MANIOTOTO COUNTY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3882, 7 August 1928, Page 51

MANIOTOTO COUNTY.

(From Our Owx Correspondent.) The monthly meeting of the Maniototo County Council was held at Naseby on Wednesday last, when there were present: The county chairman (Cr P. Bleach), Crs N. Nicolson, E. Morgan. 11. W. Davis T. A. Lewis, R. Scott, T. Hall. T. Ramsay’ and P. Aitken. The chairman reported on the conference at AVellington, when, with one small exception, all the council’s remits were passed in the Counties’ Conference. With the clerk, he had also waited upon the Minister of Lands with reference to the rubbish dump at Ranfurly, and also upon the Under-secretary of the Public Works Department, with reference to the application of traffic regulations, and in each case they had been well received and had reached a satisfactory arrangement, lie also desired to thank Cr Scott for his very ready assistance whilst in AVellington, as his help had been invaluable. A vote of thanks was passed to the chairman for his report, and representations in Wellington. llie engineer’s report was read and adopted.

The chairman stated he had inspected the portion of road which Cr Aitken had asked to have slightly deviated, and fully approved of the suggestion made. It would be a benefit to the road and traffic and would make a considerable improvement.

Cr Aitken’s application to alter "a fence line was granted, subject to the pleasure of the council.

The chairman congratulated Cr Hall on the erection of Hall’s bridge, for which he had battled for many years. Cr Aitken suggested that as Cr Hall and Mr AVeir were contributing very largely to the cost, it should be called the HallWeir bridge, and this was agreed to. The poundkeeper reported that 16 head of cattle had been impounded and six cattle and seven horses seized and released before impounding, the total fees amounting to £53 4s.

The Postmaster-general wrote that owing to the cost of erecting a windmill and connecting with the drainage system, he could not recommend payment of any contribution towards the cost of a drainage .system in Ranfurly with which the Post Office was connected. The Government might not pay rates, but it contributed by way of subsidj’ on rates collected.—Received.

The Director-general of the Department of Agriculture notified the gazetting of the special order passed by the council declaring gorse not to be a noxious weed in the county.—Received. The New Zealand Counties’ Association forwarded a legal opinion regarding motor drivers’ licenses, and the liability of the local authority in case oi accident.—Received.

The Town Clerk, Dunedin, wrote that in future a charge of 5 per cent, would be made for the collection and distribution of heavy traffic licenses. The health inspector recommended the appointment of trustees for the Giimnerbnrn Cemetery, and the following appointments were made:—Messrs J. Scott, sen., J. M’Leod, W. C. Davis, W. Blakeley, G. J. Paterson, and J. Scott, jun. The inspector of health submitted reports on cases of typhoid fever. —The councillors expressed pleasure at the work being done by the inspector in investigating the trouble. The same officer also reported on another infectious case. In discussing these reports mention was niade that doctors did not always report to the local authority at once. Notification was due to both the local authority and the health department in cases of notifiable infectious diseases, and it was desirable that this should be : done promptly. The Treasury forwarded a copy gazette notice fixing the rate of interest in Ran l furly drainage loan. Mr R. Scott submitted a letter from the Minister of Mines concerning .Garibaldi Dam, and stating that £2OO had been placed- on the estimates for repairs to this work, and that on receipt of advice from the inspector of mines, and when plans and specifications - had been approved, formal authority would be issued.—Received.—The chairman referred to the part taken by Gr Scott in connection with this work, for which a free grant of £2OO had now been made.

He had carefully negotiated this matter with steady persistance to the council’s advantage, and the thanks of the council and settlers were due to Cr Scott for his ready assistance in such matters like these.—Crs Nicolson and Aitken also added their support and thanks, in which the councillors concurred.—Cr Scott replied briefly, that though he might not always be at county meetings when Parliament was sitting, he endeavoured always to give first attention to the county matters submitted to AA’ellington. In this case he had been assisted by Mr J. Bitchener, but when the chairman was i?- A Y cllington wns unfortunate that Mr Bitchener was indisposed by an accident. It was decided to send a letter of K pa thy to Mr Bitchener expressing r , 3 for a speedy recovery. The Commissioner of Crown Lands wrote asking for payment of £lO 10s, being survey fee in connection with the Ranfurly rubbish depot for sanitary service. It was noticed that the land would shortly be vested in the council.—Payment of amount was passed. Mr T. J. Pauley wrote asking that as the Land Board had granted the adjoin'ng A ec , tio1 ? t 0 Mr Waldron, the road should be kept open to give access. He also asked for gates to be put in.—The matter was deferred for further information, and Cr Nicolson was asked to see into the matter.

A circular letter from the Otago Expansion League, which was reprinted troni the Southland League’s proposals subsidy for the South Isiand-Australia services, was discussed, but though sympathetic, the council desired further information before expressing an opinion. The chairman and Cr Lewis reported having inspected the AA’edderburn bridge side with the engineer and Mr Lothian, m reference to the latter's claim for extras.—After considerable discussion, it was agreed to pay Mr Lothian £lB in lull settlement of all claims. ’ The chairman reported there was some difficulty in driving stock through the Waipiata township to the salevards—The matter was left in the hands of the chairman and the engineer to ascertain the best method of dealing with the matter.

Cr Nicolson reported upon a small but bad piece of road which require* gravelling on the Oturehua-Blackstone Hill road.—This was left in the hands of the engineer.

On the motion of Cr Davis it was agreed that the engineer should prepare plans and specifications for repairs at the Garibaldi dam.

Cr Morgan drew attention to the condition of culverts which had been placed across roads in connection with irrigation races. Some of these were too high —lt was resolved that the Public "Works Department should be asked to carry out this work to the satisfaction of the council s engineer. Cr Scott drew attention to the growth ot gorse planted as a hedge and then spreading to unplanted land and roads, and asked who was liable for clearing roads in such cases. He moved that the council should obtain advice as to the liability of property holders to clear half ot the road of gorse, brocni, or other hedge plants (not noxious weeds) when they had never sown such, but which had spread over the road from property on the opposite side of the road, where such gorse, broom or hedge was sown. It was decided to call for tenders for uOO cubic yards of metal from Pennyweight Gully for Oturehua main street'. lhe arrangements for the preparation ot the Ranfurly rubbish dump was left in the hands of the chairman, Cr Davis and the engineer. On the motion of Cr Hall, seconded by Cr Ramsay, it was agreed that 150 yards of metalling should be carried out on the Main Highway No. 5, WaipiataPaerau road, as recommended by the engineer, and that the owner of the adjoining property be requested to cut back trees which were shading the road. The engineer reported, a request from an owner to have a gate removed from across the roadway to give him access to his property. He asked that the gate should be left open. The opposite owner had been requested to provide access but apparently had declined even to leave the gate unfastened.—A resolution was passed that the owner be called upon to remove the gate from the roadway at once.

Notice was given to strike a general rate of Ijd and a hospital rate of 4d in the £ on capital value in each riding An amendment to reduce the rate in Gimmerburn and Puketoi Ridings was lost.

The engineer submitted a tender for repairs to the pound house, and it was agreed to have the work carried out Accounts totalling £B9l 16s Id were passed for payment. Following the ordinary meeting a special meeting was held for the purpose of passing a special order making a bylaw so as to provide for parking places tor motor cars, and restricting the speed limit within the township of Ranfurly.