WAIKOUAITI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2433, 31 October 1900, Page 8

WAIKOUAITI COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of this County Council was held in the Council Chambers, Hawksbury, on Saturday last, at which there were present The Chairman (Mr J. Foote), and Crs C. Duko, A. Graham, J. Porteous, and W. Souter.

-FINANCE,

Accounts for the month, amounting to £289 Va sd, were passed for payment.

PETITIOH.

Mr J. M'Lachlan and 41 settlers at Mansfordtown petitioned the council, drawing attention 4 to the state of -the roads in different parts of the district— namely, Slant street, Harbour •terrace, and Combe Hay terrace, — the metal being veiy low in many places and worn, and a ifew loads of metal were required to put them in order; the water tables also required cleani.ag out. The new jnece o f load lately foimed no to Mrs M'Lean's property also required some metal, as ir. wet weather the road became impassable.— The petition was referred to the inspector.

COEBESPONDBXCE.

3\ J. M. Cameron, Port Chalmers, wrote drawi'g attention to the dangerous state of part of the road at Carey's Bay, going up to the top of the hill leading to Mr Sutherland's house. — Referred to the inspector.

Mr A. S. Cantrell, Waikouaiti, wrote asking the council to take some steps in connection -with a cutting opposite his gate to prevent the water from flooding his paddock, due to a faulty culycit and through the surfaceman having deliberately caused flood water corning down the cutting to flow on to his land instead of following the small open ditch to the culvert. — Refened to the inspector.

Mr F. Gumming, Mount Cargill, applied for permission to erect a fence along the edge of

the Main road fronting his property. — The application was granted; fence to be erected to the satisfaction of the inspector, and during the pleasure of the council.

Mr R. Hagan, Flag Swamp, wrote desiring to. know if anything could be done to stop the public from grazing their cattle and horses on tho roads, which was an everyday occurrence, to the annoyance of the settlers of the district. The ranger could do nothing, as the owners of the cattle and horses watched him, and when they saw him they pretended they were driving them. — The attention of the ranger to be called to the matter.

Mr John Douglas, Mount Royal, wrote stating that lie had had further correspondence with -the Waihemo County Council re the bridge across Pleasant River leading to Stenhouse's road and Taicri Peak road, and to induce that council to do the work at their own cost to the extent of three-fourths, he had offered to pay the balance, one-fourth, but the council would not agree to contribute niore than one-half. The estimated co3t of the bridge was given at £50. The bridge was absolutely necessary, the old lord being boggy at certain times, and the road leading to it being closed and being necessary as a site for sheep yards, the old site being required for new road. The Waiherno Council's proposal was that they should pay half cost of the bridge, the Waikouaiti Council onefourth, and he (Mr Douglas) one-fourth, which he would rather do than the work already done should prore abortive. — The council agreed "to I contribute one-fourth of the co3t of the bridge as suggested by the Waihemo County Council and Mr Douglas. Mr George Ross, Sawyers' Bay, tendered hia resignation as dog tax collector owing to illhealth. — The resignation was accepted, and the council tendered their sympathy to Mr Ross on the condition of his health. The 'Under-secreiary Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, applied for the 'return of certain agreements in the hands of the council for the expenditure of grants of money for works on the Corner Bush, Puketeraki road, Brinn's Point and Purakanui, two of which would be undertaken by the department, and the thiid cancelled and a fresh agreement returned for work on the Corner Bti3h, Morton road. — Resolved — " That the department be informed that agieement 2567 (£SO), Corner Bush and Puketeraki, the work had been let some time ago by contract; that 2568 (£SO), Purakanui road, North Harbour, was being expended at present, and the work cairied out by Native labour; that 1970 (.£25), Brinn's Point, Cemetery road, would be returned to Wellington on the understanding that a sum would be voted in lieu thereof for expenditure on the Corner Bush-Merton road." The Town Clerk, Port Chalmers Borough, wrote asking the council to contribute a sum of £i 10s towards tarring, sanding, and repairing footpath in Macandrew street to the Crescent Hotel, Mansfordtown. The work was a very necessary one, and would be a great boon to the inhabitants of the town and those who travel ■from there to the North Heads. The path waa much broken, and required a good deal of pitching. — The council agieed to contribute the swtn applied for. Mr Hay, chief surveyor, Dunedin, wrote instructing the council to proceed with the work on the Wakari-Waitati road, for which the sum of £150 ' had been granted. — Received. Mrs G-. Crawford, Mornington, wrote in reference to the encroachment of a fence on the road in the Purakanui township, stating that she had been unable to carry out the improvements she contemplated, and that she had no intention of inconveniencing any one. She asked permission for the fence to remain for a short period. — The council agreed to allow the fence to remain foi the present. Mr E. Michelson, Puiakanui, .wrote complaining that the water from Heyward Point road had been diverted from its natural course, and thereby caused him considerable damage. As the water came from above the creamery, and Avas taken across the road through the culvert, it would not trouble him if it went along the lower* side of the road and then over the Murdering Beach road. — Mr Mitchelson to be informed "that the council are not in any way responsible for the damage, as no one has leceived instructions or permission to divert the water on the Heyward Point road from its natural course, and that it is the opinion of this council that this is a matter entirely between Mr Mitchelson and the person or persons who have diverted the water." * Circulars were received from the Secretary Charitable Aid and Hospital Board in reference to the annual meeting for the election of members and the appointment of a delegate to represent the council, the place of meeting being the Waihemo County Council Chambers, and the date the 28th November at 3 p.m.— The Waihemo County chairman was appointed. Returns from Sergeant G-eerin (Port Chalmers), and Constables Burrows (Waikouaiti) and Drury (Blueskin) were received, giving the number of cattle, great and small, slaughtered in their respective districts ending September 30, 1900. DEPUTATIONS. Dr King and Mr J. Muir waited on the council as representatives of the Seachff-Karitane District Improvement Society in reference to the removal of a fence which had been erected by the society, and which had been represented to the council as bping a source of danger to traffic. The complaint, however, had been, addressed to the ch"iiman of the Karitane Domain Board instead Jr > *he District Improvement Society, but*P ng said that as the society had no desire ... anything in opposition to the orders of the council, he and Mr Muir had answered the letter of the council in person. He further stated that he xmderstood the fence had been erectedwith the consent of the County Council, and theie bad evidently been a misunderstanding in the matter. At a meeting of the society, held after tho receipt of the council's letter, the opinion expressed was that the fence was not in a desirable condition, and it wss agieed to remove it, and to conform to the wishes of the council. Dr King suggested, as only foil- and leasonable, that in future when any complaints wore made questioning lh c aciion of the District Improvement Society the names of the t>artie3 complaining should be given. — The council expressed themselves as satisfied with Jir King's explanation, who thanked the council for the courteous receptio.i he and Mr Muir had met with, and the deputation then withdrew. OT.KER MATTERS. The council evolved — " That the inspector be empowered to have Euiric rotten lock sprj?d on road leading t«t Me. Pullar'a property,

Beaconsfield, cost not to exceed £5 ; that 80yds of metal from Logan's quarry bo spread on Main road, Sawyers' Bay ; and that tenders be called for some formation on the road at the boundary of Mr H. Buckland's and Mr D. O'Halloran's piopertiea, and that the gate thereon be properly fixed."

CONTRACTS,

The following tenders were accepted: — Contract 750— W. Ward, £15 9s ; 75i— P. Lunheam, J7O; 752— T. Thomson, £70 14s; 753— G. Wilson, £18 ss; 754— D. Reid, ill 6s 8d; 755— P. Collins, £13; 756— H."W. Brookes, £56. The council then adjourned.