BRUCE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, 5 December 1900, Page 38

BRUCE COUNTY COUNCIL.

l'he ordinary monthly meeting of the Bruce County Council was held at Milton yesterday, •when there were present: — Crs Noble (chairman), H. Clark, J. M. Begg, H. M. Driver,

nW. Hewitson, W. Crane, P. Haggart, G. T.

f !Martin, and W. S. Mosley. I Mr Tom. Featherston waited on the council

to complain that the contractor for the Pear-sons-Akatore road was not putting down blue imetal, as required by the terms of his contract. He produced a sample of the metal foeing used, which was apparently white sandstone.—The Clerk said that he considered the

ccntractor was using the best stone obtainable 'and the council passed on to the next business. The Inspector reported that the county roads ■were nearly all in- a fair state for traffic, The recent flood did some damage to the steep clay roads by washing out ruts, and the surfacemen were attending to them. No serious damage was done to any of the roads or bridges by the -flood of November 18 ; several small culverts were damaged, but they had since been a-epaired. The flood bank on the Waipori IRiver at Berwick is being repaired, as it was ' artuch trodden down by stock tiespassing from the roads. One of the culverts limning into

the river required gome repairs, as the.sliuce- . box did not hold the water back owing to the timber having decayed. The staging of the IKaitangata pxmt had been temporarily reTsaired, and was- again open for traffic^ Mi Nelson also reported that he had inspected ■ihe lino of road given by Mr Thomas Johnson, Wangaloa, as a deviation- of the present road. The line was nearly • level, and went through a lea paddock-, and no formation would •las required. He had also inspected the dotted ?oads to the Elliot Vale property. The road -through M'Lean's was not very suitable, as it did not connect with the" homestead, but joined ,-ihe' main ridge on a spur on the south side of the buildings, but it would be a fair outlet for part of the -pioperty south from the coal mine. On the dotted road through Dolan's section 38, a good grade could be got by cutting through a small corner of Dolan's land and following throwgh section 38 till the road joined the present track oh the top of the iidge. Some of the formation would be of an expensive nature, as the line would go over ground with an easy siding nearly all the •way. Mr Dolan absolutely refused to treat with im in any way, and said he would oppose it in every way he could. The only concession he offered was ta lease the road for a term, as he did not want the road to the coal mine closed. The inspector was of opinion that it would not cost any more to make the xoad through section 38,, with a slight deviation" on Dolan's, than it would be to force a road on the present track through Dolan's, the cost in each case being between £40 and

£50. The receipts for the month amounted to M 8 9s 4d, and the expenditure to £353 10s 2d. — The report was adopted, and the paysheet at-

tached was passed for payment.

A letter was received from the Mines department, stating that a grant of £100 had been authorised towards the cost of constructing the Clarendon-Berwick road. — It was decided to prepare specifications, and submit them to the- department for approval.. The Clerk to the Mount Stuart Road-Board wrote requesting payment towards some profosed works on the boundary of the county. — t was agreed to grant £5 to the work. The Clerk to the Kaitangata Borough Council wrote stating that that body failed to see 3row they were indebted to the Lakes Drainage account. — Eeceived. 'Peter M'Bean wrote requesting attention to the road leading to his property at Taieri Ferry. — Received. R. P. Sharp wrote requesting -the council to cleai out a ditch on the side of the road through the Barnego estate. — Eeceived. A. A. Scott, Waihola, wrote asking that the Tuts . in the road to his property should be filled in, as he could not take a dray over it. — T'ho Inspector explained that the road was being repaired. Allan Marshall wrote resigning his position as ranger at the end of the year. — The resignation was accepted. Charles Hilgendorf, Waihola, wrote requesting permission to widen the creek running through Waihola town where it ran into the lake, as the berthing accommodation for boats was too small. — Agreed to. Tenders for the supply of dog collars at sJti were received from John Taylor and -James Lockha-rt. — It was agreed to divide the work between them. •

Several tenders were received for the supply ox metal, tmt consideration was deferred.