CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2318, 4 August 1898, Page 19

CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

A meeting of the Clutha County Council, held a" Bal clutha on Friday afternoon, was attended by Mr F. Bradfield (chairman), end Councillois Johnston, Robertson, Clark, Cummiii' T , M'Ncil, M'Lauchlan, Mitchell, md Hay.

CORRESPONDENCE,

Tho secretary Marine department wrote that he had been informed by the principal keeper at Nugget Port Lighthouse that tho i'o\d near the lighthouse, known as M'Kinley's road, was in such a bad condition as to be quite impassable for hoise or cart. As tho road is a public one, he asked the council to luue U repaired. — Cr HIY explained that the matter had been brought under his notice, and he had sent a man to repair the road. — The Marine department to be informed accordingly.

John Taylor wrote calling attention to the dam constructed on the Otanomomo road at tho flax will, which was flooding his propeity. He asked that the dam be removed. — The engineer to attend to the matter.

The Commissioner of Crown Lands forwarded a return of all land transactions within th'i county for tho months of May and June. — Received.

Robert Wilson, Pleasant View, wrote in reply to a communication from the council th-it he agreed to pay all expenses, and also to pay for the portion of the road proposed to be closed at his pUce.— lt was decided to leave the matter in Cr Hay's hands.

Tho Valuer-general wrote asking the \ coiincil to amend the valuation of Invertiel, which had been revalued, and should now aa- t pexr on the council's roll: £2275 capital value; £1800 unimproved value. — Received.

Constable Griffith wroio in reply that the only item in his bill as cletk of the Licensing Coi'.mittee was salary as clerk from June, 1897, to June, 1898. £6 6s.— Cr Robertson moved, and Cr M'L.vchlan seconded, that only £3 3s be paid. — Cr Johnston moved, aa-1 Cr Mitchell seconded, that £6 6s be paid. — The amendment was carried.

Mr Bernstone wrote asking permission to take 10 loads of clay for building purposes from the roadside at Tosh's. — The engineer reported that Mr Bernstone had for days bean carting soil from the roadside for his garden. There would be no objection to his taking the clay provided it was not taken frou too near the fence. — Matter left in the hands of the engineer.

Mary H. Ashton wrote asking the council to reconsider its decision regarding the erecti.ii of a bridge opposite her property, section 17, block VIII, Catlins. She pointed out that in winter the river was fiequently in flood and dangerous to cross. — Matter left in ihe hands of the chairman.

E. Ward wrote calling attention to the bad state of the road, block IV, Glenomaru.--Engineer to attend to the same.

Messrs M'lndoe Bros, and four other settlers of Wairuna wrote urging the necessity for opening up the load leading to their properties through Messrs Clark and Cumming's properties, they being still without a i\;ad either to Clinton or Wairuna railway station. — On the motion of Cr Clahk, seconded by Cr Gumming, it was agreed that tenders be cilled for opening up the road, the settl.ns interested to contribute £20 towards tho cost.

J. Goldsberry wrote as to the neec^y for opening up a road to his place, Glenjt.iiru. He offered to do the work at certain rates. — Matter left in the hands of Cr Hay and the engineer.

W. Harrington wrote calling attention to the impassablo state of the road leading to section No. 17, block VII, Woodlands. He offered to do the work required for £4. — Received.

Adam Frances applied to have the road foimed to his section.- — Left in the hands of the engineer.

11. O'Conncll, Upper Ovyaka, wrote that he was willing to pay the price of the land require! for a road deviation at his place.— Offer accepted ; the chief surveyor to be aske 1 to carry out the necessary survey. John Campbell, Seafield, Owaka, wrote expiessing an opinion that a misunderstanding had occurred with reference to some fencing being erected by Mr Forsyth, which would interfere with the drainage. — Letter received, Cr Hay explaining that ho did not think tho drainage would be interfered with in any way.

KOADS AND WORKS,

The engineer's monthly report was read as f oll( ws : —

I have the honour to report that according to instructions I have prepared an estimate o[ the cost of building a new bridge over the Waivvera stream on the maiu south road. Bjulge to bo aofb by 14ft; piers to be con cve'te ; superstructure, wood , cost, JE3GO. 1 propose to make the new bridge lGft longer than the. present ono, so that when the stream IB m flood the openings will be large enough to allow all the water to pass through them. At present «\ couaidcrabe quantity o£ the water (even when tl'e stream is not in high flood) flows over the roadway to the west side of the bridge, and at two places is wearing awey the formation, so that in time of very higli floods it is dangerous to cross these places with light conveyances. To make up the foundation and metal 17 chains of the road across the ilat will cost about £140. Owing to the

I stormy weather during the most part or thia j month I ilitl not get a survey made of works j required on Mr Boyle's road. I hope to nave j plans and speciQcaiions ready to call for totij devs to be opened at next meeting of council, j Tho unusually high floods that occurred about I the beginning of this month caused considerable damage to the bridge over the Waiwera j stream on the Waiwera school road. The earth at ends of bridge was paitly washed away, and the cap-plate and piles of north' end pier broken. .The pier will have to uo j wholly renewed. The south end pLer requires three new piles, cap-plate and pheetmg;; there is also a new beam and sheet required. I estimate the cost at £50 to put in repair. to carry ordinary farmers' traffic for, say, iO yeais. But I may state that it is about i.B ! years since this bridge waa built, and 1 am afraid that when we begin to overhaul it, moio ; repairs may be required than at present is apparent. I estimate the cost of a new bridge concrete piers, at £270. A small bridge of lnffc span on Clydevale-Clinton road collapsed from, a slip of earth shooting down on it. I am lebuilding this bridge; the extra material required is being taken from the old limbor of the Upper Clydevale bridge, Pomahaka River. Both of these bridges are in Pomahak.i Hiding. A small bridge on Ross's road, Warepa, was washed away. This bridge has been rsbuilt; it is in Richaidson Riding Home roads - are subject to^be flooded, especially, places on Waikoikoi road and tho main south road at Waiwera Flat; it would be advantageous to do some flood banking to protect these places. I havo inspected the road immediately in front of Mr M'Lcan's place, Owaka. His complaint seems to be about a ! dram which the Railway department put m, it passes in front o! his section and terminates opposite the smithy. It has become choked, (and a pool of water stands at the mouth of the drain. I said th.it we would fix up the mouth of the drain und pit \ cut. tho water from standing there The report was adopted I Cr M'Neil explained that when in \V«lhi>g. ton recently he had interviewed ti.e Miuibtcr for Lands with the view of obtaining some assistance with the erection of the Waiwera bridge. The Minister suggested that the council should pass a resolution on the subject, and let him know what they intended doing, when lie would see what the Government could do in the matter. lie moved — " That the clerk bo instructed to write to the Minister * for Lands applying for a subsidy of pound for pound to tho amount of £500 for the reconstruction of the Waiwera bridge on the Main South road, which has been condemned as unfit for traflis ; that the dimensions of the bridge be furnished to the Minister, and that he be informed of the council's inability to undertake the work." — Cr C'iaek seconded the motion, which was carried. The following resolutions were pa.shod : — By Or Mitchell, seconded by Cr H ay — " That the engineer call for tenders to metal 40 chains on Upper Station, Clydevale Hiding;. Tenders to bo dealt with at next meeting." By Or ML vchlan, seconded ,by Or OuirMING — " In view of tho necessity of erecting a bridge over the Waipahi Stream on ClintouWyndham road at an estimated cost of ClO, the engineer be requested to communicate with the Southland County Council asking that body to contribute half cost of same, tl.o stream referred to being the boundary between the two counties." By Cr Robertson, seconded by Or Cr, w:k — "That the engioeor call for tenders for "\o salo and removal of the old bridge over tho ! Pomahaka River at Kelso. Tenders to le in for next meeting of the council." By Cr Robkhtson, seconded by Or CuiiK — " That the engineer apply to the Waite lands Board to have the temporary road rnntv..ig along sections 2 and 35, block town of I Kelso, made a permanent road. ' I By Cr Clauk, seconded by Cr OciiMtvr:— •'That the engineer have the necessary impairs to the bridge over the Waiwera Btica>n en 1 the Waiwera School road carried out, the cost not to exceed £50." Mr M'Phce, Owaka, appeared before Uia council and pointed out the necessity for wms work being executed on the road leading to his place, near the post office.— It was agreed, on the motion of the Oiivikman, seconded by Or M'Neil that tho engineer report as (■> Uie cobt at ne\t meeting. FINANCE.

The Finance Committee recommended payment of the monthly pay sheet, amounting to £398 6s 9d.— Report adopted.

THE PERHAGANATE PROCESS. (From Our Own Correspondbn-t.) Auckland, July 28. When in Auckland the other day, Professor Black, who has been experimenting on various refractory ores by means of the permanganate process, was questioned by a Herald rev-crter as to the pro gress, made, and the result of experiments conducted. The professor said:— "The experiments have re« suited very satisfactorily, and I am quite confldent that the permanganate process will prove in every way adapted for the extraction of gold from ores of a refractory nature. The parcels of Mount Morgan ore treated by the process were dealt with in a satisfactory manner, and as high a, percentage as 96 was obtained. But results such as these cannot b6 expected to be obtained at once, and we ;u % e just progressing slowly, but surely, towards success. I am, however, satisfied that with the permanganate process ores which cannot' be treated at the present time will be put through successfully and made to pay."

Mr Archibald Gillieu is the successful len» derer for tho Kakanui South bridge. Th« price is £2943 2b 6&