ORDINARY MEETING.

Otago Witness, 5 December 1900, Page 15

ORDINARY MEETING.

1 The ordinary meeting was then held, all the members being present. The Assistant Surveyor-general forwarded copies of two proclamations issued in terms of section 13 of "The Lands Act, 1893," taking land for and closing .a road in Catlinß Survey ' district. The land to be taken is portion of section 30, block IV, and the road to be closed is portion of road traversing section 30, block IV. — Received. The Clerk Bruce County Council wrote with reference to the Clutha Council's request that thej pH£ half costs of repairs and working 6f

Clydevale punt, that consideration of the \. matter had been held over till next meeting. ! — Received. j The Manager New Zealand and 'Australian , Land Company wrote with reference to the j exchange" of roads at Clydevale, that the Undersecretary' for Lands was of opinion that the new roads should be vested in the Queen. He therefore forwarded the necessary tracings for the chairman's signature on behalf of the council. — Chairman to sign accordingly. Circulars were received from the secretary to the Dunedin Hospital and the Otago Benevolent Institution with reference to the j annual meeting for the election of trustees. — j Mr Miller, Dunedin, was appointed the coun- ', cil's delegate for the purpose of the election of trustees, and, on the motion of Cr Robertson, seconded by Cr Johnston, the chairman was appointed to represent the council on the Charitable Aid and Dunedin Hospital Boards. Messrs Sim Bros., Purekireki, wrote calling attention to portion of Owaka Valley road, running between sections 1 and 2, block VI, Catlins, which is almost impassable, and asking that the same be attended to during the summer months. — To stand over in the meantime. . > -- J. Callahan, Ratanui, asked reconsideration of the council's decision refusing his. application for about an acre of- land between' his section and the road-line. — Cr Saunders explained that he had examined the ground and found it was a useless swamp. He moved that the council offer no objection to the request being granted. — Carried. . , Michael O'Connell, Purekireki, wrote asking that a gate on. the block road leading to section 35, block'lV, be removed. — The engineer to inquire into the matter. Janfes Black and other six settlers at Tahatika wrote asking to have the " thirds " that have accrued on account of- Friends' road spent, said road being in a very bad 'state.—Consideration held, over. Patrick G-linn'an, Tahatika, wrote that the road _at his place was much destroyed with stray cattle, and asking what steps he sho'tild take in the matter. — Grlinnan to 'be asked to impound the cattle. John, White and William Williamson wrote calling attention to the impassable state of the road leading to their places. They offered to give a few days' labour free to repair the road if the council would furnish a, horse and dray and the services of the surfaceman. — Granted. A circular was received from the Colonial Secretary's department with reference to applications from local bodies for the issue of Orders-in-Council to rectify errors and omissions they have made in the discharge of their various legal functions, and intimating that Ministers can advise the Governor to exercise such remedial powers only when the matter is one properly calling for action, and then only i upon a full statement of all the facts -that render such action necessary. — Received. Daniel Weir, T&hitika, wrote asking the council to clear the culvert in fron* of his property. — The engineer to examine into the matter and report. engineer's report. The Engineer reported as follows : — " I have the honour I ' to report that according to instructions, tenders were called for road works as fol"lows:—Contract No. 900, , maintenance metal, 300 cubic yards, Owaka- road ; No. 901, formation on Rankleburn-Tapamii road ; No. 902, gravelling on 'Kelso-Pukerau road. Tenders were also called for forming a new road to South Molyneux Cemetery. One line looked at was levelled, and a plan made, but it was considered too steep a grade, so the matter had been held in abeyance for a month, so that if possible a better line for a. road may be got. I may state that owing to a stoppage oi the railway traffic the advertisement calling foi .tenders for the road works was too late in appearing. The contract works have been kept back by the weather during the past month, especially on flat formation. Until the last few days the roads scarcely ever got firm enough to lay metal down. The surfacing of the roads, too, has been much kept back, especially in the Catlins Riding, where for some time there has been going on a filling-in of the gully-like ruts, and a shoving out of the earth again by the heavy timber traffic on the roads. In regard j to Mr James Chalmers's application to the ! council to improve a flat portion of Owaka road, near to the end of Williamson's road, there are about 11 chains of it.portions of it having a moss bottom, consequently very little traffic cuts it ! up in the winter time. A short distance from ! this' plaoe in the cutting on Muir's Hill there is abundance of rotten rock, which would make ! a good road for that part of the county. The ! surfaceman has been instructed to put in a culvert on the road passing Mrs Scott's place, > South Molyneux township. I have inspected the road line at the r Jbencl of the Ptierua Stream, adjacent to section 1, block XII, Warepa, and estimate" that it will edst from £20 to £25 to make a passable road for dray ! traffic. I have not as yet inspected the road at the homestead settlement, Awakiki Bush." The report was adopted, and it 'was agreed thai on a suitable road being found to- the Port Molyneux Cemetery tenders be called for formation work v It was also agreed that the engineer carry out the.metalling with rotten roclt on "the -portion of road referred to in Mr Chalmers's application. MISCELLANEOUS. The whole council was appointed a Finance Committee. j Cr Robertson was appointed to sign cheques with the chairman. ] The Finance Committee recommended the payment of the monthly pay-sheet, amounting to £429 6s 10d.— Report adopted. The following motion, moved by Cr Clarke and .seconded by Cr Robertson, was carried: — " That tenders be called for 300 yds maintenance metal for Main road, Waiwera to Clydevale." The following tenders were accepted : — Contract 901, formation on Rankleburn-Tapanui road, Robert Gray, JE88; contract 902, gravelling nine chains Kelso-Pukerau road, James Sutherland, £40 10s; contract 896, maintenance metal Waiwera Gorge road, R. Gray, £47 10s, accepted up to £50. It was agreed that Mr. Poff's contract for

formation on Moko Moko road be cancelled, that his deposit be forfeited, and that the next lowest tender (Paterson's) be accepted.