WAIKOUAITI COUNTY COUNCIL

Otago Witness, Issue 3112, 5 November 1913, Page 13

WAIKOUAITI COUNTY COUNCIL

The usual monthly meeting of the Waikouaiti County Council was held on October 23, and was attended by Crs A. S. Orbell (in the chair), M‘Gill, Foote, Laley, Kilpatrick, and Charlton. ALTERATION OF BOUNDARIES. A petition wao received from 11 ratepayers in the Hawkcsbury Riding, representing 27 votes, asking that their portion of the district be severed from the Waikouaiti County and included in the Manjototo County. f l heir lands were in an outlying portion of the county, and their roads were in a measure neglected, while they had no community of interest w.th the rest of the county. All their traffic and community of interest lay towards the Otago Central railway, anti to roach the railway they had to pass through either the Taieri or the Maniototo Counties.

Mr G. Clark, one of the ratepayers concerned, appeared in support of the petition, and pointed out that a sirfxilar move hat) been made in the past. The ratepayers of that district thought that all that portion should be added to one county instead of being spread over Waikouaiti, Waihemo, and Taieri, as at. present. If the council could not see its way to grant the petition lie would like to know he reasons for the refusal. In reply, the Chairman stated that the matter referred to in the petition had oomc under the notice of the council unofficially, and naturally it had excited a good deal of interest. The ratepayers concerned must recognise that as they were constituted at present, the counties were far too small, and could be run much more economically if they were larger. The matter was discussed at a conference held in Wellington last year under the Mackenzie Government, and the opinion expre-ssed by delegates from all 'parts of New Zealand was that there were too many local bodies, and that their areas were too small. The conference recommended that the counties should be made larger, and he understood that the Prime Minister had promised to bring down a Local Bodies Bill giving effect to that recommendation. Until the matter was finally settled by Parliament, he thought it would be poor policy for the council to alter its boundaries, and it could not be done at present. No doubt when the Bill was brought down the boundaries of the three councils would be altered, and the request of the petitioners would be met. Until the terms of the Bill were known, the council could do nothing on the lines suggested in tjie petition INSPECTOR’S REPORTS.

The following reports were submitted by the inspector on the progress of work in the various ridings;- “ Hawkesbury Riding. —The present piers of the Ballingdon bridge required to be ''built up with concrete. The four piers and the abutments would require 143 cubic yards of concrete. The sides of the bridge would have to be shifted out, and new decking and stringers were also required, the estimated cost of the work being £453 in aIL The ford above the bridge required a day’s cartage of gravel at the entrance to the river. There were seven chains of Puddie’s road rutted, and to put it in good order ■would require 40 yards of fine metal. The sides would also have to be taken down and the water tables would have to be cleaned * oU t. The planks had been put up at the river ford. The slips on tno Hawksbury Bush road had been removed, and the cutting at Cumberbeaches’ remetalled. The road leading to the Mount Watkins Bush hpd been repaired, also the road leading

to Bobby’s hut. The slips on the Reserve road had been removed, and the culvert on Nankavii’s road repaired. There was a slip on the road leading to Townsend’s run, and it required attention. The road leading to Dempster’s hut required surfacing, and there were several places on the Quarry road where the rotten rock was worn, through. Forty yards of maintenance rock were required, for this road.”< —It was decided that, owing to the heavy expenditure required to vyiden the Ballingdon bridge, the matter be held over in the meantime. It was resolved that the necessary work be done on Puddie’s, Dempster’s, Townsend’s, and the Quarry road as soon as possible. Merton Hiding.—The Main road had been blinded with clay and gravel on various portions from Corner Bush to Cherry Farm gate, and the ford on Allan’s road had been repaired. The metal had been ranked and blinded with clay on Reid’s road. Slips had been removed, water tables cleaned out, and various portions re-gravelled on M'Grath's road. The metal had been raked in and blinded with gravel on the Merton Railway Station road, and the holes at the junction of the roads qt Kax’itane had been made up with metal. The formation on School x'oad had been done, and various portions of Harbour road had been repaired with metal. Lupins had been planted along the embankment on the new road, and tlxe embankment on the Sheepyards to Merton Railway Station road had been repaired with gravel. Pryde’s road, near the Ornimi factory, required a day’s cartage of metal, and the Mountain Track road required surfacing from the reserve gate to the junction of the River>'oad. In various places the road leading to the river required surfacing at lop and bottom ends, while the road along the river I‘oquired about one chain of re-forming and surfacing in several places. The Hummock Side road required surfacing frorn the reservoir to the boundary of the riding, as it was badly rutted in various places.—The report was adopted, and it was decided to go on with the work, and that the necessary surfacing on tlxe roads leading to the runs be done at once with the county’s team. Blucekin Riding.—The two metal contracts on the Main road had been completed and the metal blinded. Twenty-four yards of metal had been put on the lower end of the Manse road, and the slip on the Mam road had been removed, but there were two slips at the manse requiring further attention. Slips on M’Kissor’s road had boon cleared, and the lately metalled portion of this road blinded with clay. The Longbeach road was being repaix'ed, and •the slips on the Purakanui .Township road were being removed and various portions of the sea walling had been repaired. A small slip, on Mansfordtown required removing, and a slip on the Port Chalmers to Blueskin x - oad needed repairing. The road known as Green’s road x-cquired 12 yards oi metal, and the watertablos needed cleaning out.—lt was resolved that the various works mentioned be left to the inspector to attend to as soon as possible. North-East Valley Riding.—The formation contract on Holmes’s Bush road was making fair progress. The large culvert at Harris’s had been re-covered with broadleaf and the bank on top of the culvert made up, but it would require further attention when it subsided. A culvert at Ray’s had been re-covered, and the slips and washouts on the Waitati-Wakan road "had been repaired so as not to interfei'e with the traffic. A large slip had taken place on the Holmes Bush xcad opposite Clark’s property, and would requix-o attention as soon as the weather was favourable. —Approved, the slip on Holmes' Bush road to be removed as suggested by the inspector. CORRESPONDENCE. ' Mr W. 11. Bickerton wrote with reference to the Nenthorn road, and enclosing particulars of the fees paid by his party to the Tuaueka Council for mining leases. He stated that the total amount due to the Waikouaiti - Council was £4B, and for the expenditure of £35 as promised the road could be put in reasonable repair.—Mr J. A. Norrie (clerk of the Warden’s Court at Naseby) wrote stating that he had written to the Receiver-general asking him 'to credit the Waikouaiti Council with the gold revenue paid by Mr Bickerton. The Waihemo Council wrote to the same effect. —The Chairman remarked that mattex-s seemed to be pi-ogressing satisfactorily, and the money would probably come to hand in duo course. —The letters were received. Mr A. Butt, clerk Waihemo County Council) wrote stating that tenders were now being called for the work of putting the Taieri Peak road in thorough repair. The probable cost would be about £4O, half of whiejj sum the Waikouaiti Council had promised to nay. —Received. Mr C. Buchan wrote stating that Donald’s road (off the Seacliff road) was in a very bad state, and asking that it be repaired.— Inspector to report. Mr J. Jackson wrote complaining of the state of the Wakari road at the Waitati end, and requesting the council to attend to the same.—Attended to. Messrs N. and E. S. Paterson wrote ctating that Mr MacGoun’s road at Waitati had been completed with the exception of some further metal that was carted from the beach. They had arranged for a man to do that work, and it would probably take about 26 days. The writers undertook to hold to the order of the council the sum of £ls until the road was passed by the inspector. —In connection with this matter Mr Thomas M'ConnelJ (Waitati) wrote asking that the road bo opened through to the beach, as otherwise there would be no access thereto. —The matter was left in the hands of Cr Kilpatrick and flhe chairman, with power to act. Mr B W. J. Moody wrote offering a donation of 10s 2d for the purpose of blinding some new metal on the road leading over to Purakanui, and known as Gi'eon’s road.—Received, Mr Moody to bo thanked for his donation and his request to be a 1 tended to.

Mr John Jacobs, .Secretary of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, wrote stating that the sum £297 13s 6d was due to his board as a levy for the year ending September 30, 1914.—Received. Mr J. H. Gray (Port Chalmers) wrote requesting permission to remove a few loads of material that had accumulated near the railway bridge.—Granted subject to inspector's approval, a small charge to be made for the soil

Sergeant-major Roberts (Oamaru) . wrote asking for a return oi the traction engines and trailers, arid also of the motor cars registered in the county, as the Government had power, in time of war, to impress these and other vehicles for transport purposes.— The Clerk icported that the matter had been attended to.

Mr D. Lunan- (Double Hill) wrote asking the council to go on with its contract on the Quarry road, the vote for this w;ork hav-

ing been £57 6s Bd.—Work to be carried out on an early date. GENERAL. ' The following tenders were accepted: — For 25 yards of formation and supply of 215 yards of metal for the Brightling road, Merton Riding, E. M'Lachlan, £lO5 12s 6d ; for 95 yards of metal on the Main road at Mount Cargill, J. F, Cochrane. £35 4s 7d; for 200 yards of gravel on the Mount Watkins road, Kerr Brothers. £32 ICs. On the motion of Or Laley, seconded by Cr Kilpatrick, it was decided to ascertain when the Rahais Syndicate intends to proceed with the work on Duke’s road, Sawyers’ Bay. The Finance Committee reported that accounts amounting to £389 16s 9d had been passed for payment. The bank book showed a credit balance of £703 4s.

The Ranger reported that he had impounded 45 head of cattle and two horaeo during the month.—Received.