WAIHEMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2571, 24 June 1903, Page 10

WAIHEMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

A meeting of the W&ihemo County Council was held at Palmerston on Saturday ; present — Mr M. Isbister (chairman), Cr» J- Rosa, T. Muir, R. Rosa, Philip, Cam«ron, Griffin, Clarke. • _ CORRESPONDENCE. The Department of Roads returned specifications for the painting and .tarring of Bushy bridge, etc., as approved. — Received. The Warden's Court, Naseby, forwarded authority for the inspection of miners' rights in Waihemo district. — Received. Dr Ogston also wrote, in reply to the council's decision in regard to his proposal for the appointment of a health inspector, that by the proposed scheme an inspector would at anyrate be required to carry out routine duties of disinfection and to inspect and remedy nuisances. A medical man could not fulfil these duties, and though the council had a health officer, it would be called upon sooner or later to engage a man for these duties. He requested the council to reconsider the matter, and to try to come to an understanding with the other boroughs and counties interested, including Maniototo. He wou'.d come to Palmerston to talk over the matter. — Dr Ogston, district health officer, also wrote that ne had received notice that children were attending the Palmerston schools, both from the town itself and from parts of the surroundiing county, while peeling after infectious disease — namely. German measles. He asked the council to look after the matter and prevent the children from attending school until declared free of disease by a medical man. If the council desired it he would try to visit Palmerston to confer on the matter.— Cr J. Ross reported that he had interviewed Dr Ogston, together with the Mayor of Palmerston and otheT3. 'Dr Ogston had sai : d it was not necessary to permanently appoint an inspector, but to employ a man who would make periodical visits throughout the district and attend to disinfection, etc. So far as the school cases were concerned, Dt Hislop had visited Shag Valley 'School in connection with the matter.— The correspondence w-as received, and the matter was left to the chairman, to make arrangements with the Mayor of the Borough of Palmerston. Dr Hislop wrote accepting the position of health officer to the county, and pointing out that it must not bs understood that he undertook the duties of health inspector. A health inspector's duties were to .look after sanitary defects and visit reported cases of disease. — Received, and referred to the chairman in connection with the other correspondence. Mr A. Don, Chinese missionary, wrote that a Chinaman fiom Macraes Flat had called upon him to say that he had visited Lum Poy, the Chinaman who was in receipt of aid from the council, and found that the roof of Lum Poy's hut was falling in. and the Chinaman himself was in a very destitute state. As Lum Poy was over 60 years of age, the writer suggested removal to the Old Men's Home.— The Clerk had replied to this that Lum Pot had persistently refused to go to the Old Men's Home. To this Mr Don replied that if the council would refund his travelling expenses and arrange for a bugev to take him to Macraes, he wou'd visit the Chinaman and endeavour to persuade him to enter tho home. — The Chairman said there had b«>en. a movement for some time to get Lum Poy to go to die institution, but he would not leave the district — The correspondence was received. A. D. Bell wrote reoiiestmg the council to reinstate the footbridge over Sweetwater Ctppli. — Request granted. The Receiver of Land Revenup wrote that he bad paid into the bank to the council's credit the sum of £&40 8s sd, being " thirds" aud " fourths" of land revenue derived bptween January 5 and March 31, less £1 14s lOd paid previously. — Received. The Treasury Department forwarded vouchers for £1 12s Warden's Court fees, and £1 15s refund nf license fees paid for slaughterhouses, together with 5s for a miner's ripht. — Received. Adam Sutherland wrote consenting to the proposed deviations ol the road through section 3, block V. Dunback. — Received. Mrs Isabella M'Laren wrote drawing attention to the uncovered stnte of a wooden culvert at the rorner of tho road near Sutherland's, at Goodwood. On June 11 sh<» had been driving out from Palmerston. and her horse slipped on the boards and fell, breaking both shafts aud injuring the writer. The also complained about cflttle being allowed to wander on the roads. — Cr Cameron sard tho culvert had been there for a mimbet of years, and this was the first accident that had happened. — The Inspector reported that the culvert was no more dangerous in any way than a plank bridge. The road was quite level at, the place, and it must have been owing to the wood bping wet that the horse slipped; even then the accident must, have baen the lesult of careless driving —On Cr Cameron's motion, the matter was left to the inspector to attend to —The complaint about cattle wandering was referred to the ranger. J. H. Eggers and .T. O'Connell wrote askine the council to attend to portion of tho Pound road leading to thrir properties at Macraes — Received, ard consideration deferred till spring when conditions would be more favourable for road works. inspector's report. Tli« Inspector reported that the contracts in Macraes Riding were progressing but slowly owing to the frost. Tho roads were in good order in the lower part of tho district. In \ Green Valley the reads were in pood order, end the Main road crossings were all repaired. j The road formation at the Stonebum, in Dun1 back Riding, was progressing favourably, and would bo completed shortly. In Blue Mountain Riding, dark's road would require- ■ reforming, and the Main roa/l to Horse Range from the school to Clark's required gravelling, as did Dalziel's and Craie's roads. H« had repaired the (suspension bridge at Inch Valley by putting in four stay rules. The workmen were re-fornimg the road between Milno's and O'Neill's properties in M-eado-nbank TWdmg. The road was very flat, and it rc-qu.reo* raising

to a higher leVel. Tie Main road to Dunnack also required some gravel. In Bushy Riding the gravelling contract at Puketapu road -was getting on -fairly well, but the' frost was responsible for considerable cutting up of Goodwood road. Anderson's and Stenhouse's roads were completed, and the work would be a great improvement if the stock was kept off the roads. The contractor was getting on well with the formation at Village Settlement road, but, of course, could not commence gravelling till spring. — The report was received and approved. It was decided to instruct th© inspector to have Clark's road, in Blue Mountain Riding, re-formed ; and to call for tenders for work on Dalziel's road. GENERAL. Accounts amounting to £293 6s 8d were passed for payment. Some discussion took place as to the merits of different bird poisons, in relation to a report of the Small-birds' Nuisance Conference. It was ultimately decided to write to the Stock Department to ascertain if there was any poison in stock, and, if so, to procure a quantity. It was also resolved to take the same steps this year as last — viz., to supply poison to all county ratepayers applying for it, the poison to be made by some person appointed by the council, and at a central place. Tenders were accepted as follows:— Painting and tarring the Shag River traffic bridge at Bushy— Fdward H. Clark. £42 15s; supply of 150 to 200 cubic yards Tubble stone at Bush? — James Palmer, at 5b 6d per yard; supply of 1000y«3s gravel on Dunbaclc-Surinbutn' road— 1 Jame3 Kitchen, at £66 13s 9A; and supply of 100 cubic yards bluestone metal on Moonlight road— T. Gilbert, £26 ss. It was resolved to call for fresh tenders for the supply of 160 yds, gravel on Goodwood Main road. _ Cr J. Ross moved, in accordance with notice — " That the surfacemen receive one month's notice of termination of engagement, and that applications be invited for surfacemen for different.ridings, grouped as the council should decide, the present men being eligible." — This was seconded by Cr Griffin, and carried. A small committee was formed to draw up a scheme for the working of this department.