CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2785, 31 July 1907, Page 39

CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Cluth* County Council wo» held at Balcluthc on Friday, when tfeere were present — Gra John Clarke (chairman), J. Gumming, W. Grainger, A. C. Saunder*, D. A. M'LaahLan, W. Hay., Walter Nicol, J.. R. Miiohell, and Johz Edwards. CORRESPOND K?CJt. Andrew Beid and 37 other ratepayers in Glenkenich Riding wrote urging the council to favourably consider the. matter, of th* erection of a bridge at TWedia's fard, — Cr Grainger moved that this council co-operat** with; the Tuap«ka Council in urging the Government to groat a sum for this work.— Seconded by Car Nicol, and carried. The Paymaster-general wrote notifying thai the sum of £348 17s>10d had been DemiHed ta the council's credit on account of the following metalling works. — Owaka U> Katea, £7&; Woipahi to Pomahaluh- £50; Otanomomo, £SQ;\ Hunt's road, £125 17.s lOd; Pomahaka, JGsO<— Received, with thanks. The Secretary to the Treasury wrote requesting payment of interest for half yens an loan of J817.167 17a 2d— Received. C. W. Hiixsthouie, Chief Engineer of Roads, wrote acknowledging a petition from settlers of Takakopa, who requested that a bridge be erected over the Bock Creek. The question of making provision, for. the work would ba carefully considered in framing the Estimates, — Received. A. S. Malcolm, M.H.R., wrote acknowledging receipt of the council's protest against the cutting up of electorates, which, had fii* hearty support — Received. The District Road Engineer wrote forwarding balances of authorities. — Received; The Secretary of the Marine, Department wrote acknowledging, receipt of the- council?* letter undertaking to expend th* vote of £20ff for Tatrtuku wharf and channel a* non proposed to be altered bo provide, for work* sug< gested by the Tautuku Sawmilling Company^ The Minister of Marine bad agreed ta thY condition* stated By the council, and wiaheti tbe latter to have the works put in hand a* soon aa they could arrange- to dk> so. The vot} would be altered in this year's TS»«t»«.t.f B Ui provide for improvement of Tautuku Rwer— » Received. J^W. Lawson, secretary of the Tautuktt Savxmlling Company, wrote asking tjbte count cfl -to arrange for its engineer to -njit T*u-« thiu »t tax early date *a& confer with, Captain P»terson or Mr l£acki« frith, reference to. narmg fascimng and groining work carried 1 ant^-Cr Saundsrs moved, th*t the letter be. repned to stxtisg' that the engineer wouldh put tbe work in hand as econ as possible, ' «nd would give i£ke company "notice when he intended? to go down to Tautuku. — Agreed to-, Dr Ogston, District Health Officer, wrote notifying the Clnth» County Council of » meeting of delegates in connection with the proposed infectious diseases hospital at Dnncdtn on 80th inst. — The Chairman raid the general opinion among- the country bodieswas that they should not be called upon to contribute at all. He thought the as&enmcnt

fox' Clutha wae too high; Waihemo got 40 per cent, off, and Clutha only got 80 per cent. off. The Bruce chairman was of opinion it should be resisted to the end, and there was an idea that even yet the proper course had not been adopted in convening the meeting of delegates to.be held in Dunedin. — The chairman was deputed to represent the council at. the meeting. — It was stated that Mr Hosking was <io represent the protesting bodies, and the chairman was empowered to guarantee Clutha County's share of the cost. Dr Ogeton wrote enclosing a short list of sanitary defects observed by his inspector on « visit to Ow«ka township.— Cr Saunders moved that the parties be- notified. — Agreed to. T S. Graham, secretary of -the Charitable AieJ Board, wrote stating that the board had ■greed to the council distributing charitable •id in its own district, including contributing boroughs, but matters had not yet been settled with the Benevolent Trustees, and until this was effected the board could not make arrangements for distribution with the council. T Gillespie, Inspector of Stock, Tapanui, wrote drawing attention to the goree anß broom along the banks of the Pomahaka Kiver.— Cr Grainger moved that the work "be attended to, and he was empowered to see to it. The Secretary Charitable Aid Board wrote forwarding quarterly return of outdoor relief cases in Clutha. These numbered 10, and the weekly payments were 20s, three at 15s, five at 10s, and one at 6b.— Cr M'Lachlan moved that the amounts be continued. Seconded by the chairman and carried. Alex. Findlater, Ratanui, wrote asking permission to put a tramway across the road on the east side of Catlin's Lake to enable ldm to utilise the water carriage. — Agreed to -on tlie usual conditions. Thoa. Wilson, Ahuriri Flat, wrote asking -the council to fall the bush on ro«d-lin« along his fence half a chain wide, for about 24 ohaino.— Agreed to. Johnstone and Craig wrote advising thai they had taken over Walter Allan's flaxmill on the Pomahaka River, and -would probably be making an offer for the flax on Pomahaka which Allan had applied for.— Left in Cr Mitchell's hands to deal with. Th« Prims Minister wrote acknowledging receipt of council's protest against the alteration of South Island electoral boundaries, and stating in reply that the council's representations had been noted. John Taylor, Clinton, wrote informing fhe council -thai he had iasured his workmen for 12 months, but found that the council had ako insured the men. and charged him with the premiums. He therefore asked the council to remit the amount.— Cr Sounders moved that the amount be refunded. — Cr M'Lochlan: But it must not form a precedent. — Cr Nicol seconded the motion, which was carried. T. Latta, sawmiller, Owaka, wrote stating that as the price of -timber had gone up all round, and the expense of producing the 6ame was very heavy, he would ask the council to give him an advance of Is a hundred on present charges, which were 3s ■to 4s less than the price list — Cr Hay moved that the request be granted. — Seconded by Or Saunders and carried. G. McCarthy and 82 other ratepayers using the road from Owaka to , Pounawea, wrote drawing attention to the deplorable mate of the road. — Cr. Saunders said the engineer had made application, for a grant for the road from the Government, and he would xaove that this memorial be seat to the Minister an charge of the Tourist Department in support of the vote. — Seconded by Cr Hay and carried. v MERINO DOWNS. Or Grainger presented a petition from Eobert Weir and 11 other settlers at Merino Downs, in the Glenkenich RidiDg The petition said the road running from the northern boundary of section 16 to the southwestern corner of section 10, block V, GJenkenioh district, was in a bad state — Mr Weir said that £14 10s was all that had been -expended on tfte road since he had taken tip bis section, and that was when Mr Robertson represented the riding. All they wanted was the Toad nude passable. — The Engineer said the job was a £50 one. The grade yas about one in six. Even if the £50 were expended- it would not make a workable road.— Cr Saunders moved that the engineer examine the road, and ascertain whether it would be possible to purchase the land for the deviation, and also the cost of this land. Seconded by Cr M'Lachlan and tarried. XNGIHfcX&'S JtXSOBT. The county engineer (Mr W. '3L. Leedsr) teported as follows. — '• I herewith tender you a brief report on roads and works' for the period ending this _ date. Contract No. 260, "Lochmdorb road : The re-grading and widening of this road is progressing' satisfactorily, and will be completed at an early da.l. On the Clinton - Owaka road, near M'Calman's, eight or nine chains of new formation has been completed - and a pipe culvert put down. The road is now open for general traffic. The scrub on Sobinson's road, near Warepa, has been cleared off, and several chains of formation 'work carried out; some water-tabling has *i»o been done on -this road. Contract No. S4l, maintenance metal on Main Port MoiyJieux zoad, is practically finished— that is, the number of yards in the contract (250) lias been put down. The bridge on th« Pueru* Stream (Otanomomo road) has been xe-decked, and is now in good working order. On the Ahuriri road the metalling near Smith's property is being raked in and broken to a small gauge. A good job is being made by the surfaceman. The metal on Foster's toad has also been raked in and the water-tables trimmed. I have inspected a number of roads in the locality •of Cannibal Bay, all of which are in good order considering the season of the year. The bush-falling on Sweetwater Creek road as finished ; I have measured up the work, and find it ia accordance with the agreement. On the Pounawea-Owaka, road there is a large culvert near the old landing that will require extending and the embankment filling up, and a number of holes on the road (require filling up with stone. There is a part of the Big Mil' road, about two chains, in very bad order, and I recommend that this distance be metalled as soon as possible ironi land fund available for that road. During my round in this neighbourhood I inspected the -big wasU-out on the Lakeside road. The damage extends along the road for a distance of 11 chains. I estimate the co-i of Tepairs *t £250. On the main Waili.iwa road, over Totara Hill, the surfaceman h»3 been quarrying some 30 odd loads of rotten rock, authorised some time back, and has been filling up the worst holes with tli is material. Early during the month I v~i<-ifed the Upper Cath'ns Valley road. It is impossible to describe the state of this road in places. Cooper and Lumsden are putting in some good'heavy corduroying, and this will make a' serviceable road for a number of years. Ahem lias been authorised to expend. £4 in repairing his rood in a similar maaixier. Bepawing the Main Owaka. Valley road with maintenance metal is progressing. Raking m metal on Ca4h«rwood's, Tuck's, and Horan s ' roads is reported as finished. Contract No. 206 .(metalling and formation on Hill Foot rood)

has been completed. A long stretch of metal on Fyfe's road has . been iaked in and oh© road trimmed up. I have inspected Miller and Black's road, where £25 was authorised to be expended. This is a big job, and will cost over twice that amount to put in culverts and make the road suitable for vehicular traffic ; submitted for your information before putting •tha work in hand. I was out »t Graw's bridge 01 the Clinton-Topanui road the other day. The old stone walls are giving trouble and I have put a notice 031 the bridge to the effect that it is unsafe for traffic," ana have prepared an open- crossing through the creek. Rebuilding these walls with concrete will be put in hand at an early date. The footbridge over the creek near Clinton has been finished. All the roads throughout the xmnty, except the Catlin's Riding, are in very gw>d order, owing, no doubt, to the exceeding fine winter." The report was adopted. FINANCIAL. The clerk reported the receipts for the month to be £381 0s 9d, and the expenditure £903 5s 7d. GENSEAt. The Chairman reported that he had attended the Counties' Conference in Wellington. There was a great difference of opinion in fehe matter of valuations. A motion had been passed that the cost of supervising the valuations was too large. He thought that appointing a member of Parliament to represent a county was a faroe — they didn't get time to attend. — The amount of 20gs was voted to the chairman for his expenses in Wellington. The engineer was instructed to procure a surveyor's staff for his own use. The council held', a special meeting to consider the motor by.laws forwarded by the Waihemo County Council. — Consideration was hedA over.