WAIMATE COUNTY COUNCIL

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13838, 25 February 1909, Page 7

WAIMATE COUNTY COUNCIL

The monthly meeting of the AA raiinate County Council Was held in the .Council Chambers yesterday. Present Ik-Messrs R. H. Rhodes (in the chair), 18. Lyall. A. AValker, P. Elworthy, G. Dohrman. V. AVhite, and T. L. Hart. MOTION OF CONDOLENCE. A resolution of sympathy with the relatives' of the victims of the late disaster to the s.s. Penguin was passed, and the chairman made feeling reference to the heroism displayed on that lamentable occasion. A copy of the resolution will be sent to the Premier und to Mr ; C. Holdsworth, actinggeneral manager of the Union Steamship Company,. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The County' Engineer reported as follows: Upper Pareora Riding—The contractor for the metalling of Howell's and Motukaika roads expected to commence work on March Ist, and the contract would then be put through with little delay. Lower Pareora Riding Levels taken" on Kinross road to test the' feasibility of cutting diversion drains showed that on both trial lines the channels would be so deep as to be as open ditches,.and the cost of ~ piping too great to warrant the undertaking. A number of small footbridges were replaced and new ones built in different parts of the riding. All contract-metalling works were completed,, and the contract fund expended for the current year. Otaio Riding— Mr Stanley, a Peter's Creek settler, applied for better access to his property.- and it was decided "to call tenders* for the work. AVfth the- Council's permission, assistance would be "employed for a few days to help the surfacemen fell and prepare materials for ring-fencing the cottage grounds at Tavistock. Makikihi • Riding (agreed -to) —The metalling of Rattray's road was, in common with other works, in abeyance till after harvest.' The metalling of - Creamery and .Makikihi Swamp roads grant) was finished. An estimate was given of the cost of reducing a cutting at- Hertslett's Creek ford, from 1 in ' 7. to 1 in 15, and of metalling the four chains affected. (Instructions were given for the work to be done). _ Enquiry had 'been 'made into an "application by "Mr A. McPherson that drains on the Hook school road fronting .on his land be deepened, and it was considered that work contemplated to intercept flood water further west would probably mitigate the evil. With reference to • Mr J. Simmons' application, that the road leading to his section be formed and "metalled, the engineer stated that the road was littlp used except for sheep, and when the gorse was grubbed the road would meet the requirements of all those using .it. (The work was held over.) Deep Creek Riding—Particulars were given of contracts completed, and the report stated that notices under the motor traffic bylaw Avere posted at the entrances of the AVaimate Gorge road, and should help to reduce the risk of accidents. Mr AV. Hardwick's complaint arose from a nuisance created by the insanitary state of a.drain from the local brewery emptying into the public road, constituting an offence under subsection E of section 145 of the Public AVorks Act, 1905. Application was made by Mr T. Hawkins for making 23 chains of parts of Carnarvon, Cardiff and Pembroke streets. (Instructions were given for the work to be done by, the Council's teams.) «AA'aihao Riding—The fencing of the Shearer's Hill road was making good progress, and probably the whole length on Mr Harrison's property would be completed early next months About onethird of the formation of the Hakataramea Gorge road was blocked out when the job was inspected on February lltb, and it would be two months before the work was finished." The Council's teams had prepared AVallace road for harvest carting, and were at present engaged on the AVaihao river road, whence they would go to the vicinity of the Dog Kennel branch road. " The engineer reported on Messrs Adamson and AVaters'" application for better access to pastoral run No. 44, Bluecliffs. The surveyed roads were badly located, and were also indirect and expensive to construct. The line advocated 2£ miles long was more direct, less costly, and would afford grades serviceable for horse teams, whereas the others would not without partial diversion. (The committee will report later.) An estimate was given of the cost of the deviation asked for by Mr J. Black, of Takitu, of a road near his homestead. (Held over in the meantime.) Hakataramea Riding—No work had been done on the bridge at the Hatcheries crossing since last report. Revised estimates for narrower stock bridges at alternative crossings of Deep Creek, on the Te Akatarawa road, were submitted, with a recommendation that the lower sjte "be adopted. Repairs in that locality should soon be finished. A reply had been received to enquiries made at the Crown Lands Office regarding ditches on the Main South road, fronting AVaikakahi settlement lands. This formed the subject of a recent deputation to the Council, and a visit to the ground bv a committee, and the information would be read to the Council in the course of the meeting. (The Commissioner of Crown Lauds wrote, saying that the Council were not liable for filling in the ditches referred to. and it was decided to notify Messrs Coonie and Beer that they had no claim on the Council.) The engineer asked permission to have the trees bounding the Council yard topped and several of them felled, as the dead foliage from 'them continually blocked the roof gutters. (Granted.) Plans for improving the acoustics of the Council ball arrived too late for tenders to be called for this meeting. A number of notices to clear gorse should be issued. It was decided to issue the notices. * The report was adopted. CORR RSPONDENCE. A petition signed by about 50 settlers of the AA'aimate and Levels districts was received, asking for the erection of a bridge over the Pareora

at Southburn.—lt was decided to confer with the Levels County Council regarding the matter. It was decided to have a report made on the estimated value of the County Council's roller, as applications had been received for its purchase, and the engineer reported that it was of very little use to the Council, having only been used twice in eight years. The Under-Secretary for Internal Affairs wrote, saying that the registration numbers for motor cars and cycles for the AA'aimate County . were to be AVE 201 to'AVE 300. —It was resolved to ask for an extension of these numbers, as there were already over 60 automobiles in the County, and it was anticipated that the limit of numbers authorised would soon be filled up. Messrs A\ T alker and N. if. Orbell were appointed as the Council's representatives on the Technical Association and High School Board respectively. Mr J. C. Huddelston, Agricultural and Stock Inspector, wrote referring to reports that had appeared in the papers regarding the spread of Californian thistle in the AVaihao riverbed. Mr Huddleston said he had been down in the riverbed, but could not fiud any thistle, and he requested the Council to send a representative- with him to [joint out the location of the pest.— After a little discussion it was decided to ask-the Government to send Mr Kirk, < chief biologist, down, to see if the plants in the riverbed were really Californian or only star thistle. An application was received from Mr C. AA'ilson, a .'-workman of the Council, for an increase of 6d a day in wages. Mr AVilson stated that he had been overlooked by the committee appointed to investigate into the wage question. —The application was granted. The ranger sent in a detailed report of the stock he had taken in charge for the past month. The number constituted a record, totalling 207, horses and cattle impounded and released. Dr Bett reported a case of erysipelas at St. Andrews. The AVaimate Borough Council reported that the matter of overhanging trees in the Gorge road had been referred to a committee to report later. Permission was granted to the Waimaie Borough Council to laj- water pipes along certain of the County -Council's roads, to supply water to ratepayers. n An application from Carlton Bros., for the iorming of a road, was referred to the engineer to, attend to. Mr Hunt asked for a dangerous corner of the road in High street to be attended to, and the engineer was instructed to report on the matter, and also on the complaint re the drain from the brewery. -,.,., i 1 Mr' AV alter Hogg and others asked for the erection of a stock bridge over the Haka rLver at Dip Creek and the member.of the riding was told oil to visit the place and investigate the settlers' needs. GENERAL.

'The Council went into committee to consider the only tender received for the Cannington bridge, and it was ultimately decided that fresh .tenders should'be called for the work. Mr Lyall said the St. Andrews poundkeeper * wanted to sell or lease his house, and if he did so it was a question if the new tenant would take over the'duties of a ranger. The engineer was instructed to inspect the house and get an estimate of its'"value, with a view of the Council's purchasing the residence, which is adjoining the pound. ACCOUNTS. ,'Accounts were passed as follows: General account, £945 Gs lOd; land fund, £69 8s; Lower AVaihao water interest account, £lB 10s; Lower Pareora water interest account, ]ss; contract deposits, £ls. The Council rose at 1 p.m. after a short meeting.