WAIHEMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2056, 20 July 1893, Page 23

WAIHEMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of this council was held in the Council Chambers, Palmerston, on Wednesday, when there were present : The Chairman (Mr A. D. Bell) and Urs T. Dent, J. Hartstonge jun., D. Kennedy, T. Muir, A. M'Laren, D. M'Leod, J. K. Robejison, and T. Stanley. PETITION. Messrs J. Benton, W. Hewitt, and G. M'Leod petitioned the council to effect some repairs to the road section 1 of 62, block IV.'Moeraki, leading from the Goodwood Main District road to the Waihemo Domain Reserve, which at the present time was practically impassable.— Deferred until next meeting. FINANCE. Accounts for the month amounting to £325 9s 2d were passed for payment. INSPECTOR'S REPORT. The Im pector reported as under :— Blue Mountain Riding.— Examined the road complained of by Mr Steel. The cutting had stood for 23 years and was being securely fenced in, which rendered it safer now than at any time. Messrs Guffie and Geddes saw no cause for more protection than the present fence afforded. A small wooden bridge near Mr Steel's homestead would soon require to be renewed. Another stone and timber bridge near Terrace farm would also require renewing very soon as it was much shaken and the deck was all in small pieces, and a standing source of trouble. There was also another bridee between Ross's farm and Craig's that required renewing very soon, but a large culvert would supply the place of the bridge and the banks could be filled in with clay. The footbridge at Robertson's crossing had been removed to the site at Inch Valley Schoolhouse and converted into a suspension bridge. Every care had been taken to have the timber work kept off the ground as much as possible, the stay pile 3 and the brace piles being in the ground, all the material being strong, and the work carried out to the satisfaction of the inspector.— The wooden bridge at Steel's postponed for consideration, tenders to be called at the September meeting for bridge leading to Terrace farm, culvert between Ross's and Craig's farms postponed for consideration, and the inspector to be authorised to paint bridge at Inch valley when required. Dunback Riding.— The bridge at Kitchener's In this riding was getting much worse, the wheels of the waggons and horses' feet on the gravel breaking up the surface of the planks and causing them in consequence to decay much faster than they otherwise would. The! inspector expressed fear that the heavy waggons would cause breakage of the planks. Permission was asked to obtain some planks suitable to repair the bridge. As to the Main Trunk road 1 o the interior, the inspector stated that it was much cut up, especially past the stone bridge ; and at the Sailor's Cutting creek there was about 40 chains of the road very bad, and which required formation before gravelling, for nasty rocky points stood out and made the road very narrow. If removed and the material used to raise the centre and three new culverts added a very great benefit would be conferred on the travelling public. At Pigroot the roads were very bad and heavy in some places, and a small bridge near Mr Lees's farm required renewing during the summer, not being considered safe.— Report received, and authority given to obtain the necessary planks. Macraes Riding.— The roads in this riding were very heavy in some parts. The bridge on the Main road at Hyde required a good deal of plank- J ing at an early date, and would require more

timber than waß on the ground.— Received, and left in the hands of the inspector. Bushy Riding.— ln this riding some of the roads were very wet, and the contractors for gravel on the Blue Mountain-Bushy road hadnot been able to continue work. The same remark applied to the contracts in the Goodwood riding, the proceeding with the work, in the opinion of the inspector, doing more harm than good in the meantime. The embankment at the White bridge had subsided considerably, and would have to be made up. There was also a large culvert across Muddy creek, at Mr O. M'Gregor's farm, that required attention, and 100 cubic yards of maintenance gravel was required on the road from the end of the Allandale road past the Shag Point schoolhouse.—The council decided to call for tenders for 70 yards of gravel. Meadowbank Riding.— ln this riding the main road required about 100 cubic yards of gravel to fill up holes in surface. Also something was required to be done to fill in side of road near racecourse, and some culverts required attention on different roads in this riding.— The hole on road to racecourse to be partly filled in ; other to stand over.

CORRESPONDENCE,

From Mr R. Steel, intimating that he claimed £10 damages for injury done to his land and fencing, section 65, block VI, Moeraki district, " through the wrongful making and continued permitting a dangerous obstruction or nuisance on a main district road to which his land had a frontage of about 20 chains." Claim made without prejudice, the actual loss far exceeding this amount. Mr Steel further wrote under date 18th July inst. that he regretted very much he had been compelled to make a claim for damages. If the damage had been done in the way of legitimate road making he would have been very reluctant in taking such a course. At the time the work was done he made a claim on the road board, the justness of which they admitted by making him an offer which he could not accept. Now he apparently must renew his claim or submit to a permanent loss, which would be the case if the road was closed and the. obstruction allowed to remain a permanent nuisance. The claim had been made small in the hope that the council could see their way to deal with the road without inflicting injury on him as a ratepayer. The dimensions of the obstruction asked to be removed were a cut in the road about 60ft long, 12ft deep at one end and 30ft at the other, and 34ft wide— altogether about} 1500 cubic yards had been taken out in order to form the obstruction. At either end of this trench the road was good and fit for a 10-horse waggon to work upon. If the 1500 cubic yards had not been taken out to form the obstruction and the road had been made.as other roads in the county, he would have suffered no loss or inconvenience and would have had no occasion to claim damages. As it was he was debarred from using this road, on which so much, of the ratepayers' money had been spent.— Consideration deferred. From Messrs Donaldson, Macraes, calling attention to the unsatisfactory state of the road leading past Golden Point, the road being so steep that it was impossible to take anything like a load up it, while by a slight deviation a firstclass road could be made at little expense. As the council had a considerable amount of thirds from sections 11 and 12, block IX, Higblay, through which the road passed, they as occupiers of the land requested that such moneys at the cou " clls disposal should be spent on the deviation suggested.—Messes Donaldson to be informed that all the money referred to had been allocated for roads in the block, but the application would receive consideration when the council was in funds. i • From Mr W. A. Paterson, Goodwood, asking the council to instruct the inspector to examine the rond leading to sections 6 and 33, block I, Hawksbury. He applied to have the road widened about 3ft in several places and proper water tables formed, and to put in a small culvert to carry off the water from hollows formed by grades of the road, the water at present having no outlet, but drained into the ruts and made it quite impassable for about 15 chains.— Referred to the inspector. From the Commissioner of Taxes, Wellington, intimating a voucher for payment of balance of subsidy due to the council. for the year 1892-93, amounting to £125, had been sent to the Treasury for payment.— Received. ' From Mr S. Tanner, Dunedin, offering his services when required.— Received. From the Chief Surveyor, Dunedin, stating that before he could record the deviation of road on the survey maps he would require a plan giving exact linkage made by an authorised surveyor.— Received. . , From the County Clerk, Waikouaiti, enclosing resolution of that council re the proponed bridge across Pleasant river to give access to Stoneburn road, which appeared in the report of the proceedings of the Waikouaiti County Council's last meeting. —Cr Robertson, in reference to the application, called attention to the fact that -Mr Douglas had received an expenditure of £92 7s 8d on Ms private property, and that he had contributed in rates as a set-off only £20 145, with £10 added as a donation.— Deferred for consideration.

From the Secretary to the Department of Agriculture, Wellington, intimating that Friday, August 4,. had been fixed as a public holiday in all public offices throughout the colony for the observance of Arbor Day, and enclosing suggestions in connection with the planting of trees, Ac. — Received.

From the Town Clerk, Palmerston, stating that the Borough Council had approved of the proposal to effect repairs to the road leading to Mr Dick's property and to the northern and southern boundary roads between the borough and county, and had agreed to contribute half cost of same to amount stated. — Received. From Mr M. E. Matheson, Hyde, stating that a good road could be made through Mr R. Trotter's section, who offered no. objection to one being taken there, and had written to the trustees about the matter, promising to forward their reply as soon as received. AH parties concerned being being agreeable, and as the road was urgently needed ne expressed the hope that the council would proceed with the work as soon as possible.— Referred to the inspector. From Mr R. Matheson, Waihemo Downs, submitting (seeing that the council were about to let a contract through section 2, block 111, Highlay, where he and, they had agreed about a deviation) facts in connection with the road.— Received, tenders having been called and accepted for formation of road, subject to prior confirmation by the report of the inspector on the line of route chosen.

CONTRACTS.

Tenders were opened for the following works .«-- Contract 210, formation and culverts at Deepdell : W. Dodd, M 6 \2* (accepted) ; W. Baker, £57 19s 6d; W. Kendall, £55 12s; T. Hourston, £72 4s. Contract 211, formation and culverts : W. Baker. £19 (accepted); W. Rendall, £33 7s 6d. Contract 213. metalling on Stoneburn road : A. Garvin, £30 (accepted); W. Ward, £44. Contract 214, formation, ditching, and culverts on Stoneburn road : A Garvin, £15 (accepted) ; W. Ward, £20 19s: H. Davis, £28. Contract 215, formation and gravelling, Dunback: A;Robertson. £25 (accepted)' ; P. Lunham, £25 7s : W. Brewster, £26 14s 6d. Contract 216, formation, Green Valley: A. Robertson, £24 Accepted); W. Rendall, £24 19s 6d; T. Houston, £37 103. Contract 217, gravelling Mam rcad(Mabeno Hotel toi Morrison's): P. Lunliani, £40 165 8d (accepted); W Ward, £48178 Id- W. RSndall. £49 lls 8d ; T. Hourston, £67 Us. Contract 218, gravelling main road (Morrison's to foot of Brother 1 ?, Green Valley riding) :W. Rendall, £46 13s 4d (accepted) ; W. Ward, £49 lls 8d : P. Lunbam,£49 14s 8d; T. Hourston, £59 15s lOd. Contract 219, rotten rock: W. Dodd, £38 (accepted) ; T. Gilbert, £80 15s. OTHER MATTERS.

Constable Hilliard was appointed inspector of slaughterhouses and county ranger for six months' at the usual salary. ...,., , , The inspector was instructed to place a plank across the river at Dunback, said plank to be retained in itn position by the settlers interested. The council resolved to call for tenders for certain works in the Macraes riding for which land revenue had been allocated. The council then adjourned.

Mr George Pacha will sellat Ida Valley on the 26th inst. a freehold improved farm of 300 acres, a run with improvements, and sheep, horses, implements, Ac,