CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3442, 2 March 1920, Page 23

CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Clutha County Council was held on Friday, when there were present—Mr Alex. MTntyre (chairman), Crs A. North, J. Cooper, T. Maginness, H. Morrison, John Edwards, H. E. Steel, James Cummins, and James Begg. ' . •„ • The Clerk reported that the receipts for the period were as follow : —Kates. £5261 10s sd; motor registration, £6; drivers licences, £3 15s; dog tax receipts, 7s 6d; deposits, £2O; land fund, £Bl 12s sd; subsidy on rates, £IOOS 7s 6d; slaughtering license, 10s; peace celebrations, £46 18s 8d; sale of by-laws, 2s; pontoons, Clydevale ferry, £lO. The expenditure -was as follows .---Grants, £671 15s 3d; bridges and ferries, £132 19s 8d; land fund, £125; Port Molyneux reserve, £l9 15s 6d; loans, £sl 4s 8d; general, £2BIO 3s lid; total, £3BIO 19s. The Clerk reported that the tobal rate struck for 1916-17 amounted to £14,358 6s 6d. Of that amount £14,267 14s Id was collected, leaving £SO 12s 4d outstanding, which it was agreed to wipe off. The amount of the uncollected general rate was £73 7s 3d, made up as follows:—Catlins, £4 8s 8d; Maclennan, £4B 17s sd; Clinton, £1 Is lOd; Clydevale, nil; Clutha, lis 7d; Glonkenich, 3s 6d; Pomahaka, nil; Richardson, £3 3s 7d; South Molyneux, £8 3s 4d; Waipahi,, £6 17s 4d. The uncollected, special rates were : —Hosoital and charitable rate, £l4 16s 8d; Richardson special, 15s lid; Otanomomo, £1 12s 6d. The Engineer (Mr J. Ramsay) reported as follows for the period:—Metalling; Contract 625. Purekireki-Owaka road, has been completed in accordance with the specifications. The metalling at Lochindorb homestead had been completed. . Gore to Waikoikoi, 80 chains; Barr's road, Clydevale, 86 chains; Mosley's road, Clydevale, _bi chains; Pomahaka Downs road, 24 chains. Fair progress is being- made with the metal-ling-on Balclutha road, also the gravelling between Waiwera Stream and the Mam South road. Maintenance metal: Fortyfour yards from Steel's and 33 yards from Irvine's quarries had been carted and put down on Clinton-Waipahi road. lhe gradino- of Main South road between Gillespie's' . and Willowburn had been completed, likewise that of road between Livingstone's and Jeff's. . Bridges.: The new concrete bridge at Nelson a, Owaka had been completed, also the bridge at Maider's, Kaihiku. The. bridges on Kaihiku School road and Waiwera-Kaihiku road had been re decked and repaired. Iho bridge over the Purakauiti Stream was unsafe for traffic and would require to be renewed.—The report was adopted.

COKEESPONDENCE. Th*. Commissioner of Crown Lands wrote giving permission for the erection of a suitable monument to fallen soldiers on section 41, block I, Fomahaka survey district, provided the section is securely fenced in and that the purpose for which the section was reserved—namely, a resting place for travelling stock—will not be interfered with.—Received. Tho Superintendent, State Advances Office, forwarded a form of application for loan money to metal a portion of the 01m-ton-Owaka road.—lt was- decided to apply for £IOCO. „ . The Secretary, Otago Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, forwarded account for balance of levey, £594 18s 10d—It was agreed to pay the two monthly levies as asked. The Valuer-general, Wellington, forwarded an account amounting to £B6 5s for revising valuation roll for year 1919-20 Passed for payment. The Secretary, Marine Wellington, wrote asking for three copies of the council's accounts in respect of the Olutha River for the years ending March. 1918, and March, 1919.—Referred to the River Board! The President of the Feilding A. and P. Association, and the chairman of the Feilding branch of the Farmers Union, forwarded the resolutions carried at a public meeting at Feilding asking the Government to impress upon the Imperial Government the necessity of lifting the meat from the stores and to announce its policy with regard to the position _ after June, and that a commission comprising Messrs Poison, Burrell, and Jones be sent Home for the purpose of assisting the Government to solve tha question of the disposal of the meat.—Referred to Farmers' Union.

Mr 0. Campbell, secretary of the Southland Electric Power Board, wrote stating that it was intended to have a poll of ratepayers of the Southland electric power district with regard to loan proposals. He proposed to appoint the county clerk tho chief deputy returning officer for the district, of Clutha. He asked for copies of the electoral roll as early as possible.— Received. / Mr L. Rae, on behalf of the Tarara Road Committee, forwarded a petition addressed to the -Minister of Public Works, Wellington, which the council was asked to send on if it approved of' it. The petition was signed by 36 ratepayers of Maclennan Riding, and it asked that a sum be placed on the Estimates to finish Puaho road to Maclennan railway station, and to widari and metal the main road from Catlins River bridge to the junction of the Puaho road, and thence by that road to-the Maclennan railway station.—To be sent on. to the Minister.

The Town Cleric of tho Borough of Balolutha wrote asking the County- Councit to co-operate with the Borough Council on the occasion of tho visit of the Prince of Wale 3 to Balclutha. —Agreed to. Alox. Houliston, George Carruthers C W. Melton, and W. Miller (Taumata) wrote asking the council to open ud tho road between J. W. Roberts's and H. Sanson's, and continue it on to C. Melton's, so as to give _ access to their properties.—Left to the chairman, the member for the riding-, and the engineer to attend to.

W. M'Phee, secretary Katea Boad League, forwarded a petition signed by 21 ratepayers requesting the council to make a ford over tho Chvaka B.ivor at Horan's bridge, in order to grot the thrashing machine into the district. —Left to the engineer and the member for the riding. Andrew Sharnc, sawmiller, Tawonul, applied for a tramway right from Stuart's siding along the road towards Maclennan for. the distance of about a quarter of a mile.—Agreed to. It was decided that 10 per cent, be added to all unpaid rates. It was agreed to hold the next mooting on April 9. Cr Cooper moved and Or Maginnees seconded, and it waa carried, .that the offer Of the Government to provide a grant of £2OO (£ for £) to > complete the metalling on, the road, Catlina bridge to Houipapa, t»'aocepted."

It was decided to request the South Otago Freezing Company to repair the Cheet-wood-Otanomomo road, which had been badly cut up by the cartage of heavy logs on a swamp road.