MACKENZIE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12871, 5 January 1906, Page 6

MACKENZIE COUNTY COUNCIL.

monthly meeting of the Mackenzie County Oouncil was held yesterday. Present: Messrs'F. R. Gillihgham (chairman) R. Irving; W. Wreford, B. Guthrie, E Schlaepfer, D. Stewart, and W. Black TRACTION ;ESTGINE TRAFFIC. v The engineer reported that Messrs Wigley and Thorrnley had taken''a traction engine : pver the Tekapo brridge. without applying for a permit, orr complying with the conditions laid down by the Council, one of these being-that a contribution of £lootowarrds the cost of strengthening the bridge be guaranteed by the runholders, that the engine be taken over the bridge under the. supervision of Mr Schlaepfer ; and that a guarantee be given that no wool be drawn past Fairlie. - Mr Schlaepfer said he was called upon by Mr Wigley to witness the crossing of .the.; bridge, and he. asked, if Mr Wigley had' a permit, and, he replied that he thought. the-permit would be'got by "Mr Schlaepfer. He went at considerable inconvenience: -to see the engine cross, but it was taken over before h-a got there. Mr Guthrie said they had no right to take the engine over until "the conditions had been complied Tvith, .and the permit* given, and the owners ought to be prosecuted, as Mr-.-WiUetts had been, for crossing the bridge with'out a permit.' A long and animated discussion took place;. Messrs Schlaepfer, .Irving, and Wreford urged that a formal mistake had bieen: j.made, or "that the conditions were 'not fb be of cast iron strictness, while Mr Guthrie contended that the conditions ought to be strictly insisted on. The chairman said he told Mr Wigley before he went up, that he must get a pjrmrt before .crossing- supposed that Air. Wigley must have acted under a misTinderstanding. After a long discussion, the chairman suggested that a week be .given to Messrs W%ley and Thornley to comply ; with, "the conditions. A good many remarks,were made, about the unwillingness of certain runholders to pay a share of the proposed guarantee. Mr Black said he. would give the guarantee, for-all of them with one exception. Several motions were made and withdrawn, and finally, after an hour had been spent over the matter it was unanimously resolved, on the motion'of Messrs Guthrie .and'. Schlaepfer—".That Messrs. Wigley- and i Thornley be given" fourteen 'days to provide' the -.guarantees stipulated by. resolution gassed by the Council on 22nd November, 1905;.. failing which legal proceedings be taken against them for crossing the Tekapo bridge without a; permit on 3rd Januarv, ;1906." .■---..-:■■■- . .: ;■ . -,'. ...'"'

:■. Mr:;.Black,.complained of the practice of traction engine drivers leaving heaps of black ashes .on the .roads, and other members, related; examples of accidents caused by horses shying at these heaps.—The clerkread, the by-law, ivhich requires all ashes to be removed at-least 15 feet from the centre of 'the road, f ": - '

. - . -vXNTERjtE-Wi,-'— ■••- ■ v •■•■ ■; : Mr -Maxwell ,the Council to ;Wga ; the. claims' of:certain Wads- between >aye_.and Pareora .Tn one case, he said the mail service that had been granted them would %ave to be given ud on account of the state of the road, and he.talked ofvhorses and sheep being killed on another road he mentioned. Ha also urged! the claims-of the. upper Pareora scenery.

A petition, signed by. A. Roberts and eight otters, applied for the grading- of a-.steep part of Burnett's Hill. ° Mr Wreford supported Mr Maxwell's requests and asked that a gang be sent down'there.—lt was agreed to send a «rane down for a month. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer r3ported on the done ■>7 tlis gangs in Albury and Fairlie ridings ar.d on that done by Black and Son on _uen- Uave and Pareora road contract. T loden had completed his contract-

for redecking culverts on Albury-Fairlie main road. The applications of R. Fraser and Morrison were reported on, and suggestions made for the expenditure of £2OO on the Albury-Coal pits road. He had not been able to arrange with Mr T. Burnett to do the temporary road work required on Mount Cook station road. Several applications had been made for the right to cut grass on the roads. The accounts for the past half year had been audited, but the balance sheet hud not yet been returned from Wellington. Rates, amounting to £997 13s, were still outstanding. The district engineer for roads advised that £IOO had been granted as a subsidy (£ for £) for the repairing and metalling of the road Albury to coal pits, and asked that specifications be submitted. —The suggestions of the engineer weie approved, and tenders ordered to be cabled for nest meeting. A discussion took place on blinding the shingling of Black's contract, and it was agreed that some blinding be done, though Mr Maxwell and others objected to it. It was agreed that each land owner should have the right to cut the cocksfoot opposite his land, or to dispose of it to others, a -condition to be made that the grass be not stacked on the road. Mr Schlaepfer undertook to see Mr Burnett about the work on his road. CORRESPONDENCE. I

Mr Rolleston reported that he attended on behalf of the Council, the Levels Council" meeting for the election of representatives on the Hospital Board. He was requested to state that as the Levels Council could, by their preponderance of votes, have appointed both representatives, they hoped that the Mackenzie representative would support their intertsts as far as

possible.—Messrs G. Butler and F. B. Gillingham were re-elected the representatives. Departmental correspondence advised':

(1) that £4O had been granted to the Albury cemetery on the £ for £ principle.; (2) grant of £IOO (£ for £) for improvement of Albury-Coal Pits road; (3) payment of £5lO advance on account of subsidy on rates for 1905; (4) that the request for an additional griht of £SOO for the Opihi .bridge at Allandale road, would be favourably considered when framing next year's'estimates; (5) that the Chief Forester would be instructed to inspect the land recommended by the Council-for forming a State nursery. Sir W. J. Steward also wrote re the grant for Opihi bridge. • The Geraldine County Council forwarded their resolution agreeing to join in urging the Government to increase the grant for a bridge over the Opihi on Allandale road; but before agreeing to share the cost they desired more detailed information about it. —The chairman remarked that tho Geraldine Council ought to take the initiative in regard to this bridge, as ifc was mainly required for Geraldine ratepayers, and Mr Guthrie said this County needed a bridge over the Tengawai more than one over the Opihi.—After a reference to the map, and discussion of the" best situation for the bridge, it was agreed that the clerk should furnish full information. The chairman suggested that he should wait on the Geraldine County Council to discuss- the matter.

A. S. Mactier resigned his appointment as ranger for Albury riding.—The riding members to make fresh arrangements. M. CougMan, Cave, asked for improved at his gate.--To'be seen to.' _ 0- .M..ijtchie, Cannington, asked to have the roadlrom Cave to.his place mad*passable. Heaps of big gravel" put on it almost prevented light traffic, or at least made it very hard for horses and traps Already dealt with. . - _-";: J > for the e3 *cutor of the late SJ. McMillan, agreed to the proposals for ..he expenditure of fourths from the craz-i ing run. .

rhe conference of local bodies on motor car traffic forwarded copy of draft bv-law arrived at.—Approved. • _J. Young, Fairlie Hotel, inquired whetner the Council could supply acetylene gas for lighting the hotel.—Engineer to report. °

J. Murphy, contractor for work on Moriavale Toad applied for use of the Council's grader, offering 10s per day and 8s for man to look after it.—To be arranged if possible for the benefit of< the road. WEEKLY HALF HOLIDAY A special meeting was liejd to fix the weekly half holiday but the duty was deferred fall next meeting, as it is desired to fax the holiday in relation to the'.'ruriD i DS^? f trams > an d it is desired to get tne laursday service changed to Wednesday The chairman said it would be desirable to fix the half holidav on another day than taat of the double"service. ACCOUNT* I ! Accounts amounting to £6OB 13s 6dwere passed for payment. -