TAIERI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2556, 11 March 1903, Page 4

TAIERI COUNTY COUNCIL.

The regular meeting of the Taieri County Council was held at Mosgiel'on Friday ,' there being present Mr v R. Gibson (chairman), Crs Biackie, Samson, Harrison, M'Donald, Miller, Don, and Christie. Mr D. Miller and Mrs Bolitho wrote re a road passing mrs Bolitho's fafm. — Resolved that it be an instruction to the engineer to carryi out the work as he thought besty irrespective of what had to say in the matter. The Land Valuation .Department .wrote claiming £81 7s 5d for revising the'eo-unty, valuation' roll. — To stand over for a month, surprise being expressed at the magnitude of the sum; 1 Mrs Ballingall and Mr J. wrote re the •removal of gate, on the Mam' road" to '■.Middlemarch. — Mr Peat, who was present, having besnheard, the matfe't was allowed' to stand over till next meeting.

Messrs P. J. Wright and D. T. Shand -wrote asking for reconsideration of the matter of gravelling road, Wyllie's Crossing to G-ladfield. — It was resolved that tenders be called for 200 yards of gravel for the road.

Mr D. T. Shand -wrote asking the council's assistance to clean and deepen the ditch on a road at Gladfield Station.— lt was decided that assistance be given, provided Mr Shand would sign a letter to be dVafted by the engineer. Mr M. Brown wrore asking that the approach to the ford at Mill Qccek on the road to Outram be made suitable for a traction engine. — Work to be done.

Mr J. L. Lander wrote asking that the drains join-ing his farm at Henley be put in proper order, and threatened proceedings if the work was not done. — Received

Mr Amos M'Kegg wrote complaining of the obstruction to the navigation of the Taieri River, caused by a wire rope comrected with the working of the Taieri Mouth punt. — No action to be -taken, as control lay with the Bruce County Council.

Mr Jas. Alexander (Green Island) wrote requesting s that the gate and rails on the road leading to his property at Thomson's Corner be removed; also that the water tables on the same road be cleaned out.— Resolved that whoever placed the gate there be written to and ordered to remove it. The matter of the water tables' was allowedto stand over. ' ' '

.The West.Taieri Presbyterian Church wrote calling -attention .to the water that S owed" over the church and manse grounds.— Referred to the engineer

Mr D. Mathison wrote caLling-attontion to the unsatisfactory-c ondition of pnit of Bald Hill road, .where it joined the Mount Stoker road. — Left in the hands of the engineer, it being pointed out that there lois of money belonging to tho district available.

Mr W. Smellie wrote offering to act as ranger for the county for driving fees alone. — Received.

Mr J. H. Allan forwarded list of promised subscriptions (£7) for completing the metalling of the road from Riccarton road' to Owhiro. — Tenders to be called for the -work, on condition the council received tiie money promised by the v.-ay of subscription.

The Sanitary Inspector reported that the Kaikorai Stream was not in the condition it should be in. and lie had a case pending against the principal offenders. He had also cautioned the manager of certain works at Burnside twice during the month re pollution. He was' informed that the filth was discharged into, the stream after dark. He had had to attend to two nuisancefi — one at Abbotsford Hill and' the other in a paddock adjoining the Green Island schoolhouse. These nuisances had been abated. He had been to Maungatua re the complaint as to damage done to the Otakia road. Mr M'Donald had admitted that he was on the traction engine on the day in question, but said he had no idea, the road was so soft until they were returning from Otakia to Maungatua. He had said the coals were for their own ure, and he did not think it was necessary to license for that. On seeing the by-law he was, however, satisfied, ari3 licensed both waggons for ■three months. The traction engine had been licensed previously. — Adopted.

The Gotinty Engineer (Mr B. B. Coustoo) submitted the following report : — The contracts completed during the month are Nos 76 and 78, jiaikprai Yajley road, and No. 72, metal, Centre road, South Taieri. The contractor for ■No. 79, gravelling Hen J ey to Berwick road, has commenced delivery, and the Berwick Drainage Board's contract No. 5_ for raising the same road is reported coninlete. Tenders are called by the board for further -works to complete -the raising of the road as far as the present gravel. - Adopted. In East Taieri Riding tho road from Gladfie'd railway station to the factory h»s been graded and formed, the teams for plough and grader being supplied by settlers bene&t iroaj, the roa.4. In Mauggatua,

Biding repairs have been effected to the bridge near Carruthers"s and to Duck Creek bridge !on Centre road. Bolitho's load, , Outram riding, has been fascined with manuka scrub and the ; road strengthened to the extent of the 'money | voted. Objection has been made to the further ! raising of this road unless a water opening is' formed. There is also a requisition before you i that the formation be completed. I think an expression of^ojjinion might be requested from ['{he .WesTTaieri -JDriiiiage-Bbajcdreg^rding this. |' question., of^drainage.J-^Essolvid' 'Jfyai the .engi;j neer cany- out the work'as he considered best!; The improvements carried out, in conjunction with the ".Waikouaiti- County Council on^ the 'Moonlight boundary'' roafl" are 'compfe£ed,' i this work being » charge on the Land Fund.— j Approved. Authorities lor- the following, I works -have been received from the Department of.Jßoa"ds,:— Fulton' sfTjridg'e, £200; Lake bridge, !-£200; Momon* Settlement, £100. The road to ! be metalled at Momona has been' formed, and tenders can be accepted for -the carrying out of works under this' grant, but the tenders for bridge repairs will be- accepted subject "to tho | approval of the road surveyor. I might say , that a. pound for pound subsidy by the council for these two works would renew the bridges in toto. — Dealt with in the tenders. Of other .matters which were referred to me last meeting I have now to advise you as follows: — The claims for compensation* from Roberts, Steveneon, and O'Leary in connection with the. Cam on Poplar load were referred to the county solicitor, and his opinion is before tho meeting. — Considered in committee. The Green Island Borough have been authorised to construct culvert in Paterson street and charge county half-cost.— Approved.- Of Blaikie and the engineer recommend that no action "be taken with regard to M'Kegg's application for bridge on Outram. road, but that permission will be granted if application is made to construct bridge subject to engineer's approval. — Approved. The first cost of acquiring land for road purposes at Abbotsford will ba £90;this sum includes purchase ' money, transfer, and fencing.-^-Engineer to take the necessary steps lo purchase the land. 1 have to* ask your direction in the following matters: — (1) The action of Dunedin City Council in dealing with tenders for Lee Stream hydraulic works before the deed of indemnity has been given to the TaiercCounty, in, terms ot conditions on which their.l icenses are 'granted. — Resolved--thai the deed of indemnity from the City Council re Lee Stream water race be _ applied for at once, and that if necessary an injunction be applied for to stop the works until the deed. is obtained. E« the excessive ' traffic of vehicles on the Kaikorai Valley roiid: 'Eeeolvecl .that the Eoslyn -Borough Council', be -given .nctice that unless they contributed. '» reasonable sum towards the maintenance of the road the County Council would be compelled to stop the heavy traffic altogether; the Borough Council to be given till next meeting of the County Council to decide. . ' The Engineer submitted a plan of proposed improvements to ihe Lake bridge, on • the Henley-Berwick Toad, for which it was explained there was a grant of £200 still unexpended*. — It was resolved that the engineer bo allowed to carry out the work as he thought best, but to limit him to £400. Mr Kennedy, the county clerk, was appointed returning officer for the Teieri Licensing District, and empowered to discontinue any polling booths he considered unnecessary.

It was decided that Messrs Kenyon and Hosking bo informed that prosecutions for allowing cattle to stray be taken under tho Public Works Act.

The following tenders were accepted : —For repairs to Fultoi'u bridge — James Callander, JEI9S; for the supply of 250 yds of metal for Momona-Thomas Marwick, £85 8s 4d. In connection with tenders for repairs to the Lake bridge, that of James Callander (£259) was left to the engineer to accept if he thought fit. Accounts amounting to £489 8s were passed for paymeat. Notice of motion was given that section 10 of the heavy traffic by-law, No. 111, be amended, so as to enable eight horse-power traction engines to travel over the county loads.

The price of flour in Timaru lias been reduced, says the Presp, laconically, but there is no reduction in the price of bread.

To judge from the correspondence columns of the Cromwell Argus, it would appear tbat, encouraged by the crusade against Sunday excursions on Lake Wakatipu, which has resulted bo successfully for those who objected to them, residents in Cromwell are raising protests at similar excursions on jhaJte >Vanaka.