COUNTY COUNCILS. Tuapeka County Council.

Otago Witness, Issue 1674, 22 December 1883, Page 28

COUNTY COUNCILS.

Tuapeka County Council.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Tuapeka County Council was held at Lawrence on Friday last. Present : Messrs Oudaille (chairman), Bennet, Fraser, Buchanan, M'Nab, Herbert, and Cotton.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and conficmed.

COBRESPONDENOK.

Mr D. Eraser, Tuapeka ■ West, requested that the scrub be cleared oil the read-line from M'Kenzie's farm toward the Lawrence borough endowment.— Resolved, on tKe motion of Mr Buchanau— " That the request be complied with, at a cost not exceeding £10." ' Mr Werry, under-secret'ary for New Zealand Railways, wrote intimating that the Hon. the Minister for Public Works was not favourable to the formation of a level crossing over the railway-line at the road leading to Mathesdn's, near Clark's Flat.— Mr Fbaseb said the railway authorities had promised to put in a crossing at this particular place before the road to Matheaon's was formed. He moved to the effect that the whole of the correspondence bearing upon this road be referred to Mr jLc. Brown, M.H.R. (who was county chairmafllUt the time the road was commenced), with a request that he interview the railway authorities on the subject-matter thereof. — Carried. Mr D. J. M'Donald requested the Council to fill in a number of abandoned diggers' holes between Messrs Macnamara's and Lancaster's Hill.— Granted.

Mr Jabez "Burton (clerk) forwarded a resolution of the Roxburgh Borough Council asking the Tuapeka County Council to co-operate with the Vincent County Council in requesting Government to undertake the construction of a road to Waikaia Bush.— Consideration deferred in absence of Mr Mervyn (member for Teviot * riding). " r Mr Samuel Hagan (Kelso) requested that a culvert be erected and the road made passable * to his property. — Referred to engineer for report. Mr John Robertson (Waitahuna West) drew attention to the fact that as the surveyed road through run No. 10p was impassable, the settlers were trespassing on hia private property, to which he offered no objection in the meantime, but requested that the surveyed road be made available as Boon as possible. — Deferred for consideraeion till next meeting, pending receipt of additional information. Mr D. Crowley brought under notice the disgraceful state of the road leading through Shamrock Valley (Tuapeka Flat), and promised, along with other settlers interested, t* give the use of horses and drays to cart material, &c. — It was agreed to put the road in repair, and accept the offer of the settlers. Mr John Kerr wrote asking that Bometbing be done to the' Qreek'- fronting bis land &%

Miller's Elat.— The engineer reported that a bridee and approaches were required, the cost of which he estimated at JSieO.-Kesolved that the work be attended to within three months. PETITIONS. A petition from Messrs Hancock, M'Noilly, and other* was received, requesting that £10 be expended in making the road to their dwellings approachable.— Report to be comPAP A petition, bearing: 37 signatures, was received from settlers in the Heriot and Grookston districts, asking the Council to undertake certain necessary works.— Referred to the engineer for report. . \ c oo <-„ A petition was also received from oa ratepayers in Miller's Plat and Teviot districts, protesting against the levying of charges on the county puntß.— Messrs Kerr, Waugh, and Honnor appeared in Bupport of the peW*™---The deputation were informed that Mr Sheath had withdrawn his motion in the meantime re charging fees at the county punts. engineer's bepokt. t The Engineer furnished the following report on the application of the ratepayers for certain roadworks in Tapanui and James ridings :— 1 Read, Kempthorne's corner to top o( lull in block IX Greenvale dUrtoli.-S.dnK and culverts required, the cost of which is ctimated at £50. _ q s ! Hoad, Krfso to Halnli.g's and others in block ' Kill Greenvale district—A small bridge and cutting roauired : probable cost, £60 3 -m road deviation throu«h section 9 block II Green\ale district, h*a been fenced on each side. A numbor of eulve.ts and short pieces of embankment are required ; probable cost, £60. . 4 Township of Kelso.— Three culverts nre much reauired • also, formation and gravelling between Duunet'a corner jind Crookston bridge; probable cost, £50 6.' New bridge required over Crookaton Creek, Kelso ; probable cost, £230. 6.« New bridge over Flodden Creek, Tapanui commojfiwre: pioDable cost, £250. -jFSoftd leadiiiß to Elliot and Potts' in block XIV, (afnkenich district.- Several culverts and short pieces of embankment aro very much required ; estimated cost, £70. 'The report (in the absence of Mr Sheath) was allowed to stand over till next meeting.' BETURNS. The Engineer submitted a return showing the expenditure on' county works for the month of November to be as follows -.—Lower ridings, £606 18s Id ; upper ridings, £289 17s 8d ; Government votes, £511 193-total, £1408 loa 6d. A return was also submitted by the Engineer, showing the expenditure on day labour, contracts, and materials, also Government votes and deferred - payment moneys, within the several ridings of the county for the year endintr 31st October 1883, as follows :— Waitahuna riding, £313 13s lOd; Clarks, £181 6s 2d ; Browns, £1254 6s 3d ; Gabriels, £636 6- 6d ; Beaumont, £3256 12s 4d ; Teviot £2906 6s ; James, £678 '13s 8d; Tapanui, £379 9s 8d; Waipori, £607 Oa 3d. TENDEKS. The tender of Mr John Edie for contract No 179 (metalling 20 chains road near Ldie s, block XII, Crookston), was accepted. Mr Martin Ryan's tender for contract 178 (gravelling 40 chains of road, commencing at end of Pearson's contract, and leading towards railway-crossing at Havelock) was accepted. DOG BEGISTBATION FEE. Mr Fbaser moved— "That the fee for the registration of dogs throughout the county be a uniform rate of 55." Mr Hkbbebt said that he had at present three parties of rabbiters employed, who had no less than 80 dogs following them. He thought a fee of 2s 6d was quite enough to collect ier dogs engaged in rabbiting. Mr Bknnet seconded Mr Eraser's motion, which was carried, MH MERVI'N'S ALLEGED BESIONATION. Mr Hebbekt moved—" That the Chairman instruct a solicitor to take legal proceedings against Mr Mervyn for taking pait and voting at a Council meeting after having sent in his resignation to the proper officer." The mover said that Mr Mervyn made no secret of the iaot that he had tendered his resignation some weeks ago to the Chairman. Under such circUmstances it was disgraceful that he should attend the annual meeting an.d take part in the election of chairman Mr Bknnet, in seconding the motion, supported the remarks of the mover. When Mr Mervyn made a boast that he had resigned seme weeks ago, and then had the hardihood to attend the annual meeting, it was , high time that the matter was probed to the bottom. The Chaibsian saM the ratepayers had the matter in their own hands, if desirous of setting the law in motion. It would be illegal to expend the county funds in prosecuting Mr Mervyn. Mr Hkbbebt : I'll prosecute Mr Mervyn at my own expense. Mr M'Nab said the rumour was in everybody's mouth that Mr Mervyn had resigned, and had forwarded his resignation' to the Chairman. The Chaibman : I toll .you straight that I did not receive it.' ■ > Mr M'Nab : I tell you openly that Mr Mervyn forwarded his resignation to you. Mr Fbaseb called upon ttie Chairman to rule whether the motion was in order or not. Tho Chaibman : It is not in order. Some further wrangling of a very bitter character ensued, but eventually the matter was allowed to fall through. APPOINTMENT OV COJtJIITTEE.S. The following appointments were made for the ensuing year : — P.ublio Works : Messrs Herbert, Cotton, Bennet, M'Nab, and Fraser. Finance: Messrs Bennet, Oudaille, M'Nab, j&jgyJTraser. Printing : Messrs Oudaille, CottbriT'Bennet, and Buchanan. Depasturing: Messrs M'Nab, Bennot, Cotton, and 3?raser. MOTIONS OABBIKD. The following' motions were carried :— • That the footbridge at the head of Gabriel's ' Gully be repaired at a cost not exceeding £2. That plans be prepared and application made to have the road from Waitahuna to Dalhousie, through run 1 06, "declared a district road ; and that £1000 bo applied for, to come under the provisions of the Roads and Bridges Construction Act. That the engineer be instructed to authorise ' the surfacemen of the riding to put a small culvert on the road where the creek crosses at Mr James Cameron's property, the cost not to exceed £7That the clerk be instructed to adjust the county rolls. That the engineer report as to the practicability of erecting a bridge at Miller's Flat, also probable cost. That the Works Committee and the engineer visit the Beaumont bridge on the 15tb, and report on the alleged grievance of the contractor. GKNEBAL. Accounts amounting to £1549 16s lid were passed for payment. The tender of James Moir (Dunedin) was accepted for the supply of 500 dog-collars, at the rate of 6d and 6£d each. The Chairman promised to get the Remarkable Bush road put in repair, and a culvert erected on ths road near Dalton's without delay. TnAT Husband of Minb is three times the man he wa<» bofore he began using "WMiLS' Health Rekewbb" Druggiats': Moses Mosa and Co., Sydney (Jeae»l Agents.— (Abvi.)