CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2672, 31 May 1905, Page 23

CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting was held at Balclutha on Friday; present— Mr W. Hay (chairman), and Crs J. Ayson, J. K. Mitchell, W. NicoJ, A. C. Saunders, D. A. M'Lachlan, J. Clarke, W. Grainger, and J. Cumming. CORRESPONDENCE. The Controller and Auditor-general wrote in reply to the council's letter of 25th April re special loanrs, and the communication was reoeiv-ed. Mr W. Jolliffe, law draughtsman, "Wellington, wrote re consolidation of local acts. — The suggestion of the Chairman that the matter stand over was agreed to. The Treasury wrote re forwarding returns of receipts and expenditure before 30th June next. — The clerk was instructed to supply the usual information on the subject. The Department of Lands and Survey wrote notifying that £146 19s lid, being " thirds " and " fourths " of land revenue, had been paid into credit of the county land fund account. Received. Th» Chairman of the Marlborough County Council, Blenheim, wrote asking for information as to the working of the Counties Act in the Clutha.— The Clerk said he would make oat the return of the desired information. I)r T. M'Kibbin, Owaka," notified a case of typhoid .fever at Catlins bridge, Owaka. The information was received. Mr John Craig, Owaka, on behalf of the shopkeepers there, enclosed a " requisition which, had been signed by the business people asking' that from and after July 1, 1905, all shops in Owaka be closed on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 6 p.m., and on Saturdays at 7.30 p.m. The petition was addressed to the Bight Hon. the Premier aod Minister of Labour, and the signatures were vouched for by Mr A. C. Saunders, J.P.— Mr A. C. Saunders moved * that the request be complied with. — Carried. The Commercial Union Assurance Company wrote re renewal of the accident policies. — Received. Mr J. W. Wilson, agent State Accident Insurance Department, Balclutha, wrote drawing attention to the claims of his department in the matter of accident and general insurance risks. — It was resolved to give the council's insurance to the State office. It was also resolved that a provision be inserted in the contracts that all contractors must insure their employees. The Clerk of the Levels County Council wrote enclosing a resolution for the Council's consideration and support re the advisability of establishing a superannuation fund for the benefit of county officials and employees. — The Chairman said the matter would probably be brought up at the Counties Conference, and on his suggestion the matter was allowed to stand over. Mr W. Lukin Hawkes, Tapanui, wrote asking that his name be placed on the roll. He also asked that a road be opened for vehicle traffic to connect with the road and allow him an outlet from the property before the winter set in. — Engineer to visit the place and report. Mr E: Clement, Popotumoa, wrote enclosing cheque for rates due. He complained that the reads had not been kept in passable repair, and he was paying the Government 6Jd per acre for roading. The council had taken the roads over from the Government in good order, and he thought it was only reasonable ttiat the rates collected should be spent on their upkeep. — Letter received. Messrs James Lilly, W. Sutherland, Margaret Sutherland, and Simon Wright, River-* «ide, wrote asking • that the stagnant water lying on the Swamp road should be drained away.— The Chairman said the work would cost about £30. At present the funds were not available, but when the new rate was struck funds would then be in hand. The matter would be attended . to a* soon as possible. — A motion to this effect was carried. Mr Joseph Braithwaite, Mayor of Dunedin, forwarded a, circular letter on the subject of increased accommodation at the Dunedin Hospital. — The communication was received. Mr John Craig, seoretary of the Owaka Domain Board, wrote making application to have the road between sections 31, 54, 55, and 58, block VI, Glenomaru, closed. The road passed tlnough the Domain.— Cr Saunders said the road was not necessary, and he moved that steps be taken to close the road. — Cr Nicol seconded the motion, which was carried. BALCLUTHA TRAFFIC BRIDGE. Mr W. D. R M'Curdie, district road engineer, wrote re the work on the Balclutha traffic bridge, and enclosed the Minister's direction that the council's contribution to the work of maintenance should be paid before, the work was started. The suggestion that the work be postponed until spring was noted, and would be given effect to so far as the superstructure work was concerned. In regard to th«i pier work, this was best done when the river, was low, and the short spans at the Bruce County side were in some danger if not attended to_ The Chairman said there was an arrangement with the department to pay the contributions as the work proceeded. He would be in favour of drawing the attention of the department to the arrangement. The other members concurred, and the clerk was instructed to write to the department attention to the arrangement already in existence. FINANCIAL. The receipts for the month were: — Plan on Toad lines, £1 12s 6d ; dog tax, £2 15s ; slaughtering licenses, £1 ; refund roads and works, £1 Is ;' land fund, £146 19a lid ; rates, £128 10s 4d;— total, £281 18s 9d. j Accounts were passed for payment as fol- ' lows: — Land fund, £51 Is 4d; Ahuriri loan, 103 6d; general account, £583 5s: — total, £634 16s • lOd. GENERAL. 1 Cr A. C. Saunders drew attention to the fact that the Owaka Domain Board was called on to pay rates. The board had no funds. The Owaka .Recreation Reserve was in the same position. He believed these were the only places now called on to pay rates. The Wilsher Bay Reserve and Clinton Domain did ' nol pay rates, and he moved that the Owaka reserves be exempted. — Agreed to. Cr Cumming mentioned the matter of the gonse growing on the banks of the Waipahi, the clearing of which was a liability on the council.— He moved—" That the Otago Acclimatisation Society be asked to contribute £5 towards the clearing.— Agreed to. Cr J. R. Mitchell brought up the matter of ;~au increase in the wages of the puntman at Clydevale. — He believed that the Bruce County Council would now be agreeable to sanction the increase of 5s per week. He moved accordingly. — Carried. No tenders were received for contract No. 155. Mr S. Young. Owaka, having refused to nay I his rates, as he considered that he had a claim against the county for damage to a horse through its negligence, it was resolved that , the amount, if not paid, with the usual 10 per , cent, addition, be.^recovered by process of law. ENGINEER'S REPORT The County Engineer (Mr J. Walker Johnston) reported for -the month ending 26th May •as follows: — "The bridge over the Kaihiku at Hillfoot road is not yet started. Bridge over Waiwera has had a progress payment made on it of £90. Tolmie's road and Clifton road worlcs progressing. Of works carried on by day labour, the repairs to bridge at Poniahaka River road are approaching completion. [ The concrete work is all in, aud the timber

work on the way. Some general repairs and surfacing have been done from land fund account, wholly in Chaslands, Tahatika, and Waipahi and Rongahere districts. Shennan's bridge, Conical Hills, has been started, and should be finished in a few days. In connection with the purchase of Shennan's road, I have hopes of getting the Railway Department to pay for the part taken on account of railway lands e^losing the River Board reserve at C/Omoal Hills, and am in communication with the department on the subject. I a-sk the council's directions as to correspondence with the district railway engineer, Invercargil], on the fallowing matters:— (l) As to whether th© council should pay £5 5s for cost of deed of agreement to use certain railway lands as a road in continuation of Elliot's road, Kelso, or be satisfied with a written permission. (2) Whether the council would hire the crushing plant to the Railway Department, and on what terms. (3) To ratify an agreement made with John Johnston, Kaihiku, and Cr Ayson and myself, giving us permission to straighten the creek through his land near Kaihiku Railway Station, and fill up site of old bridge on school road, providing a small pipe culvert on the crossing over the old creek; also similar arrangement with Mr G. Johnston, Piawata, on the other side of the road. In connection with Elliot's road, Kelso (noted above), I have to report that the final papers were sent to Wellington (through the clerk of the Tuapeka County Council) at the beginning of the month, and am daily expecting to hear of the proclamation of the road. The Clydevale- repairs are completed, and the South -Molyneux repairs will be started as soon as possib'^." • Cr Grainger said written permission would be ample. There was no need to have a deed of agreement darwn up in regard to the engineer's first application for directions. — Agreed +oRe loan of crushing plant: It appeared the Railway Department wanted a portable plant to crush about 1800 yards of metal. — After discussion as to ways and means, it was resolved that the engineer be empowered to sell the plant to the Railway Department, and as the council i could do with a larger plant, if a sale eventuated the same"> could be secured. Re agreement with jj.r John Johnston, Kaihiku, and the arrangement made with him by j the engineer and Or Nicol. It was agreed to ratify the arrangement.