WAIMEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Colonist, Volume LVI, Issue 13903, 9 January 1914, Page 3

WAIMEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. -

- The monthly meeting of the Wataiea Couiity Council was hold yosterclayV Present: Crs. Everett (chairman), | Best, Drummond, Hewetson, Macmahon, Corder, and Hoult. FINANCE, The bank pass book showed the following balances: — Dr. n , " £ s. d. General account 7339 12 11 ! Land fund thirds 47 11 3 Cr. Rocks road loan account 122 3 5 1 Ngatimoti bridge do. 22 8 8 Baton bridge do. 27 6 2 Sherry bridge do. 27 7 7 Peninsula bridge do. 52 12 8 Accounts-amounting to £1016 5s 3d (including £354 5s for charitable aid) were passed for payment. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The County Engineer (Mr. G S WJiiteside) reported for the month as follows: —Maitai riding: The new ■ cemetery at Stoke had boon surveyed and 600 plots pegged out. About one--1 third of the ground had been pegged out, and the whole area was designed to contain 2136 plots.. The cemetery was now ready for burials. Consider* able repairs had' been carried out on the Maitai Valley road, also in the direction of the 1-elor.us liver, out of thirds. Gravefj patching had been done on the Bishopdale road, and the gang had been at work patching on the Collins and Wangamoa roads.—l Wai-iti riding: The footpath had been' continued to the school without kerb-1 ing or gravel to the. extent of the! money authorised. The work of reduc-. ing the grade on Church hill, Wakefiold, had been put- in hand. He had arranged with Dr. Pearless to acquire1 the small portion of land opposite the parsonage entrance for road extension purposes for £20, subject to confirmation by the Council.—Motupiko riding: In Dovedale metal patching had been done, and watertables attended to. Ho proposed proceeding with the metalling of the new road approaching Stanley Brook bridge. Bridge repairs had been carried out on Tophouse road. —Wangapeka riding: A plan of the proposed new bridge over Donald's' creek provided a span of 40 feet. The No. 2 road machine had resumed work at Kiwi, and was working down towards Tap_awera. —Motueka riding: A small bridge had been erected on the Waiwero road, near Hudson's. A new bridge was required to replace the Rightangled bridge, Ngatimoti. At the Motueka bridge a new concrete abutment had been put in on the eastern side. Mtich needed work was Being proceeded with on the Takaka hill road.—Moutere riding: Repairs had been carried out on the Rosedale hill. On the Moutere bills ruts bad been raked in, and the loose gravel blinded with clay. No work had been done with the traction engine during December owing to the wet weather up till the holidays. At Tasman negotiations for the acquisition of a piece of land from Mr. Horton for road extension purposes were about completed Arising out of the Engineer's report, it was resolved on Mr. Drummond's motion to invite tenders for the erection of a bridge over Donald's creek. On the chairman's motion the Engineer was instructed to prepare plans and specifications for a structure to replace the Rightangled bridge, Ngatimoti. On Cr. Hewctson's. motion rtwas resolved that the road from Orinoco to Neudorf be put into a proper state ot repair. . The Engineer's report was tnen adopted. RANGER'S REPORT. The Ranger, .Mj\ . P,, Cok-man, reported 'that he had warned owners of stock in Wairoa Gorge, Sherry, ladmor Woodstock, Stanley Brook, Dovedale, and Waimea West. .The ranger asked for instructions regarding traffic without lights, which matter was becoming serious. The Wakapuaka ranger, Mr. J. Flower, reported - that 'the roads wore as free from stock as it was possible for one man to keep them. Bicycles, without lights had been the worst trouble, mostly travellers who would not give their names. , The chairman said that the practice of riding and driving at night without lights was becoming a deadly menace. Cr. Corder. said that the ranger was at a disadavantage ; as he could not obstruct a cyclist riding at night without lights. Cr. Hoult moved that their rangers be appointed traffic inspectors, their remuneration to be the fines obtained. Cn Best said thait the practice would have to be stopped, even if it cost the Council £20. Cr. Hewetson seconded the motion, which was carried. In reply to Cr. Hewetson, the clerk said that in response to the advertisement a number of motorists and motor cyclists had registered. "On Cr. Hewetson's motion, it was resolved to supply .the police with a sealed copy of the county by-laws, and to ask them to take action against unregistered motorists. COMMITTEE REPORTS. The chairman reported recommending that no present action be taken in connection with the matter complained of by Mrs. Williams, Pangatotara. He stated that there was a sufficient alternative route, and the work asked for was -^ of a very costly nature.— Adopted. The chairman and Cr. Corder reported inspecting the south branch of the Maitai. They recommended, re application by Mr. Smith, that he be granted £4 provided he forms the road 10 feet wide, and to the satisfaction of the Engineer.—Adopted. The chairman and Cr. Drummond reported that they had authorised the widening of the Tableland track, estimated to cost £10. CORRESPONDENCE. The Mines Department ~ inquired if the Council required either of the Keystone boring drills, which were at present lying idle on the West Coast.— Cr. Macmahon suggested that the letter should be referred to the local coal syndicate. This was agreed to. The secretary to the Harbour Board forwarded a copy of a reply received from the Secretary of Marine, refusing permission to deposit any material in the sea. (The Council had applied for permission to "allow spoil from the Rocks road, outside the city boundary, to bo thrown over the soa Avail.) Dr. Pearless intimated that he would accept £20 for the strip of land required to widen the road near the church, the Council to pay all expenses.—Ac- ■ cepted. Mr. J. H. Tagn, Wakofielcl, requested the Council to look into the mutter of a small bridge at the Baton. The writer stated that he hnd been refused permission by Mr. Lublow to use the bridge, which was on Council property. —On. the* chairman's motion it was resolved that the Engineer inquire into the Council's rights^i; t';f- mattrr, and report at next meeting. Mr. W. H. Baieont wrote, on behalf of the church authorities, in regard to feho Council's notice to trim trcos on the church property, and requesting; that nothing move than had already been done be.insisted upon. Cr. Macmahon said that general m-

stractiona had. been given to persons' to cut down trees, and the result was that certain trees which had been planted for beautifying.purposes were to be sacrificed. He ■ .thought that every case-should be dealt on its merits. He had been instructed to remove pine trees on his property, and he certainly was not going to do -it. The chairman said the instructions had been issued on a resolution passed by the Council. After some discussion the letter was referred to the Engineer. Mr. G. 6. Body applied for an extension of time in which to remove trees on the Appleby church property.—Referred to Engineer. Messrs. Bisley Bros, and Co. complained that the track to their property at <he Gr,aham wag in an impassable state. —Left to Engineer, with power to act. Mr. G? W. Kinzett, Awa 5 again wrote regarding the state of the crossing to his property, which had become almost impassable". It was resolved that the application be declined. Ayes: Crs. Best, Corder, Hoult, and the chairman; noes: Crs. Drummond, Hewetson, and Macmahon. It was stated that other applications of a similar nature had been declined, although the crossing had been cut away by the road machine in the course of road work. Those who opposed the motion contended that an injustice was being done. . ; Mr. A. -W. Phillips; -Aporo, wrote asking that the creek which runs through hip property-be attended to, as in flood time it overflowed on to the roads.—The chairman and Cr. Hewet- j son to inspect and report. j I The secretary of the Golden Bay A. j and P. Association wrote urging that I the Takaka hill road be put into a proper state of repair before the assoj ciation's show, to be held next month. I —To be informed that the road is bei ing repaired as rapidly as possible. Mr. O. Remnant, Motueka, drew attention to the state of bridge near his property on Alexander's Bluff road. — j Referred to Engineer. A petition to the Minister for Public Works was received from the residents of Tadmor, Sherry, and Wangapeka for a grant for the erection of a cart j bridge over the Tadmor river.—Referred to Engineer for report. Mr. R. L. Arnold, Tadmor, asked that the road leading to his property be pushed on with. —To be attended to as soon as possible. .- Mr. Joseph Eves applied for permission to erect a temporary gate across a road at the head of Trass' Valley, Wai-iti.—The writer to be informed that the Council has no power to grant the request without going through the form required by the Act. Mi\ G. G. Body, Appleby, applied for permission to erect poles for a telephone connection.—Referred to Engineer to report. SPECIAL MEETING. A special meeting of the Council was held at noon to consider the balance sheet. It was resolved that a synopsis of the balance sheet, which was adopted, be advertised. It was resolved that the statutory weekly half-holiday throughout the county be Wednesday. GENERAL. The Engineer was instructed to interview Mr. Senior regarding suggested deviation of the Mapua road. It was resolved that the necessary steps be taken to raise a loan of £800 for the purpose of purchasing a waterworks reserve at Stoke. (It was understood that £400 had appeared on the supplementary estimates towards the total sum of £1200 required.) The chairman reported that the Riwaka bridge was in a bad state, and before long a new bridge would have to bo erected. The Motueka bridge was also in a bad way, and he moved that the members of the Council and the Engineer meet at th© bridge with a view to the consideration of specifications for the reinstatement of the bridge. Seconded by Cr. Drummond, and carried. It was resolved to invite the Motueka Borough Council to assist the Council in removing willows on the second island above the Motueka bridge. It was resolved on Cr. Best's motion that a sum not exceeding £15 be expended in improving the road through Mrs. Bisley's property near the junction of Pearce Valley road with the Upper Motueka Valley road. On Cr. Macmahon's motion it was resolved to haye the washouts in the fordways on the Upper Motueka Valley road attended to. It was resolved on the the chairman's motion to invite.the Motueka Borough Council to co-operate with the Council in necessary improvements to the Poley bridge road. A committee, consisting of the chairman, Crs. Best, Corder, and Hoult, was appointed to draft by-laws for the control of the Stoke cemetery. It was resolved on the motion of Cr. Hoult, seconded by Cr. Corder, that a grant of £12 a year be made to the overseer towards the upkeep of his motor bicycle.*""*" ■ | It was resolved on the niption of Cr. Best, seconded by Cr. CoMei-, that the Engineer report as to the cost of scarifying the road between Wakatu post office and the Turf Hotel. It was also resolved, on the motion of the chairman, seconded by'Cr. Drummond, that the Engineer supply an alternative report as to the cost of repairing the strip of road with macadamised metal. In reply to Cr. Macmahon, the Engineer said no official information had yet been received regarding tho Government grants. On the motion of Cr. Hewetson, seconded by Cr. Hoult, it was resolved that the Engineer attend to willows on the road between Greenam's and Drummond's bridge. The Council adjourned at 3 p.m.