WAIKOUAITI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2400, 1 March 1900, Page 8

WAIKOUAITI COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of this County Council was held in the County Council Chambers, Hawksbury, on the 16th*inst., at which there were present — The Chairman (Mr J. Foote), Crs C. Duke, A. Graham, J. Porteous, A. S. Orbell, and W. Souter. FINANCE. Accounts for the month amounting to £270 2s Id -were passed for payment. inspector's eeport. The Inspector reported as under : -^The application .of Mr Mannery to have a track formed to his small grazing run 171b, and to (give him access to it would require about 70 chains of siding. Estimated cost, £37; but as neither of the dotted tracks on the map was suitable for a road, to get the mopt practicable roa.d would require to be taken through Mr Aitcheson's small grazing run 171 a. — The clerk to communicate with Mr Aitcheaon and the Land Board to obtain their consent to take the road through Mr Aitcheson'a run at the most suitable place. To make a road fit for dray traffic to Miss Gilchrist's property, Merton Riding, would require one culvert and another lengthened, and an embankment in each gully, formed about two chains in length and 6ft deep in the deepest part. Estimated cost, £16. — Tenders to be culled for the work.

There was about eight chains between the two gates on M'Kesaar'a road at Purakanui which got very much cut up in winter, and to put it in goad order for winter traffic would require about 60 yards of metal. Messrs Grillauders and M'Kessar had promised to cart the stones for the road. Estimated cost, about £10. There were several portions of the roads in the Waitati township that wore getting worn down, and required about 120 yards of gravel to put them in order for winter traffic. Estimated cost, about £16. — The inspector to attend to the Ptirakanm road, and tenders to be called for gravelling the roads y in the Waitati township/ PETITIONS. Mr John Hallam, jun., and seven other ratepayers in the Waikouaiti district, petitioned the council to have the thirds and fourths accruing from the Hummockside blocks spent on that portion of the road leading direct from Mount Watkin to Scratchback. The petitioners pointed out that by neglecting to improve the road the council had inflicted a great injustice on the settlers. — Crs Orbell and Souler were appointed to interview the Borough Council and Mr John Douglas with a view to getting the necessary deviates*!, go as to put the work

in hand, and, if successful, to call for tenders by next meeting. Mr W. Diack and 10 settlers in the Hawksbury Riding petitioned the council to have about 18 chains of road leading from the top of Syzemore's Hill towards Milligan's property gravelled, as in wet weather it was impossible to get a loaded dray up the hill. — Tenders to be called for the work.

COKBESPONDENCE. Mr R. Craig, Upper Waitati, wrote stating that the ratepayers interested requested that the Pigeon Flat road should be metalled, beginning at the saddle, where the present metal ended, and going towards his property. The ratepayers were willing to contribute £1 for £1 towards the cost, if the council agreed to undertake the work. — The council agreed to accept the offer contained in Mr Craig's letter, and the inspector was instructed to attend to the work. Mr John Thomas Pratt, Karitane, wrote stating that his cart was overturned and considerably damaged through the neglected state of the Evansdale bridge. His mare, treading on a loose plank, shied, and in consequence of the approach not being properly fenced, the cart overturned down the bank. He asbed the council to indemnify him to the extent of £3 for repairs. — The council declined any liability in the matter. The Secretary to the Treasury, Wellington, notified the council that the following ti mounts had been remitted to the credit of the county fund at the Bank of "New Zealand — viz.: Goldfields revenue, ■ £1; .advance of 75 per cent, in subsidy ; for year 1899-1900, £375 ; rate 3 for Seacliff Asylum and Native reserve road, £116 4-s ; Waitati' Wakari road, £100.-r-Received. Messrs Lindsay and Galbraith, Flag Swamp, asked the council to attend to some formation on road between Mrs Walker's and Mr Lindsajr's. and to widen -the bank at the end of the last contract as it was too narrow. — Messrs Lindsay and Galbraith to be informed that tenders will be called by the next meeting for the work. CONTBACTS. The following tenders were accepted: — Contract 717, C. Hoad, £1?. Us; contract 719, D. M'LauchJan, 6s per yard; contract 720, T. Thomson, £8 17s 6d; contract 721, T. Hammond, £45. OTHEE HATTERS. The council resolved to notify, by advertisement, that all rates unpaid after the 20th March would be liable to the 10 per cent, additional ; to rescind the motion passed at last meeting increasing the deposit in all future contracts to 10 per cent. ; to instruct the inspector to have the repairs to the Evansdale bridge attended to, and the necessary fence creeled ; and to^ instruct the clerk^ to request the ranger to 'attend to his duties, failing which, his appointment would be cancelled. The council then adjourned.