TAIERI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1461, 15 November 1879, Page 9

TAIERI COUNTY COUNCIL.

! The ordinary monthly meeting of the above Council was held on the 7th at Mosgiel, when there were present: Messrs John Roberts (chairman), R. Charters, J. Eindlay, J. Allan, W. Snow, J. Shand, and J. Andrew.

engineer's bepobt. The following was read : — "Dunedin, 6fch November, 1879. " Rpad Outram to Hindon via Lee Stream. — On inquiry I find that Mr Arthur, chief surveyor, has already reported fully to the Government respecting this line of route to Hindon, and with sundry deviations of the present track, strongly recommends it for adoption as a road calculated to open up the lands now being surveyed, for settlement in the surrounding district^ and also as a means of giving facilities in affording proper accommodation for the present traffic. The track now in use is available for pack-horses as a means of transit for goods, while the crossing at the Lee Stream is dangerous, and nearly impracticable in wet or frosty weather, even for the abovementioned primitive mode of carriage. At a point on the Lee Stream about one mile below the present crossing, a fair dray road ia obtainable by sidecutting and clearing. Provision has been made by the late Government in the Public Works Statement, 1879, tinder the- heading of table No. 8, North Tauri to Run 175 (item 34), where the Bum of . L3OOO is appropriated for making roads to open up this discriot ; and I should recommend the Council to call the attention of the present Government to this item, and see that it is not omitted from the new statement. I have not given any estimate of .the works required, as when the Council determine to expend any funds on the road, a detidl survey will he necessary, and the actual amount to be expended can then be located on any portion or portions of the road. "GreytownßiidgeExtension.— This work has been commenced, and a considerable quantity of material laid on the site of works. , Wita reapeot to the means of communication from the river banks on to the bridge, it was proposed to extend the bridge 12ft, and, leave an opening accordingly . between t'wo L of the trasses ; but as this would have to -be approached by an embankment, it is obvious that, in the case of a flood and the .approach being washed away— a casualty almost , certain t> occur — tbe opening on to the bridge would be useles* to allow of the escape of stock, &c. from tb,e banks of ( the river, and this would be out off from, the high ground by Scrbggs' Cretk. Again, the approach would impede the , water-way, and in cooatructing this extension [ of the present .bridge it has T been a o jnsidera- ; tion to increase this rather than to limit it by •' obstructions., To afford the desired accommo- \ dation, a small , bridge over! Scro'gga' Creek — about two caaina higher up than the present j crossing — would have jto be constructed, and no j doubt a cormcUr-tble portion of the old bridge | could be utilised -in the work. I should esti mate the probable coet atVL2OO, .while thealteration as suggested on the newVetructurewould cost L6O or L 70 ., In recommending the! Council to the work of the higher cost, I woalH : poiac *ut, in the case, where the cost .is lowest, ; that when the necessity of its employment was iiumineqt, it would .become .useless- by th-j ; material composing the approach washing away, and it is also highly probable that a considerable . portion of the 'ground above, and below the: extension will be swept. away, by succeßsive> floods. In any case, I would not, recommend; any alteration , in' the original "design of the' bridge as contracted for, ",.'"■'. ' ] ' " " R Hay, County Engineer." On the motion of Mr Snow; seconded by Mr; Shand, it was agreed that the Chairman'; should communicate with the M.H.R. for the district (Mr J. Falton). to urge upon him to i push on the expenditure of the L3OOO referred to in the report »s having been voted for the road to Run 175. , With respect to the clause of the report reeardiog the necessity of providing a means of; access to the Owhiro bridge, it was agreed to dtfer action until a future meeting, as the carrying out of the proposal would not; interfeze with the progrets of the present contract.

THE C'WHIHO BRIDGE.

TheXJnder-Secretary, Wellington, forwarded a copy of a petition from Messrs Shand, Snow, and Allan (County Councillors), and 113 others, praying that the Governor would cause the O iVbiro bridge to be constructed, and the coat thereof to be stopped out of future subsidy due to the Council, and asking the opinion of the Council with regard to the same. — As the Council, eince the forwarding of the petition to the Governor, had decided to itself construct the bridge referred to, it ww resolved that the Clerk should reply to the Under-Sccretary to that tffeot.

SEASIDE BOAD BOARD.

A deputation of members of the Seaside Road Board waited upon the Council to urge the granting cf the requests explained by the following letter: —

"Brighton, October 24tb, 1879. " Sir. — I am iuatraote ito state that a deputation from the Seaside Road Boaid * ill attend the next meeting of the Taieri County Couucil with v view of submittiug the hardship the Seaside Road Di trict has to contend with in keeping in repair the main co»st road, which is more used by outsiders than by the district r*tep«yera, and, that tin circumstance* of the ewe tnliy warrant tie t«kiig ap of this read a^ a County road ; »ls >, t,j recommend the cl Burn nf a dot &* -r a '-line pas"-iug through sectious4 5, and 19, "lock 111, Otakin, to a Biuveyed road.— l atu, &c, "AttAN Cameron, " Clerk Seaside R ad Board." The deputation urged th»t very lit-tle justice was done to the Seaside and Kuri Bosh districts, and considered that &■* present riding should be oub^ivided, with X\k'i view of affording a sp*ci&l repteseiitative in the Council for the ccatt districts.

Mr Aclan supported the request that the Council should take over the road referred to, and sad 1 c had en ot-veral occasions urged th« pamettiimj in tbe Council. It should be rem«in v >ered that tbe Sea-We and Knri Bneh di«tricta were cut < ff f rom railway communication, and that tee pr"dnc^r* living a« far ftom Danedin even nn tbe Ciutba vr<>re in a bettor position, at regarded the Dunedin market, than these of t^e tw.» (Hstticta referred io. He was afr»ii, however, that ia the meantime the difficulty of w«nt of fund would operate against the grantirg of the rfqu'-et. Meiers Ckartehs aud Sjww alao #poke upon th° question, admi 'iuKt>>^ justice of the claim, Mid xlatiag also that th- Waipori road was one exiC.ly in the sume enndi'ton.

At» Snow gay*? noHuo of motion for next meeting, t-> the -fifed; fcaat the Council should take over tbe Waipori ru» < ; and

Mr Allan gave imti-o <i » uimilar moliou with regard to th« Senoirie mad. The question "f vl<>->fng taa roads mentioned in tie above letter wms \ <t£bp«ned, to allnw the r.ttepajers of the distit-t to take certain neces* Bary preliminary stop*.

SUSPACB WORK OX MAIN ROADS.

Tne f 'lli)-<-iEg t*md-M «ero aeueptHl for tbe above work thr -vigho'tt-. tie main ro<Mfo of The Countw :- -Contrast N.. L, S. Weir, L 11 2; No. 2. 0. H.Mnaiti L7Bj N«.. 3. J. R«P*n, 19710s: N-. 4, J .M* VUUhu, I,Bi j Ny; 5. 2>. GUass, L7ss NosC, W. Thomson, Lys.

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