CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3333, 30 January 1918, Page 14

CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly .neeting of the Clutha County Council was held on .Friday afternoon, and attended by Cr 3 A. North (chairman), Jas. Begg, J. Christie, W. Miller, J as. Edwards, Jas. Cumming, Thos. Maginnese, J. Cooper, A. MTntyre, and C. F. Overtoji. The county engineer (Mr J. Ramsay) reported on jvprk in progress and completed, and dealt at some length with the position of a portion of land offered by the Freezing Company to the council. The road as at present fenced is a chain wide, but the company claims 40 links. The road has been graded and gravelled- in the centro to the width of a chain, and if the company were allowed to erect a fence on its boundary, the formation and gravelling would be practically useless, and the road would be too narrow at 60 links.—The report was adopted. The statement of the council's financial operations showed that the receipts for the period ended January 22 were £IB4O 14s Yd, and the expenditure £IBB3 2s sd. The following tenders were dealt with: — Ten chains gravelling on Sandy Knowes road, A. and R. Middlemass (6s per yard). —Accepted. One hundred yards maintenance metal on Ashley Downs road, no tenders.—Left with engineer and member to attend to. The following motions were passed:—(l) " That tenders be called for gravelling 10 or 12 chains (more or less) on ClintonClydevale road, near Hunt's Pomahaka bridge, from end of present metal westward." (2) "That the engineer be authorised to expend £2O on Artburton-Landslip road for metalling if labour is available," The Public Works Department (Dunedin) notified that the sum of £SO in respect to the grant for work done on the Dano Peak road, had been paid into the council's account.— Received. The Secretary of the Treasury wrote requesting the council to pay into the Bank of New Zealand at Baiclutha the sum of £l7O 15s 3d, being half-yearly interest on £8722 18s 8d inscribed at the Treasury under "The Local Bodies' Loans Act, 1808."—Received. Sir W. Fraser (Minister of Public Works) telegraphed to Mr A. S. Malcolm, M.P. for Clutha, who handed the communication to the council, that if the work being carried out on the Waipahi-Pukerau road had not been approved by the district engineer no subsidy could, be claimed. If it had been approved the engineer should be communicated with in order that he could check the work done. —Cr Cumming moved that the Public Works Department be communicated with, stating that the work would be concluded as soon as the metal was available.—Agreed to. Mr 0. J. M'Kenzie (district engineer, Public Works) wrote with reference to Hanning road that tho work had been inspected -three times, and was still un- - satisfactory, large stones being left on the road. Unless the work was completed immediately it would be necessary for him to make deduction from the payment to the council. —Cr Maginness: We inspected the road and it appeared satisfactory.—Received. Mr Robert Sadd (Commissioner of Crown Lands) wrote with reference to PueruaOtanomono road. He had recently visited the settlement in connections with an application for revaluation. The metalling on the centro road through the settlement required attention by. raking tho metal into the ruts. The road along the bank of the Puerua to Marshall's and Murdoch's was in a very bad state, the _ first four chains from the centre 'road being almost impassable The loading on the settlement had all-been expended or was in course of expenditure, so there were no further funds available for the Puerua road. As the settlers were paying heavy rates, he requested tho council to repair this road. Mr Murdoch had expressed the Avillingness of Mr Marshall and himself to do work at shingling the worst parts. The road was also very narrow, and it was the wish of the settlers to have it widened by taking a strip off their sections.—Cr North: The first portion of the work is being attended to now. I move—" That the work be attended to as soon as convenient." —Agreed to. • Mr Edward Moore (secretary of the South Otago Freezing Company, Ltd., Baiclutha) wrote requesting that the road known as "Shaw's track" be repaired if possible.—Cr Christie and tho engineer to attend to the matter. Messrs J. Hall and Sons (Riverside) wrote requesting that work be done on the road at Finegand and Prentice's road before the winter set in.—lt was decided to call for tenders up to £IOO for the rest of the work, subject to the grant being available. Cr Overton was appointed to represent the council on the Clutha River Board during the ensuinsr year, and it was decided to thank Mr Mitchell for his long service and good work accomplished. The council hoped that Mr Mitchell's experience would be still available. Mr Wm. Chalmers (Owaka "Valley) wrote drawing attention to the bad state of a portion of Morris's Saddle road. —To be attended to if labour is available. Mr Edward Moore (secretary of the South Otago Freezing Company, Ltd.) wrote stating that the publio road from the river the railway crossinar at Finesrand had encroached upon the company's property at Finegand to the extent of nearlv half a chain. It was the intention of the company to fence this off, but if the council desired to purchase it the company was willing to enter into negotiations. Christie moved: That a deputation of directors of tho company be invited to meet a deputation consisting of Crs North. Edwards, and Christie to consider the matter. —.A creed to. Mr E. S. Wilson (Puerua) and five other ratepayers drew attention to the state of the road on Wilson's Hill, a nart of the road being impassable; also the nvnulca growing on the road at Puerua Vallev onnosito Brown's and Dent's.—Held over till next meeting. Mr F. W. Connel (clerk, .Kairanga County Council) forwarded a. motion passed bv his council that the Government be -isked to reduce the freights on cement, tar. bitumen. and other bridge buildinc materials to the public bodies. —It was decVWl to snnnort the nror>o«"l. Mr John F. Walsh (clerk. Baiclutha Borough Council) wrote drawmor attention to loose planks on tho footbridco attached to tho traffic bridpre over the Clutha River Tt was decided to renew the offer made a few vears aero, that tho councM contribute 10 per cent, to the cost, the Bruce County r'oiincH 15 per cent..' and tho Baiclutha Borough Council 75 per cent.

Mr Erio Skinner (Waitapcka) wrote relativo to tho metalling of Whito Flat road, stating that tho settlers willing to cart metal would be ready about February 11. —: It was decided to accept tho offer. Mr George S. Wilson and four other Owaka settlers wrote offering to cart maintenance metal from tho quarry at M'Phee'a for tho purpose of repairing Catherwood'fl road, Katea, provided tho council would supply tho metal and spread same.—Request granted. Mr Robert Sadd (Commissioner of Crown Lands-) wroto with reference to rates on section 58a, Conical Hills Settlement. The lessee of the property was on active servico, and tho property had been let for grazing. It was tho writer's desire that tho rates be remitted till March 31, 1918, and also that only a portion bo charged from that dato until tho soldier's return.— It was decided to write off the rates to March 31, but the council could not see ita way to grant anything further.