TAIEBI COUNTY COUNCIL

Otago Witness, Issue 2722, 16 May 1906, Page 10

TAIEBI COUNTY COUNCIL

The ordinary meeting of the Tuapeka County Council was held at Lawrence on Friday /says the Tuapeka Times), and was attended by Crs Bennetts (Chairman), Bennet, Knight, Sim, M'lcerney, Oudaille, Simpson, Stewart, and Walker. Before the minutes of the previous meeting were confirmed Cr Knight took exception to the minute dealing with the gravelling of road from Gare's to Jefferson's at a cost of £15. He said the sum of £15 had not been accepted by iiim. — It was agreed to allow the minute to stand on the understanding that the expenditure on the road in question would be increased to £20.

CORRESPONDENCE.

J. Sutherland, secretary of the Happy Valley Sluicing Co., wrote asking permission to erect a penstock roadline 'between sections 8 and 17. block X, Tuapeka West. — Granted, subject to the engineer's approval. Findlay Munro, Tuapeka Flat, wrote drawing attention for the third time to the state of the load leading past his place.— The engineer to visit the locality as soon as possible and attend to same if necessary. William Anderson, Lawrence, wrote applying to have roadline through section 73, block X, Tuapeka East, closed.— Steps to be taken to have the road closed, provided there were no objections by nex,t meeting, the applicant to bear "all the expense.

D. M'Farlane, Teviot Station, wrote drawing attention to the necessity of forming portions of road from the station to Roxburgh before the severe weather set in ; also requesting the council to make passable the sidelings above the homestead on road recently surveyed by Mr Edie. In connection with the latter work he offered to supply man and horses to do the ploughing. — Request-» granted.

F. Williams, chief hydraulic engineer. Waipori, wrote drawing attention to the want of road access to residences and power station at Waipori Falls. — Mr Williams was in attendance, and explained that the Dunedin Corporation was prepared to assist in the work, which wouid be of value to the residents of the district.— lt was decided that £50 be spent on this work when such expenditure could be legally made, Cr Sim pointing out that the road would have to be dedicated to the King before money could be legally spent on it. D. Finlayson wrote on behalf of Patrick Gumming m reference to the dangerous state of the road leading to his farm from Tuapeka Flat road; also to the state of his paddock, section 97, block IV. — The engineer to pttend to the matter, as far as practicable, immediately.

T. S. Lee wrote applying for benevolent aid for Ah Kuni. — The usual allowance of 4s a week recommended.

Cornelius O'Gorman, Tuapeka Flat, wrote calling attention to the state of the road in front of his residence. — The engineer to attend to the matter as soon as possible. The Valuation Department wrote stating that the account for revising valuation rolls was made up as follows: — Teviot. £2 10s; James. £5; Beaumont, £13 ss, Gabriels, £23 I7s; Waipori, £11 18s 6d; Tapanui. £2 10s; Browns, £20 10s; Clarks. £10 12s; Waitahuna, £19 17s 6d;— total, £110— Resolved that the account be paid.

John W. Gent, Ropgahere, wrote drawing attention to the necessity for a road to give birn access to £»d from his property. — The engineer to take steps to get a survey of the deviation done as soon aa possible.

William Cunraing, Beaumont, wrote, applying for bene\o!ent assistance for a Chinaman. — Five shillings per week recommended.

J. Smyth Fleming, secretary Clutha River Board, wrote asking to have the road in front of new goods-shed. Tuapeka Mouth, lowered to facilitate the taking of goods from the shed. —Referred to chairman and engineer to report.

Simpson and Hart wrote offenng a subsidy of £25 if the council would blue metal a very bad portion of the road near Wetherstones township. — The offer was accepted.

Thos. Redding. Millers Flat, wrote calling attention to the stale of the road opposite his shop. — Left in the hands of the engineer.

John Edie, sen , Edievale, wrote asking that his fence, injured, by the council in removing rubble from his property, be repaired. — The engineer to have the fence repaired at once.

Adam S. Edgar. Tapanui, wrote asking for an extension of time for completion of contract 692 on the grounds that the weather had not becH favourable and that he had had two horses injured. — Application granted for two months.

Haggitt, Brent, and Williams, eolicitois, wrote acknowledging receipt of subdivision plan of part of Moa Flat Estate consented to by the council, and asking the council's consent as soon as possible to a further plan forwarded.— The Chairman said he would not sic;n any plan until the roads were completed.

Duncan Rutherford, ivurchaaer of Mole Hill block, Moa Flat, wrote asking that something be done to improve the grade in the cuttings on the back jards road {which was at present

1 in 5), bo enable him to take 200 or 300 tons of building and fencing material on to his property. — Referred to the chairman, member for riding, and engineer, with power to act. Fraser and Macassey, solicitors, Dunedin, wrote complaining that Mr Goodman had been grossly insult-ed by Mr Dowdall, a leaseholder, through whose land the main Berwick"Waipori road ran, because he had left a, gate open for a following trap to come through. The wnter suggested that if the gates were not placed theTe. with the consent of the council they should be removed.— Crs Knight, Sim, and Bennet said that as the Dunedin Corporation had been treated very fairly in regard to the traffic on the said road, they thought that Mr Goodman jmight have closed ihe gates behind him.— The c!?rk was instructed to look into th« matter, and report at next meeting. The Department of Roads wrote forwarding proclamation re closing of road through blocks' VIII and XII, Dunrobin. — Received. R. Cockburn wrote forwarding plan showing position of water-race applied for by Mr J. H. Waigth, and asking permission to cross the main road, and also chain road between sections 26 and 43, block I, Benger.— Application granted.

Robert M'Ca-w and seven other residents of Waitahuna, wrote requesting that the road in Bolts Gully be put in a passable state. — To be attended to at a convenient season. The Secretary of the Island Block Gold Dredging and Sluicing Company, wrote asking if the council had authorised " ihe return of the b?nd gjven by Messrs H. and G. Nees and W. "Wood.— The engineer to attend to the ma-tte-r. The engineer in charge of the Lawrence-Rox-burgh railway wrote asking permission to disturb the roadway at a point where the railway line crossed. th« Beaumont road in order to put in a culvert. — Permission granted, subject to the supervision of the engineer. Mr John Ros«, Waitahuna. wrote advising that a foundation site for a bridge over the Waitahuna Gully was cleaned out, and suggesting that the work should be gone on with at once.— The member and the engineer to arrange with the directors of the Waitahuna G ully Hydraulic Mining Company to erect concrete piers, the county to supply cement at a cost not to exceed £20.

D.^ Barron, Chief Surveyor, wrote acknowledging receipt of council's resolution ie Waitahuna Athenseum trustees' claim for extra fencing entailed through road deviation Athenaeum Reserve, and stating that same had been forwarded to District Road Engineer.— Received.

The Colonial Secretary's Office wrote in reply to a communication from the council, staging that the subject of unfair traffic on roads would receive consideration. — Received.

Th<> Vincent County Council wrote asking ihe council's co-operation in an effort to have "The Timber and Flax Royalties Act, 1905," amended by inserting the word " lignite." — It was resolved to support the Vincent Coitncil, the cteik to write to the Minister of Minos and member for the district.

Joseph Sparrow and Sons wrote quoting prcies for several lengths of steel pipes.— The engineer was authorised to deal with Messrs Sparrow and Sons for material required.

The Secretary Waitahuna Farmers' Club wrote drawing attention to the great damage being wrought by the small birds, and suggesting that the council this winter, instead of spending money on poisoning, pay a price per pair or dozen of birds killed.— lt was resolved that the Waitahuna Farmers' Club be voted the sum of £5 to be expended in the manner indicated.

Sim an Fahey and another, Wetierstonea Flat, wrote asking that steps be taken to prevent the flooding, of their properties by the Wetherstones Creek.— Cr Simpson said he did not think any works of a permanent character' could be carried out until the creek was diverted, and suggested that tie council should take steps to ascertain whether it had the power to undertake protective works without incurring responsibility.— On the motion of Cr Simpson it was decided that the writers be informed that their grievance would bo attended to as far as practicable in the meantime, and f hat the chairman, the engineer, and the mover would look into the matter of their responsibility. j

R. Pilling, sen., wrote drawing attention to the state of his paddock outside the borough boundary through the silting up of Wetherstones Creek. — Dealt with in connection with S. Fahey's letter.

engineer's report.

The engineer's report for April and May stated that, considering the unsettled weather during the months in question, the county roads were in fair condition. The wet weather had greatly retarded the contractors, especially those with gravel contracts, but on the whole good headway had been made. The following contracts had been completed : Gravelling near Borthwick'a (Beaumont), gravelling main road Ettrick township, gravelling between Milne's and Rae's Junction school, gravelling Main road opposite Ben"nett's, Mitchell's, and Birch's properties, rubbling road from Rae's Junction to JHeriot (two contracts), rubbling road Waipori"Bush, gravelling Tuapeka River road, rubbling 15 chains of Waipori Bush road, rubbling 20 chains Waipori-Outram road, rubbling eight chains Waipori-Outraru road, gravelling 40 chains of Mam road, Jack's Creek towards Roxburgh, gravelling W chains of road from Roxburgh towards Coal Creek. The contract for road improvement at Heriot was almost completed, and that for the gravelling of 20 chains on the Waitahuna- Waipori road was half completed. The contract for the gravelling of the Scrubby Flat road was half completed, but the engineer suggested that no further work bs done until the weather improved. Sufficient stone had been quarried for lubbling the road at Clark's Flat, but it could not be carted owing to the wet weather. A fair amount of stone had been quarried for rubbling the road at Bungtown. I The contracts for the formation of 53 chains of road in the Glenkenich district ; for metalling 50 chains of road, Waitahuna River; and for rubbling road, Diamond deviation, block XII, Crookston, were in progress. A very good start had been made with the formation of Armstrong's road, and a start had also been made with the rubbling of 10 chains of road from Lawrence to Waipoii. The following Government grants had been carried out by day labour: — The gravelling of road from Fitzgerald's Bridge to Falconer's Valley, gravelling road from Tapanui to Conical Hill, gravelling of road, block IX, Rankleburn ; gravelling of road and road formation from the Beaumont to Miller's Flat on the east side of the river. The field work of road deviation on Teviot Station, making a total deviation of betweeu 10 and 11 miles, had been completed, but the preparation of plans would require two or three weeks' steady office work. In connection with the deviation "of Falconer's Valley road through Kicoll's land a trial survey of a fresh line of road had been made, and, running up a grade of one in 15 it would be possible to connect with the old road at a. point about 20 chains from road-line between Hogg's and Nicoll's. By adopting thiß line of road the total land required from Mr Jficoll would be CO acres instead of 84 acres by the first survey, and Mr Hogg's land would r.ot be interfered with. The small portion (1J acres) of Mr M'lntyre's would still be required. A grade up the gully to the right ol present road, and working ioun<l west side qjl.

• gully on to spur to a point near peg 42 on above survey and then following th© trial grade above referred to had also been, suri veyed- By adopting the latter route a fur-" ' ther saving of from 12 to 15 acres could be effected. The beams for 'the Spylaw bridge had been ordered. The abutments of this bridge would have to be renewed. The engineer drew attention to the abnormal load* , carried by the general run of teamsters, especially those teams carting coal round Roxburgh district. It was no uncommon thing I to carry from six to eight tons, anA it is j impossible to keep roads to carry such loads.: : — The report was adopted. TENDERS. i On the recommendation of the Engineer the 1 following tenders were accepted: — Contract j No. 703 (three tenders), Mr Gerald Ryan;- ! 704 (11 tenders), Mr J. Ryan. ■ In connection with contract No. 704, the j Engineer pointed out that the council could I only spend up to £500. This amount would! I just about provide for the putting in of the concrete piers, and it would require an addi- > tional £750 to complete the upper structure. — ; It was resolved that the plan and amount of j tender be forwarded to the Government with j a view to obtaining & Government vote for the completion of the work. FINANCIAL A statement was laid on the table, showing • the financial position of each riding on March- : 31. 1906, to be as followe: — Teviot Riding) £143 I credit; Jamas, £472 credit; Tapanui, J829- , debit; Beaumont, £85 debit; Browns, £143 I debit; Claxks, £323 debit; Waitahuna, £246 i Seb\t; Gabriels, £73 debit; Waipori r ' £26s credit. The revenue from all sources,, during the I months of March and April was £3595 15s 9d. Accounts amounting to £2311 14s 9d were' passed for payment.

GKNESAX. A request for a contribution towards thft cost of the Otago Couit at the Christchurcb, J Exhibition was received, but no action was I taken. i " * It was resolved that general rates amounting to £65 3s 8d for the years 1903-4 bo written off, the same being now irrecoverable. . I — The clerk was authorised to sue fpr all rates in arrear. A long discussion took place regarding the condition of the Tuapeka Mouth bridge, and eventually it was resolved that the engineer j do what was absolutely necessary to make ■ it safe this winter. A petition from James Hayes and 16 others in connection with the Falconer's Valley road? deviation was responsible for a .long discussion as to the previous understanding come to by the council in regard to the acquirement of the land required for the deviation. — It: was ultimately resolved t.hat the engineer make a survey of the second deviation he had suggested for next meeting. It was decided to offer Mr D. Keenan. Tuapeka Mouth. £5 in settlement of hia claim for compensation for land taken by the council.. It was resolved that the Lammerlaw bridge be repaired at once. It was resolved that the engineer's report in reference to the flooding otf tho Jroad at Clarks Flat be forwarded to the Railway, Engineer. It was resolved that the footbridge at Jno. Sutherland's Waitehuna. Gully, be erected! when funds permit., costs -to be charged to ' Wnitahuna and Clarks Ridings. The engineer was instructed fo pet the abutment of the Spylaw bridge renewed. It was resolved that in future the maintenance of all bridges and ferries over 30ft span be paid for out of the jteneral fund. A motion that Browns Riding be debited? with £250. the amount transferred to it from the eeneral account to balance amount overspent on Government votes in that ridin<", was lost. °

At a meeting of the Southland Preebyv tery it was agreed (says the News) that the Presbytery should recommend tho General Assembly to set up a committee with Iho view of devising such means as would facilitate exchanges of pastorates m cases in which such a step seemed desirable in the interests of the parties concerned.