TUAPEKA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2298, 17 March 1898, Page 15

TUAPEKA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Tuapeka County Council was held at Lawrence last Friday, and attended by Mr Bennet (chairman),"Crs Cotton, Edie, Inglis, LivingstoD, Osborne, Oudaille, Sim, and Simpson. Our report is abridged from the Tuapeka Times. C9RKESPONDENCE. Mr D. Ross, Evan's Flat, wrote pointing out the necessity of having the culvert crossing the road, block 111, from Evsn'g Flat enlarged. — Left in the hands of the member for the riding. Welsh and party applied for compensation in their contract, Rae's Junction, to tte amount of £6, for loss of time prospecting f»r stone. The place they wera shown to get 3tone waa uofe suitable, the result beit.g the same at four different places. —lt ■was agreed to allow the applicants £<•. The Clutha County Council wrote with reference to a sum of £ICO contributed by Mr John B. Logau to assist in the construction of the Pomahaka bridge. —The council adhered to its previous resolution ou the nubjecfe. fifr John Munro, Tuapeka Flat, directed atteDtion to His Rtate of the road going through sections 40 and 42, block IV, Tuapeka East, as he intended to take an engine And threshing mill up the road very soon. —Referred to the member for the riding-. Mr D. Docherty, Kelso, wrote asking for aa extension of time —cay, till after harvest —in which to gravel the Wooded Hill. As soon as harvest was over he would go on with the contract.—The application was granted. Mr John Spencer, Dunrobia, wrote stating that the stone quarry at Culvert Cresk was entirely worktd out. It had been worked up perpendicularly under his fence, leaving some of his fencing posts sticking ou*. The ground had crumbled away 4-FL inside his fence, leaving a dangerous gap where a horse or cow might slip down and get killed. He offered to <*xcbange a pieca of gtouud for the council's quarry, and was willing to do his own fencing hut not to be put to any expense. —It was agreed to accept the «ffer. Mr David Bishop, Kelso, wrote stating that the bridge leading into his property aear Kelso badly needed some six planks to repair the decking, which was full of hole 3, and in ifcs present state dar-gerens. —lt was agreed that it •was outside the province of the council to undertake tbe work demanded. Mr R. E. Hyde, secretary Crookston Cemefcery, notified that Mr Chas. Todd, of Teviet, was appointed trustee in place of the late Mr Gr. W. Adams, and asked the ratification of the council. —The appointment was approved of. The Clutha Couuty Council wrote acknowledging receipt of a letter asking that steps be taken to sell and remove the Kelsa bridge. la reply the council has ordered the bridge to bs stopped for heavy traffic, but cannot remove it as it is a convenience for children going to school. —Received. Messrs Sraith Bros , Kelso, enclosed cheque f<ir £1 5s 9J, amount of damage alleged to have been done to the planking of the Waifcahuna bridge by their traction engine iv crossing over it. —Received. The Clutha County Council wrote statiDg that the wire rope &t Tuapeka Mouth punt and tha value of the engineer's services in connection with eatne are £85. —Received. Mr W. B. S. Kuight, WaLpori, applied for permission to take a water race through the road as a place generally known, as " The Saddle," at the back of the Mile Recks, Waipori, -and undertook to construct a substantial culvert over the same. — The request was granted, subject to the usual conditions. A communication was received, signed by seven ratepayers of Roxburgh district, stating that a meeting of ratepayers was held at Roxburgh Eastp.n the 26th ulr.. to consider the closing of roads through the Roxburgh Amalgamated Company's claim. A motion was carried that the meeting did not object to the closing of the roads through portion of section 30, block I, Teviot, as soon as a new road had been made to the satisfaction of the ratepayers present. A further resolution was carried appointing Messrs T. M'lutosh and J. Woodhouse, on behalf of the meeting, to inspect the new road before the old road was closed. — Received. The Secretary Roxburgh Amalgamated Mining and Sluicing Company enclosed cheque for £80 in terms of council's letter of the 26th November last, and requested that the road in which the company is interested be closed at once, so as to avoid the possibility of trouble between the company and the residents of the Flat. —Received. ' The Secretary Benevolent Truafceo3 intimated th&b the recommendations of the council with reference to granting charitable aid to three indigent persons had been granted. In one other instance the trustees require further, particulars before granting relief. —Received. i Mi John Caskie, Lawrence, wrote requesting the council to epen the road to his property and have obstructions removed from same. Surveys have been made of the road by two surveyors, and they agree in their surrey, so j that no further delay was necessary. —Referred ! to the chairman and members for Gabriels and i Waitahunn. Mr T. E. Williams, Tuapeka West, requested ' permission to erect a temporary fence on a small portion of the road line adjoining sec!i< >i 30, block XI, Tuapeka West it oi-.ipp thU \.a may remove a gorse fence.- i a.s ntfu*-' ,vPi sraated during biie pleasure -A fac wuuoii.

Mr Gideon Sraif.h avid seven other small grazing run owners, Teviot district, wrote requesting that the Bum of £100 be spent in reducing the grade of the Main road running through blocks I and IV, Teviot district, that being the only road from their runs, the tnoney to be charged to fourths accruing from their 1 runs. — The application was granted. I The Department of Lands and Survey, Dunedia, returned two certified tracings of land in the Borough ct" Lawrence, one showing laud to be transferred for a reservoir site and the other showing a proposed road deviation. — Received. The Bruce County Council notified that the request made for a subsidy of £19 or £20 towards the coat of a road to Mr John Rose'a small grazing run could not ba complied with. The Bruce Council adhered vo its previous offer of £6 for the work, and declined to give more. — Received. Mr J. S Fleming, Clutbtt R'ver Board, wrote calling attention to the fact that the up-stream ■wire rope at the Tuapeka Mouth punt was too low to permit of the steamer passing with safety, and required to be raised at least 3ft. A powerful winch was now lying close at hand, by which tha rope could be raised. — Received. Tbe County Engineer (Mr R. Hay) reported respecting contracts 426 c and 426b, road formation contracts along the Clufcha River on the Beaumoat-Ilankleburn road. In the case of the former contract, very lit'le work had beea dona since bis previous visit live months ago, although within the la-st tour days the contractor had pafe on a. man marring out slopes of embankment, &c He had pointed out what was necessary to be done to complete the work, and if progress report in a week's time ahould.be satisfactory the money on the contract might be paid over. On contract 476 c, when report had been received tbai; his instructions had been carried out the contract would be pissed.— -Received. 3?ift> -sight ratepayer); of Clerks Riding and surrounding districts positioned the council to abolish the toll on the Tuapeka Mouth punt. As the punt was the only one in the couaty that paid toll, and the revenue derived from it could not be j?,reat, though severely felt by the settler*, the council should favourably consider < its abolition. — Cr Livings rox said the position of '■ the pun fc was somewhat pec uli&r. Application had i been made to the Govfirnment and a sum of £300 had been voted jointly to tbe Tuapeka ' and Clutha County Councils, both agreeing to j i carry out the work between them. Since then \ < the Clutha County* Council had done every- j thing in its power to checkmate every step | taken by the Tu*peka Oonncil. At present the ; punt was a nni*ance and was of lifctla benefit to j an>oue. — Or Edie gave notice of 'motion for next meeting: — "That the twj punta be put on the sains footing, with ihe view of allowing the ratepayers to decide which should be reretained." — On the motion of Cr Livingston, the petition was received pending discussion at next meeting on the foregeing motion. Mr William Duff, Duorobin, wrote stating that as tbe Dunrobin road gooa through part of his land, section 8, block XIII, Crookston, he would lilts steps to be taken to have a road made outside his land so that he could fence his boundary line. — Referred to the chairman , and Cr Edie. milleb's flat bridge. Cr Inglis eaUed attention to the manner in which ths contractors for the Miilesr'a Flat bridge had exceeded their legal time in pushing i on the work. Not only had Messr3 Anderson, the contractors, exceeded their time, but they had not even asked cr obtained tha permission cf the couccil to do so. The council promised the ratepayers they would get the mode of coaveyaßcs they had stipulated for in 15 months, but they were still paying for the puDt and for the engineers and everything else, and nobody could say, the way things were going on at present, when • this expenditure would slop. There was a resolution passed at last meeting of the council declaring that penalties would be deducted from the contractors. Ha moved — " That the engineer be again asked to write to the contractors insisting on the work being pushed ahead in accordance with the terms of contract." — The motion was seconded by Cr Cotton and carried. J A letter from Messrs J. and J. Anderson, of j Christchurch, the contractors for the bridge, to the county engineer, under date the 3rd February, was read, in which they said: — " To-day we started sending down the upper cylinders, and expect to have them all away in three weeks. We note your desire to have the various portions of the work proceeding simultaneously, and it has always been our inteni tion to so carry out the work, but we must point out that the drilling is the large item of the work, and until that is fairly advanced nothing can be done with the riveting or erecting. Since starting the work we have been practically working night and day. The i cylinder sinking was carried on continuously, except for the delay in getting the extra cylinders, and the drilling has also been carried on continuously. We contend that it is impossible for us or anyone else to do more. We are about to start riveting and also to finish the pier?, so that there will be some show made." A letter was received from the Mines department", Wellington, stating that a voncher for the sum of £589 had been pas«ed tor payment ou account of Miller's Flat bridge. With reference to an application for a second payment of £25 on account of tiie office, it was pointed oat that the

price stated in the schedule to tns contract wad £65, and although that amount was deducted from the first two payments io was added to the third payment. It was asked if the council claimed £50 for the office. — Received. chairman's eepoet. The chairman's raport, which was read and adopted, was sa follows :—: — | I have the Vonour to furnish a report on roads and works for the months of January and February as under : — Fair progress is now being made with the Millar's Flat bridge. Contracts 435, 436, 432, 432 v, 432 c, and 432 d, Lawience-Wai-pori road, have besn eomjvleted ; 430, gravelling, I Waitahunii, completed ; 442, gravelling 1 , Kelso, complete 4 ; 426 c, ro«d Beaumono to Rankleburn, completed : 444, gravelling, W^itahuna, completed ; 447, gravelling, Lawrence to Wetherstones, completed ; 449, stone, Rae's Junction, > in progress ; road formation at Ilanldeburn (John G;nt), completed. The grader has been employed in James and Tapanui riding^ and has done good ; work. Contracts have beenlet as under since l>st 1 meeting :— 443, metalling road near A. Aitch'sen's, J Heriot ; 446, snow polei and shelter shed, Old ; Man Range ; 447, gravelling, Lawrence to Wetherstones ; 448, gravelling, Scrubby Flat road ; 449, metalling, Kat'.s Juuction towards Tapanui ; 450, • 250 cubic yard* of stone at M'Cluskey's. 'leaders ■ are dus at to-day's meeting for supplies and Government contracts a* under :— 451, gravelling, Tuapeka Mat Hotel t j Munro's Hill ; 452, metallißg i\.ad between Doulgev's Flat and Keidy Creek ; 453, metal or gravel, Milue's to county boundary, Round Jli.ll. The bridge over the Teviot stream require new beams and other j repairs At once, as the beams are rotten, and I | had to procure 3200 ft of timber for new planking. i The old bridge over Swift Creek, Heriot, is almost j completely done and requires superstructure, j almost entirely renewing. INSPHCTOK OF WORK'S REPORT. Mr John Young reported a3 iollows on roads and bridges in Teviot Riding :—: — I I found a good portion of the road from Roxi burgh to Coal Creek all hollow in the centre, i About 65 chain* of this road requires imi mediate attention. From Coal Creek to Allen's hill is in a very bad state, a distance of 152} i chains being all gone in the centre. I would rej commend before any gravelling is done on this ; road that the ridges on each aide bd pickod off and ] put in the centre toiound it up. From Allen's j hill to Cox's hill, a distance of about four miles, is also in a bad state. This poi tion of the road seems to have been neglected by the : j surfacemen, as nothing has been done to it for j some time. From Cox's hill to boundary it in | i fair order. The road from Teviot Stream towards 4he Nobbies ia in fair order, excspiing a few small i pipches which require to be taken off. I have 5 laid off eight chains of one hill near Mr R. | Crossan'a homestead, which when completed will j leave a very easy grade. The Teviot bridge i requires three new beams 66ft long (20in x lOin). 1 The Menzion bridge is in a very bad state of' ; repair, and requires new beams 42ft long. I j would recommend that a pier be built in the 1 centre. On the motion of Cr Jnglis it was agreed — "That tenders be called for the portions of the road pointed out by the inspector in his report as needing repair." It was further resolved, on the motion of Cr Ingms— " That bluegum beams be procured for the repair of the Teviot bridge, aad tfcat a new bridge be erecfed at the Menzion Creek and that a pier be put in." ttENEKAL. It was agreed, on the motion of Cr Oudaiixe — "That Mr M'Millan, Waitahuna, be notified that unless he goes on with his contract it be determined." The clerk was instructed to send an account to Mr W. Buchanan for the' smouat of j damage done to the Waitahuaa bridge caused by his traction engine. On the motion of Cr Cotton it waa decided that the cost of repairs to tie Rankleburn road culvert be charged to Mr M'Kay, for damage cauied by his traction engine.' It was resolved on the motion of Cr Livingston, that the road to Waipori at Brien's Hill. Bow Bell Flat, be metalled oub of £250 obtained from Government. — Cr Simpson reminded th« meeting that his riding had cl-iitna on that money which he expected to see fulfilled. — The Chairman promised to see that there was a fair distribution in every quarter entitled to it. The accounts laid before the cosncil at that meeting wera exceptionally heavy, and it was necessary that the greatest care should be continued in the council's expenditure. Heremmded the council that the moaey obtained from the Government must be dealt with in a different way from what they Had been accustomed to. Everything in connection with the whole expenditure must be carried out with the greatest strictness. On the motion of Cr SiJf, ife was agreed — •• That tenders be called for gravelling 16 chains of new road at Tapanui Bush ; tenders to ba opened by the chairman by next meeting ; to be paid for out of land fund ; gravel to be 6in deep and 12ft wide." The Council decided to grant its employees a holiday on the 23rd inst., the day of the Jubilee demonstrations ; to empower the chairman to employ Richard Tyson temporarily in charge of the Rankleburn punt ; and to appoint Alfred Stevenson dog tax collector for tbe county. A return was submitted showing the expenditure on roads and works to have been £3305 4a 3d for the months of January aud February. Accounts amounting to £3488 83 3d were passed for payment. to ts-xie; ij^^u^. A Gentleman who cuictl himself of Deafness and Noises iv the R<\vA after Li year/ sulV-rinir, will gladly send full pirticuKis of tee reiripdy poat free. — Addi eas If. (Jlh 1 ; on, Aiabejl"y House, Norfolk street) Strand, London, Dugland,