WAIKOUAITI COUNTY COUNCIL

Otago Witness, Issue 3655, 1 April 1924, Page 17

WAIKOUAITI COUNTY COUNCIL

The monthly meeting of the Waikouaiti County Council was held at Waikouaiti on Friday, present: Councillors C. A. M‘Lachlan (chairman), P. Briscoe, E. Laley, G. Gilmore, J. Preston, and A. Heckler. The following reports of the inspector (Mr T. Lang) were approved:— Hawksfcury Riding.—The gravelling contract on Mill road and Naukivell’s road is now finished, 403 yards of gravel having been spread on the road. These roads, as well as the River road and the lower end of Mount Watkins road, have been graded, except where the water-tables were full of gorse. About 100 yards of gravel are required for the River road and the bottom of Moimt Watkins road. A subsidence on the Quarry road has been filled with rotten rock, but this road requires 100 yards of rock to put it in good order. The Main road has been graded from Waikouaiti nearly to Palmerston. The foundations of two stone piers of the Pleasant River bridge have been repaired with cement. As the river bed is scoured out between the centre piers, it would be advisable to cut another channel between the next piers. Merton Riding.—Water-tables have been ploughed and cleaned out on the Main road from the water trough down the hill towards Evansdale, and pot-holes have been filled on the level portion of the road, also on the flat near Corner Bush. A pipe culvert has been put in on Allan’s road, ditches cleaned out and the ford improved. A few days’ surfacing have been done on Crossan’s road. The road from Kaitoa to the river has been graded, and it is now being gravelled. .Blueskiri Riding.—Millar’s road has been surfaced throughout and a culvert renewed. Wetherstone’s ford has been put in good order and a culvert on the Cemetery road has been opened up and repaired. Metal has been raked in and blinded on the Main rood between Waitati an Evansdale. The metalling contract on Hayward Point road is making fair progress, half of the metal having been quarried and broken. The road at Waitati Flat near Leydon’s is badlv rutted, but a few days’ carting of gravel would improve it.. Norht-East Valley Riding.—Half of a large oulvert on the Waitati-Wakari road has been renewed. Portion of the road above Burns’s bridge, which had sunk, has been filled up with metal. Metal has also been quarried and carted to some bad holes lower down the road. About 30 tons of metal has been spread on Reservoir road, and 40 tons on Main road at Sawyer's Bay, and rotten rook was first spread over the road before laying down the metal. A start has been made in surfacing and metalling the Boundary road. Metal is being broken to fill holes on the Main road at Mount CJargill and a portion of the road has been blinded.

The Ranger reported that during the month he had impounded 47 head of cattle and six horses found wandering at large in the various ridings.—'l he report was re c-eived. Mr John Graham, of Hendon, wrote stating that the Taieri County Council had agreed to spend £SO on the formation of a dray road from Section IV, Silver Peak District, to Lamb ill Homestead, a distance of about one mile and a-halt. As that amount would only cover the cost of about one-third of the work, he asked that the council grant £IOO towards the cost of the road, and that the money be spent under the supervision of the Taieri County Council’s engineer. The road was his only outlet, and did not connect with any other county roads.—Cr Gilmore said Mr Graham paid between £8 and £9 pel- venr in rates to the council, and it was true he had no outlet from his property. —Cr Briscoe said £IOO was out of the question.— It was decided to inform the applicant that the council would contribute one-fifth of the amount granted by the Taieri County Council up to £2O. The District Engineer of Railways (Dunedin) wrote stating that an application had been received from the Otago Motor Club for the provision of railway crossing signs at the Main road crossing north of Waikouaiti. As these would not be ereetpd on the Railway Department’s land, the proposal could only be carried out at tile request. of the local authority having control of tne road and on that body agreeing to maintain the sign. He asked that the council inform him as to its wishes. —Tho clerk was instructed to write asking for further information as to where the exact location of the signs would be, etc.

The Main Highways Board (Wellington) wrote asking for an assurance that the council would continue to maintain, on behalf of (he board, roads within the county preclaimed main roads, pending definite nr rangements for the delegation to the council of some or all of the powers cf the board in connection with the toads in question. The board also asked whether the council was prepared to contribute towards the maintenance of roads which it was suggested should be declared Government roads as well as main highways, on the basis of its present expenditure, leaving any further sum required to be made up from main highway funds. —It was decided to agree to maintain the road, and to contribute towards the cost of maintaining samw. Permission to erect a loading Lanic on the side of Factory road, Waitati, was sought by Mr E. S. Clarke, of Waitati. - The inspector . was instructed to report. With reference to the bridge over Reservoir road, Sawyers’ Bay, the Port Chalmers Borough Council wrote stating that the council was agreeable to provide the timDer for the decking and handrail for the proposed new bridge as suggested by the County Council. It was intended to supply the material, as far as practicable, from the timber of the temporary bridge, and the Works Committee had' been authorised to arrange details with the council’s representatives.—The letter was received.

The Port Chalmers Borough Council wrote asking the council to use its best endeavours to get the Oiinedin-Port Chalmers road proclaimed a main highway under tne Main Highways Act.—Cr Preston stated that the council had already applied for this section of the road in the Waikouaiti County to be proclaimed a main highway.— It was ctecided to reply to that effect. \n application for the erection of a drinking trough at the creek below Omimi station crossing was received from 11 ratepayers of SeaclifY.—lt was decided to reply stating that the ratepayers could erect the trough, but at their own expense. The Warrington Amenities Society wrote stating that in spite of the appointment of a ranger, cattle were still allowed to wander about Warrington township. It, asked that the council take measures to abate this nuisance, and suggested that the appointment of a ranger, resident in of near Warrington, would Drove more satisfactory than the present arrangement.—The letter was received. An application by Mr J. Parker, of Waitati, for a slaughterhouse licenso was granted. The Waikouaiti Borough Council wrote stating that the woik of repairing the footpath at the northern end of the borough had been left to the Works Coifhnittee to attend to. —Received. A complaint was received from iur J. Bouquet, of Mount Cargill, who stated tliat if the council insisted on < ’aiming the 10 per cent, penalty placed on his rates he would forward a letter to (he Wellington authorities. He pointed out that he had paid his rates regularly for the past 25 years, and that if they fell due before March 31 the clerk should have informed him.—The Clerk said Mw Bouquet had paid the money due on his rates, but had omitted to pay the penalty. He also owed 17s 5d on his rate 3 for last year, and the clerk uad informed him that unless he paid that amount he would be summoned.—The letter was received. xje County Ranger, Mr A. Donaldson, wrote asking for an increase in salary from £25 to £35 per year.—The application was refused. On the motion of Cr Briscoe, it waj decided to summons property owners and holders who had neglected to clear gorse and broom on road lines in compliance with legal notice sent to them. Cr Briscoe reported that the nlanks on the Waitati bridge were very loose, and cars crossing it could be heard a mile away. —The inspector was instructed to effect repairs. ® Accounts totalling £379 15s were passed for payment. SPECIAL MEETING. A special meeting was held at the conclusion of the council meeting to. consider new by-laws, and after discussion a draft as submitted, was approved of. supplying heat at the present rate for 1,G00,000,000 years. SAPON GUINEA POEM. A Cheque for £1 Is has been sent to the writer of this verse —Miss I. 11., 9 Rhoda terrace, Lyall Bay, Wellington: For washing clothes of any kind, It stands supreme, you’ll surely find, With dishes, floors, and woodwork, too, Sapon’s made for aiding you. Win a guinea I Prize poem published every Saturday. Best original four shortline advertisement verse about “Sapon” wins each w-eek. Sapon wrapper must be enclosed. Address: “Sapon” Washing Powder Competition, P.O. Box 771, Wellington. List of prize-winners, with full names, may be inspected on application.— 4.dvt.