WAIHEMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2949, 21 September 1910, Page 10

WAIHEMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Waihemo County Council was held in the Council Chambers, Palmerston, on Saturday, and was attended by Crs George Clark (in the chair), H. O'Neill, W. Sutherland, F. M'Allum, H. Bayly, F. M'Lay. J. O'Conneil, and D. M. Philip. The inspector was instructed to report on Mr Gilmour's compaint in regard to the road which runs through his property, and for the use of which the council pays Mr Gilmour the sum of £1 per annum. Mr Gilmour waited on the council, and said he would require £2 at least from the council for the continuance of the privilege granted it in connection with the road, inspector's bepoet. The Inspector reported in regard to the Blue- Mountain Riding that he had prepared, as directed, a specification for gravelling both ends of the Limekiln road. A two-horse team with the driver and a surfaceman were at present doing maintenance work on this road. Wilcock's Crossing, which was becoming rather unsafe, had bean attended to. To more permanently ensure the safety of this crossing the inspector stated that the erection of a protective groin would shortly receive attention. The gravelling contract on the Palmerston Main road, between Palmerston and Gen Park had now been completed, the length gravelled being 2.17 miles. The quantity of gravel delivered on the load amounted to 1500 cubic yards, making an average of 8.47 cubic yards per chain. Bushey Riding: The contract for gravelling to Shag Point road, let last month, was well advanced towards completion. In rer gard to the Shag Point road (Government grant for gravelling and taking .off clay point), the latter work would be completed in a few days, and the gravelling finished before next council meeting. Goodwood Riding: The embankment on Church Hill road had been repaired. Two hundred and fifty cubic yards of metal had been quarried and broken from Preston's quarry and well binded on the Church Hill road. The repairs authorised to the Village Settlement road had not yet been completed owing to a scarcity of beams Dunback Riding: A temporary rail had been fixed to Duncan's bridge m the meantime. Wheel guards, new posts, and guide fencing were also required. The latter work could be done with little expense. The bridle track leading to M'Lennan's run would be gone on with immediately the Limekiln road was finished. Green Valley Riding: A considerable amount of willowplanting had been carried out in this riding during the past month to try to protect the The inspector thought, however, that, willow-planting in many places did not prove very satisfactory, but under the circumstances he had had to carry out temporary work on the road in the 'meantime. He would, however, deal with the road this summer in a more workmanlike mariner. Macraes Riding: Simpton's road had been re-formed, and was now ready for the reception 6f metal. A day's trial had been made on the Moonlight road in ploughing up the metal, which had rolled off and become buried with vegetation. The trial had proved a great success, and the inspector hoped that next winter he would be able to have many miles of these now rough, uneven, and worn out metalled roads in thorough order. Matheson's and Pearson's roads had been repaired. In regard to contract No. 4, section B, the Government grant for road metalling, let at last meeting, the con tractors intended to get on with the work after they had finished. metalling Simpson's road.

CORHESPONDENCE. A communication was received from the Valuation Department statin-? that the subsidy due to the council for 'rates collected for the year 1909-1910, amounting to £SOO, had been pased for payment. The Treasury wroto that a sum of £SO 12s, rents and miner's right, had been placed to the credit of the council at the Bank of New Z*v land.—Keee i ved.

The Taranaki County Council wrote asking the council's co-operation in getting the By-laws Bill, introduced into the Legislative Council by Dr Findlay, on the Statute Book this session.—Consideration of this matter was held over. Angus Marshall, director of the Duncdin Technical School, wrote asking the council to make arrangements to receive a deputation from his school on the matter of the raising of funds for a new school as a memorial of the late King, to be known as the King Edward Memorial School.—The letter was received. Mr IT. Maeandrew. district engineer, New Zealand railways, wrote intimating that the crossing on Lime Quarry branch giving access to Education R<vcoTye No. 2 of 57 had been removed to the road line, in accordance with the wishes of the council.—Received.

An ursre.nt wire wa* received from Sir Joseph Ward asking the council to take suitable steos to commemorate the anniversary of Dominion Day on Monday, 25th inst.—Received.

Mr J. H. Blow. Under-Secretary of thte Public Works Department, wrote that in view of the fact that a considerable portion of tho road and bridir? work earr : ed out under grants provided for the purpose by Parliament was now being undertaken by local governing bodies, the monthly return furnished his department's engineers of the average number of men employed on road works carried out under Government grants did not bear a correct relationship to the expenditure which was taking p'ace. Mr Blow a«ked that his department be furnished with a monthly return of the average number of men emp'oyed on each road on which work wa« beinsr carried out in pursuance of Authoritv issued by the department. Received and noted.

W. S. Short. Assistant Under-Secretary, wrote asking the council if anything further had heen done in connection with letralisine the Shasr Point road.—Left in the hands of the countv clerk. Tbw Hon. P.. M'TCenzie. Minister of Public Works, intimated that the council's application for a grant of £7OO for +ho purnrxse of ercetintr a bridare over Pleasant River, near Goodwood, would receive ea,r«ful consideration when the Public Estimates for the current year wcr e compiled. —Received. L. O. Beal, engin.ic-r. wrote,that he was prepared to make a survev of road line .ibuttiner on the Shag Point branch railwav from road iunction in section 45. block IX, Moeraki district, th'-ouorh section 45. block IX. and section 1 of 20. ?■ of 20. and 2of 21. block lIL a distance of about one mile, as shown in an accompanying plan. Mr Beal also stated the terms on which ho would be prT>ared, to snrvev the deviation in the Limekiln ipad. —It was decided that the clerk interview Mr Beal in connection with these survvs.

FINANCE. Accounts amounting to £313 2s were passed for payment. The bank overdraft at present stands at £1267 lie 6d. A resolution striking 1 a rate of Jd in the pound in the Blue Mountain and Goodwood Ridings was confirmed. It was decided to increase the ranger's salary from £2O to £26 per annum. * TENDERS. There were but two tenders for 200yds of gravelling on the Limekiln road. Mr O. dimming being the successful tenderer at Is 4d a yard.