WAIHEMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1874, 21 October 1887, Page 9

WAIHEMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of this county council was held in the Council Chambers, Palmerston, yesterday, when there were present : The Chairman (Mr A. D. Bell), and Councillors T. Dent, A. Fraser, C. S. Hay, A. M'Laren, D. M'Leod, J. K. Robertson, and M. Todd. DEPUTATIONS. Mr John M'Lew appeared to urge the construction of the road between Jordan's and Kitchener's and the drainage of the road, to enable him and cithers to get to the Shag river — Cr Robertson explained that a motion bad been passed by the council to erect a footbridge over the river, and until this was done it would be useless putting in a culvert to drain the road.— The application was referred to the chairman and the inspector to have the matter attended to. Mr M'lntosh appeared to again urge the opening up and formation of a road to the coal mine recently opened by him. He estimated the cost of a road 16f fc wide at £112, formation only. — The Chairman explained that the inspector's estimate of the cost of the road was -.—Formation and culverts, £182 2s ; and gravelling, £167 10s— making a total of £349 12s. This estimate provided for a road 67 chains in length, 16ft wide, with gravel 10ft wide and lOin deep. — Mr M'lntosh said the council had considered the sum of £150 well spent in forming the road, and the estimate did not exceed this amount. — The Ohairmax pointed out that there were certain difficulties in connection' with the matter, and suggested that the road should be made either by the owners of the land or the lessee of the coal mine, and that to justify the council in agreeing to the expenditure a guarantee should be given under certain conditions. He moved, 'after discussion, the following resolution :— " That this council, with the view of securing, in the event of the road being made, that the new coal mine shall be positively available to the r atepayers, undertake as follows: That if the road is made and gravelled to the satisfaction of thn county inspector by the owners or lessee of the coal mine, the council will at the end of two years refund to them tho sura of £100, provided that by that time not less than 2000 tons of coal (or such less amount as may be demanded) have been sold from the mino at a price no 1 ; exceeding 14s per ton; that at the end of the third year the council will refund to the owners or lessee such a sum as shall be equal to two-thirds of the original cost of tbe nxvd, provided that in that year not less than 3000 tons of coal (or such less amount as may bo demanded) have been sold from the mine at & price not exceeding 14s per ton."— Cr Robertson &econded the motion, which was carried. Mr M'lntosh expressed himself as satisfied that the motion was reasonable enough. He stated that the prospects of the mine exceeded his expectations. FINANCE. The Finance Committee recommended the payment of accounts for the month amounting to £312 6s 7d, which was accepted. inspector's reports. ! Goodwood Riding. — The inspector reported naving carefully examined the bush voad in this riding. The line would have fair grades, but shaded from the sun it would bo very wet. In clearing the full chain wide the cost was not increased, as the contractor got the timber in part payment. The road required two culverts where it crossed the creek. The newly formed road' from the main road was heavy, and he recommended its being cleared the full width, i Tho council decided to call for alternate tenders for clearing 10ft wide and for the whole width of the road. Bushy Riding. — The work »t Bushy station had been stopped for the want of material and damage done by the late flood. 1 ? in washing tho gravel over the bank. The Government engineer had recommended stones in place of gravel, and if they could not be obtained, to substitute timber iv the meantime. The Shag river bridge was in the hands of the contractor and was being taken down, but no temporary planks for passengers and children going to school had as yet been provided. The ford was very deep, and he had instructed the contractors to take the children across until the council met. — The council agreed to instruct the inspector to have a footbridge placed ov*er the river. Blue Mountain Riding. — This riding had sustained no damage from the recent floods, except at river crossings. Robertson's road required the removal of about 1700 cubic yards of earth to give it a grade of 1 in 10, and 1 in 11 at the Deep creek. The cost of formation was estimated at £63 15s lid, and gravelling in proportion to the width. — The matter was ordered to stand over in the meantime. Carnegie's Road. — This road required about tive chains of cutting and three chains of embankment, and the present entrance required repairing. The estimated cost of new work was given at £50. — The council decided to repair the entrance of the road. Green Valley Riding. — The state of the main road from Pigroot Hotel to Shag river was the cause of some complaints, there having been no maintenance metal provided for 17 years, and since the Brothers and Deadhorse pinches had been cut the loads had increased considerably. To form new road from Shingly creek to Pigroot to carry the present traffic, and building strong bridges, would cost something like £5000. The road was not worse than usual at this season of the year, but the weight of the traffic forced out the side drains. As there was some money in hand for the Swinburn district, he recommended its expenditure on the flat near R. Matheson's to Shingly creek. — Report received, and inspector instructed to report cost of different works at next meeting. Macraes Riding. — Some damage had been done to the Nenthorn and Moonlight roads by the late floods, and the Fillyburn bridge had been slightly damaged. The county hut in this riding had been burned down on the night of the 16th insfc. Mrs Keuny, the only eetfcler near, had seen two men there at twilight, and the accident happened between 8 and 9 o'clock. Report received, and the hut to be repaired. CORRESPONDENCE. Mr A. Munro, Inch Valley, wrote drawing attention to the state of the approaches to the Inch Valley footbridge. — Referred to the inspector. Mr T. M. Smith, Palmerston, objected to certain clauses in the lease of the Puketapu Bush reserve. — The lease containing the usual provisons, the council declined to grant Mr Smith's request. Mr J. M. Sutherland, coachdriver, Palmerstou, wrote calling the council's attention to the dangerous state of the Main road between Freeland's and the county boundary at the bend of the Shag river, and pointing out that to avoid accident he had to ask passengers per coach to walk down the hill, the ruts being so deep in places that the wheels of the coach could not revolve. Having to keep time with the mails, he asked the council to have the road repaired. Referred to the inspector to report at next meeting. The Town Clerk Port Chalmers Borrugh Council forwarded cheque for rates, amounting to £10 18s 9d, on endowment at Dunback. — Recoived. The Chief Surveyor, Dunedin, forwaided corrected lithograph plans of village settlement

in btooks 1 and 11,- flawksbrtf? new roatf fine tinf ough sections 7&71 i W f *4 and 5, block i; and sectfeh 51, block 11, Ha^ksbury' district.— Received. ■ The Clerk Maniototo County Council replied 1 re the erection' of a horse bridge over the Taien river that "the c6iin6il Is not willing td undertake the expenditure of such a sum as Would be required for a bridge at the present time, seeing that the counties are' on the eve of a general election, and the work not ttehig of an urgent nature, and that the information required as to the cost of a horse bridge be aej ferred for the present." — Received. _ \ Ah Guey, miner, Macraes, applied for permis- ! sion to enlarge a culvert on the Main road opposite section B, block 11, Highlay.— The i application wds granted stibject to the approval ; of the inspector. i | Mr James Hartstonge, Scri., wrote' stating that by mistake he bad been charged with rates on section 8, bloCk 1, ftock and Pillar district, and had been put down aS a 1 defaulter ; that he never held the land in question, not did he live within 15 miles of it. He therefore claimed to have hfs name placed on the roll under his miners' right. — The council regretted they had no power to grant the f easiest. Mr Duncan M'Rae, Nenthorn, complained of having sustained considerable damage to his property by the last flood through neglect of the council in not enlarging culverts sufficiently to carry the water in times of flood. He offered to leave tho settlement of the damage to arbitration, failing which he intimated his intention of taking further steps in the matter.— The letter was received and the subject of complaint deferred to the inspector. Messrs G-. Ross and J. Duncan asked the council to open and form the road line leading from the Main Dunstan road through sections ! 32 and 31, Dunback district, as far as section 10, block lll.— Referred to the inspector. A ratepayer in the Goodwood riding wrote complaining of the trespass of cattle on the Main district road. — The complaint was referred to the inspector, with instructions to call the attention of the ranger to it. TENDER. On the motion of Cr Robertson, it was agreed to call for tenders for the enlargement of a culvert on the Oamaru road at the big bridge.