WAIMATE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XL, Issue 3123, 26 September 1884, Page 3

WAIMATE COUNTY COUNCIL.

A meeting of this Council was held on Wednesday. STBMBBBS PBS3ENX. Messrs J. Manchester (Chairman), Studho[me, Hayes, McLaren, Hardio, and Douglas. MTHT/TBB. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. COEHEBPOSBBNOB. Letters were read and considered' as follows : — From Mr A. McPherson, informing that he had discovered tbat several mistakes had been made m the entries of acreage of land sold by tho N.Z. and A. Land Company, and asking to havo the alteration made before levying a rate. From Mr W. J. Steward, M.H.8., informing that £60 Is Id would be placed on the Estimates by the Government on account of Beserve 143. From the Mount Cook Road Board, acknowledging the receipt of tbe Council's communication relative to the Hakateramea Pass road, and suggesting tbat the Resident Magistrate at Timaru be appointed arbitrator between the Board and the Waimate County Council as to cost incurred m formation of the road ; that m case tho Resident Magistrate should be unable to attend, the Gorornmcnfc Auditor be aaied to decide tbe matter, and that the Councils be represented by their respective Engineers. From Mr W. Nioholls and seventeen other ratepayers m tbe Makikihi Riding, requesting the formation of a road leading to Low Quarry Bush from the catting on tbe north bank of tbe Makikihi river to the gats giving access to Nicholl's Bush, a distance of between 60 and 70 chains. From the Railway Engineer's office, suggesting the advisability of directing the flow of storm wator at Studholme Junction from the small bridge near the Junction railway etition to the large bridge under tbe line about half a mile Bouth of the station. From Mr A. Pigeon, again referring to the necessity of something being done to the waterhole on the road near Proctor's, and suggesting the formation of a stone ford. From tho same, saying his acreage on the rate roll this yeir is too much. From Mr Buchanan, stating he was willing to acnept £8 10* per sore for his land required to make a road for County purposes. From Mr Bquirß, of White Rock, asking for the formation of about 60 chains of road between his land and Rowo's and Stumble's section m tho Pareora Riding ; also asking for repairs to Main road. From Mr F. GUiU, stating he was not the owner of the land for which he is rated. From a number of perions representing themselves as " unemployed," informing that tho prices for which work had been offWecl to them by tho Engineer were so low thoy could not accept them j that 4s a day was quite insufficient to enable them to support a family and pay rent. BEPOBTB. Dr Hassell, the Hospital Surgeon,' reported tbe number of patients admitted to the Hospital during tbe month to be 8, out-patients treated 11 ; discharged— cur«d 1, relieved 1 ( remaining under treatment 9. The Engineer reported favorably of the progress of worka now m hand. Tenders for metalling at Hakateramea, formation nrar Blue Cliffs, and metalling road On reserve 143, were for consideration that day. Walker's land was entirely without ro»d access, and could only be opened by a road through part of section 5295. This oould only be done under the Public Works Act unless the party affected agreed thereto. Esk creek bad been visited since last meeting, but as Mr Frootor was from home tbo report on the damage oauied by tbo overflow of tho oreek was deferred. A number of unemployed married men have been engaged ovor a fortnight prot«otin({ the banks of tho Waimate and Gorge oreeks from the effects of floods, and as this work could not be lot as piece work, tbe men

were employed by the dßy. Tho work horn laid out for them waß tlio fbrmntinn of a road at Hakalorameii (pnrt of the work applied f.'r by Mr McPherson). Tbi« could bo let as piece work, and at a pric,< which was nn avf ngi' of the price paid to other contractors Iho damage caused by storm water complained of by Mr Williams oould bo reduced by giving an outlet for the water course. Messrs Hayes, Manchester, and Hardie, tho Committee appointed to enquire into tho application of Mr W. J. Steward to close Montgomery street, North Waimate, reported that the portion of street sought to be closed wns between sections 66 to 70 on one side, and 31 to 85 on the other, as shown on plan. Of these sections the applicant for closing states he is the owner, and tho adjacent Factions are owned by various persons, who hare, withono exception, consented m writing to the closing of that portion of the street applied for by Mr Steward. In tho exceptional case Mr Steward s»ys the owner hnd arranged to sell the sections to him. So far the Committee has no hesitation m advising that the application be granted, but the quostionhad to bo considered from another point, from the fact that objection had been raised by Mr Allan, the original owner of the rural aection of which these sub-eeotions form a part, on the ground that tho adjacent sections and other portions of the original rural section were sold on deferred payments which are not completed, that several of the sub-sections were still m bis possession, and that the Council were bound by the PubliD Works Act 1883 to get his conient before closing. The Committee consider, under the circumstances, that Mr Steward is debarred from obtaining the. closing of the road, and tint no action could be taken by the Council until the case was submitted to the Council's Solicitor. The Committee (Messrs Studholme and O'Brien) appointed to report on the fencing done m Serpentine road, and the claims of Mr Buchanan and Mr A. McLean, etated the fencing bad been well done ; that the price charged was reasonable ; that Mr Douglas should be paid upon the legal resting of lands as required by the law, and that Mr Buchanan should make some reduction m the amount he claims for land taken for road purposes. Mr A. MoLean'e claim for allowance on account of great loss on his contract caused by floods while the work was m progress, the Committee failed to see the justice of. Mr McLean, however, wag not present when the Committee examined the road and work for which the claim had been made. PETITION. A petition signed by Mr Studholmo and five other ratepayers of Waihao Riding vn presented, praying for one additional member to represent that Riding m the Council, and showing by comparative valuation that the Waihao Biding should have an additional member on the Council. BESOiUIIONS. Th« following resolutions were agreed to : — "That Mr McPberson be informed that owing to his application for alteration m rate roll coming to hand too late for oorreotion, this Council regret that it oannot comply with his request." " That the suggestion of the Engineer of the Maokenzie County re settlement of dispute nita tbie Council be adopted." " That this Council with tho view of abating the dog nuisance at present so troublesome and destructive among the lambing flocks, resolve that contractors and those employed m County Council work be requett-d not to keep dogs at their camps on the County roads and lands." " Tbat this Council request the Member for the District to embody a olause m the new Dog Registration Bill at present before Parliament, making it imperative on every landowner or dog owner to make a return not oftener than once m cix months of all dogs kept by himself or others upon his property, any failure m making this return to be liable to payment of a fine, and that the Clerk write to all other County Councils requesting their co-operation." " Tbat this Council intimate to the Government their willingness to hare an improvement of the outfalls of the water-course at Studholmo Junction, the work to be done either by this County at Government expense, or direct by Government, tbe work to be subject to tho approval of all the parties interested." "Tbat tbe unemployed be informed that this Council declines to alter the prices offered to them by the Engineer, as the rate offered is the average of rateß paid by the Counoil for contracts." "That the Engineer report at next meeting on the application of Nicholl and others, and also on that of Mr Squires." " That the report of the Committee re fencing and other claims be adopted, so far as Mr Douglas is concerned." " That the report of tho Committee on Mr Buchanan's claim be adopted, on the land being vested as required by law, and after making the deductions m terms of Mr Buchanan's letter of September 18th last." " That tbe report re Messrs Allan and Steward's applications be adopted, and a copy of the tame sent to Mr Steward and also to Mr Allan. " That the Engineer be instructed to remedy the damage caused by tbe overflow of water at Williams' section as per his report." Mr Hayes, by resolution, was authorised to sign the Council's ohequeß m the absence of Mr O'Brien. HEW HOAD. Tha application of Mr A. Walker for a road to his section near the river Waihao was considered. According to tbe Engineer's report on this olaim there wbb no means of access by road to this section unless through private property, and land must be purchased before tbe road could Jjoopenod. It was resolved — "That inT"eply to Mr Walker's application, he be informed that tho cost m taking under the Publio Works Act the road he applies for will be an amount which this Council consider it is not justified m expending m proportion to tbe area of land it would give access to ; the Council would, therefore, advise Mr Walker to apply to tbe Government (whole duty it i« to provide roadways), and this C.mncil will assist him, as far as possible, m obtaining the road asked for j and also this Council is desirous of expressing its entire disapproval of the system adopted by the Government, viz., disposing of land and throwing upon tbe Council the expense of providing roadways." TBNDKBS. Tenders for works wore (hen opened and considered as follow* : — Contract No. 668— J. Froot, £99 3s 5d (accepted) • P. Werges, £133 14* 3d » M. Foley, £161 4j 3d. No 669 — J. Humphreys, £94 (acoepted) ;J. Frost, £112 ( F. Werges, £132 j M. Foley, £166. No. 660— M. Foley, £29 (accepted) j F. Werges, £29 8s; W. Rennard, £36 13s ; J. Krost, £80 16i. ACCOUNTS. Accounts wcro passed for payment— On general account, £1007 18s 3d j deposit do, £46 18s ; Hospital do, £77 8s 6d. IKTBRVIBWB. After a short adjournment, Mr Evans interviewed the Oounoil, applying for tho formation of a road to give access to his land at Pentland Hille, m tho Waihao riding. The Chairman informed Mr Evans that an application and estimate under tho Roads and Bridges Construction Aot, with a view to having a road made m a direction which, if granted, will answer the purpoao required by Mr Evans, was being applied for. Mr A. MoLean interviewed the Council m support of his olnim for allowance for heavy loss sustained by him m carrying otit his contraot for formation of road at Waihao, m consequoooe of tho floods which ooenrred during the time the works wore m progress. Mr MoLean stated that one large embankment had been swept away by the flood m consequence of the oulverts underneath being too small to carry the flood water, and that smaller embankments were swept away fur want of oulvorts. The contract and the plans of the work wero referred to. Ho expected justice m this mattor, as tho flood would not havo so carried away their embankments, if tbe culverts bad been of a larger sizs. The Council went into Committee to consider the reply to be givon to Mr MoLoan's application, and aftor a full disoussion of it, declined to recommend any payment to him as compensation. HOSPITAL SUPPLIES. The Counoil then resolved themselves into a Hospital Committee to reocive tenders for supplies for tbtf half-year ending March 81sfc, 1885, and after consideration Mr MilohoU'a tender was aooopted for n supply of bread j Mr Thyne, for milk and butter i Mr Horo,

■ for firewood ; and Mr Rickman for genera I stores. Tho Council then adjourned.