WAIMEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12764, 4 February 1910, Page 4

WAIMEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of t,ho Waime Cmmty Council was held yesterday. Present — Crs. Best (chairman), Everett, Drummond, Hewetson, Macmahon, Alborough, and Hoult. FINANCE. The bank pass-book showed the following balances:— : . Dr.

Accounts totalling £885 5s 2d were passed for payment. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The county ; engineery (Mr. J. G. Littlejohn), in, his monthly report, among other matters, stated : — Wangoinoa: The ' Chairman, Cr. Alborough and the Engineer inspected Oldham's creek as directed. The Chairman and Engineer favoured the bridge being put in the centre of the traffic way, and that it be nofc less than 22tb wide. ( ' Cr. Alborough favoured a narrower bridge on the side of tho road, in deference to the wishes of some of the ratepayers, who do not wish to see the ford done away with. Mr. Oldham had agreed to give whatever land was necessary for a fordway- if the bridge was put in the centre of the road. Stoke : A start had beea made on repairs to the Rocks Road wall. Wai-iti : A start had been made withHoult's Valley bridge, and them repairs at Quail Valley ford had been atttended to. It is proposed to put the gang on 88 and Quail Valley roads during the month. A bridge in Hoult's Valley required immediate attention, and as the work is likely to cost a good deal he desired the Council's instruction. Wangapeka: Mr. S. Wells wrote to say that the ditch in connection with which he threatens the Council is the ditch alongside the road, which he himself filled up under instruction from the Resident Engineer. He had no right to use the road ditch for, tlie drainage of his land, and it' is open to him to cut a ditch inside his own fence if he requires one. . The Chairman, Or. Drummond, arid the Engineer' inspected the Tadmor footbridge as directed. They recommend that a new bridge be erected a little higher up the stream. The work should he proceeded with as soon as possible, the present structure being dangerous. Motueka: The decking of the. Motueka bridge had shrunk very much, leaving veiy wide spaces between the planks. He proposed to have the worst places filled. Moutere: He endeavoured to lay out the Moutera mudflat road as directed, but was unable to do more than decide on the line owing to gorse and scrub. Arising out of the report, it was resolved that the matter of the bridge in Hoult's Valley be attended to. The remainder of the report, was adopted. J Cr. Everett referred to the expenditure, in the Wai-iti riding, which he thought had an undue proportion. Cr Hoult strongly resented Or Evprett's remarks, and said that if Cr. Everett was agreeable, he was willing to cancel all works authorised and start afresh.' ■ On Cr. Everett's motion it was resolved that an. advertisement be inserted in the jrejTOrmiHJrfl notifying that it is tEe Council's' intention to sue for all outstanding rates. Cr^ Everett moved, and it was resolved . that application be made to the ' Government for a grant of £200 for metalling on the Richmond-Taka-■ka road, and that the Motueka Borough Council and Takaka County Council be asked to endorse the application. . CORRESPONDENCE. 1 With regard to a petition from settlers -.of the; .Wairoa> Gorge,, re a

bridge over the right hand branch of 1 tho Wairoa river, the Public Works ' Department notified that an item of £250 appeared on the current year's estimates for the purpose, and the question of, the erection of a suitable bridge was now under consideration. Messrs G. W. Lightband and Co wrote regarding the sum of £250 allocated for a breakwater on Reay's Point, immediately above the traffic bridge over the Wairoa river. They desired to again draw tho Council's attention to the immediate necessity f r protecting this point. After an explanation by the Engineer, on the motion of Cr Hoult, it wa9 resolved that a deputation of the whole CoUncil visit Brightwater on . Wed.nesdiy next, and inspect the scene of the proposed work; Messrs Rowling Bros wrote. re line of road as laid out by the Engineer. — It was resolved that Crs Hewetson, Everett. and the. Engineer meet Messrs Rowling with regard to the matter. The Under-Sec retary for Public Works forwarded a schedule showing the balance of Government grants ! available for expenditure during the current financial year in respect: A works within the county, and intimated the procedure to be adopted in respect of same. In "reading the schedule the Engineer explained how the ■ various items were proposed to be expended. . I The U»deir-Secretary for Public ] Works wrote re section 10, block \a, i Motueka Survey District, and stated that if the Council wished to register an instrument against the title to tho title to the land affected, and will inform him-, of the naturei of and of the parties to same, the necessary, steps could Tie taken. — It was resolved that J the Engiueer do the necessary surveying and supply particulars to tho-De-partment. The Under-Secretary of the Public Works forwarded proclamation taking | landlor a road. in block x, Wangapeka | survey district. The Undc-r-Socretary for Public Works Department notified that to Minister for Railways* had referred to that Department the Council's letter j of 18th December last re deviation of ' the railway "to a route round ■ the I Rocks' Road. In reply he had been directed by the Minister for Public Works to state that although it is possible that th© deviation suggested may be required when the connection between the Nelson and Westltfnd ; railway systems is ultimately made, he scarcely thinks there is any real_ necessity at~ the present t time to ( "ncur the very heavy expenditure which the work would involve. ' The Commissioner of Crown Lands informed the Council that the whole of the Rabbit Island had been made a recreation i ground, and was shortly to be proclaimed a public domain and placed under the control of a domain board, and that tho area asked for by the Council for a gravel reserve cannofc be vested as desired. Also, notifying that the application in regard to Rough Island would bo considered, Mr A. J. Hewetson, Havelock, *•■ rj- ' plied for a traction engine license.— Granted. Messrs Newman Bros brought under the notice of the Council the danger in which the travelling public -re placed in through traction engines being taken over tho Wangamoa road, and stated that their coach had had two narrow escapes. They suggested that arrangements should bo made so that traction engines should Le off the road when the coach is due. — Acknowledged. The Town Clerk requested permission to erect an iron scrceai at the bathing place in. the Maitai river, known as Sunday Hole, for the purpose of screening bathers from public view, and . stating that there would be no 'cost to tho County Council.— It was rpsolved that the Council ha.l 7io objection, but desires to point o it that the place in question was private property. /The Rev Father Clancy - notified re Stoke Orphanage that he had spoken to the vicar general, Father O'Shca, concerning rates, and ho had assured him that he knew of no case pending re orphanages being rated. The dispute pending is about rating school and church property. The Act of-Par-liament in an especial manner protects orphanages. — On tho motion of Cr Everett, seconded by Cr Hewetson, i+ was resolved that as a test case tho matter be taken to court. The Town Clerk, Richmond, wroce re notices' erected by the County Cou lcil at Appleby and Brightwater forbicldiiig the removal of pravel fron the river bed, and asking if it was :n tended to apply to the Borough Council. — It was resolved on the motion of Cr Everett, seconded by Or Hewetson, that an application from the Borough Council to take gravel would receive favourable consideration. The Town Clerk, Motueka, asked i f the Council would bear a share of the cost of replacing fence- on the southern, side of the approach to the Motu-eka-Riwaka bridge, which had been I destroyed by a fire. — It was resolved that the Council is willing to bear one-third of the cost. Mr J. S. Bryant, Motueka, :a--formed the* Council- that lie thought of j erecting a sawmill about the eightmile peg on the Takaka-Motueka road and making a suggestion re the improvement of a section of the road. He also asked permission to erect a tram line. — It was resolved that permission to erect tram line be granted, subject to supervision by the Eilgineer, but that the Council could not at present undertake the road improvement. Mr J. E. Salisbury, Orinoco, asked permission to move a culvert and ditcu from one side of the road to the other, as the present ditch lets all the water, flow into his paddock. — The matter was referred to the Overseer for a report. Mr S. Nalder, Torrent Bay, requested that the work of making a track to Torrent Bay, for which there was a grant of £50, be commenced as soon as possible. — Referred to the Takaka County Council. Mr Geo. Grooby requested the Council to clear gorse and blackberries of? the road leading from Alexander's

Bluff bridge to Rocky river.— Left in the hands ■:•: I ',■ v T>;;incer. Eliza Jel.icoe, Groytown, wrote ;ofusing permission to take gravel from Moutere Island.— Received. . Messrs H. D. Harford.aud Christian Rose, junior, were granted slaughter house licenses, subject to the, approval of the Agricultural Department. Mr W. Andrews, Wairoa Gorge, asked the Council's permission to syringe blackberries instead of cutting them. —It was resolved that Mr Andrews be informed that the Council canot grant the request. , . Messrs Newman Bros wrote asking the Council to favourably consider he matter of opening up the road from River Terrace to the Cemetery road "at Spring Grove, and expressing their willingness to meet the Council in any reasonable amount. A petition was 1.1---so received frqm a number of settlers, asking that the, road be opened.— lt was resolved that the deputation to visit Brightwater also visit the site of the proposed road. .. From tho Secretary of the College Governors, asking terms in.vliichthe Council would allow the use of their room for meetings of the Governors, and asking (permission to place a small iron safe in the Council's strong room— Resolved that the Governors be allowed-the use of the room for iU avear, the. question of the safe to be. I left in the hands of the Chairman. ' A. number of letters dealing with, ' minor matters were also dealt witii. OTHER BUSINESS. The schedule of the proposed Little Pokorbro rating district was submitted and adopted. . The Clerk was appointed as returni ing officer for the election of members • of the Charitable Aid Board. Cr Everett moved that application he made to the Department for permission to divert tho grant of £100 for a footbridge over the Motuekaat tue f Orinoco, for the purpose of constructing a traffic bridge. Cr Macmahon brought up the matter of placing a cart bridge over the river at Korere, and it was resolved that the Engineer prepare an estimate of the cost of the bridge, as the settlers wished to apply for a Government grant for same. On the motion of Cr Hewetson it was resolved that the Overseer wak© arrangements for a temporary ford across the river at Will's road, Moutere. . On Cr Everett's motion ot was resolved that the Engineer take the necessary "steps for making the bridge on the Ngatimoti main road near Mr Alfred Herrick's safe.

Waimea County Fund ac £8325 5 0 Contractors' Deposits ac. 7 0 Interest ac, No. 1 142 7 5 Interest Ac. No. 2. 37 0 11 Interest Ac, No 3 19 4 5 Land Fund thirds 331 12 J