BRUCE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2371, 10 August 1899, Page 15

BRUCE COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Bruce County Council was held in the Council Chambers, Milton, on the Ist, when there were present — I Crs Murray (chairman), J. M. Begg, H. Clark, I H. M. Driver, W. Hewiteon, W. Noble, W. ! Crane, P. Haggart, and J. Rutherford. ; ! A PEOTEST. ! The Chairman read the following: — "July ,I, 1899. On behalf of the ratepayers of Tokomairiro Riding, I hereby protest against the . resolution carried this day in this council, re Mr Peattie's letter, on the following grounds : — (1) That the subject is referred to a committee that is no longer in existence. (?.)"T'hat if the work be executed according to the plan exhibited upwards of two years ago it will prove dangerous to those using the said road. (3) I object to upwards of £20 of the ratepayers' money being used for work that is not requiFed, when £3 judiciously spent would be ample for the draining of the said road. (4) The work wa« planned without the sanction of the council, and is now being pushed on in defiance of the members of the Riding.— , Robert Murray." — No comment was made on : the protest, and the clerk .went on to read the minutes. inspector's eepoet. I The Inspector reported that no improve1 ment in the 'roads could be expected until the -weather cleared. Very little surfacing had been done during the month, and the surfacei men had been engaged in putting in mainten- ! ance metal and repairing culverts. The works in hand had not made much progress since his last report. The contracts of r.oad formation at Wangaloa and Fortification were progressing slowly, as the weather interfered seriously with the work. There would be no difficulty in the way of a good road being formed from Fortification to the iftouth of the river. The j line would skirt the foot of the hills the j greater part of the way, and two email bridges i of Bft span would be required to cross two j small creeks coming down from Noble's and Waters's . properties. A slight deviation through Cranstone's property would be desir- ! able, as it would cut off a long elbow in get- ] ; ting to the coast. A. grant of £300 would go a good" way in opening up the road, for traffic from the coast to Milton. Arrangements had been made to clean out the Tiki Canal for the j sum voted by the council. Poisoned wheat i had been laid over the district with very good j results, and a great number of dead birds had been seen lying about. An old oulvert at , Lovell's Flat gave way on Friday 'last, and [ pipes had been ordered for its renewal. The \ receipts for the month amounted to £56 9s, '• '] and the expenditure to £488 15s lid. — j Adopted. i CORRESPONDENCE. | .Letters were received from the Minister of Lands, and from the Premier's office, stating that the council's applications for votes of £2000 for road in Inchclutha, £500 for bridge over Matan River at Kaitangata, and £150 for village settlement roads at Taieri Beach would be considered when tho Estimates were being framed. — Received. Mr W. Carnoross, M.H.R., wired that a bill } had been introduced into the House of Representatives, which provided for the reduction of minors' rights to Is per annum, and he asked the council's views on the matter. — The Chairman reported that he had replied that as this reduction would affect the finances of the gold-field counties, he was opposed to the bill.— Confirmed. The Secretary of the Wellington Harbour ! Board forv/arded a circular drawing the coun- j cil's attention to a bill before the House, of | which the principal features were provisions requiring the insertion in every contract of the number of hours for each working day, and the minimum wage to be paid for the ! worits of each' kind, which should not be less { than tha minimum fixed by the Arbitration Court, and that a contract entered into without these conditions will be null and void. The board thought the matter was of such importance as to warrant their drawing the attention of local bodies to the bill. — The Chairman reported that he had written to Mr Allen, M.H.R., asking him to oppose the bill. — Confirmed. The Clutha County Council wrote enclosing accounts for maintenance to Balclutha Traffic 1 Bridge and South Molyneux Punt, amounting to £48 17s 8d. — Received, and amount passed for payment. William Shaw, puntman at Kaitangata, wrote asking the council to reconsider hifi application for an advance in his allowance for attending to the punt. — On the motion of Cr Rutherford, it was decided to raise the amount j from 78 6d to 10s per week, and that the Kai- i tangata Borough Council be asked to agree to ! the resolution. j T. Brangrove wrote complaining of the state of the Berwick-Clarendon road near the Hon. A. Lee Smith's flood bank. — The inspector was empowered to act. A petition was received from 12 ratepayers at Waihola, drawing the council's attention to the bad state of the road from the township to the hill past Sinclair and Henke's properties. — Received. THE PROPOSED BRIDGE OVER THE MATATJ. The Town Clerk, Kailangata Borough, wrote forwarding a resolution of the council agreeing to pay one-third of the cost and maintenance of the bridge, providing that the vote for erection of the bridge was carried at a poll of the ratepayers. Or Clark was sure that if they asked the ratepayers] voice on the matter it would result in failure. Of course it would be suggested that the ratepayers should be consulted. That was quite natural. They might consult them and fail to get them to agree to carry thn proposal, but the council was still pledged to carry out the work. It would result in more harm than good. He believed that he was right in Baring that the punt had cost the council, for many years, about £40 a-year. 'tkm aunt vusow about done, and he believed

that a new punt would cost half of the whole amount of the council's share of the cost of the bridge. It would be cheaper in the long run to erect the bridge. He suggested that the council be empowered to raise the money for it. ' Cr Rutherford thought that Or Clark had expressed the .view he held himself on the matter. If they put off time calling meetings of ratepayers it would be a mistake. If the punt collapsed they would have to put in a new one. The punt had cost them about £70 for repairs last year, and this was a big item. A small rate would soon wipe the whole cost off, and they would have a bridge that would not cost much for maintenance for 20 years, which would be a great benefit to the county. He thought it was a step in the right direction to go on with the work, a-d he did not think the ratepayers would make any objeo.Kon. The Chairman said that it would be a Jess to the county to go on as they were going at present; and it would be far cheaper to build the bridge. Cr Driver did not think it would be right that the council should take the matter in hand without consulting the ratepayers. Of course it would take a little time, but he did not doubt that they would get half the ratepayers to express an opinion. The Chairman said that the ratepayers were not consulted about {jutting the punt there. ,Cr Driver : The punt would only cost half the money. ' Cr Rutherford said that if a new punt was built they would have to give a man £20 a [ year -to stop there and work it. i Cr Haggart thought that the ratepayers i Should have theoption of saying whether they should borrow money and pay it off graduilly, or"to"pay"it off in one sum. He did not • expect to carry the poll if it went to the ratepayers, but 'afc the same time it would give them a voice in the matter. The council would then be in the same position -that it was before, but at all events they could not progress until they knew if the Government was going to give them £500. Cr Clark said that the Government would require to be sure that the council would pay their share before the money would be voted. Cr Rutherford moved — "That a meeting of the ratepayers be held in each district to | ascertain the mind of the ratepayers towards tha erection of the bridge, each member to report the result of the melting to the first meeting of the council." He said that they would need to raise about '£700, and it ought to be left to Ihe ratepayers to say whether they should borrow the money in a lump sum, or agree to a rate. The Chairman : You'll Hot have them voting for a rate. — (Laughter.) Cr Clark seconded the motion, which was duly cftrritd. A SPECIAL XOAN FOB TOKOMAIMHO BIDING. The Chairman moved — " That a special meeting of the ratepayers be held to vote on a proposal to constitute Tokomairiro Riding into a special works district, and that a special' rate of id in the £ be levied for a loan of £1500 for certain roads in the riding." He said that as far as he could make out, the' people in his riding were agreeable that this money should be raised and expended. A number were disappointed that at last meeting they did not get the opportunity of expressing their opinion on the matter. Cr Begg : At last meeting it was suggested that this should be paid out of the general rates. Cr Hewitßon seconded the motion, which was carried. TENDERS. The following tenders were accepted: — Contract No. 517, E. and J. Grey, £195 10s ; contract for erecting span on Matau bridge, R. Carruthers, £36 10s. on mubbat's pbotest. At this stage Cr Clark said that in regard to the protest read that morning by the chairman he only wanted to correct one statement. The whole dooument was very misleading, but he would only touch one point. It was mentioned in the protest that the work referred to by Mr Peattie would cost £20." He simply stated that the matter was discussed two and a-half years ago, when the council voted £8 for the work, and there was no intention on v the part of anybody to ask the council for a penny more. Anything more required would be met by the ratepayers interebted. There was simply £8 voted, and that was all. The Chairman said he did not want to cause any debate, but at a private meeting in that room he heard that there was £8 or £10 voted, and, to his knowledge, he never heard anything voted in the oouncil. Cr Haggart wished to correct the chairman, who was on the committee when the money was voted to spend on the road in question, and lie made no objection. The Chairman said that the first knowledge ; he had of the work was when the plan of the j road lay on the council table. - j Cr Haggart said that he only hoped that i the committee would now carry .out the , work. . : The Chairman said that the committee did ; .iofc exist. j Mr Haggart: Does not exist? \ The Chairman said there were only two ; members of that original committee now on the council. The matter then dropped. A REFUND WANTED. Mr Finlay M'Leod, representing the Fortification Railway and Coal Company, wailed ; on the council and said that the members would no doubt remember a deputation that waited on them some time ago from the Fortification Company with a view to having a road completed from Falconer's to what was known as "The Shoots.'" There was a clear understanding that the road was to be completed before the bad weather set in. The company were to pay pound for pound for the work done. Ho understood that tenders had, been let for something like £114. j The company was called upon to pay £57 be- I fore the tenders were accepted, and this they did. Unfortunately, for some reason — why, they could not tell, — the work had never been • completed. As a matter of fact," the company might just as well have thrown the ■ money into the river for any use they might

hare derived from it. He did not wish ttfimpute anything to the council for not oarrying out the work, but he wished to showthat, as a fair thing between party and party, the company - were entitled to a reasonable refund Of tlie amount of money they had paid to the council for this particular work. He understood that the amount paid to the contractors was about £70. He did not wish the council to be put to any disadvantage. If they had paid £70, he thought it would be reasonable if they handed back £22, as any alteration in the road in future could not possibly benefit the company. He believed that they had the flower of the intelligence of the settlers represented there, and he did not think it would be the desire of the settlers to see their representatives take advantage in anything that was not fair between party and party. The road was in no better state than it was before the contractors started work, on it, and the company could not get its coal away from, the shoot. Constant demands were being, received for coal from Tapanui, Lawrence, and surrounding districts, but during the whole of the past week they were only able to get out 10 tons of coal. He hoped the council would favourably consider the request. Cr Hewitson said that he knew something about the road, and it was no better than it was last winter. All the metal that had been put on made it no better, and the company could not get their coal out. The Chairman thought that it was a great pity that the money had been spent at all. • The council had been obliged to stop the contractors, because they were doing more harm than good by finishing the contract. Mr Clark asked if Mr M'Leod was right in saying that the^ company were charged more than the contract price. The Chairman replied in the negative. Mr M'Leod said the position was thiss' - They were called upon to pay half the amount ' of the tender before it was accepted. The amount of the tender was something like £114', and they were called upon to pay £57, which they did ; and the company was no better off than if they had not paid Is. The Chairman considered that in equity the company were entitled to something. Cr Clark said the council were to blame for not making the contractors keep up to time. Cr' Hewitson moved — " That the sum of £22 be refunded." Cr Driver seconded. Cr Clark could not see his way to support the motion, and asked how much the council were liable for. The Clerk said that they were liable for tho full "amount. ,„ Cr Clark said if they gave back this £22 it was money entirely lost to them. Cr Hewitson: The -company has given the money in good faith, and the road hae nofe been- made. The Clerk mentioned that the distance th« company required to be made was more than bhat speoified. Of course it woa not in a continuous piece. There had been two pieces made,' and a piece left unmade in the middle.' Cr Clark moved as an amendment — "That sonsideration of the matter stand over till next meeting.' ' Cr Begg seconded the amendment, which" ivas carried by 5 votes to 4. Mr M'Leod said that he had made his ,vp- ~ plication without prejudice. He had not, some there with his hat -in his hand. Ha tiad consulted his solicitor, and he would simply say in reply to the council's resolution that the company would take pro»oeedings against the council for the recovery* of the whole amount.