TUAPEKA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1917, 17 August 1888, Page 13

TUAPEKA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual meeting of the Tuapeka County Council was held at the County Chambers on Friday afternoon. Present : The chairman (Mr H. C. Clayton), Crs Oudaille, M'Nab, Edie, Bennet, Smith, Cotton, Livingston, and M'Farlaue. CORRESPONDENCE. Mr F. Tubman wrote stating that he was not in possession of section 10, block XIII, Benger, and asked to be relieved of the rates. — The matter was left iv the bands of Cr Smith. Mrs Lewis' application for repairs to road in front of her store at Wtvipori was granted, on the motion of Cr Cotton, seconded by Cr Livingston. Mr D. M'Cluskey directed attention to the dangerous state of th 9 road above his house, and the matter was referred to the engineer. The Crown Lands Commissioner wrote that the Land Board saw no reason to comply with the request of the council to withdraw from sale sections 18 to 23, block VII, Kelso, as there have been several applications for these sections. The Chairman of the Balmoral Road Board intimated that he intended shortly to close up the two gates on the road through his property which the public had been using to ford the Crookburn creek, as some persons wilfully omitted to shut the gates, but he would allow time to get the crossing made on the road line. — The engineer to rsport to next meeting. The -Secretary of the Kel3o Church Committee drew attention to the condition of the street between the railway crossing and the manse.— Referred to the engineer to report. Mr John Thompson asked for permission to construct a tail race on section 2, block I, Tuapeka East, terminating in the Tuapeka river. — Granted. Mr T. Gilmore applied for permission to carry a tail race under the road between Wetherstone's School and the bridge. — Granted. Mr J. Pope and 10 others asked the council to construct a footpath at Gabriel's Gully. — The application was granted. COUNTY OVERDRAFT. The Auditor-general wrote calling attention to the amount of overdraft — viz , £5900, while the income limiting it is £5300, and that if to the latter is added the liabilities (over £700) the overdraft exceeded statutory limit by £1300. He intimated his desire that the overdraft be brought within tbe statutory limit so as to relieve him from the necessity of putting section 214 of the Counties Act into force. Subsequently the Auditor-general wrote, enclosing balance sheet certified, and atated that he was " not disposed to enforce the law where the limit has been exceeded inadvertently, but the attention of the council having been thus called to the subject I shall be compelled to sue for the penalties upon any future occasion." The Treasurer said that he had transferred the forfeited deposit account to current account and would ask the council to confirm this. Cr Edie moved — " lhat the treasurer's action he confirmed." Cr Cotton seconded the motion, which was carried. CHAIR AT HOESESHOE BEND. A petition from 16 of the residents at Horseshoe Bend was read as to the position of this chair, and asked that it be shifted to a better site. On the motiou of Cr Bennet it was resolved — " That the request of the petitioners be granted conditionally that tbe residents assist the surfaceman in shifting the chair." WAIPORI DEEP LEAD ASSOCIATION. Mr S. B. Carpenter, the secretary, wrote stating that at a meeting of the Waipori Deep Lead Association on the 9th July, the previous resolution by that body to hand over the funds of the association to the Waipori Alluvial Gold Mining Company was rescinded, and it was resolved — " That the balance of money belonging to the association be handed over to the Waipori School of Mines," and asking the assent of the, council to this. Dr Black and Mr Candwell also wrote concerning the matter, and after discussion it was resolved, on the motion of Cr Cotton, seconded by Cr Bennet—" That the Government be requested to allow the council to devote the balance of the money to the credit of the Waipori Deep Lead Association in the hands of the council to the improvement o? the Bush road." CLUTHA RIVEB NAVIGATION. The Secretary of 3 the Clutha River Board wrote enclosing account for £15, being the county's proportion of costs of surveying the river as far as Beaumont, and enclosing Mr Barr's report and plans, which were laid on the table. Cr Smith said that the matter was well worth consideration if itjeost ten times as much. The conservators held an endowment of some

50,200 acres of the finest land in the country which was reserved to them in 1872 for the purpose of improving the river, and they had accumulated a large amount of money. He was surprised when he heard that £1145 would com- { plete the work as far as Beaumont. If £20,000 would clear the river as far as Roxburgh or Coal Creek, the money would be judiciously laid out. He estimated that over £200,000 had been expended on the main arterial road, which was now in a most disgraceful state in many places being almost impassable. He moved — " That in the interest of the county and the ratepayers every practical assistance be given by this council for tbe furtherance to a successful issue of this scheme." Cr Bennet, in seconding the motion, said river communication would open up a consider- ' able tract of country, and it was one of the main arteries. He had tried time after time to get tt c Government to open up roads in the Rankleburn district, but without success. If the river were navigable a good outlet would be provided for this district. Anything that could be done to lighten the traffic on the roads should meet with every assistance. For some nine or ten miles above the Beaumont there was sufficient water to float the Great Eastern. He considered £20,000 would open the river to Roxburgh. He was surprised to see how near the tenders were to the engineer's estimates. Cr Smith did not think that the council would bs called upon to contribute seeing the splendid endowment the River Trust held. Cr M'Nab thought it unnecessary to talk so much about it seeing tbat they were not asked to contribute, and that this council was not iv a positiou to offer pecuniary aid. The motion was carried. Cr M'Nab said it was strange that a river board, with 50,200 acres of an endowment, should ask the council for half the costs of surveying the river. Cr Smith said at the time the survey was made the jurisdiction of the river board did not extend beyond Tuapeka Mouth ; now, he believed, it extended to Roxburgh. Or Bennet said if this scheme were carried out they would have a grand highway into the interior which would cost nothing for repairs, and he considered that they had good value for their money when it only cost them £15 for a thorough survey. He moved — " That the account be paid." Cr Smith seconded the motion, which was carried. RATE FOB YEAR 1888-9. On the motion of Cr Oudaille, seconded by Cr M'Nab, it was resolved that the rate be Jd in the pound. engineer's report. The following report was submitted by Mr Edie, county engineer : — REPOUT FOR JUNE AND JULY. The main road lias been very fair un to the last break in the weather. There are several places, however, that are very much in need of maintenance, rubble or gravel ; but as the days are now lengthening, it is to be hoped that the road will soon be {pod again. Several of the side roada are very bad, owing to the fact that most of the grain is hauled to market during the wet weather; and it is impossible to keep clay roads iv good order if traffic is carried on during the wet weather. During the month a list of deferred payment moneys came to hand. I prepared plans showing where it was proposed to expend the money, and seat on same to Waste Lands Board for approval. REPORT AS P3R "WORKS REGISTER. Road Block XT, Teviot. — The proprietor is anxious to fence on proper line of road. Before doing so he would like the road as surveyed made passable. This is a deterred payment section, and has money to its credit. Cost of formation, £14. Culvert at Tucker Gully. Waitahuna.— The mouth of this culvert had been stopped up by a party that had beea mining. The surfaceman cleared away the obstruction, and I see no necessity for a new culvert. Lamp at East Approach to Roxburgh.— This matter has been attended to, and will be a great boon to approach on bridge. Several other small jobs have been attended to by the surfacemen. REPORT ON CONTRACTS. No. 312 (M'Cluskey), gravelling road to Waipori.— Getting on fairly well. No. 313 (Whelan), road formation, block XII, Benger —Completed ; made a fair job. No. 317 (Crawford), clearing scrub, Tuapeka West. — Completed ; made a good job. No. 319 (Hogg), rubbling road, Heriot.—Comp'efced; made first class job. No. 321 (Whelan), road formation, Wooded Hill, near Kelso. — No progress. No. 322 (Morton>, supply of maintenance gravel Waitahuna to Round Hill.— Getting on fairly well. No. 323 Whelan), road formation, Miller's Flat and Dumbarton Rock.— Made a start. Cr Bennet said the main road was now in a deplorable state ; but it was no use doing anything to it for the present. It would absorb the whole of the county funds to put it in anything like repair. Cr Smith moved — " Tbat the engineer instruct the surfacemen to make the road in block XI, Benger, passable for a dray."— Carried. RETRENCHMENT. Cr Bennet moved — " That on account of the depressed state of the finances of the county this council is of opinion that the offices of clerk, treasurer, and engineer be combiued, and that a committee consisting of Messrs Smith, M'Nab, Oudaille, the chairman, and the mover be appointed to bring up a report at tbe next meeting as to the best means of giving effect to the same." He wished it understood that he had not taken action in this matter on account of anything which had appeared in the public papers. **He thought there had for a long time been too many highly paid officials. Most of the rates were swallowed up in official and departmental expenses. He did not say the retrenchment need be permanent. On reading the Auditor-general's letter threatening proceedings he certainly felt uneasy, as owing to hard times he was not quite in a position to put his hand in his pocket to pay any share of the overdraft. He was sorry that the council had not plenty of money, and he regretted that they would have to retrench out some of their officiuls. Cr Smith said the only way to retrench was to appoint a committee to investigate the matter, and retrench as much as possible consistent with efficiency. He did not consider that the time of the whole council should be taken up with a matter like this. Cr Livingston quite agreed with the mover that they should try and get the millstone off their necks, and he saw no other thing for it than retrenchment in every shape. Cr Oudaille said, on looking over the balance sheet, it was plain that retrenchment was necessary. Their means were nothing like what they were when they were getting large amounts from the Government — then they had plenty of work for their officers. The interest on the overdraft was some £400 a year. He blamed .the bank for being so liberal with them. He was not prepared to say exactly what shape the retrenchment should take, but hoped tho committee would make it a point of meeting before the next council meeting, so as to give the matter thorough investigation, and not leave it till the last moment. He wished to say he was not influenced by anything that had appeared in the papers. Cr Bennet was much pleased to see the calm and friendly manner in which this matter had been discussed. Retrenchment was necessary in these depressed times. He would be in favour of stopping all works except a few surfacemen - to keep the roads open. The motion was carried,

ROAD THBOUGH R. FOHD's LAND. Cr Oudaille moved — " That tenders be called for thjte road formation." Plans and specifications had been prepared three or four years ago, and now the road was fenced and had become quite impassable. After a lengthy diecussion, Or Livingston seconded the motion, which was carried. THE COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE ENGINEER. Cr Bennet said some complaints had been made in the press against the engineer employing the surfacemen on the road to Kirkpatrick and Co.'s claim. The road had been made some time ago to give communication to two dredges then working on the river, and a great deal of revenue had accrued to the council from this source. The surfacemen were properly employed on the occasion complained of. The council had already got about £20 of revenue from this claim. On being spoken to by the owners of the claim, he told them that the surfacemen coild give them a hand. The Chairman said he gave his consent to the surfacemen being engaged. It was perfectly legitimate. They were likely to get a good deal of revenue from this claim. Minera were justly entitled to some consideration in the matter of access to their property. Cr Edie said all the work that had been done he himself could do in threo days. He was astonished that presumably sensible people could make a fuss about so little. He might remind them tbat £1400 was to be spent on this claim. Cr Smith said the affair was hardly worth while talking about. The whole thing was a bit. of vindictivouess on tbe part of a few di&contented people. Cr Oudaille said, respecting the wire rope, ib was an open bargain, and if there was any cause to complain in the matter the engineer was not to blame. The matter then dropped. MAIN EOAD. It was resolved, on the motion of Cr Bennet, that a second surfaceman be employed for a fortnight on the main road through Beaumont riding. CABRIEBS 5 TEAMS. Cr M'Farlanb drew attention to the fact that carriers were using a larger number of horses than allowed, doing great injury to the roads with their heavy loads. — It was agreed that the surfacemen be instructed to report the offenders.