WAIKOUAITI COUNTY COUNCIL,

Otago Witness, Issue 2388, 7 December 1899, Page 10

WAIKOUAITI COUNTY COUNCIL,

' -The adjourned statutory annual meeting oi this County Council was held the 'County I Council Chambers, Hawksbury^ oit the 28th, ' and was attended by Crs D.uke, Fopte, Graham, Orbell, Porteous, and Souter. ,! The Clerk presided, 'and inviled nominations • for the position of 'chairman, when Cr Graham proposed, and Cr Orbell seconded — " That Cr \ Souter be appointed chairman "for_ the' ensuing.,; year."-i-Cr Souter, howeverj declined' tho in- | tended honour for personal reasons, and Cr j Footo was elected on '-the nomination of Cr J Porteous, seconded by Cr Duke.— The- clerx" then declared Cr Foote duly elected, who, on, taking the chair, thanked the council -for the ' honour conferred, and promised.- to carry out the duties to the best -of his ability .'•- I • ; ' 1 ORDINARY MEETING. - The council then proceeded with the ordinary businesa.pinance. ' \ i' -•'- _ Accounts for the months amounting to £317, i 18s 7d were -passed for payment. , ! INSPECTOE'B IiEFOHT. '. - • j . Blueskin , Riding. — The Manse road' m this riding for a distance of 60 chains was getting j j much rutted by water running over.it, andsie- \ quired to be rounded up in the centre to put" it in good repair for winter traffic. The estimated ' co3t was given at £9. — The council decided to ; call for tenders for the work. [ Hawksbury Riding. — A considerable portior , of the Mill road in this riding was becoming worn in the centre, and required about 400 yds ' of maintenance gravel to put it in good repair ; for winter traffic ; estimated cost £45. — Tenders to be called for the work. • CORUKSPONDEXCE. j The Chief Surveyor, Department of Lands I jj N and Survey, Dunedin, wrote stating that the ' I department at Wellington informed him that , • they were prepared to accept his recommenda- ! tion for the payment of £15 for fencing the | Corner Buah and Merton road. He thought ' he might have obtained the sum of £46, and ' had informed the? county inspector that no I would pass a voucher for this amount for fenc- ' ing the roadline, but he regretted to state that the head department declined to approve of it. — Received. The Under-secretary Department of Lands, and Surve3% Wellington, wrote in renly to a letter from the chairman to Mr Pratt, M.H.it., that with respect to tae vote of £25 for .Brinn's Point road, the chief surveyor could not recommend the expenditure on the deviation, as the council had no agreement with the owners of the land through which it passed. Even then the- money could not be advantageously spent there. With regard to the Corner Bush road, ho could not find that the agreement authorised the' council to 'expend the money granted in. fencing.— lteforred to Mr Torteous* to arrajige the matter with Mr Pratt. Mr Galbraith, Flag Swamp, wrote pointing out that nothing had been done to reduce ttie I water at tho crossing J bf the Flag Swaiup Creek, and that it was no better than when j ho and others waited on* the council- in refer- ; ence to the matter. — The council resolved th.it Mr Reid be requested to have the arrangement carried out in terms- of his letter at once, and ' that the clerk write to Mr Galbraith informing him of the action of the council. Messrs Sievwright ' and James, solicitors, Dunedin, wrote, under instructions from Mr > T. Sullivan, Pine Hill, drawing the council's attention to the damage done to his properly, section 53, block VIII, North-East Valloy and . Blueskin district, by the overflow of watot from the water tables on the road adjoining. They asked tho council to attend to the matter. — Referred to the inspector to report. The Sesretary to the Treasury, Wellington, intimated that goldfields revenue, amounting/ to £10. 10s 7d, had been remitted to the credit' : of tho council at the Bank of New Zealand, ' Waikouaiti. — Received. j Tho County Clerk, Waihemo, wrote stating that the chairman of the council would be | pleased, as requested, to act as the council's ' delegate at the meeting for the election of members of the Charitable Aid and Hospital Boards. — Received. The Secretary to the Benevolent Institution and Dunedin Hospital wrote requesting the council to appoint a delegate to 'attend the meeting of contributing local bodies to be held j on the 4th December for the election of trustees. ! A. Graham was appointed the council's dele- ' gate. , J The Town Clerk, West Harbour, wrote stat- • ing that his council agreed to tho proposal to roturn to- the system of joint work on the boundary roar! by the county turfaceman and tho borough dayman. — Agreed to; tho county 1 inspector to look after the same. ' Mr John Rossiter, Mount Cargill, wrote drawing attention to tho " frightful " state of the track leading to his property for a distance . of five or six chains, which was not safe for man or beast to walk over, owing to large , Btones standing up where the soil had been ' ( washed away. He could not work his horse ' and dray without injury, and the children going to school often sprained their ankles through the rough stato of the road.— Referred to the inspector. | The Secretary lo the Land Board, Dunedin, ! fuxqjghfid tk statement q! "thirds" and,

" fourths "- accrued for the period from- July 3 to September 30, 1899, amounting to £147 8s 2d. — Received. -Messrs JClteic(.. and Sons, Dunedin, wrote in reference to the title of land given in exchange for the road line on the Corner Bush estate, as they were desirous of having the matter completed without delay. — The council decided to take steps at once to comply^with the iequest. „ * * "*:* ■,•"!"*,' Sergeant" Geeriri, Port ChalineVs, forwarded a returnjof all cattle slaughtered, and the amount 'of fees collected in the district in the county under his jurisdiction. — Received. The Returning Officer reported the re-elec-tion, oE Crs Graham (North-East Valley Riding), Foote< and Duke (Blueskiri Riding), Porteous (Morton Riding), and Orbell and S outer (Hawksbury Riding). — Received. x OTifliß JIATTERB.*"V The council agreed "to raise the surfaceman's wages in the Nortli-East Valley. Riding to Ss .Cd a day on -the -.motion of "Gf -"'Graham; 'seconded by Cr Souter. , ;, The tender of .Mr Hourston was accepted; for contract 710, amount £12 175,"6 d. .For con-. tract 709 there jwere no- tenders. "'' ' / The inspector was instructed to report . at : next meeting 'on that £art of "ihe. road com- , plained of by Mr Buckland, and" to , v give an', estimate of the cost. . \ . It was also resolved ;to call for 'tendera for" gravelling that portion of "the Main' North road' between the Flag Swamp bridge, and Diack's road. The inspector was also instrueted'to emoloy a man fot a week to assist the surfaceman in clearing the fallen trees on the , Main track through Mr Holmes-Mount Cargill property, North-East Valley riding/ . The council then adjourned.