WAIHEMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2200, 30 April 1896, Page 12

WAIHEMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Tbe ordinary meeting of this county council was held in the County Council Chambers, Palmerston, on Tuesday last), at; which there were present the Chairman (Mr T. Muir), and Crs J. Hartefconge juo., M. Isbioter, R. Matheson, D. Kennedy, D. Uoss, J. RosSj and' J. Stewart. DEPUTATION. Mr S. Dick appeared to urge some repairs to the road leading to his premises from the borough boundary. He pointed put the difficulties under which he suffered in consequence of having to obtain oertaiu supplied durii g the summer monbhs. The matter was referred to the inspeotor for a report and an estimate of tho cost. FINANCE. Accounts for the month amounting to £333 10a lOd were passed for payment. inspector's report. The Inspector reported as uuder :— Green Valley Rtdiog. — The roads in this riding were in fair order, and the contracts were in good progress at Pigroot. M'Leod's road was nearly fiuished, and the contractor had, as far as finished, made a creditable job, and the road would be a great convenience to tha district. M'Dona'.d's road watt nob getting ! on very fast. — The report was reotived, and the matter of deviation through Mr Ball's land was ; referred to the chairman to arrange an interview. Blue Mountain Riding.— The roads io this riding were in fair coodit : on. Mr Kitchener's road, leading to Maddens, had been attended to. pome gravel was required for tha Main road from Inch Valley -to Palmerston, i a'so for the Main road at Buahey from i Muddy oreek to Palmargton, past Mr Day's. Some rubble stjuea were asa required at tie north end of Shag river bridge, which was beiog scoured at the abutment. Leave bad been asked and granted to get tbe stones off Mr J. Ross's property, provided they were nob removed in web weather, 10 as not to injure the grain. The plan for the bridge over Shag river near M'Cormaok's was nearly finished, and leave would have to be obtained for both ends of the bridge to r»st on private property — Received, and the aotion of the inspeotor approved.

Maora'B Riding. — The roads in this riding had been carefully examined. Two contract* had bet-n fairly well attended to, as tbe contractors had been fairly w^ll paid, and both had had previous experience of the work. In the othar two ths price was not value for the work, and tbe contractors had had no previous experience, and tho roads wer§. getting fl*t and were not neat in appearance as a' public work should be. He could not recommend the contract system as a suooess unless the contractors selected had had previous experience.-— Received. PETITION. Mr A. B Eitohener and 24 other ratepayers in th.ii Dimback and Blun Mountain ridings petitioned the council in reference to their intention to erect a bridge over the Shag river at M'Cvrmaok's creek, urging that before accepting tenders to reconsider tha question of a site for the bridge, ai they were of opinion that a more suitable, convenient, and centrally-situated »ite- for a bridge would be on the district road leading direct from the centre of the township of Dunbnck across the river, the following reawns I being given in favour of the site mentioned ;— ; Tbab it is the main road to connect Dunbaok with tho Blue Mountain riding, and nearly the whole of the traffic passed over the road ; th&t it would suit tbe large majority of ratepayers and the public for tho bridge to be erected on ! this road line ; that the Government block of land lately purchased from Mr Kitchener, and about to bo thrown open for settlement, should be taken into consideration ; that this land extended from the befovc-meu-tioDed roadlioe light up to Wayne's township, and was surveyed for olose settlement ; the length of the district to benefit by the bridge being bui^t on the site suggested, from Mr Isbister's up to Wayne's township, in the Blue , Mountain riding ; that to erect the bridge at M 'Cor mack's oreek would only benefit the few at the expense of the many, and those few settlers have a good and direot road leading to Dnnbaok and to the sits suggested by the petitioners ; that during the shearing season, and also while tha Canning Company* works were in operation, the road and ford was largely used by Mr Kitchener's employf es as the shortest and most direct road to Danback and the rabbilr factory ; that although the Dunback riding would have to bear half the cost of erection of the bridge, the petitioners could not see that any benefit would be derived by the ratepayers if it was erected on the M'Oormaok's creek site; that as a direot road to the school and post offics the suggested site had everything in its favour, and its position would be further enhanced when ths land over the river was opened for settlement. The petitioners wished that the conucil would give their request earnest consideration and carry out their wiahe* in the matter, as they felt sure by so doing they would be consulting the interests and convenience of the ratepayers and the public generally of tbe distriot. .

Mt Kitchener also wrote protesting against the sito ohosen by the counoil for the bridge. Consideration was deferred. COKRESPONDENCH.

An application from Mr J. Rice for a slaughterhouse license was granted, subject to the favourable report of the inspector.

The Receiver .of Gold Revenue, Na<eby, Wrote forwarding list of miners' rights issued in tha county for the, year ended March 31, 1896, and stating that no goldfields revenue had been received during the month, — Received. Mr A. B. Kitchener, Waihemo, wrote drawing attention to the rtate of the diatriob road from Maddens farm to the back of the Blue Mountain, which at present was almost impassable, and required surfacing.— Referred to the inspeotor.

The Under-secretary for Publio Works, Wellington, intimated that the administration of matters connected with roads had been entrusted to the Department of Lands. — Received.

The Clerk of the Waikouaifci County Council wrote enclosing resolution re dogs in the Waihemo County, in connection with which, no fees had been received by that council.— Received. The Treasury, Wellington, wrote intimating that the sum of £4 10s, goldfields revenue, had been remitted to the credit of the council at tha Bank of New Zealand. — Rcoeived.

The Commissioner of Taxes, Wellington, wrote notifying thab a voucher for the payment of £375, advance in subsidy, had been sent to the Treasury for payment. — Received. The Under-secretnry for Public Works, Wellington, wrote stating that the matter in reference to the proposed railway crossing on the road through section 70, block VII, Moeraki survey distriot, had been refused by the Minister.— Referred to the chairman and Cr D. Ross to interview the Minister for Lands. The Acting- secretary of the Charitable Aid and Hospital Boards, Dunedin, wrote requesting payments on the basis of last year until the contribution* for current year had bean fixed.— Received.

The Commissioner of Taxes, Wellington, wrote drawing attention to the decision of the Auditor-general in declining to pass vouchers for advances on account^ of subsidy, on the ground that the resolution of the local body makirg the rate did uot specify the particular section and act usd^r which 1 * it was 'struck, and that, therefore, the rate was invalid. — Received. The Clerk Taieri County Connoii wrote re rates paid by Mr Bennett, the area upon which ho should pay rates to the Waihemo County bsiing 3190 acres, which appeared to be within the boundary of the county. — Received. Mr W. E. Griffith, Macraes, wrote drawing attention to the urgent necessity of the council insisting on Mr John Bggera taking immediate stsp3 to get the oounty # slabs used for mining returned to Macraes or payment demaflded for same, as it was understood that Mr Bggers had an inventory of all the slabs lent oub.— The clerk was instructed to write Mr Bggers asking him to recover all the slab 3he could. Mr Cameron, Palroerston, applied to have the valuation #f his land in Blue Mountain and •Meadowbank riding reduced to the same amount as that allowed by the Land Tax department.— Mr Cameron to be informed that the counoil have no power to grant the reque3t.

OTHEB MATTERS. The matter of the recovery of the fees of unregistered dogs was left in the hands of the chiirinan to instruct the county solicitors. The council decided to call for tenders for metalling the Macraes Main road between M'Cree's section and Moonlight, cost to be charged to the land fund of tke district. The resolution passed at last meeting re instructing . the inspeotor to prepare plans and speDifications and call for tenders for a foofcbridgo acros3 the Shag river near M Cormack's creek was rescinded, and tbe chairman was authorised to interview the Minister for Lands to ascertain what amount (if any) the Government would grant as a subsidy towards the payment of the cost of the bridge over the Shag river at Danback. — o As the surfacing contracts in the Macraes riding fell out in May, the inspestor was empowered to continue the surfacing of the roads by day labour in the meantime, CONTIMCTS. * Conbracb 297 (supply of 500 yds of gravel on the Brothers Hill road, Green Valley), S. Griffith*, £43 15s (accepted) ; Mr Pollock, £48 19s 2d ; T Hournton, £49 5s 7d. Contract 298 (supply of 400 yds of gravel on main interior road, Dunbaok), W. Ward) £16 13s 4d (acoepted); D. W. Philip, £21. 13* 4d; J. Kitchen, £21 13s 4d ; C. Hoad, £45. Contract 299 (supply of 150 pds of gravel on' roid near schoolhouse, Goodwood), D. W. Philip, £28 10 a 6d (accepted) ; J. Kitchen, £28 10s 6d ; J. Anderson, £28 10s 6d; T. Thomson, £30. (The three tenders being equal its acceptance wa« decided by ballot ) Contract 300 (formation on road from Matheson's to Black Man's creek, Macraes riding), T. Hourston, £23 18s. Contract 301 (formation of road from Moonliirhtto Nenthorn, Macraes riding), T. Gilbert, £35 10s.

MACRAES CEMETHBY TBUST. Mr Simpson, Macrae?, waited on the counoil in reference to this trust, which had been mismanaged, and produced some correspondence which had appeared in thedago Daily Times and Witness on the subject:. He asked the clmrnaajorto attend a public meeting, .which he promised to convene, with a view of eliciting publio opinion on the council taking over the trust and appointing a new one. After a long disousaion, the consideration of the matter was held over. The counoil then adjourned. "