spans of 20 feet each. Apart from its usefulness as a means for crossing stock, it will be of great benefit to a number of school children who iave to cross thip river, bobert's bridge. — This is also finished, and a most satisfactory job has been made* The cost of this bridge was. £43 3s 6d, Some difficulty was experienced m getting a solid foundation for the concrete walls, which made the cost of building rather more than'it would otherwise have been. The main mossbcbh- centre hili, road, immediately to the north of Mossburn is not iformed on the surveyed road. It will be «eces»ary to have an exchange of roads made jtoXA distance of 40 chains. The property is

vested m the Sonool Commissioners and leased by Mrs Beet\ and I unier-tortf they are agreeable to the exchange. — proposed ROAD THROWQH BIRCHWOOD ' ESTATK.— I sabmitted plan of th<s to the Chief Surveyor and he informed me that he and the Distri- t Boad Engineer would inspect it at an early date. It will b«j necessary to get their consent before anything more can be done m the matt r. ■ .

Cr Hirst moved the adoption of the report. He asked if some steps were not taken many years ago, m reference to the school Commissioners' land at Centre Hill.

The chairman said an exchange was made some years ago

D\Y LABOUR

Cr Frasw asked what was the Engineer's estimate of the cost of Robert's bridge Ha said some p rsons had bi*-n fi .ding fault, because a lot of the work had been done by day labour.

The Engineer said bis estimate was £40 and the cost was £43 odd.

Cr Fraser said some Of t l c ratepayers were objecting to day la' our He approved of it under certain circurnst inces ; but thought the council should call for tenders for any work upon which there was to be an expenditure of more than £10— except m a case of great urgency. In this paiticular case, be understood the Engineer was authorised by the council to employ day labour. Some people were under the impression that when a mm was doing work for the county oounoil, begot into what was known as the " Government stroke."

The' chairman was surprised at CrFraser's remarks. There were not two contractors m Southland to-day who could do the contract work without an insppctor standing over them. The men the council employed had been at the work about eighteen months, and there wa=3 no contractor about who could make such a good-job. Concrete work badly done " was useless work. Ratepayers sometimes did gravelling and they •' gravelled anyhow " because they had no experience. Cr Cupples considered day labour was not satisfactory to the ratepayers. As to the want of an inspector, who looked after work when Mr McGavock was not there ? He oould not always be present. The Chairman : He has a foreman.

Cr Cupples : I took stock when these men went to work— l did not stop to see when they finished. They did not start one day until twenty minutes to eleven. It seems a very small to have cost £43. I don't see where the': money is m it. It is a narrow ■■culvert. ' ::V "

Cr Fraser. : I rise to a point of order. I asked what the Estimate was and he said it was £40. If it does not exceed that, it should not be oalled m question. Cr Cupples : Tenders should be oalled for every contract that exceeds £10. There is another culvert there has been a ' mistake over. The Engineer has not reported on that. What did that cost? It is over what is oalled the Middle Creek, below Limestone Plains, what did that cost ? If you let work up to the amount of £10 privately, aren't you evading the Act ? The Chairman : No, no !

CrCupples: F think you are. It is not satisfactory to the ratepayers nor to the majority of the council. The chairman pointed out that the work under review was done privately by day labour, Asked for an explanation as to the mistake m regard to Robert's bridge, the Engineer said it appeared there were two bridges to be attended to — one having to be renewed and another having to be built. One was to be done with the ratepayers' money. The men made a mistake and renewed, the wrong bridge and the other would have still to be done.

Cr Power said the day labour employed at the Wrey'fl Bash bridge was most satisfactory. The men worked splendidly and the bridge was done cheapTy. Cr Stevens said the Engineer had explained how Robert's bridge dame to cost a little more than the Estimate and the explanation was very satisfactory. The walls had to be placed upon a proper foundation. The chairman considered that the present system of employing labour for concrete bridges especially, could not be beaten. A lot of unfair work was done sometimes m con* tracts where concreting had to be done. >. ; : ; Cr Newton had known instance? m: which bridges, done m his riding under the contracj system h*d broken down. Cr Newton thought the question of building bridges should come before the council, and the work should . be done by contract or day labour as the council decided.

Or Dyer said that m cases where a bridge collapsed it was ■ the duty of the chairman and the Engineer to have the necessary work done without delay, and not wait until the council met for a vote to be passed.

-v Cr Cupples : Is there not a motion on the minute book ?

Cr Hirst : Cr Cnpples has spoken. Cr Cupples : I have the right of reply. Cr Hirst : But there is no motion and therefore no reply. Cr Cupples : I don't think you should obstruct me when I am talking oommonsense.

Cr Hirst : He has spoken already, sir. Cr Cupples : I simply ask the question, has the motion been rescinded ? The Chairman : You can't let a oontraot for over £10, without calling tenders for it. Cr Cupples : Then what do you call this ? The Chairman : Day labour by our own staff. ...

Cr Cupoles : It is just the very same. It is taking the 'power out of the hands of the council, to give the Engineer so much latitude, and we don't require to be paid one pound per day for coming here. Cr Hirst : May I point out that Cr Cupples and those gentlemen who are antagonistic to this work have never opened their mouths until, apparently, there is going to bean election or something of the sort. 1 am not quite dear myself - (Oh, Ob 1 and Hear, Hear) — and they want to bring themselves prominently before the ratepayers — Cr Oupples (vehemently) : Order! Order! I object to that. Cr Hirst : In any case sir —^ » .Cr Cupples: Odrer, Mr Chairman, I object to Cr Hirst making such a statement. Cr Hirst : Well, Sir,—

Cr Cnpplea (determinedly) : I object to It — Cr Hirst : Am lin order, Sir ? Cr Cupples: Talk about the business before the council.

The Chairman : We are on the Engineer's report.

Cr Newton : You should stop that remark, Mr Chairman. You have no right to allow

Or Hirst (banteringly) • It is a most peculiar thing, Sir, that theße things crop up at certain terms, triennially. Cr Cupples (still standing) : Let him speak to the business befora the council.

Cr Newton : Mr Chairman

Cr Hirst: I don't interrupt you, Cr Newton. . ."~ ' „

Here the chairman, and Crs Cupples, Newton and Hirst were all standing and essaying to speak at the one time.)

Cr Cupples (to Cr Hirst) : What about yourself with £200 on the estimates. \ The Chairman : Order, Order I Cr Cupples: Well, keep Cr Hirst m order.

The Chairman ; You are all out of order. This is a matter that should not have cropped up at all. Cr Hirst : Hear, Hear, you are quite correct Mr Chairman

Or Cupples : Order, Order. Mr Chairman —

Cr Hirst ; I say the whole ot the discussion is quite out of order. This thing has been going on months and months, and there has lias been no oayilJUng until tb,U peril? 1,

Cr Cuppleq : Heir Hear.

Cr Hirst :It appe.i s( o affect the ncr es of some of the gentlemen ou the right hand side.

.Cr Cupples (jeeringly) : Hear, Hear, Hear ! Cr Newion : That is the*, left hand side though. .

Cr Hirst : The election does not effect me one iota. I don't care whether I come back to the council or not. ;

CrFiaser: I don't care, either. Cr Hirst : There are a great many of you hire that c«e (laugher). The Ch irtn-tn : Order ! gentlemen.

Cr Hirst : I give the Engineer every credit for the work his men have done m the Orepuki Biding m repect to the erection of bridges and I guarantee it could not h&ve been don.-, by contract at the pr cc. Cr Newton: Oh!

Cr Hirst : I am not asking you your opinion You know nothing at all about it. Yon actually acknowledge at this table that you do not know what work is going on m your own Biding. • Cr Newtoa : Ido know what is going on m my Biding.

Cr Hirai ; The wh le discussion has arisen, Mr Chairman, from the fact that an election is going to take place.

Cr Cupples (excitedly) : Are you going to allow this sort of thing to go on ? (Uproar). The Ch irman rose and called for order.

Cr Hirst : I believe that i3 at the bottom of it. I knew it. I was only relating what takes place t: iennially. Some of us won't come back— some will.

The Chairman : You are out of order ; sit down.

Cr Hirst : Speaking to the Engineer's report, sir, I was just showing them the drift of the feeling

CrCupples: There h$ goes again, Mr Chairman (laughter). ' Cr Newton : Look here, you can't do this —

Cr Hirst repeated that he believed thfl forthcoming election was at the bottom of the whole thing.

Gr Cupples : I object to it. Cr Newton wondered if Cr Hirst was talking seriously.

Cr Hirst oould not understand how it was th.it at the end of certain terms, certain people made certain remarks.

The chairman here again rose to call for order and Or Hr*t resumed his seat.

Cr Newton (turning to Or Cupples) : There's a sample for you ° The Chairman : Order ! Order !

Cr Fraser said he would like to take Gr Hirst back a few years. When he (Cr Fraser) was a new chum on the council, Cr Hirst was chairman and he let work by day labour that cost some hundreds of pounds. When he, Cr Fraser, heard of it, be oame up and stopped the work and called for tenders tor it, although he did not say it was done cheaper.

Cr Hirst said that, through the action of Cr Fraser, a certain bridge cost between £400 and £500 more than it would have done by day labour.

After Borne further skirmishing between Crs Hirst, Cupples, Newton, and Fraser, the council got back to its normal condition.

MOSBBUBN-CKNTRE HILL BOAD.

Cr Dyer moved that the Engineer be instructed to have' the work of forming the; Mossburn-Centre Hill road for a distance of forty chains on the surveyed road, carritd out. — Seconded by Cr King and carried.

whet's bush bridge,

In reply to Cr Power, the Engineer stated that the work of reconstructing the Wrey's Bush bridge cost £418, of which the Govern ment gave L3OO and the Heddon Bush Company £100. The cost to the council was £18. Cr Hirst : And was it done by day labour ? The Engineer: Yes. Cr Hirst : Oh. that's peculiar. Cr Newton : It's not peculiar. The connoil decided to do it by day labour. Cr Power reminded the council that a committee was appointed to inspect the bridge after the damage was dene, and it was estimated that it would cost £800 to renew it. He, however, had said he could get it done for £400. Who had been proved to be right ? Cr Prases: And ho* long will . it last ? Cr Power said it was a great satisfaction to the people of the district and all who used the bridge, that it had been done.

The Engineer's report was then adopted,

MISCELLANEOUS.

Permission was granted to A. and W. Wilson, Orawia, to cut a water race aoross a road for a water wheel.

James Clarke, of Mount Franklin, * asked that the Thirds aoorued on seotion 76 Wairaki should be expended on the road leading to the section. Letter received. Matter of Thirds entirely m the hands of the Engineer. "

On the motion of Cr Stevens, (m the absence of Or Fraser ) the council voted £10 for outting outfall ditohv on the main road, Thornbury to Riverton, and £5 for outting outfall on Groper's Bush Flat Road. Cr Hirst moved that the following sums be voted £50, Pankhurat-Nuttall's Road, renewal ; £50 boundary road, G. Prints and half cost sections Wakatfctu; £25, maintenance Tramway to Crawford's ; £50 maintenance Main Road, Orepuki-Drummond Ferry, including £10 expended by John Erskina.