WAIKOUAITI COUNTY COUNCIL

Otago Witness, Issue 3216, 3 November 1915, Page 9

WAIKOUAITI COUNTY COUNCIL

The monthly meeting of the Waikouaiti County Council was hold on the 29th ult.; present—Crs M'Gill (chairman), Marshall, Kilpatrick, Laley, and Orbell. inspector’s report. The inspector reported that the formation and rotten rock contract on the Quarry road (Hawksbury Riding) had been inspected by the Government engineer, and had been passed as satisfactory. The surfacing work on Stenhouse road had been done, also a portion of the Main road. The erection of the footbridge across the Waikouaiti River would bo finished during next week. The gravelling contract on the Mount Watkin road was making fair progress. Regarding Merton Riding, the sharp bend at the Warrington Railway Station had been widened, and the gravel on the bay road had been raked in, and the metal and gravel on the Karitane to Merton Railway Station had been surfaced. Metal had been broken and the ruts had been filled up on the Puketcraki Station road, and the Sheepyards to Merton Railway Station road. In the Blueskin Riding, the metal on the Murdering Beach road had been raked in and blinded. The metal on the Hayward’s Point road had been raked in and blinded with clay in several places. Metal was also being broken for this road, and tho water tables were also being cleaned out. Maintenance metal was being broken for the Purakanui road. In the North-East Valley Riding maintenance metal was being broken for the Main road, Mount Cargill. The watertables had been cleaned out in several places on this road, and, where required, metal on the roads was being blinded with clay. The report was adopted. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £24-7 were passed for payment. CORRESPONDENCE. The Receiver of Land Revenue wrote stating that he had paid to the credit of the council £3 7s 4d, being land fund for the period ended July 31. —Received. The Under-secretary of the Public Works Department wrote stating that votes so far as they relate to new money provided this year would not be available until satisfactory arrangements had been made for x'aising of the necessary loan for public, works.— Cr Kilpatrick stated that this seemed to bo rather hard on the southern end. of the county, as now it was probable that none of the votes would be available. The Hawks-’ bury Riding had been particularly favoured in the past. Last session £IOO had been put on the Estimates for the Hawksbury Riding.—Cr Orbell said he had secured a £IOO grant for a bridge in his riding.—The Chairman said this bridge would benefit Merton as much as tho Hawksbury Riding. —Cr Kilpatrick said for the past two years Hawksbury Riding, which was in a good financial position, had been well treated, and that the other ridings, which were struggling, were not. —Cr Orbell replied that for the. past 10 or 15 years the Hawksbury Riding had not been treated well. He challenged Cr Kilpatrick to call for a return showing the grants for Hawksbury and the southern ridings.—The Chairman said tho return would be prepared in time for next meeting.—The letter was received. The District Engineer of the Railway Department wrote asking to bo advised whore tho council desired additional warning notices to bo erected at railway crossings.—Consideration of this matter was deferred until next meeting. Mr W. Dawson complained of a nuisance on tho roads at Warrington by cattle being allowed to graze there. —Tho Chairman said that something would have to bo done to abate the nuisance. On tho road to Merton it was a common thing to see 30 or 40 head of cattle on tho road at a time.—lt was decided to communicate with tho superintendent of police, asking him to issue instructions for the local constable to take action against tho owners of straying cattle in the county with a view to abating the nuisance.

■ Mr H. Turner wrote stating that he did not think the council’s offer to gravel cor-

tain roads at Warrington at a cost of £36— the residents at Warrington to pay half cost —at all reasonable. If the council would do the work required he would make an offer of £ls towards the cost a$ the gravelling necessary.—lt was decided that a reply bo sent to Mr Turner to the effect that the council would adhere to its former decision that half the total cost be borne by the residents of Warrington. If this was accepted the work would be gone on with at once.

Mrs Bain wrote complaining of the state of the road leading to her property at Mount Cargill.—Referred to the inspector to attend

The Waikouaiti Borough Council wrote advising the council that Mr George Maxwell had been appointed to act on a local agricultural committee.—Received.