BRUCE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2556, 11 March 1903, Page 13

BRUCE COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Bruce County Council, held at Milton an the 3rd, wa - attended by Mr "W. Noble (chairman), Cia Begg, Adam, Bryce, Crane, Driver, Moieton, Haggart, and Mosley.

inspector's report. The Inspector reported to the following effect: —

Roads.— Eoads are all in a good state for traffic, the continued dry weather having made a great improvement since last report. Works. — Good progress had been made with the works on hand. The formation contract on road Summerhill to "Wanga'oa was now nearly completed, and the metalling contract on road Kaitangata to Summerhill was completed. Mr Brady's contract for gravelling portion of Wangaloa road was also finished, and good progress was being made in gravelling another part of the same road under Hislop's contract. The formation nt Mrs Leslie's was completed, and a start had been made with the formation contract at Gumtree, Akatore. The formation of the road at Kreft's v.-as completed, and the metalling contract on the road to D. Reid's, and progress w/.s being made \rith the road formation past C/iombe Hay, and the metalling contracts at P/all Creek bridge and on Bush quarry. contracts on Southbndge road a • 1 on Foster' 3 road, Milbum, weTe not yet r ;mplete. thie former nearly so, as also the nieta ,'ing contract on D. Clark's load. Fair prog fss had been made with metalling contracts on road to Armstrong's, and £agt MTaul's and Moace's, and that on lach-

clutha roads had made better progress during the past month than at any time since starting. The supply of metal under Cormack's contract was making fair progress. Tie grader had been shifted from the quarry at Bishop's to a new quarry at Wright's farm, Hillend, and a start had been made with metalling of Lovell's PlatHillend road. The motal for the Benhar road was being regularly supplied, and the work would soon be finished. The raising of portions of the Stirling-Benhar road was now completed. The grading of portion of road past Robson's to Lakeside was done. He had been engaged in laying off the works under Government grants on roads through blocks VI and XI, Clarendon district, at Taieri Mouth. The receipts for the month amounted to £1479 12s 2d, and the expenditure to £684 9s sd. The report wa3 adopted. CORRESPONDENCE. Authority was given by the Roads Department to expend Government grants as follows : Centre Toad, Inchclutha, £255 and pound for pound ; Akatore to Fortification, £80 and pound for pound. — Resolved that the engineer prepare plans and specifications of the proposed works, and forward the same to the road surveyor for approval. Robert Shennan -wrote asking the council to take steps to compel tße owner of the land known -as Johnson Point to cut down and remove all the willows, overhanging the river bed, as obstructing "the flow of wa'tex. — Th"c Chairman stated that the writer, though a ratepayer in Bruce, lived in Taieri County, and his Bruce land was not affected by the water of the river. — • Resolved that notice be sent to Mr H. L. Johnson that the' willows must be cut. | The Under-secretary of Justice forwarded copy of warrant appointing the Bruce County Council to have authority within the Bruce licensing district. — Received. Twenty ratepayers of the Balmoral and Grichton Ridings -wrote asking tk« council to open up a road through section Ba, Barn«go ; Settlement, in blocks XI and XIII, Hillend ' district. — The Chairman said he understood the ( road desired was not on the surveyed line, and ; the consent of the Land Board was necessary Before anything could be done in th^e matter. — The petition was received.— lt was agreed that £5 be spent in widening the road near Mr M'Bride's. The New Zealand Soldiers' Graves Guild, Wellington, wrote asking for co-operation in the matter of subscriptions. — Received. Mr D. Barron, chief surveyor, wrote enolosing correspondence from the late Peter M'Gill re purchase of closed road between parts of sections 133, block XVII, and section 155, block | XX, Tokomairiro district, and also report from Mr Fynmore stating that if there was no objei' tion to the road being sold it could be valued and disposed of in the usual way. — Resolved that the council had no objection to the sale of the land, and that the chairman be appointed valuer of the closed road. Mr Amos M'Kegg wrote that the funnel of his steamer had been carried away by contact with the wire rope of the Taieri Mouth punt, and asking for £15 cost of repairs, or else he would take proceedings. The wire rope was a constant source of danger to navigation on the river, and required raising.— lt was pointed out that the conditions were the same as on the Clutha River. It was resolved that the letter j be received. Mr J. M. Smith wrote calling the council's attention to the state of the road leading to Clydevale punt, and to the necessity for a bridge over the Crookburn Creek. — The inspector to report as fo_ the probable cost of bridge at Crookburn Ford. Seven ratepayers in Clarendon Riding petitioned the council to take no steps to widen the Waipori River under the Berwick bridge, as thi3 would render their land more liable to flood; also stating that an application would bo made for a restraining injunction from the Supreme Court if the work was proceeded with. — Resolved that the matter be referred to the consideration (Of the Taieri County Council. Drs Sutherland and Menzies reported that several cases of scarlet fever had taken place in the district, the usual precautions having been taken. — Received. Dr Ogston, district health officer, wrote in the matter, of scarlet fever patients, requesting that certain cases be visited and reported on; and that supervision might be made of the disinfecting of premises. — The Chairman pointed out that Buoh new duties would leave the inspector no time for anything else. It was resolved that the matter be left in the chairman's hands with power to act. John Keen applied for a slaughtering license for a yard on section 147, block XVII, Tokomairiro district. — Letters were read from two objectors to the site of the slaughteryard. — The stock inspector's opinion being favourable, it was resolved that the license bo granted. The application of Andrew M'Laren for a slaughtering license was granted subject to the inspector's approval. William Wilson, Kapiti, wrote asking the council to metal part of the road leading to his lime kiln.-*-Resolved that £10 be spent on the road. H. C. Sutton wrote asking permission to cut willows on the river bank near Stirling for protection purposes. — Permission granted. David Tweedie wrote stating that he could not at present carry out the works of clearing Southbridge dra ; n owing to the wet state of the ditch.— Resolved that Cr Martin and the engineer get the work carried out. Six ratepayers, Balmoral Riding, wrote asking that the road leading to the river bank through G. Moore's property be made fit for traffic. — Cr Begg and the inspector to meet the petitioners and ascertain their requirements. A letter was received from the Marine Department to the effect that if the wire over the Taieri River were impeding navigation it must be either removed or raised. — Cr Mosley suggested as the best remedy that Sir Joseph Ward be applied to for a bridge. MR DRIVER'S GRIEVANCE. The matter of the closed road in dispute between Mr Driver and the Ewing Phosphate Company was discussed in committee, and the following resolution passed — " That the council is of opinion that the offer of the Ewing Phosphate Company is unsatisfactory, and as Mr 3 Driver has offered to indemnify the council as to costs that the former resolution be carried out — namely, that the land for the road be taken under the Public Works Act." GENERAL. On the motion of Cr Mosley, it was resolved that the special rate over Inchclutha district to pay interest on loan be collected as soon as possible. On the motion of Cr Adam, it was reselved that a culvert be put under the road at Palmer's gate, and the Railway Department be asked to agree to the work. The following tenders were accepted • — Formation of road at Crichton, D. Allison, £39 17s 6d; cleaning out Matau drain, J. W. Parker, Is 7d per chain ; cleaning out Matau drain, A. Shillinglaw, Is 8d per chain; cleaning out Centre ditch, Inchclutha, T. Andrews, Is 7d per chain , cleaning out Titri canal, A. Jeffrey, £18. It was unanimously resolved that the county engineer be granted a month's holiday.

WOLFE'S SCHNAPPS stands pre-emi-peat axaoxuc stimulants and cordials.