TAIERI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2985, 31 May 1911, Page 13

TAIERI COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Taieri County Council, held on Friday, was attended by Crs F. Doherty (chairman), W. Blackie, J. Blair, F. Freeman, D. Robinson, jun., J. Hay, and J. Cow CORRESPONDENCE. James Knarston applied for a 21 years' lease, with right of renewal, of the section of land adjoining H. Palmer's property at Otokia.— Left in hands of the member for the riding and the engineer to report. The Mayor of Dunedin wrote, on behalf of the Executive Committee of the fund for a women's ward at the Dunedin Hospital, asking for assistance towards that object, and enclosing subscription lists. —The lists were laid on the table, no action being taken. G. A. Eeade, Castle Hill, Barewood, ■wrote expressing- his disappointment at the council's declining to apply for the parliamentary vote of £2OO tor the BarewoodCastle Hill road. The writer pointed out the necessity and desirability of providing a proper road in this distirct, and concluded by expressing the hope that the council would * reconsider its decision. —To be informed that the matter was now in the hands of the department. A. Births, Brighton, wrote drawing attention to the dangerous piece of road opposite his residence.—To be advised, that the matter had been taken over by the Public Works Department. To be informed that the matter is being attended to. Duncan M'lntcsh, Brighton, wrote stating that he had received a communication from the Minister of Public Works stating that he had no objection to offer to the construction of a 10ft roadway, provided! it would allow of subsequent widening. The writer further stated that a reference to the district engineer's plan would show that a rood on a 12ft basis Was obtainable. —The matter was left in abeyance pending a reply from the department to the council. Henry Riely, Otokia, wrote requesting that the council should metal that part of the read in M'Laren's Cully extending 200 yards eastward from Mrs Ait-ken's gate. It was at present of a greasy clay formation, and it would be of great benefit to the settlers to have it metalled with schist, which was obtainable on the 'side of the road.—lt was decided that the request bo granted, and that the formation of the road be widened. Robert K. Blair, Otokia, wrote asking for permission to" close an unused by-road which passed through his property. At present it was being overgrown with gorse, but if it were closed it could be ploughed up, and thus exterminate the gorse.—Left in engineer's hands to report at next jneetThe Assistant Undcr-seoretary, Public Works Department, wrote stating that the £l5O vote* for M'Coil's road was intended for the improvement of the steep grade on the road running through Mr M'Leary's property.— It was decided that Mr M'Leary be asked what he would take for the land to effect the deviation, and if he be not favourable to this, that steps be taken to acquire the land under the Public Works Act. '-. Amos M'Kegg, Henley, inquired if anything had been done in regard to the raising of the bridge at Henley. The writer expected to have his boats running, and the bridge would require to be raised before then in order that he might be able to take his boats to Otokia. Permission was also aDplied for to erect a landing, stage on the'foreshore close to the.railway station at Otokia. —It was decided that the Hon. Thomas Mackenzie be written to asking for a grant towards the raising of the bridge, and the matter in re'siding was left in the hands of the engineer 'and the member for the riding. Fifteen ratepayers of Berwick wrote petitioning the council to give -them drainage from' Dunne street up Melrose et:est towards Tweed street. There was no drainage there at present, the writers said, except the water tables on the road, but these were not deep enough to drain the allotments. — Crs Robertson and Blackie spoke in favour of granting the request, but the county engineer said tbit it was all right to have an open drain where there were no houses, but -where there were houses they thould have pipes instead.—To be informed that the council offered no objection to the Taieri Drainage Board draining the district on the lines suggested, Provided the drains did nnfc exceed 3ft,' and that the work was done to the satisfaction of the council. ENGINEER'S . REPORT. The following is the engineer's monthly report on progress of contracts and works: — Contract No. 4, delivery of metal on the Outram to Middlemaroh road, is completed, and statement of claim for grant of £3OD prepared for the chairman's signature Contracts Nos. 5 and 6, delivery of gravel on the Green Island to Taieri Mouth road, have both made sasitfactory progress, and should be completed by next meeting of council. Contract No. 7, delivery of ballast N on the Riverside road, is completed. With the exception of about 30 chains near the Riverside Railway Station there is now a good metal or gravel road across the plain from the Main South road to the Outram road. I propose to continue the metalling of the 30 chains as seoond-olaiss material accumulates at Mosgiel quarry. A start ha-s been made at the metalling of the Kaikorai Valley road. This contract was delayed by shortage of railway trucks, and work at the quarry has been restricted throughout the month from the same cause. The' department could only supply two L.A. trucks daily, which weire not sufricient to keep the Outram and RiveiMd'e j contractors employed. The grading work at Barewood to be carried out under contract No. 10 was commenced this week. I have placed Surfacem-i:: Gilmore, of Maun j gatua Riding, in charge.of the grader, and sent Mr Westwood to line off the work. Contract No. 11, road formation, Middle- . march to Moonlight road, was let to Messrs ' Seddon and .Rothwcll, who have at present their full strength employed on the.Brigh- j ton .contract, and the Moonlight contract ! has consequently been delayed. C. Meade has made a start on the Middlemaroh for*- i mation contract, and will run out the Su.t- ! ton gravel on completion of this work, j At Cr Freeman's direction I have invited ' tenders for the supply and delivery of 100 yards of metal on Gorstorphin© road, Kai- ; korai Riding. This road is in urgent need ! of maintenance repairs, and it was con- I Bidered advisable to invite offers for supply ' and deliver" on account " f distance <^ f the work from a railway •• I ••• The maintenance- metal for Wingaiui road ;. • I Keith Hall road repairs has been, run out during tht* month, and rue surfacing Townley's road. Oorstorphirjo road and Jaffray'e road, Saddle Hill, received atten-

tion. At Strath-Taieri an extra hand has been engaged with the riding surfaceman | blasting tho water tables on Kerr's road, i Nenthorn. Schedule of Allocation.—l submit for your consideration the schedule of allocation for expenditure on main road. 3 for the period ending 31st March, 1912. The total expenditure anticipated is £5900, and of this amount £1404 is for works which the council has already decided upon, and £l9O is for works carried forward from last year's schedule. The item of £IOO, Brighton to Kuri gravel, is conditional on a Government subsidy of £2 for £1 being obtained. Tho other items are on tho general lines of previous allocations. Brighton Oliflfe.—ln the survey of the road at Brighton Cliffs for widening under Government grant I found that the permanent improvement of the road at the cliffs corner could not be carried out to the minimum radius of curvature of SOft which I considered necessary without encroaching on Mr Thomson's land. The widening of this corner is not included in the present contract, but it is a work that must shortly be undertaken by the county, particularly if the road is to be opened for motor traffic. I have seen Mr Thomson, who has 'generously promised to place no obstacle in the way of tho council acquiring the corner, and I therefore recommend that Ci- Allan and myself be empowered ibo act in the direction indicated. Roslyn Roads.—Those portions of the Halfway Bush to Wharo Flat road and tho •Sanatorium road recently taken over from the Roslyn Borough are" in a bad state o* repair, lhe transverse section of the roads is weak, and there is not sufficient provision made for carrying the storm water from the side channels. I recommend that the roads receive a systematic surfacing and two extra bands be employed for two months picking over the sides of the roads and knapping the large boulders, one man to be charged to the riding and one to ifcho general account. Provision hae been made for necessary metal in the schedule of expenditure. OTHER REPORTS. j ..l . u - tr ? c Power Committee reported that the mining registrar at Lawrence forwarded copy of application for license for a dam at Waipori by the Dunedin City Corporation, also letter from E. E. Stark i city electrical engineer, describing the location and type of dam. The committee recommended that the council offer no objection to the application provided an indemnity safeguarding roads and bridges in Paieri Countv on similar lines to that given in connection with Lee Stream proposals be executed by the Dunedin City Corporation prior to June 1. The report was'oonsidered in committee. , i

! The Finance Committee recommended for payment accounts for the month amounting to £1055 19s 6d. The receipts for the past four weeks amounted to £74 10s 6d and the bank pass-book showed a debit balance of £2073 2s lid. The committee recommended that proceedings be taken forthwith for the recovery of all outstanding rates.—Adopted. The Sanitary Inspector reported having made several visits to the Kaikorai during the month and found the stream in much the same condition as usua". He had occasion to draw the attention of one householder to the fact that his drainage was running into, the .stream. All the works on the stream in the county were endeavouring to keep from polluting the stream. The various * slaughter houses were visited and found to be fairly satis-/ factory.—The report was adopted. . ' 'Tire committee appointed for the purpose, consisting of Crs Bladkie and Freeman, and the county clerk (the Chairman being unable to act) reported having waited on the Green Islarid Borough Council on. Wednesday, lOtht inst.', in regard to boundary roads, etc. "After discussion it was agreed that the work of metalling Lookout Pont read be gone on with on the following terms—metal from Logan's Point quarry at the usual rate, cartage Is 6d per ton, spreading, etc., 3s 5d and 2s 5d proportion of cost, and blinding to be carried out simultaneously with metalling. It was a<ko agreed that the chairman of the Works Committee and the Town Clerk, together with Cr Freeman and the County Engineer, go over the other boundary roads to decide on the work necessary for the current year. —The report was approved. The county ranger reported that he had found a good number of stray cattle on the roads during the month, especially round Otokia and Berwick. There were one or two persons in the latter place who made a practice of grazing their stock on the roads. He had found wandering during the month 64 cows and 14 horses, maka total of 78 head.—The Middlemarch ranger reported that he had had trouble with one man, who persisted in allowing his horses to wander at large, and the end had been that the man had assaulted him. It was decided to write to the parties concerned warning them that it they persisted in allowing their cattle and horses to wander at large proceedings would be taken against them. TENDERS. The following tenders were accepted:— Contract No. 15, road formation, Brighton Cliffs, A. MTntosh, £354 6s, subject to the plans being approved by the district engineer; contract No. 16, supply and delivery 100yds metal, Corstorphinc road, Kaikorai riding, Mr Stevenson, £6O. One tender for contract No 14, road formation, Green Island Bush, was not a.ccepted and it was decided to call for fresh tenders to be considered by the engineer and Cr Freeman. GENERAL. It was decided to fix a rate of Id over the whole county (similar to last year) and fix an additional |d on Maungatua riding. It was decided that the piece of land wdiich had been seveaicd from Rosilyn Borough and joined on to the county, should be joined to Kaikorai riding. The olerk was authorised to procure the usual supply of poisoned grain for coping with the small bird nuisance. Cr Blackie moved that the engineer bo instructed to have the willows on the j Riverside road removed. The motion was carried.

On the suggestion of Cr Blackie it was decided to apply to the Government for the Conoration fhibsidy for the purpose of adding to the County Council Chambers.