WAIHEMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2504, 19 March 1902, Page 10

WAIHEMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of this County Council was held in the County Council Chambers, Palmerston, on Saturday last, at which there were present — The Chairman (Mr T. Muir), and Crs W. E. Griffin, M. Isbister, R. Matheson, D. Ross, J. Ross, and J. Stewart. FINANCE. Accounts, for the month amounting to £550 11s 2d were passed for payment. inspector's HEroitTS. The Inspector reported as under: — Macraes Riding. — The road from Dunback to Macraes carried all traffic to the interior, and as it passed through small grazing runs the county received no benefit from " thirds " ond "fourths," which were all expended on the back district roads. He had from time to time informed the council that the road w?s getting flat and bare down to the rock, which was rough and unpleasant to travel over. The | parts formed aud banked up last winter were in good order, and where the surfaceman banked up and improved the water tables, but the grant voted* last session of Parliament to improve the road had been withdrawn. Surfacemen had been employed on the worst parts of the road, but any material for metalling the road- was bad to get, and if clay were put on at a depth of about 2ft it lasted no time. The road could not be made like roads within distances to gravel, but at gTeat expense. — Received. Bluo Mountain Riding. — The Switchback road in this riding had been fenced, and M'Kellar's mountain track put in order. Approaches to thc~~Shag River bridge for stock were being formed. — Received.' -- Bushy Riding. — The. bridge at Day's Crossing -in"" this riding was finished, and the work had bean carried cut in a satisfactory manner. The contractor had some surplus timber, which he offered the council, and its there was a small bridge near the Shag River bridge that required superstructure the timber offered, would be very suitable. — Received, arxl left in the hands of the inspector. Goodwood Riding. — The road over Wright's hill in this riding required gravel, and part of the same road in the Bushy riding. The road down from the Lodge required coarser gravel than could be got locally. The bridge would be attended to in a few days. The timber that had been put on two years ago had shrunk, and required bolting and screwing up. — Received. DEPUTATION. Mr Lewis Davis waited on the council in reference to the silting up of a ditch running thiough his property, diverted by the old Road Board of the district. He also asked to have a st&tement corrected that he had received compensation for the land.

The Inspector explained that he understood at the time that Mr Davis's land was freehold, which he found was not the case. With this exception the report was substantially correct. The council took no action in the matter. CORRESPONDENCE.

The letter from the chairman of a meeting of citizens at Greymcuth, to take steps to further a movement to present the Right Honourable the Premier with a testimonial in recognition of his patriotism and devotion to the Empire was received.

The Waikouaiti 'County Council wrote asking what action the Waihamo County Council intended taking re the destruction of small birds. — Received.

The Receiver of Gold Revenue, NaEeby, wrote stating that the names of licensees were included in the. monthly statement of rent paid and furnished to the Receiver-general. Tho council 'might safely leave the collection of such rents in his hands. The Audit Department did not at any time allow rents to be very much in arrear. The council's request asking him to take steps to recover rents had been disregarded, as he knew of no authority for the council to issue such instructions..— Received.

Mx Thomas Mackenzie, M.H.S., Dunedin, wrote stating that it would give him much pleasure in attending to the request of the council should the question of amending the present system of valuation come before Parliament. — Received.

The Secretary of the Charitable Aid and Hospital Board?, Dunedin, wrote to payment of contribution on the basis of 1902 until the levy for 1903 ha-:l boen completed.— Received.

The Secretary Inchdale Gold Dredging Company, Dunedin, wrote drawing attention to the fact that his company wished to briug in a new water race about four chains below the railway bridge, where it was intended to place a small weir about 3ft high, which would necessitate raising the level of the roadway to their present race crossing, and applying for permission to fill in the road, as per plan enclosed, and also to shift the present wooden culvert. — Cr Isbister moved, and Cr D. Ross seconded — " That when the company fulfil the conditions of the last agreement the application would be taken into consideration.

The Receiver of Land Revenue, Dunedin, intimated that the sum of £20? Ids Sd, being " thirds " and " fourths " accrued between the sth August and the 28th December, 1901, had been paid into the Bank of New Zealand to the credit of the county fund. A sum of £12 17s Id in respect of small grazing run 82 had been withheld. — Received.

The Department of Roads, Dunedin, wrote calling attention to a sum of £i 13s 5d having been charged against .the authority .on account of the survey in connection with the Shag River bridge, and that any further charges would be notified in due course. — Received.

The Clerk Maniototo County Council wrote pointing out that Mr J. E. Matheson, Taieri Lake station, near the Itock and Pillar railway siding, approached the council in May last, by letter, urging the desirability of a light bridge being constructed over the Taieri River near the crossing on the road from Moonlight to Rock and Pillar Tailway siding, this being the shortest road to Moonlight settlement. At present the settlers to reach the siding above-men-tioned r had no other recourse than to cross the river b T y the existing bridges at Hyde or Middlemarch, which were 16 or 17 miles about. Application was made to the Government to place a sum on the Estimates for the construction of the bridge, and a subsidy of pound for pound up** to iSIOOO was granted and £400 on account appeared on the appropriation for the public works services of last session. In view of the appropriation and the seeming imp6rtance of the work, he was directed to respectfully ask if the Waihemo Council would be willing to contribute their share, in conjunction with the Maniototo Council, in accepting the subsidy. The gum to be contributed -by the two counties, exclusive of subsidy, was estimated at £900. — Cr Isbister moved, and Cr Griffin seconded — " That the council cannot see their way to expend any of the cotinty funds in the constiuction of the bridge referred to."

I The Department of Roads, Dunedin, forwarded the monthly return for February of roads' in the county, requesting the council to fill in same where required and return to the office. In future month Iv returns would consist of i accounts passed and forwarded to Wellington for payment. The supply of prompt information would not necessitate the forwarding of monthly returns in future. — Received. Mr T. Mackenzie, M.H.R., Dunedin, applied on behalf of the Minister of Lands to be supplied with the most pressing metalling works .in ihe county.* He asked, the council to ' specify

each work by name given in -public works ap* ' propriation. — Received, information supplied. * The Secretary Treasury, Wellington, intw mated that the «urn of j£ls 4s, fees and funds, etc., had been remitted to the credit of the county fund at the Bank of New Zealand. — Received.

Messrs G. M. M'Cormack and Co., Hampden, wrote re price for 100 boundary posts anct strainers. — The council decided to order some posts as required in accordance with inspector's estimate.

CONTRACTS.

The following tenders were opened for contract 427 (gravelling roads in Green Valley riding):— J. M'New, JE2I Ds 6d (accepted); J, Steel, £24.

THE LEPER.

Cr Griffin having called attention to th« visits of the Chinamen to the leper at Macraes, Cr J. Ross moved, and Cr Stewart seconded — " That the clerk be instructed to communicate with the district health officer, asking him to have the leper at Macraes removed, as it was impossible to prevent his countrymen from visiting him." — Carried. The council then adjourned.