MACKENZIE COUNTY COUNCIL

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 13099, 6 October 1906, Page 6

MACKENZIE COUNTY COUNCIL

The monthly meeting of the Mackenzie County Council was held yesterday. Present: Messrs F. R. Gilringham (chairman) J. S.. Rutherford, E. Schlaepfer, D. Grant-, R. Irving, R. Guthrie, and W. T. Smith. CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT. The chairman stated that the Waimate Hospital Bill was expected to come before the Local Bil'.s Committee that day. The chairman of the Hospital Board, solicitor and clerk, and also the Mayor of Timaru had gone to Wellington to protest against the Bill, and to give evidence against it. A large number of petitions had also been sent up against the Bill. During the month, seeing in the papers a copy of the Local Bodies Subsidies Bill he asked' the clerk to write to their member objecting to the form of the Bill. He suggested that the subsidy should not be given on a farthing or even a half-penny rate. Councils able to carry on. with a small rate could do without a subsidy at all, while those raising larger rates should be assisted. The Executive of the Association interviewed the Premier and pointed' out the same thing, and the Premier said that- was :a-reasonable view, and. lie had i;ot Cooked at it in that light. The Bill would reduce the amount of sub- : sidy.to this Council from £450 to £325,, or in that proportion.—Approved. MOUNT COOK ROAD BRIDGES. } The engineer stated tliat he and Mr Wither had selected sites for th& first three of the bridges, Rocky, Ross's and Sawr don Creeks. At' Mr Wither's next visit they would go right through. It was stated that Mr J. Black had the contract for the ''erection of the thirteen bridges, and that he would push on the work as fast as possible. 'llie piles (701b rails) and a quantity of jarrah timbers' are beiiig railed to Fairlie and hauled to the bridge -sites' by one of Messrs Wigley and Thornley's traction engines. The material has been Jaid for the first three bridges. The chief engineer, Roads Department, wrote urgingthe Council £0 make bridge at Horse-shoe Bend strong enough' for coach traffic. The engineer reported! that lie had inspected the bridge, in company with Mr Wither, and. they agreed that it would not cost much to enlarge the approach on the rock side, to make the bridge available for big motor cars. Councillors understood that the Department wished the bridge to be made available for coach traffic, and it was deter : mined that this should be done, the Fairlie' members and engineer to visit the/ bridge and decide how best to do- it. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer Mr R. L. Banks reported on the work done by each gang since the previous meeting. The Albury gang was now shingling " Silgert's road, and go next to form road to P. O'Connor's section. The Fairlie gang 'was now putting in some river protection, and would •next widen the maiii road above Evers'ey; The Tekapo gang was oii the Grampians to Haldon road and would have donerthere in about made for temporary repairs to the headworks of" Burke's Pass water race. . : He had completed a survey of the Tengawai bridge: site, and' would have plans and specifications prepared; shortly. He had inspected; th» Boact between Foyers and Strathconan, formation of which was ; asked for.' The length was 160 chains; the'cost of format-km would be light, but of shingling heavy, there. being no suit- . a:ble„material near. - J. Conner was making satisfactory progress with his contract, shingling road to J. Mcintosh's s.g/ run, and should finish this week, and will then shift his contract on T. Burnett's road. Mr Smith moved that the Albuiy gang; go next after O'Connor's/ road to the Pare ora gorge, and l then to Askin's road.. The former was absolutely necessary, as-. the present road was- being, fenced off.. . Themotion was carried. Notice is to be given to two land owners- to clear g.orseoff the road before the gang gets there. -. Work was also laid out. for -the, 3Fa-irlie. and Tekapo gangs, the former to 'do the-•re-grading of the main road,.- the: latter ' to go next to-Mistake road.. In discussing, the request jfor work, on Strathconac-Foyers roadj. it was-, suggested that a heavy disc plough. would fe still' .better than a grader for' side* cutting; .work. Mr Schlaepfer said he had used one and it threw the 1 stuff; a- long way. ■The chairman also sanf he Bad: seen the disc plough making just such work as was wanted. Mr Rutherford - tiffed - to lend a heavy disc plough for an- experiment, amd' tie offer was accepted. ' ' ■ STOCK ON" ROADS. . : The- clerk reminded- -the Cotrnail' thai arrangements sliould be made' for appointment of ; pouiidkeeper and ranger - : at- Fair-1 lie, and this gave rise to a discussion : on : tlie difficulty of getting- tlie properly 'done - . ' . The complaint against the present system was' that it pays the rangers . better to •" faha"' the roads, and this defeated : the purpose of their appointment. . "' . . Mr "Schlaepfer . recolmnended employing a ranker casually, and' paying Mm for the dayS'iife was iso employed, and this was considered. a good" suggestion; "0 ' v '. v Xt was decided to invite applications' for the posts of poundkeepers at Fairlie and Burke's Pass. PLANTATIONS'. The engineer reported that the planting of forest trees at Edward's creek had. been completed, 90,303 being there' and 11,000 at Tekapo, 101,300 'in all. Thjs renewal planting on Tekapo Island. had also been done. A wire-netting fence had been put round the Edward's plantation,, and an acre had been fenced round the hut -for a camping ground.' , The Land Board, Christchurch, wrote that the accrued rents of plantation reserves would be added, to the supplementary estimates 1 , and made available when appropriated. MISCELLANEOUS. Mr J. Bray, Cricklewopd, applied for some road improvement. —Engineer to re; port. \ Mr J.,McMillan, Burke's Pass, for improved drainage of the pound paddock.— Engineer to writ-e to tenant of paddock. ,Mr A. H. McLean inquired terms' for a lease of gravel reserve on o'Neill's. road, and asked that the Railway 'Department, be required to grub some gorse, at 'Wiriscombe, where they had deposited on the roadway.—-Reserves can only be leased by tender, and it was decided to advertise this and other unlet reserves for lease: and to see the railway inspector re the gorse. The secretary South Canterbury bay at the Exhibition, requested the Council'to make a second contribution towards the cost of the bay.-—The Waimate Council gave £SO, and Levels -County £4O. —-The chairman suggested that as the Levels valuation was about double that of Mackenzie, the latter should give half as much —£2o or £2s.—r<The Council agreed to give £25. The Hon. W. J. Steward forwarded rv reply he„had received from the Hon. W. Hall-Jones ..promising earnest consideration of the Council's request for a £lO JO £ for £ subsidy for a bridge over the /Tei:g:v

wai. •The secretary to. tlie Counties' Association wrote tliat the executive committee had decided that the conference should not meet this year, and that the Premier had promised to circulate a Local Government Bill among the local authorities affected. - . - INTER-COUNTY TRAFFIC. The Mount Peel Road Board wrote giving permission to take sonle trees for river protection purposes. In reply to a request for "assistance towards repairs on Clayton road, the Board would contribute £SO provided the Mackenzie' Council spent £2OO, making a total of £250. Mr Guthrie said that the proportion was "•'-'that fixed by the commission. Tb° said that was so, but they got it in a lump, instead of £ls a year. The Board, on whom he had waited, made a good- deal of the fact that they had spent £2OO on Cattle Valley road, and had not claimed any share from the Mackenzie Council. He. pointed out, however, that- most of that £2OO was due to special damage by a flood. Mr Guthrie suggested -a. fresh commission, believing that a fresh inquiry would produce -a different result. • The chairman did not approve of this idea. The proper thing was for that corner .of, Geraldine County to join Mackenzie. J The engineer said his opinion was that the Mount Peel Board should pay- threefourths of the cost of maintenance, that representing their share of the traffic. It "■was decided to defer giving any directions, as it will be some time before the gang can get there. ~ DOG COLLARS. It was agreed to give the order for dog collars to a local maker, at and 7d. The selection being made by- lot, Mr Rowland gets the order this year. FISHING ON TEKAPO. Messrs S. and T. Andrews, the lessees of the netting for trout in Lakes Tekapo and Alexandrina, applied for the use of- : the Council's- boat, and it was agreed to lease it for the season for £3, paid 1111 ; advance, security to be given also that it. will be returned in good order, and will be available if required, for'the Council s purposes. „ TRACTION ENGINE TRAFFIC. Mr Guthrie moved that if the registration and license fees for traction- engine haulage plants be not paid within 14 days, the clerk take proceedings for recovery of the same. Mr Irving seconded and this was carried. TEKAPO HOTEL. It was agreed to send a man to repair, roof and paint the woodwork of the Tekapo Hotel. ... . SMALL BIRDS. - , It was agreed to purchase small birds earrs as usual; members of the Council to "purchase, and Mr Wreford to be «^ked to do so. Poisoned gram to be left at stores as before. -. ..; ACCOUNTS. _ Accounts amounting to £386 were for payment, making the overdraft £BOO.