TAIERI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2572, 8 July 1903, Page 11

TAIERI COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Taieri County Council, held at Mosgiel on Friday, was attended by Mr R. Gibson (chainna.n), Crs Samson, Miller, Dow, Harrison, M'Donald, Blackie, and Stevenson.

engineer's report,

The Engineer (Mr B. B. Couston) reported for the month aa follows:-—

"Contracts and Works.— North Taieri: Wingatui road and Post Office road have been patched with maintenance metal, also the Sanatorium road, Flagstaff. The contractor for the renewal of the Silverctreani bridge commenced operations this week. East Taien The metalling of Gladstone road has been carried out up to the amount allocated, £15 will be required to complete the metalling of this road. A number of roads have received maintenance eupply, Duke's road, Cullen's road, Riverside road, the Ricearton to West Taieri road, and W. Shand's road. I have arranged on behalf of the county with Mr S. Young for a five years' lease of Spence's quarry, Mosgie-1, with certain conditions that will prove satisfactory to the council. Overtures hive been made to the •Railway Department to secure railway concessions Meanwhile the quarrying and breaking is being carried out by the Goughs, the carting as opportunity offers. Maungatua and Outrani : The pile-driving of the Lake bridge iS well advanced, and the contractor should have tlua work off his hands by next meeting. A number of repairs to roads and cu'verts damaged by flood have been undertaken, these woiks engaging the surfacemen throughout the month. Good progress has been made with the widening of the Henley-Berwick road near the bridge. The maintenance metal run out by contract in Outram Riding is completed, also maintenance gravel between bridge and township. A pipe culvert has been inserted at the foot of the Mill Hill on the Hmdon road. I paid a visit of inspection to Post Office Creek regarding Reid's complaint of road that had been washed away by dredging operations, but found that the road app'ied fo>- was within the boundary of Tuapeka. County, although leading to block XII, Maungatua, Taieri County. I have arranged with Cr Cotton, member for Waipori, that the Taieri contribute £10 to Tuapeka's £20 towards forming an approach to the poison sheds. Noxious weeds and hedges- Public notice has been given of the council's intention regarding overshadowing trees and spreading gor.»e. "With regard to the latter, the stock inspector has notified wherever gorse has spread on to a county road. Regarding hedges, a large number of owm-rs have at once complied with the council's orders, others have let contracts for the cirrvmg outsof the works, so th.it proceedings will be delayed a month to give every rhance to <-aye litigation. The county solicitor has b^on o\or a number of roads with a viaw to taking proceedings if :npces=ary Duncdm's Vatei Power Bill r lho primary object of this bill is to conserve for Dunedm City what arc practically the whole of the available sources of pow » supply within the County of Taieri, ' an end which,' to quote the Star, ' ought to be secured at all co^ts. Certain mining privileges o\er the Taieri, Lee Stream, and Fortification Cre«k arc held by the corporation under ' The Mining Act, 1898,' subject to special conditions aff?cting the Taieri County Council, these rights be-ing granted for a period of 42 years. For the corporation to hold these lights certain works must be carried out within a certain time, and •with regard to tLe Lee Stream these recessary conditions are being observed. With regard t" the Taieri. there is little or no possibility cf the rights being exercised in time, and the

f bill seeks to save for Dunedin those privileges which would be liable to forfeiture, further, with regard to the Taieri to reserve the option | of constructing the race on the west side in lieu of the oaal, and to confer on the council a roving right to construct any dam or weir Within half a mile of the site- already pegged, ♦ his, too, without any formal application or ' without any chance of outside appeal. Sec- ! lions 6 et seq assure the corporation the right of its privileges for all tame, rendering renewal unnecessary and providing that there shall be no loss of priority or surrender under the mining laws of New Zealand, which measures lestnct licensees regarding repair of races, the affoiding of crossings over same, the assuring of nghts to outsiders of water for domestic ar.d public use. These rights m perpetuity will be held free of rent and fees to the Crown, e\eu should the corporation abandon electrical power generation in toto, and the absolute authority over all areas affected will be with the City Corporation. The rights conferred m sec- : tion 12 are somewhat vague, but, read broadly and in conjunction with other, clauses, empower the corporation to use the Taieri, Lee, and the feeders of these two waters, and perhaps any other stream, as best pleases themselves, and to erect apphcanoes for transmitting power at its own "will throughout tbe county. To quote the text of the act "To lead such streams into other streams to increase the volume and to More water in dams and to carry streams and waters in races, tunnels, flumes, coi.duiU, and other appliances, the only psovi'-o b»mg that whenever it is propo&ed to construct any dam of greater height than is authorised the plans shall be submitted to the Governor m-Council before construction. Sections 6 and 14 provide ' that the dams . . and other mining prn I'egcs may be used . . for the sale to county councils, drainage boards, and all other local authorities of motive power and electric light, and for the supply of v*a.ter for pdw.r irrigation, agricultural, mining, and all other purposes for which any person may lawfully u=o or app'y water or water power.' This is, indeed, a large order, <.nd showing an appreciation of the value of the Taieri's birthrights which should only the more awake the County Council to the urgent necessity for placing every obstacle in the way of the bill it can lawfully dc." ! It was re c olved that the question of repairs to tho Gladstone road be deferred , that the recommendation to expend £10 on the road to block XII, Maungatua, be approved , that ' Fulton's bridge be planked, that the Bruce County Council be communicated with re Ber- j wick bridge. — The report was then adopted. j Messrs Konyon and Hosking, writing with reference to the Dunedin Corporation's Water Power Bill, specified the points requiring consideration as urder —(a) Whether the corporation shouM obtain a right to the wnter for all purposes or whether their rights should hot be ' limited, and whether they- should not come to nu end if the rights ceased to be used for elec- j tncal power in connection with the tramways, (b) whether the conditions embodied in the licenses should not be set out in the act and mado binding, and all the conditions of the Mining Act as far as applicable preserved; (c) whether tho power to make use of streams | anywhere should not be limited or at all e'^ents j should not be obtainable without public, ap- I plication ; (d) whether the power to construct works to carry poles and wires should not be centrolled by the authorising order so as to give the county an opportum ( y of making suggestions as legards public roads; (c) whether any temporary site should be changed without public appheation ; (f) whether the proposed change oi th.c r*te Uj the west bide of the river

is free from objection if two crossings are provided. It was resolved that the interests of the county m connection with the passing of " The Dunedm and Suburban Tramway and Water Power Act, 1903," be put into the hands of the engineer and county ?ohcitors to safeguard. SANITARY INSPECTOR'S REPORT. Inspector Bain reported that during the past month the Kaikorai Stream had continued in a very good condition, though he had had to complain of liberties being taken by one of the works situated on the stream in discharging filth into it at night time. He had also to report having visited Outram and Henley re scarlet fever patients, who were all attending properly to the requirements of the Public Health Act. The heavy traffic by-law waa also being attended to, and renewals of licenses v ere coming in fairly well. — The report was approved. CORRESPONDENCE. Frank Young and five others, Brighton ratepayers, wrote drawing attention to the very bad state of their road. — It was agreed that £'20 be spent on the road. Mr A. Brown-Dune wrote that the difficulty of the council' 3 assenting to Mr Jomes Gow's (of Invermay) plan of subdivision could be got over by consenting, while disclaiming any 'liability or responsibility for formation or maintenance of road. — Resolved that the council refuses to give consent until tho road 03 formed and metalled, further ariangements with Mr Gow to bo left in the hands of the chairman and the engineer. Word was received that the chairman of the Bruce County Council approved of and would support Ui9 application to the: Government for a grant or subsidy for Main road improvement. Donald Miller, Moniona, wrote that, he did r.ot think the repaired Lee budge fit Tor traffic of a heavy nature, but as no notice had been given by the county inspector as to whether it was fit or not he was going to rroas with an engine, ard would hold thy council responsible if anything happened. He also enclosed plan of how he considered the bridgo should have been strengthened.— Resolved that the letter be returned to the writer. John Bathgate, Gow lie, wrote cpr/Iying to have the pipes lowered m the roirl going through his property. — Referred to the West Taieri Drainage Bojhl. H Ashley, Wylh^'s Cro»&ing, wrote asking the council to fin'sh cleaning the water table along his ground —Referred to the engineer. Mr A P Gibson, Mount Allan ar.d threo ethers wrote drawing attention to the state of the load from Mount Allan to the Taion, which whs so overgrown by scrub as to make it almost impossible to drive stock. — Resolved that the manuka scrub be cut, the engineer to act in tho matter. Tho Cleik, CMokia. Dra'iiape Board, wrote that it would be necessary to put a culvert acro'-a Centre road on C dr.un and one across Maun-gatmiz-Otokia road, eitfiei in timber oi concrete, and under the supervision of the county engineer. — Received. Notice was received from the West Taieri Drainage Board of intention to put a box culvert across the district road opposite Bohtho'h Ten ratepayers, Otokia Riding, applied to have repaired that portion of the Otokia-Kuri Bush road from the junction of Main South road to feteNenson's Hill — Rcsohed that 30 yards of metal be procured. Mr S. Goldsmith, Puerua., wrote agreeing to contribute a maximum of £5 towards repairing Kaikorai Valley road when he had seen what others contributed,, and that lie declined allow-

insr stone to be taken out of his creek.— Received. Mr M. Graham, Hindon, wrote asking that tho fence on the roadhne between sections 33, 34, and 35, block IV, Mount Hyde, be removed, or else that he be given some other entrance to his ground.— Referred to Cr M'Donald and the engineer. Mr D. Reid, jun., M.H.R., wrote asking for particulars of all grants or assistance wanted from the Government.— A copy of the application for special grant to be sent to the writer. Vouchers were received from the Treasury remitting to the council's credit £2 5s goldfield's levenue and £10 10s refund of registration fees tinder the Slaughtering Inspection Act. The County Clerk, Miltou, wrote that the chairman of the Bruce Council approved of the proposal to apply to the Government for a grant or subsidy for main roads, and would lend it his co-operation. — Received.

GENERAL,

It was resolved to apply to the Minister of Public Works far a, special grant in aid of Temetalhng the Main road from Dunedin to Bruce, the ground being that the county ljad been gradually getting deeper into debt in carrying out the necessary works of the county. The county rates were as high as the law would permit, but notwithstanding this the county had not moie than would pay ordinary necessary expenses. It was resolved that Mr Mark Sinclair bo nominated for the vacancy on the Dunedin Hospital Trustees' Board. It was resolved that the salary of the clerk of the Taieri Licensing Committee be reduced from £15 15s to £10 10s.

It was resolved that the county surfacemen be instructed to lay poison for birds. Accounts amounting to £701 Gs 5d were passed for payment.