CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2413, 7 June 1900, Page 8

CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Clutha County Council was held on Friday; present — Crs J. Johnston (chairman), W. Hay, J. R. Mitchell, D. A. M'Lachlan, J. Cumming, J. M'Neil, D. Robertson, A. C. Saunclers, and J. Clarke. COHKjSSPONDENCE. Messrs R. Greig and Co., sawmillers, G-len-omaru, wrote applying lor permission to extend their tramway on the road line, subject to the satisfaction of the engineer. — Request granted, subject to approval of engineer. Mr James Docherty, Owaka, and five other settlers on Hanning's road, wrote drawing attention to the necessity for something being done to the road. They understood there was a good sum of money to the credit of this road. — Held over. Mr Thomas Barr, Owaka, and three other settlers on Barr's road, wrote respectfully requesting that the acciued money, " thirds " and " fourths," be spent on the load. — Matter to stand over. Mr W. W. Allen wrote drawing attention, to road from Christie's corner to Waikoikoi. In its ijresent state it was a disgrace to the county. As a result of driving over it, he had instructed his firm to claim. £5 from the County Council for damages sustained to his trap. Had he met the gentleman who had charge of that riding he feared he would have had a rough time of it ; m fact, he did not think he would have been in a presentable condition to attend the meeting. When he next visited the district in November, he trusted he would see a vast improvement on that particular road. — The question arose as to whether the letter was couched in respectful temis. — Cr Mitchell did not think it was, and moved that it be iiot received — Carried. Mr Thomas Bates, Houipapa, wrote stating that in front of his property along the main road was a piese of swamp. When the Government formed the road they threw out a ditch along part of the swamp leaving a x^iece unditched in the centre. He had asked the engineer lo have the two portions of the ditch connected, as the water was made to dam back on lo h,is property, causing considerable damage, and also damaged the road through the water flowing over it m time of flood. He thought the ditch could be cut at 9d per yaid. He thought he was entitled to some consideration as the council must have got about .EIOO in "thirds" and rates from him. — Cr Savmders had seen the place. It wag a very small matter, and he

j would move that the engineer get the surfacej men to do the work. —Carried. Messrs H. Ivimey and seven others at Tahatika wiote a joint letter drawing the council's [ attention to the state of the road at Knowles's Cieek, and asking the removal of some of the I benches on the south side. —Cr Saunders said j a small cutting required to be taken out, and the rotten rock could ba utilised on the road. ' There was still some £36 of unexpended Government grants, and he would move that the engineer in August call tenders for the work. — Carried. i Mr J. C. Whiteiaw, Romahapa, wrote asking j the council to forward him the &urn of £8, being one-third cost of bridge erected on road leading , to farm lately occupied by him. —Request ' granted. • i Mr E. Clements, Pornahaka Downs, wrote ! stating that as the grain carting season was i coming on he would like to get the road lead- , ing from his place to the river attended to, also the ford across the river. The approach i was quite silted up, and there were aleo some I very large stones that wanted shifting. —Cr Clarke said the engineer had the matter of the culverts in hand, and he moved that the engineer attend to the ford also. —Cariied. Thoa. E. Steele, Clinton, wrote asking for an extension o£ time for, say, two months to I complete his contract on Clinton-Owaka. road. ! The days were so short and the weather so j ! wet that he could make very little progress with formation. —The Chairman moved that the ] request be granted. It was a. great mistake to destroy one road in making another. —Carried. Mr John F. Robertson, Waipahi, addressed a lengthy letter to the council giving his reasons why the council should grant his request to put gates on street lines, but the council decided not to accept the letter, the matter having already been dealt with. The Treasury, Wellington, advised that the j sum of £2000, balance of Pomakaha Biding i loan, had been forwarded to the credit of the | council. —Received. j The Hon. J. G. Ward telegraphed re_aban- | donment of Pretoria by the Boers. —Cr M'Lach- | lan moved —" That the communication be rei ceived, and that the council express its satis- ) faction with the action of the Acting-Premier [ on forwarding congratulations to Lord Roberts." Seconded by Cr Robertson, and carried. engineer's report. The Engineer in his monthly report that according to instructions tenders had been called for works as follows : —Contract No. &S7, on Mokomoko road; BS9, bush-felling on "Friend's road. Contracts 857, 863, 866, and SCO had been completed since last meeting. Little ! progress had been made on contracts during vhe ! month, chiefly owing to the weather. The • metalling contracts not completed would have J to stand over to the spring. A number of culverts and bridges had been repaired. The heavy traffic at this season of the year was telling on those put in 20 or 25 years ago, and a number would have to be renewed during the coming summer. He had inspected Friend's road, and had called for tenders for about 10 chains of bush-felling. This had to be dove before a contract for formation i could be let. Other portions of the road re- | ferred to by the settlers in their letter to the I council had been attended to. In regard to ' by-law No. 3 relating to overloading of drays J and waggons on the county roads, he had sent j in the names of some who were carrying more \ than the specified quantity of bags. The cases ' were likely to come on for hearing on Wednesday first. j With regard to tenders being called ior bushfelling on Friend's road, the Engineer explained ! that he was misled by the newspaper reports, j and had called for tenders. —Cr'Saunders was i surprised to see tenders advertised for this I week. The council distinctly declined to do | anything in the matter. ! On the motion of Cr Hay the report was ' adopted. ■ i Cr M"Lachlan moved that the engineer's action in taking steps to pi event over-loading be apj proved of. —Carried. ! GEXEHAL. I The monthly psysheet, amounting to £429, ; was passed for payment. I Proposed by Cr Cumming, seconded by Cr I Robertson —" That this council apply to the j Minister of Lands to place on the Estimates j the sum of £250 to build bridge on the WaiJ pahi stream at Aithurton." —Carried, i Proposed by Cr Clarke, and seconded by Cr i Gumming —" That the chairman apply to the Minister of Lands to place the sum of £1000 on the Estimates to metal roads for the benefit of the Pornahaka Downs settlement." —Carried. V WORKS IN CATLINS SIDING. Tenders were opened for contracts 878 as follows:—William Pofi: £19 4s, Adam Paterson £23 12s. Cr Saunders said that this was to be paid j out of unexpended Government grant, and ' moved that the lowest tender be accepted. Cr Roberston raised the question as to whether the money was forthcoming. The council had no definite word that the money would be forthcoming. Cr Saunders said that the chief surveyor had explicitly stated that the money was lying at the credit of the council, and would be paid on application. Cr M'Lachlan moved —" That the tender be accepted conditionally on the money being forthcoming from the Government." Cr Saunders objected to the contractor being made dependent on the necessities of the council. Two months ago at that table he had read a letter from the -chief surveyor in which it was stated the money was available and would be paid on application on the work beingdone ; also that if the particular work for which the money had been voted had been paid for out of the ordinary funds, the grant was available for expenditure on other works. Now it appeared they were no further on, though it had been decided to apply for the money at once. The Clerk explained that the necessary application had been forwarded on to the Sur-veyor-gen cial in the usual manner. Cr Mitchell thought it would bo better to wait till they knew for certain that they could Set the money. Cr dimming thought they should bo careful till they saw that the money would be forthcoming. After some further discussion, it was decided on the motion of Cr M'Lachlan to accept the lowest tender subject to the money'being forthcoming from the Government. Cr Robertson said Cr Saunders was getting ' works authorised at almost every meptmg on the strength of unexpended Government grants. Cr Saunders warmly resented Cr Robertson's statements, and said that he was stating what was not correct. ' The Chairman asked them both not to speak at once, and remarked that Cr Robertson had '. been rather too officious at that table. The meeting then closed. ' 1 1 ; ' [ \ , . i

Mr O'Regan mentioned at the Harbour Board meeting at Westport last week that an 1 influential Dunedin capitalist had spoken to | him in Wellington as to gold dredging the ' Bullcr River within port limits, in the prospeels of which he had great faith. Mr O'Regan . feaid he had no objection to the proposal, but Mr Suisted intimated that lie would still strongly oppose any idea of dredging below the Nine-mile. Watsonia O'Brienii, a Novelty of recent; introduction, is a pure white Flower of great Beauty, and admirably adapted ior cutting. Niiiiio and Blair are now booking Orders for Bulbs to be delivered in the end of March.