CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3429, 2 December 1919, Page 8

CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

ANNUAL MEETING.

The annual ' meeting of the above was held on Wednesday; present—Crs T. Magmness, Ai, North, J. Cooper, A. M'lntyre, H. Morrison James Begg, John Christie, and H. E. Steel. . , The Clerk (Mr A. M'Donald) occupied the chair, and called for nominations for the position of chairman for the ensuing year. . Or Begg proposed and Cr Maginness seconded the nomination of Cr M'lntyre. Cr M'lntyre was unanimously elected. -ORDINARY MEETING.

The ordinary meeting of the council was held in the afternoon, the same members being present. An apology was received for the absence of Or Edwards. The Engineer (Mr John Ramsay) reported that 265 yards-of maintenance metal had been put down on Balclutha-Ronaahapa road, between Mr Downie's and Waitepeka; 72 yards metal for repairs to Clinton-Wai-pahi road from Steel's quarry; and 44yards from Irvine's quarry have been quarried and carted out and placed on the road by way of maintenance. One hundred yards maintenance metal had been put down on Clinton-Waipani road, between Pomahaka Riding boundary and Clinton township. Tenders were called for this work, but as none were received the work was being done by day labour. The metalling on Whitelea road was finished; 70 yards of metal had been put down where (required on To Houka road, and 10 yards on Morgan's road. About 250 yards of metal had been quarried in Hall's quarry, Popotunoa; about 600 yards in Gorbett's quarry, Waiwera; and' about 200 yards in Sneddan'a quarry. This metal will be carted out when teams were available. The Tahakopa Valley road had been graded and the worst holes filled with metal. Scrub-cutting had been done on the Kahuika-Houipapa road, near Papatupu Stream, and other parts of the road woidd ireteeive attention -when labour was available. The Kelso-Waikaka road had been graded, and three stone culverts had been replaced with 12in pipes. Grading and surfacing" were being carried out on various roads throughout the county. The new concrete bridge on the Ashley Dowhs-Taumata road had been completed. The bridge near Mr Brown's, on the Clin-ton-Pomahaka road, had sunk down about 6in at one end. The bridge was now unsafe for heavy traffic ,and notices had been posted on the bridge to that effect. A new bridge over the Purakauiti Stream was being erected. In company with Mr Baker, of tho Public Works Department, and Mr Edie, of the Tuapeka County, an examination was mado of the Pomahaka River at Kelso, where enoroachment is threatened. Mr Monk, of the Publio Works Department, inspected the Waikoikoi Cemetery road formation, also Kelso-Waikaka road, these roads being done under Government grants, the latter on a £ for £ basis. •> -,,-,•' Report of Bridges in Clydevale Riding.—The bridge on Burke's Ford-Tuapeka Mouth road, near Wharetoa School, required to be renewed. The cost for new bridge would be £210; also one on the same road over Washpool Creek, oost £240. The bridge on Benny's road over Washpool Creek required to bo renewed, co3t £360. Benny's bridge, near tho homoßtead, was beyond repair, and required to be renewed, as it wastsafo only for light traffic The bridge on Camp Hill

road ,near Mr Miller's woolshed, required! six new piles and new sheeting, and the cost of repairs would! not exceed £6O. The bridge over Sandy Creek, near Tuapeka Mouth, was not safe for heavy traffio, the stone walls showing signs of shifting near the base, and he estimated the cost of bridge at £IBO. The bridge near the Clydevale dairy factory, required renewing at a cost of £2OO, and another bridge on tne same road, near Mr Butter's homestead, at a cost of £195. The bridge on Upper Bridge road over Washpool Creek had been strengthened with the new main beams and the repairing of the abutments; the bridge was not in good repair, but would meet all the requirements for at least two years. The cost of a new bridge will be £265. — Total cost, £1625. It was resolved, on the motion of Crs Cumming and Christie, that the engineer be empowered to get a bridge foreman at the best terms possible. The Engineer stated, in regard to the Waipahi bridge, that it would be an easy matter to make use of the present decking as boxing, and considerable expense would be Cumming said it was a very much cheaper proposition to do this, and make it a permanent job. —It was resolved that the engineer's recommendation be agreed to. On the motion of Cr Cumming, seconded by Cr Begg, it was resolved that the engineer be authorised to have 80 to 100 yards of maintenance gravel put on Gore-'Koi road. The report was adopted The tender of H. O. Chittock, at 9s 6d per cubic yard, for metalling the Gore-'Koi road near Spittle's property was accepted. The letting of contract No. 726, Gore'Koi road, was held over. The tender of A. Macintosh, Kelso, at 7s per cubio yard, for gravelling Seddon road from Quinn's to Crump's gate -was accepted. The Hon. W. F. Massey wrote notifying that the eo moil's representations with reference to war charge on metal consigned to local bodies had been noted. —Received. The Hon. W. Fraser, Minister of Publio Works, wrote stating that the application for a grant of, £2OO (£ for £) for gravelling Eart of the Waikaka-Waikoikoi road had een received too late to be placed on the Supplementary Estimates; also the application for £IOO to reform the road leading to section 3, block IH, Woodland S.D.— Received. * Tha district engineer. Public Works Department, wrote stating that he had > inspected the erosion of the Pomahaka River at Kelso. A certain amount of protective work was necessary, and the matter should be taken up bv the settlers or the local bodies concerned, and a comprehensive survey of the locality made.—Received. Tho Otago Hospital and Charitable Aid Board forwarded an account for £3569 13s 6d, levy for year ended March 31, 1920. — Received. Chas. Hay, Owaka. wrote asking if the oounoil would allow him anything for cutting 12 chains of scrub on the roadline. — Resolved to allow 5s per chain.

John R. Roy and W. J. Mitchell, Wairuna, wrote asking permission tfo run a private telephone line along, roads between their residences, and the main telegraph lines. —Granted.

Thos. Potter, Greenvale, wrote drawing attention to tile bad state of tho road lead-

ing from Mr' M'Gillivray's corner to lr.fi place.—To be attended to. Christie and Begg were granted permission to lay down a tramway on the road from their sawmill, aloncr the Puralkanui Stream road to the northern boundary of section 18, thence across the Long Point road, for conveying timber to mill. J. H. Lewin, Clinton, wrote- asking the council to do something to the ClimtonOwafca road 1 , especially that part of it from the ford at Mr J. Stewart's gate on for about two miles through his property.—Resolved that the new grader be put on road attended to. Isaac Smith, Balclutha, was granted permission to transfer contract for metalling on the Owaka-Purekireki road, to Duncan M'Eaehern, of Glenomaru. Maoalister Bros., solicitors, Invercargill, wrote stating that a proclamation constituting the Southland electric power district had been gazetted. The district included parts of the counties of Tuapeka and Clutha, forming a . combined district, of which Tuapeka County Council was the principal local authority, and the returning officer of Tuapeka County Council would be returning officer of the combined district. The first election had been fixed for Saturday, December 20, and it would be the duty of the clerks of the Clutha and Tuapeka Coumty Councils to prepare the electors' roll for the "part of their respective counties included in the electric power district. —Received. The Secretary, Otago Expansion League, wrote asking for the council's promised donation of £IOO to the Hydro-electrio Committee. —Resolved that the money be paid. The District Engineer. Public Works Department, wrote asking the council to lodge at the bank_ their quota of £125 for the Owaka to Catlins River Bridge road grant. —Held over. The manager, South Otago Freezing Company, wrote in regard to the Puerua bridge, stating that under the circumstances the company would supply the timber required for repairs free of charge. The company could also lend carpenters and labourers for the work if the council was short of labour. —On the motion of Cr Christie it was resolved that the offer be* accepted._ and that the company be thanked for their offer. The same writer's offer of «£lO for two discarded punts at Clydevale was accepted. In regard to a road roller and tractor, Or Maginness moved that the matter be referred to the Finance and Works Committee to go into the matter, make inquiries, and recommend Jo next meeting.—Carried. The engineer's comprehensive report and recommendations submitted to last meeting came up for discussion. Cr Begg said that it was an easv matter to expend £40,000 or £50,000 on county works. They had a fixed income, and the expense should be within the resources at the disposal of the county. Cr Christie said the urgent matter was that of getting an amount for bridges. He moved that the matter be held over and gone into with a view to raising an extensive loan for bridges throughout the countv. Cr North considered that the report was of very great value as far as it had gone, and showed the ratepayers their bridge position and the expense of putting them in order. ... , Cr Steel -said that the condition of the bridges in his riding was bad, and unless the council as a whole were going in for a loan he would have to call his ratepayers

together and go into the matter of raising a loan for bridges in his riding to make them safe for traffic Cr Maginness complimented the engineer on his report. In his riding he was putting in nothing but concrete for bridges. It was hardly possible to carry out all the recommendations of. the engineer, but the information would undoubtedly prove valuable later on. ' V • Cr Begg said he considered that the engineer ought to be thanked for his valuable report on the bridges, but in regard to the roads he considered the expense should be within the income of the council. He moved that the matter of raising a loan for all the bridges in the county be referred to the Finance and Works Committee to report at next by Cr Christie, and carried.

The Finance and Works Committee reported in regard to the wages of county surfacemen, recommending that they be increased to 12s per day. . The following committees were appointed : Works— Crs North (chairman), Edwards, and Cooper; Begg (chairman), Christie, and Morrison. It was resolved, on the motion of Or North, that the engineer be authorised to put on new weatherboards and spouting and supply paint for the surfaceman's cottage at Port Molyneux, the surfaceman to do the painting himself, and the expense to be charged to the Port Molyneux account. Cr Christie, referring to the soil moved from the road at Mr Morris's by the Otanomomo Road Board, stated that the place had been inspected, and that the report made by the engineer at last meeting regarding the damage done was really underestimated. He moved that, in view of the serious damage done already, the Otanomomo Road Board be notified that the action cease, and that as far as possible the road be repaired.—Cr North endorsed what Cr Christie had said. A reflection had been cast upon the engineer. The board had left the road in a disgraceful state, and he thought that as far as possible the board should be asked to repair the damage it had done. He seconded the motion, which was carried. . ' It was resolved that applications be called for the positions of dog tax collectors, at the same remuneration as last year, and that dog taxes be the same price as usual. The next meeting was fixed for Friday, December 19.