Waikouaiti County Council.

Otago Witness, Issue 1754, 4 July 1885, Page 21

Waikouaiti County Council.

A special meeting of the above body was held in the county offices, Waikouaiti, on Friday last.. Pre sent •. Jaine* Green. Esq. (chairman), and Crs Criekmore, Duncan, Jefferis, "Malloch, aud Mawson. 3ULA\CIi-SHEhT. The annual balance-sheet and statement of assets and liabilities ot the county for the j - ear ended 31st March last, were snbniif ted, approved, and authorised to be signed by the chairnmu. OKDI.VAKV NKKI'ISG. The Council then proceeded to the ordinary business. DKI'UTATIONS. Mr W. Souter. Flag Swamp, appeared to support ii letter forwarded to the council, m which iie stated that the inspector was in error in his statement that he (Mr Souter) had made tnc ditch between the two bridges ou the main road at Flag Swamp adjoining his property, and which the council had given permission to clean out deeper and wider than they were before. He asserted the reverse to be the case — the ditch being neither wider nor so deep as it used to deep as it used to be, as could easily be proved by the silfc afcill at the bottom and the grabs on the sides. lie stated that ho had only cleaned the ditch out once, and he had received no t-oniplaint from the inspector with respect to the mattrr. The inspector reiterated his statement that the ditch had been deepened, which could ba seen by the clay lifted out of the, bottom, and that it had not been cleaned out to his satisfaction. The Chairman* pointed out that permission had been given to Mr Souter to avoid the necessity ot having to apply to the council every time the ditch required cleaning out, but as he had not complied with the stipulation he forfeited the concession granted. After considerable discussion, during which Mr Souter offered to pay the cost ot an engineer or any person the council might appoint to examine the ditch if his version was not the correct one, the council resolved — "That after reconsidering the whole question in all its bearings to adhere to their previous decision, and that as Mr Souter had not cleaned out the ditch to the satisfaction of the inspector, he forfeit the right to exercise any longer the permission granted him on the 28th December 18& S. Mr Clynian appeared to object to the deviation ot a roadline through section lU, block VIII, Waikouaiti district, unless the council agreed to pay him £3. He explained that li<rdid not \alue the land taken, but the expense he would be put to in fencing both side^ ot road line. The council agree Uo Mr Clyman's terms on condition that he signed a-proper conveyance to the council ot the land taken. VISXSL'K. The Finance Committee recommended accounts amounting to £370 ISt.s lOd to be passed for payment, of which £127 6s ijil was under the Koads and Bridge - Construction Act. ( ON niAlTfi. Tin: following Icmlers w .■,•«• accepted:— Contract •J'n. re-building culve-l, <vt IFosio's road, Flag Suiiiup, Howislou iincl Kendall, £10 15s; contract 205, forming a poition ot Barnett'sroad, Hawksburv, J. Pemberfon, £1; contract 2015, forming about' ;JU chains of road in block VIII, Waikouaiti, T. Hammond, formation, £32 ns ; rock, Js Od per yard. . XORTH-EAST VALLEY LOAN. The committee recommended the payment of this loan, contracted by the Noith-East Valley Road Board, and that notice be given to Messrs Gillies and Hislop to that effect. BOUNDARY HOADS. The committee made no recommendation re the Hawksbury Borough's claim for maintenance of boundary roads. ROADS AND BIUIXiES CON'STKUCTIOX ACT. The committee recommended for transmission to the Hon. the Minister ot Public Works applications, with plans and schedule of estimates, tor a grant of £49i)3 2s, under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act, for road works as under: — Port Ohahners to Hey ward Point. £194 ; Port Chalmers to Purakanui, £1500 ; Wakari to Waitati, £900; Waihemo Bridge to Native village, £41)2 ; to Omimi Railway station, £(300 14s; to Seacliff Railway, station, JJ39H ; ' Quarry road, Hawksbury, £1590 18s. — The report was adopted. REPORTS. The inspector reported that the Flag Swamp road from Johnston's corner to Stringer's farm was very flat, with the exception of about 10 chans, and was easily cut. Two pinches, with gradients of 1 in 7 and 1 in 6, would cost about £3o to reduce to 1 in It and 1 in 12. The creek crossed the road three times, which in winter was in a bad state ior a chain on each side of the pitching. He recommended metal to be used in place ot gravel, which would be swept away in time of flood. Cost of metalling three crossings, from £10 to £12 ; or, including lormation of pinches, about £40. — The council decided to call for tenders for the work. Jefferis Road. — This road was sufficiently formed for gravelling — estimated cost, £40. Consideration of this work deferred until next year's rato is struck. Ord and Pitcher's Application.— The road referred to had been gradually cut away near the creek, and the culverts'would liave to be removed shortly to prevent accident, lor which tenders were recommended to be called for, as well as a small piece of lormation. Cost, about £12. — The council decided to call for tenders tor the work. Mountain Track Road. — Much of this road had never been formed, and so long as drnys were allow ed to use unfenced land for road, no immediate necessity existed for any large expenditure. {Several side cuttings and culverts were required to render the road sate for traffic. Estimated cost of necessary

repairs, £70. — As the road led to deferred payment block, and the Laud Bo.ird approved of it, it was agreed to call for tenders for the worK. HAT I'- l> A Yl'.Kh' M kKl'lMf . Cr J^A^^vo^• reported result of ratepayers meeting held at Blueakin on June. 28 <v closing load line through section 11, block VI, North Harbour and Bhieskin district, which -\:is> favourable to the proposal \-as received, and the decision of ratepayeis <>onfu med. The Council decided to give (he old road line through »anie section in exchange for new road. COnKKbPOXDKNCi:. An application from 3lr I). Millar, Port Chalmers, to renio'o earth in front of .section 4, block VI, was referred to the inspector, with instructions to allow (he iemo\al if it could be done without injury to the road, and the work carried on and completed to his satisfaction. Mr 11. Suthkhla.nd, Flag Swamp, drew attention to the inconvenience he was put to through the water from the main creek having been shut out from flowing towards the bridge nearest to him, which it had done for some years, depriving him ot his proper watering-place for his cattle. He pointed out that the other bridge was encumbered by material for the new bridge. He complained that he was needlessly compelled to travel a distance for water ior dome'stie purposes owing to the water being dirty. He asked that the water might be allowed to flow into the original channel. — The Council could not sec their way to grant the request. < Mr D. Jl'Lauchlan, Purakanui, pointed out that it would be only a waste of money to cut bridle track through section 90 and part of SU. He offered to clear the bush as far as his sections, 20 or 25 chains, for £10. The Council resolved to -adhere to their former resolution of May 29 last. Messrs W. Mitchell and D. Hay, Port Chalmers, drew attention to the impassable state ot the road from Port Chalmers to Cedar Creek, and applied to have the road formed, metalled, and repaired. — Tho application was referred to the inspector to report as to cost to repair the worst portion. An application Irom Mr A. Gardiner, Warringlon, to have a person named Williamson, who w.ts now occupied on a surveyed road-line, removed, was retet red to the inspector to report. Mr W. Stead, Kilmog, applied for the transfer of deviation of road-line through section (58, block I, Waikouaiti, as the exchanged road had been opened for public traffic. — The clerk was instructed to reply that the conveyance" would be completecl as soon a» the council obtained the certified plan of the road. The Chairman of the Pine Hill School Committee (Mr Geo. Ford) forwarded a petition from the mothers of children attending the district school, pointing out the' necessity for improving the main district road, and alleging the bad state of the road was the cause of the non-attendance of their children at school. — The clerk was instructed to reply that the council regretted exceedingly they had not the funds to effect the repairs asked for, and to point out that the council had not been so unmindful as they seemed to think, having last year contributed £60' to the North-East Valley borough to defray half cost of work on the banie road ; but notwithstanding the small amount of rates received from that portion of the riding, the council would subsidise pound for pound to any amount raised. Air J. Macandrew, M.H.R., wrote that he would communicate with the Government when in Wellington re the Lower Harbour road, and would be glad if. any representations of his could help to bring the matter to a satisfactory issue. Mr H. Herfcslett. Waikouaiti, asked for a reconsideration re improving the road leading to his deferred-payment land. The importance of the work was rendered, obvious from the tact that he intended erecting a woolshed, and it was impossible to cart more than half a load ot either timber or wool on the road. — The council decided to call for tenders for the most necessary work through section 1, block XI. Hawksbury Survey District. The Surveyor-general, Wellington, asked to be furnished with a report of the works undertaken by the Minister ot Lauds to open Crown lands, for sale up to June 30 ; the report to include all work done to th At date since June 30, 1884, aud to state briefly what, had been done and the Crown lands beneficially affected. — The information was ordered to be supplied . MISCELLAXIC'IUS. The inspector was instructed to report to the council on all occasions when the watercourses in the county were interfered wilh by any person not authorised by the couucil. A six-months' slaughtering license was granted to Messrs Bentham aud Kirkpatrick. Resolved — "That, in the opinion of this council, the ra'e of interest on bank overdraft ought not to exceed 7 per cent., and that the chairman be instructed to mnke arrangements to that effect." Kesolved — "That the attention of the West Harbour Council be drawn to the bad state of road from Sawyer's Bay railway-station to the Upper Junction Hotel, and respectfully suggest that immediate steps betaken to put same m an efficient state of repair, this council defraying half-cost of the same." Thu clerk was instructed to draw Mr Catherwood's attention to the complaints made regarding the manner in v?hich he was carrying on his contracts* and to inform him that unless he proceeds at once with contract 188, the council would enforce their rights at his cost. The resolution passed afc lat.t meeting re bridge at Longbeach was rescinded, and the inspector was instructed to utilise certain unused timber at the bridges over Pleasant. River in construction of bridge at Longbeach. — Tenders to be called tor the work provided the settlers interested carted the timber from vail way-station to the bridge, and place on the site the piles, &<•. for the same. It was agreed, after a short discussion, that the statement which the couucil resolved at last meeting "be laid on the table "should be retained by the chairman until next meeting, when it was understood the consideration of the same should take precedence ot all business except thafc of deputations. Tho council then adjourned.