MACKENZIE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3542, 4 February 1886, Page 3

MACKENZIE COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary monthly meelinn; of the Mackenzie County Council was held at Burkes Pass on Monday, the Ist inst . MKMBKUS PRESENT. Messrs J. McGregor (Chairman), Cowau, J. Milne, M. Gray, John Rutherford and F. R. Gillingham. LKAVK OF AUSEXCE A letter was received from Mr Duncan asking for leave of absence from the meeting. — Granted. CHAIKMAs'S STATEMENT. The Chairman made a statement of the business he had attended to, and which had been carried out under his instructions since the last monthly meeting m December. Resolved— " That the Chairman's actions be approved of " Mr J. Rutherford proposed an amendment that the Chairman's action re tho Mount Cook Road, be not approved of, which was not seconded f r.T.-'K ANl> OVEItSBEU's WU'OIiT. The Clerk and Ovoi'soer's report was read us follows : " Fairlio Creek Library building.— On tho Bth of last month, tho contract was signed with J. W. Coulson to take down two surface- j men's huts and erect at Ftiirlio Creelc m one | building for £28. The work so far is being done satisfactorily, and will bo completed within tho contract timo (10th February). "On the 16th January, 30 men with four horses, two drays, &c , commoncad work on tho Mount Cook Road. Up to date- tho work has proceeded rapidly, and more has been dons for the time than I expected ; owing to tho fact that little difficulty with rocks has been met with m cuttings. The new road enn now bo far be used as to avoid the swamp near Glentanncr outstation. " The up-country gang of surfacemen are now at work at the road between Simon's Pass and Pukaki Forry. The down-country gang has been reduced to two men, who are effecting odd repairs to tho road between Albury and Silverstre^m. " Burkea Pops Water Supply. — Tho supply of water to the office would bo sufficient for tho township. The cost of grantiug the ratepayers' petition would be about £ — ." COURIiSrONDESfCB. The following correspondence was read and dealt with : — From the Surveyor-General, Wellington, acknowledging receipt of letter of the 10th December re Mount Cook Boad, and stating that tho Government had agreed to entrujt to the Council for ojpenditure the sum of £1200 for the improvement of tho road to Mount Cook. ■ • From the Minister of Lands, re the Mount Cook Boad, urging that the work 1 bo pro-

ceeelod with at onco ; also appointing tli( Chairman to have control of State forest! within the County under tho Now Zealand State Forests Act, 1885. From Mr Thomas R. Jones, requesting certain road work to bo done to facilitate the cartago of crops from his laud. — The Clerk was instructed to report to noxt meeting. From Mr John Burgess, requesting the erection of a finger post at the junction of tho Grampians and Teknpo roado. Three verbal applications having come m for similar posts at Mistake, Braeraar, and Mount Cook roads, a resolution was passed to haTe suitable finger-posts erected as requested. From Mi- T. Cuskoy, stating that tho pound pump was out of rrpair, and asking for a new ono.— Tho Clerk was instructed to Rot a new pump for the pound. From Air Malcolm McLeod, of Fairlio Creek, requesting certain repairs to the road betneon Braemar and Mount Cook Station. — Tho Clerk was instructed to reply that the necessary work would be done. From four residents m Burkes Pass township, requesting a water supply to bo piped to their properties, and stating that thoy were prepared to pay a special rate to covet interest on the outlay. — Resolved — " lliat tho application be granted." From Mr Robert Guthrio, manager of Mistake Station, stating that tho Council's workmen had passed over tho Mi: take Road m a shamefully careless manner; that more than one-thin! of tho road was m a most disgraceful state, and requesting the return of the workmen to the roud. Xlio Chairman had instructed the Clerk to reply that no more could be done to (lie road at present. The Chairman's action was approved of by tlic Council. From Mr U. Stiuthers, resigning his scat on tho Council. From Air A. Burnett, notifying that a public roiid at the Cave, going through Mr Joseph Miller's land, was obstructed by v gorse fence, and requesting the Council to have the fence removed. — The Clerk was instructed to report upon tho application. From Messrs K. RutherforJ and E. Richardson, junr., stating, that representing the feeling of a l:iv»e pi r.i of the district, they wrote to tlio Council urging the desirability of spending the Uowrumeut grunt of £1200 on a footbridge over llio Tosiuun river above Mr Burnett's station. Were tho money so expended, they held, this work would be of more use than thut which was now being done by this Council. In their mind tho monoy would go a very short way m making a road, | and when made it was not likely to stand. The proposed bridge would also shorten tne journey, us theiv was already a good road mnde to the site. i Resolved—" 1 hat this Council, while thanking Me»»r* Rutherford and Kichardeon for tiicir sulvkv, is not prepared to experiment m such engineering works at presents" From the Public Worn Ofliue, Wellington, stating that n cert ilk-ate had bern issued for a grant of £176 under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act, for the construction ot a | portion of tho Main Mackenzie Kuud, ami that tho amount would be paid to tho credit of the Council when tlio necessary papers had bcon forn'nr.ied. From the Wnikato County Council, forwarding extract* of minutes of meeting of tin Wmituto Council re Hospitals tinJ Charitable Institution* Act 18S5, and inviting the co-operation of the Council m endeavoring to g-.'t the Act ameudeil. JJesulivd -" That, the cunsideriitkm of the matter bo deferred to next lni'iti. 1 :.;." From Mr Walter Allan, offering to rent gravel reserve So. ltiHJ nt .Cl pel- annum for (ivo your-, and t j erect a suitable fence. Agreed to, ou I lie cuiiditiou that the Council retain the right to u=e tho reserve us a gravel pil. From Mr J. M. Ritchie, requesting certain repairs to the road from tho Cavo to the Pnreoru. The Clerk was instructed lo report upon the application. From Mr Duncan McKay, of l-'uirlie Crcok, asking for a fanner's slaughtering license. — Granted. 9I.ACOHTEBHOrSK JIATTJCHS. 11l connection with slaughterhouse licences, the following resolution win passed : — "That the Slaughter Act be m future strictly enforced m tlio County, and that tho Clerk bo instructed to take proceeding against all who neglect to tend iv weekly returns, or who kill more per week thau authorised by their licenses." DEPUTATION. Mr Robert Rutherford wrote statins; (hat having heard tho meetina was not willing to consider hie and Mr Richardson's letter, re the Mount Cook Road and Xasmau bridge, he desired, as representing several ratepayers of the Fuirlie Riding, to act as a deputation to tho Council to request the Chairmauto call a public meeting nt Fuirlie Creek. The request was granted. Mr K. Rutherford then informed tlio Council that he represented several ratepayers m the t\iirlie Riding who felt that the Council was misapplying am! squandering the £1200 granted by the Government for the Mount Cook Road, and ho requested the Chairman to call a public meeting at Fairlie Creek to discuss the subject. The Chairman explained to Mr Rutherford that tho road on which tho money was being expended was that which the money had been applied for and granted by tha GoTurnment; that the work was being carried out m accordance with tho resolution parsed at the ordinary monthly mooting of the 7th December last, and that tho Council was jutisfled tho money was being expended m a most judicious and efficient manner ; also that tho Council's action had been approved of by the Government, and as lie coi.ld not soo any advantage to bo gained by calling such a meeting he declined to do so. BATES. Tho following resolution was passed : — " That as tho Government subsidy of £2 for £1 of rates collected is only available- for the amount collected up to tho ili-st week m March, every effort be made lo have tho ratos paid m by that date ; therefore an advertisement bo inserted m the paper giving public notico that all rates remaining unpaid by tho 15th February next will bo sued for, and the Clerk bo instructed to tako proceedings after that dato." Accor?NT3. Accounts amounting to £377 9s 2d wcro passed for paymont, and the meeting adjourned.