WALLACE COUNTY COUNCIL

Southland Times, Issue 17661, 19 February 1916, Page 8

WALLACE COUNTY COUNCIL

The monthly meeting was held at Otautan yesterday, there being present: Grs. Linscott (chairman), Cody, Elynn, McGregor, Dyer, Clark, Findlay, Buckingham and Horrcll. —Correspondence.— A letter from the I'nrtcr-Secretary of Public Works Department, Wellington, re Ermedale settlement about request lor Dot) grant for top dressing, etc., the roads of the above settlement. The application cannot be granted as it was not on the current financial year's appropriations, and consequently it was regretted that the Council’s application could not he agreed to. — Received. A petition from Messrs H. D. Norman, A. McEwan, W. Arthur and M. Cavanagh complaining about the had state of the road leading into the Tuatapere dairy factory from the main Clit'den-Papato-tara mad, and asking that same he attended to.—Being attended to.

A letter from D. Me Lennon, Mossburn, requesting that the £"SO grant for a bridge over the Jacob's river at Dunrobin be applied for, and the work carried out as the weather is good just now, and the work is urgently needed.— Writer to he informed that so far no intimation had been received from the Department regarding a grant, hut when same is notified the matter would receive immediate attention. I.otter from Geo. Beaton, Waimotu, requesting that a road be opened along the west side of section 24, block 3. Alton Survey District, as the said road would give a direct outlet to the main road to Tuatapere for himself and other settlers besides shortenings the existing distance by two miles. — Left in the hands of the engineer and the member for the riding to look into. Letter from J. B. McLean, Thornbury, re dispute with Mr McKay. Mr McLean is willing to act as requested for the Council as arbitrator in the settling of the dispute.—Received. Letter from Commissioner of Public Works Department re proposed Drummond district, asking that the chairman of the Council or a representative be present at a sitting of the Commission in Messrs Macalister Bros’ office, Invercargill, on Tuesday, Ist February, 1918, at 2.30 p.m.—The clerk stated that under the direction of the chairman he had notified that the Council had no wish to be represented.

Letter from the Under-Secretary of Public Works Department, Wellington, enclosing a copy of objections from Messrs Peter, Donald, junr., and Donald senr. and Robert Sinclair, Nightcaps, against the Council to the taking of land through their property to make a road. The Secretary asks for the remarks of the Council on ttve matter for the inislcr’s information. —Cr. Cody mentioned the steps already taken, and was of opinion that the facts were contrary to the truth. On the motion of Cr. Cody it was decided that a letter be drafted to the Minister setting out the full and correct particulars. Voucher from the Collector of Customs, Dunediu, showing the quantity of gold for December for Wallace to be 26 ounces.—Received.

Letter from Robert Young, Waimatuku, requesting permission to fence off five to six chains of road line running between his property and the Waima'tuku railway station, as the road is not used by anyone, and is getting in a very dirty state with weeds. Mr Young will grub the gorse and keep all the weeds down. —Held over.

Letter from Mr G. M. Massing, Feldwick, re the proposed Wrights BushDrummond railway. Mr Massing says some 16 yettucs ago a meeting of settlers ■was held at Drummond and at Heddon Bush with ffce object of urging the Government to construct a railway from Wrights Bush to Meddon Bush. There was a petition drawn up and numerously signed. The settlers agreed to give gratis all the land required for the construction. Mr Mali Jones, the Minister for Public Works, then visited the district, and stated that seeing as two lines already built ran parallel with the proposed route, and no place in between was more than seven to eight miles from the railway being built The settlers of the Meddon Bush, Winton, Oreti, South Hillend, and Nightcaps then formed a League, of which the writer was president for seven years. This League petitioned the Government for a railway from Winton to Meddon Bush. Sir Jos. Ward, Minister of Hallways, then visited the locality, and stated at a public meeting held in the Meddon Bush school to give his support. In the session of Dll, £IU,OOO was authorised for the construction. This was reduced to £BOOO tn 1911'. However, local differences of opinion as to the route have been settled the work is being hold up. Mr Massing goes on to point out that if the Winton line is gone on with it will eventually pass through Wairio, Ohai, Birchwood, Otahu. and finally right through to the beautiful lakes Mcmapouri ami Te Anau. The writer asks that the Council give its support in favour of the Winton line and support, it strenuously.—Cr. Buckingham moved that the letter lie taken read. It was pretty lengthy. It could be laid on the table for the information of members if they wished to read it. Cr Cody thought the letter snottld tie read in justice to the opinions of a man of Mr Gassing's stamp, who had considerable to do with the agitation at Meddon I Pish for the railway. Cr. i'indhiy seconded. Cr. Clarke wished to know if l'.’ey were going to discuss the tiros and cons of this railway. Ge thonget ihai they had decided at last meeting to have nothing to do with these railways. Cr. Ihirkiingham, in reply, to Cr. Cody, said that they would be wasting time to read the letter. The writer might not be a man of many ■Words, hut he was a man of many letters.- -The motion was earned, and the letter was la ill on the table.

i.'.-ti- r from W. L. Ilrotberston, turns, den, inforrnins the Council of his intention to fence sections ts, !>, and 12, block 5. 1 loimsdalc, and offerin'? -/•; rental for section 11. Cis '.veil as clearinft it anrl ploißiiiimt out a bad rabbit burrow.— Ib-li! over. inner from O. CL ITLntz, Lnaltine, fo:::iil,i ininy about the state of the road leadin'.;' to bis |iro;ierty, anil asking tlie < *o 11: i e j I to mnpily it ’.voile Uio ,;;ood w.-at' .-r is on. .Matter to -lie attended to v.bcn tlie surfaceman was available. hotter from 11. Spear, (,'oluij hay. secretary of tin Colne hay-Loimd Hill Hoad Committee, askiny that the road to Kound Hill be made yood for traffic before the winter conies on. It requires 1". ciia ins of d.tehinn through tin; birch bnsli, and seven chains road formation and Iti'in- attended to, I ,et ‘ 'r from Thos. .McKay, iMossburn, askiity to In- allowed to pait. a motor shed on the side of the road so as not to interfere with tim truffle, as the bridge is too narrow to allow the car to cross. — 1; or|nest i;ranted at th.e pleasure of the i 'oimcil. Letter from .1. 11. Lirh.iev. otaitai. dtav.inr; titiention to the bad stale of C e road leading to his properly, and uskiny that som'thiny be done to improve it and make it. fit for traffic.—The member for the riding and tlie engineer to look into the matter when in the district. Letter from Havis, Keblwiek, yivin~ Ids ran trees' report for January.— Received. .'•.'•tier Coin ,\. If. I Ley, I’alda. requests nine chains of formation on the road hsidiiiy past his place. .Mr (Ley tenders to do the work for lr, - a chain to the satisfaction of the enyim-er.— Offer accepted. I ■ e l l l ■. ■ trojn L. Loldfafe. Otaitai. eomphdnina about ;i, . • stale of a ditch runnine, to ids boundary, and requesliny tlie Conneil to inform Li. lianiels to clean it out. Tins apidiea.tion is made under the It'll Act. —The member for the ridiny and tlie ensincer to attend to tlie matter. Letter from .Mary V. chamberlain, Wreys hush, with application to deepen drain through swamp at south-west corner of section it:;:;, Wairio Survey

District to south boundary. Length of drain M chains, width, 3 feet Ito in. bottom. —Map to accompany the application before any steps could be taken. Application from Mary V. Chamberlain to the Council lo deepen u drain running through section 42, Wairio Survey District, and running through Messrs Denis and Michael Murphy’s land. —Map to be sent in before application could he dealt with. Letter from W. C. Harrison, Colac Bay, requesting that the west end of Drury street he attended to and repaired. —Request to he aeceeded to. Letter from Annie Henderson, Waiau Riiiing, asking for an outlet to her properly as the existing road is in a bad state. —To be attended to by the member for the riding and the engineer. Letter from the cleric, Otautan Town Board, intimating that at a meeting of the Town Board the County engineer’s letter of 22nd January was received. — Letter received. Letter from Albert Smith, Wainmlukn, asking permission to plough road-side iff front of sections 1 and 10, and 13 and 2S, block XIV., and sections 2 and 7, and 9 and 24, block XV., Waimatuku. — Application granted subject to the usual conditions. Letter from Mr A. Peterson. Invercargill, agent for “Wizarde” Lighting Company, and enclosing quote for two kinds of road lamps of the above make. Received. A list of persons in receipt of Charitable Aid in Wallace was laid on the table. An opinion rc the rating of Nightcaps railway, was received from the solicitor of the Counties Association, and was laid on the table. H was decided to accept a grant of £l9O for Taunoa block road, Longwood Survey District, made by the Minister [through Mr J. C. Thomson, M.P. W. J. Boggs, Eastern Bush, wrote that owing to ill-health he could not proceed with his contract, and asked that his deposit be returned. —Resolved that the contract be rc-advertised and the deposit forfeited. Dog Tax Collectors were appointed as follows: —J. Dixon for Nightcaps township, J. Ramsay for Wairio riding, W. H. Hirst for Orepuki riding, and W. McClymont for Waimatuku and Pourakino ridings. Accounts amounting to £2300 17s 3d were passed for payment. An application by Jno. Stevens, Wild Bush, to put a gate on roadline in his vicinity was granted, subject to his paying tlic expenses incurred.

—Engineer’s Report.— The engineer’s report was as follows; Since last meeting road contract work has progressed as well as can be expected. Regarding the approach to the Tuatapere saleyards, Crs Horrell and Findlay have agreed to pay half cost each up to a total of £2O for the work, provided it is done to the Council’s satisfaction. Cr. Findlay and myself inspected the ditches on the Lilburn road fronting Mr Klngsland’s property, and it was agreed that the Council would pay half cost up to £2 of cleaning and deepening about 12 chains of ditch just above Mr Kingsland’s homestead. On February Btfa, assessors acting for the Council met re dispute as to amount of royalty to be charged on Jacob’s River gravel coming through part of the property of Mr F. McKay’s. After calling in the services of an umpire the amount of 2% per cubic yard was decided on, Mr McKay to be paid on this basis for last year’s gravel, and the agreement to hold good for five years from date or until such time as Mr McKay disposes of his property, if under that period. Cr. Clark with directors of the Aparima Dairy Factory then agreed with Mr McKay that people taking gravel for their own use could do so on these terras. The Wairaki bridge is completed, and a contract has been let for the approaches. The bridge gang is now working at the Grassy Creek bridge. The Flaxy Creek bridge at Mossburn will bo completed this week, and the approaches will be gone on with as soon as the concrete wing walls are sufficiently set —Adopted. It was decided that 10 per cent, he added to all rates not paid before 2Tth March, 1919. Cr. Findlay said that since the beginning of the war lie had thought they should have conscription of men and money. He thought all the councillors were in favour of conscription, and if you went outside 99 per cent, of the men favoured conscription, and lie had not yet met a woman who was not an ardent supporter of conscription. He moved that the following motion he forwarded to the Minister through the member for the district: —“That the Government be strongly urged to bring clown a scheme | of conscription of all men and money necessary for us, to take our duo share in this war.’’ It was decided to take drastic measures with a contractor who had not completed his contract on the Birch-wood-Ohal road. The Council then adjourned.