BRUCH COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2705, 17 January 1906, Page 9

BRUCH COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of the Bruce County Council was held at Milton on the 9th, there being present— Tho Chairman (Mr Joseph Mosely), Grs Begg, Bryca, Adams, Crane, Tough, Noble,' Brown, and Driver. SPECIAL MEETING. In accordance with a circular received from the Department of Labour requesting ihe council to fix the- w-eeldy half-holiday, a special meeting was held — It wa& resolved on the motion <xf Crs Tough stnd Crane — " That the council, by special resolution, fix Wednesday ij each week as the statutory half-holiday." ORBINARY MEETING. The Inspector reported as follows: — Steads. — The roads are in fair repair. The continuous "wet weafther has kept the unBwtalled roads soft and muddy, especially on the low-lying portions. Works.— The works ou hand have only made fair progress owing to the wet weather and the holidays. The contracts for raising the oml>aiiknieirt.'j on rhe side of the Wa-ipori Hiver hays not made much progress owing Lo the height of the river aad the wet weather. The works under ihe Matau drainage scheme are progressing slowly, and the putting down of th» box in the Clutha Raver is now com•pleied, a start baying been made to lay the v pipes, through Stirling township. Th© other ditches have not made much progress, and none of there, are completed. The railway bridge over Kulce's canal gave way at one end «nd two beams have been added to the span, as tho crigiaal spans Were not wide enough. The ends of *he beams rested on a plate, and che ' eide of the eatia! gave way. th& plate sinking below th* level of the road. Tke additioral length of the beams is to give them a tivpparl further from the edge of the canal on to solid giound. The metalling contract at Akatore is Hearing completion The road on Lal r sside. i^eai the flaxmili, was very milch cut xi~ with the traffic, and several trucks of mete 1 havp T>een sent to repair it. Taieri Mouth u'lOne of the pontoons of the Taieri Zi T nuth .punt sank during- a high tide. The p^ tcon got jammed on the pile and did not rise with the tide. It was therefore covered w.th water and sank. It has been taken on shoTe to be repaired and caulked and tarred. The work, iowever, is not yet completed. At the same time both of the beats of the floating stage got stove in at the ends and one of them sank ; they also have been taken a.shore and are being repaired. The punt wi'l be ready for traffic in a day or so. Re William Smith's complaint: I am of the opinion that he has no grounds for complaint, as the council is simply improving and enlarging the present •water way. Not a drop more water will go down the new drain than flowed down the o'.d one. The flow of the water iv May's ditch has no connection with the flow of water from Stirling owing to the difference of the level, of the two places. Re Mr Prirnmer's complaint: The ditches on the roadside were cut by the Road Board some 30 years ago, and have not "b'en cleared out since the .county took them over. The ditchei were cut to get maierial to raise the road and not for drainage purposes, as the drainage of the lands does not flow on the line of the road, but crosses it at right angles and flows into the lake and G-raham's Creek. Re Mr W. T. Brown's' complaint : On the Toad up the riverside at several portions tho road is from one to three chains wide. At a portion opposite section i, block 11, Hillend, there is a low piece of land between the formed place and the river. Two years ago Mr A. L'onsrd applied to the council and got a lease of the portion from year to pear at 5s rental. He fenced it in, and ever since Mr Brown has disputed his right to it, and freqeuntly allowed Leonard's horses to stray out of it by deliberately, opening the gate. Lower down, opposite sections 16, 44, "afd 45, there are some three acres of land" between the road and the river ■which Mr Brown has fenced in without leive of the council and pays nothing for. So in all fairness, if the council thinks that Mr Leonard's fence is an obstruction to the traffic, I may state that in my opinion Mr Brown's fence is p. greater obstruction, and nvght be removed at the same time I have prepared plans and called for tenders for various works under loans and Government grants. The monthly^ pay sheet was attached, showing expenditure to the amount of £629 17s sd, and receipts amounting to £1233 15s 6d.— The Chairman remarked that they were on the right' side of the ledger this time.— The report ■was adopted. < COERESPONDENCE. A letter was received from the Roads Department stating that the following grants for works has been placed at the .disposal of the council on the usual conditions: — Hillend. £200 at pound for pound; Manuka Creek road. £200 ; Loudens Gully road. £100 ; Milton to Coa=t road. £100; block I. Clarendon, £50; Clarendon to Berwick, £100; Barnego-Ciarke's road. £150; Waipori River bridge, £400 at pound for pound; Waipori River protection •works. £300.— Cr Adams moved, Cr Begg seconding — " That the engineer prepare pans of the proposed works to be carried out under the grants and submit the same to the Roads Department for its approval, also that tenders be called for the works when approved of. — ■Carried. The Secretary to the Treasury wroie asking that three copies of the last ba'ance sheet be forwarded to hie office.— The Cleik reported that these had already been forwarded to Wellington. — Received. An order in council -was read stating that foxglove (digitalis purpurea) had been added to the list of noxious weeds under the second schedule of " The Noxious Weeds Act, 1900." —Received. Ihe Public Trustee (on behalf of Thomas DaM. deceased) wrote asking that an unformed roadline crossing section 81, "biock IX.. Tokomairiro, be closed as it was not required, and led over a hill of a very steen grade —Held over until next meeting in order to give Crs Tough, Nofele and the engineer time to inspect. The Secretary of the Clutha River Board wrote notifying that the triennial election of members was fixed for January 9. the act providing that the council should elect one member. — Cr Beep; was appointed to represent the council, and briefly returned thanks. Jas. Allen, M.H R . wrote asking for information as to *he council's view= on subsidies, as recommended by the Lauds Commission — It was resolved on the motion of Crs Noble and Adams — " That the council recommend a subsidy on the general rate up to the limit allowed by the act." A letter was received f'om the Chief Surveyor stating that in the appropriations there ■was a sum of £150. being sub=idy of pound for pound for flood protection works at Inch Clutha, and asking: if the work was to be carried out and subsidised by the council. — Received. Geo. C. Primmer, Clarendon, wrote requesting the council to clear out the ditchos on the road leading across Swamp to Graham's Bridge from Clarendon, as otherwise he wou'd Jiold the council responsible for losses by flooding or otherwipe. — Resolved on the motion of Crs Driver and Tough — " Thst the council consult their so'icitor as to their liabihtv " F. T Poole, Kaitangata, wrote anplying for leave to cut flax on the Swamp read and roads at Inch Clutha. offeiing 6s 6d per ton for the right. — Permission granted for the next three month=. W. T. Brown, Manuka Island, vrofe calling attention to a fence erected by Mr Leonard on the river bank, and asking that ihe fence

f be removed in order to allow half a chain i from the bank. — The Chairman read the Inspector's report in regard to the matter, ai.d said he understood Mr Brown only paid Is in rates. — Held over until next meeting. Wm. Smith, Stirling, wrote to the effect that he would hold the council liable for any damage done to his property through tho j council putting pipes across the road at Stirling, until Mr M. M'Kinley's contract was finished. — Received. J. Prentice and S. Shaw, Berwick, wrote asking that part of the vote for roads to Wa.pori be expended on the road leading to their properties. — Left in the Bands of Cr Driver and the engineer to allocate. Wm. Grey wrote offering £1 for the right to cut cocksfoot grass for seed in the Milton district. — Action of the Inspector in accepting the amount approved. John M. Smith, Wangaloa, wrote asking that the road from the Schoolhous© to Summer Hill be regraded.— Resolved that the settlers provide the horses and the council supply the grader and manual labour. Harry Farquharson, wrote offering to collect dox tax at the same rate as last year, 4id per dog. — Accepted. Dr Ogston, health officer, wrote recommending that a residence at Waihola be thoroughly cleaned ard disinfected before being again occupied. — The Clerk stated that the inspector had visited the premises and reported that the building was unfit for habitation, and that he had fumigated the furniture and burnt the bedding. He recommended that the house be pulled down and the greater part burnt. — Received. Rev. W. H. Howes. Waihola, wrote enclosing £2 Bs, amount for fumigation, etc.. required in a -scarlet fever case according to the orders of the health officer. — The Chairman said he thought the Deacon's Court was the proper body to pay in the matter. This coursa was agreed to. Donald Reid, solicitor to the council, wrote enclosing an opinion on the false personation case at Wangaloa on the occasion of the recent county elections, where the voter, one M'Gillivray. stated he had leceived a telegiam from his employers, Moore and Evans, authorising him to vote on their behalf. M'Gillivray represented himself at the booth as Harold Evans, exercising his- vote. He had presented the telegram to the deputyreturning officer at LovelPs Flat, being allowed to vote there in addition to subsequently voting at Wangaloa. If the proper questions had been put doubtless M'Gillivray would have explained, and his vote been rejected, though the officer in question was in no way to b'anie. He (Mr Reid) did not tbink M'Gillivray would be convicted for making a false answer under the circumstances or for falsely personating Mr Evans. On the motion of "Crs Adams and Begg it was resolved — " That no further action be taken." GENERAL. David M'Gill handed in plans of the land and roads laid oft" by survey on the south side of the Tokomairiro River, at Milton, and asked the council to accept the plans and take control of the works, foiming and metal ing the streets. Ho would pay the costs of such works. — Cr Tough moved, Cr Driver seconding—" That the engineer be asked to give an estimate of the cost of the works, that an application bs made to Mr M'Gill for the survey, also that the works b3 carried out by the council on payment of the money." / After considerable desultory discussion it was decided to hold the ordinary meetings at 1 p.m., instead of 10.30 a.m. as formerly. Tho following tenders were accepted. — Contract 673 (cutting ditch through Trusler's property), Colin Bryee, £4S; contract 674 praising embankment near Stirling), George Logic. £00; contract 675 (metalling Love'l's Flat-Hillend road), Jam.es Ferguson, £520; 676 (metalling Sunflower road, Uarnego). ' [A letter was read from the sett'eis in this riding asking that the grant bs expended in widening instead of metalling the road.] One tender was received from J. Ferguson, and the matter was loft in the hands of the engineer. It was resolved to deal with the Government grants as follows- — Clarendon-Berwick read- Lsit in the hands of Cr Driver and the engineer. Hillend road . That the vote ba spent in metalling from Reid's to the schoolhouse, and that the engineer prepare the plans and forward them to the Road Engineer for approval. Manuka Creek road: That the £200 grant be spent m repairs to bridges and metalling. Waipori District road : That part of the vote be spent on Shaw's road, the balance on Prentice's road. — Cr Noble moved— " That £50 of the Coast road vote be spent in Marshall's Gully and £50 in Loudens Gully, in conjunction with £100 voted for Loudens Gully. — Seconded by Cr Tough, and carried. — Cr Crane moved, Cr Driver seconding — " That the matter of the £50 vote for Clarendon, block I, be left in the hands of Cr Crane and the engineer." COMPLIMENTARY. Luncheon was laid in the clerk's office, advantage being taken of the occasion to do honour to Mr Peter Haggart, an old and respected member of the council, since retired. In addition to the councillors present, Mr Donald Reid (county solicitor) and members of the press were also in attendance, and the present chairman (Mr Jas. Mcsley) occupied the chair, the guest sitting on his right. Full justice having been meted out to the excellent spread, The Chairman proposed the heaJth of Exccuncillor Haggart — a long respected member of the counci', and one who had done yoeman service on it for 18 years, as all who had boen associated with him during any portion of that period could testify. He had always tried to do the right thing for his nding and for the county at large, and the speaker, whenever he had felt the need as a }our'j£ member, of advice or assistance, had benefited by their guest's experience. He felt it difficult indeed to fill Mr Haggart's posi- j tion as chairman of the council. Mr Hag^ait'h health was enthusiastically drunk. The Chairman, continuing, said ho had ai-other tfuiy to perform— that was to present their late chairman with a sma'l Fcuvenir of their appreciation of bi« services On behalf of his colleagues he had much pleasure in handing iheir guest a gold watch to remember many happy hours and otherwise, spent round the council table.— (Applause.) Cr Noble said that together with Excomcillor Haggnrt he had seen as long a teim of servics, and during that time he had ever found him a straightforward man and a man of principle — a man who spoke to the point and never spoke unless he meant it. Cr Begg said that during his six years of office Ex-councillor Haggart had seen evervtLing carried out that he had set his hai a to and an important feature of his admim=- j tiation was that he always tried to keep ! funds within the legal limit. He hoped every chairman -would follow hi-s example in this respect. Tlie interests of the ratepayers had ever been safe in his hands, and another thing he had always kept the work at tlitcouncil table going smoothly and harmoniously. Mr Donald Reid said that as regarded their old chairman he personally regretted his exclusion from the council for more than one ,

' reason. On account of his personality he was an ideal chairman, and he always did his work in a most unostentatious way. it was the lot of few men to sit at the head of ' a council table armed with such matured knowledge as Mr flaggart possessed, and he (the speaker) .noped the day was not far • distant when he would again occupy a seat , round the council table. , In responding, .Mr Haggart thanked all i assembled for their kindly expressions and J their handsome piesent, and referred to the , experience he had gained during his 18 years' service on the council, when he could ' say he had done his best for everyone, 1 though he did not think he was altogether ! the man they made him out to be. He ! thanked them heartily. I The toast of " Past Chairmen" was proI posed by Mr Haggart and responded to by i j Cr Noble; "The County So'icitor," by Cr Noble; "' The County Officers," by Mr Reid; i and " The New Members of the Council," | ! by Cr Tough.

j Cromweil youngsters are making copious j pocket money out of birds' eggs, for which I Is per 100 is paid by the Borough Counj cil. In two days last week over 3000 were ] paid for. I With reference to the statement that Mr I MacLeod had won the champion cornet solo contest" at the recent Toowcomba Fes- , tival, a lady visitor from Queensland in- ' forms us that the winner was Mr W. H. Davis, of the Wide Bay Regimental Band. ' i Mr MacLeod, Mr Davis, and one other were left out of a great many competitors to play off, victory resting with Mr Davis.