MACKENZIE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14360, 4 February 1911, Page 6

MACKENZIE COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthlv meeting of the Mackenm. County cGunoi was held at iarrhe SOb-.crd.v. l'r>sent— jlessrs F. L. Gi-Ln-'iia.n" (chairman), J- S. Ruthertord, AS Smith, It. Guthrie, D. Stewart, K Irving and Tas. Smith. The German said the credit balance. stood at £i2<Jl. Tho pay-sheet amounted to £3cJ—all ordinary expenditure except one largo item for bridges. There was about £3UO outstanding in rates. So far as he could see at pre- &- thov would have a credit balance at the end or the financial year, of about the amount they had anticipated. One of the horses used by the Albury gang had died since last meeting, death being due to natural causes. Ho had authorised Mr Irving to purchase another one. At last arrangements had been completed in regard to sanitary inspection. The Hospital Board was now tho ruling authority, and an inspector had been appointed as from the first of this month. ENGINEER'S P.EPORX

Mr 11. L. Banks, the Engineer, reported on the work done in the various ridings by the Council's gangs. Ho reported that the upper end of Mount Ncs.sing road is in a bad state and should be attended to. D. Sheehan expects to commence work on his shingling contract Tekapo to Pukaki road next week. Plans and specifications have been approved by the Public Works Department except those for the Tv.inel river bridge. Tenders are dae to-day for this work, and a conditional acceptance only could be given a. this meeting. It would be advisable t'> ptiah on with the expending of Government jrrant.s for Springs and Riverside mads as much as possible before 31st March. Rates for the current vear are outstanding as follows: — Fairl'ie riding £l7O u; lOd, Alburv £"1U0 C= Pi. Cave £SO 3s 7d, Tekapo £$ 7s Pd. '

Th«> report; was adopted. For a bridge over the Twizel river two tenders ncre received—R. O'Brien £2S2 -Is fid. and P. .1. Beaton £2BO ICV. The lowest tender was accepted, subject to the Public "Works Department approving of the plans and specifications. Some doubt was expressed as to the Department is likely to approve r,f tbo plans, tlie engineer stating iliac the Department -wanted a ranch heavier structure than he thought necessary and had plannrd for. FPPER PAP.EORA BRIDGE. Tiie Waimate County Council forwarded a copy of tht lr resolution that the Public Works Uetiartment be informed tk::t tlrey preferred the s.te at CaJmi:i£tou Cliii to that at Martin's l'orti fur the proposed bndgo. it being equally suitable to the ratepayers, and a bridge there would cost only a tjuarte- of one on the other site. lae chairman and ail members except Mr Guthrie expressed their firm that ths Waimate Council had selected the wrong site; but decided no; to move in the matter until n formal demand was made for assistance in erecting the bridge. Mr Guthjri-_- said he know nothiujr about the respective sites and so could not express an opinion. All other members said the bridge should be built at Martin's crossing. CORRESPOXDEXCE. The Pubiic Works Department ad- ! vised that the balances on votes for road works had been offered to local bocics much earlier this year than previously, so that such works could be undertake during, the summer montlis. The Department also advised that £7OO had been authorised for work on the Lake Tekapo to Lake Pukaki road; £250 for the Riverside road; and £250 for the Springs road. Tho Railway Department thanked tie Council for agreeing to co-operate in providing increased tail race facilities at Mr Doyle's mill.

The Commissioner of Crown Lands advised that provision, had been made for stock camping reserves on kenzie pastoral runs.-Mr Guthrie said thov should have secured more reserves. The Public Works Department wrote that the vote of £IOOO for a bridge over tiie Hooker river had been cancelled as tho Council could not see their wav to undertake the work. Mr Jas. Prinze asked for improvements to the Richmond road.—To be attended to. „ Tho Treasurv advised pay™-"* ° r £46S as an advance on account of subsidy on rates. LEGAL OPINIONS. Messrs Tripp and Rolleston advised in regard to tho Cuthbertson section at Silverstream, (which the Council thought was a road) that if the Coun- ! cil wanted it for a road they must buy l it Uninterrupted usage of it for 20 ! vears did not entitle the Council to 1 take it as it was under the Land i Transfer Act. —It was resolved that the ! engineer should make further enquiries j with a view to getting tho necessary land if possible. Messrs Tripp and Rolleston advised in regard to the proposed merging of the new Onnha Road District as follows: —(1) The new district, which had already been severed from the Mt. Peel Road District, would come into existence on April Ist next, and an election of a Board for the district would be held in May. Then it would i h> neeessarv for the new Opulia Road j Board and "the Mt. Peel Road Br.ard to agree as to the apportionment of assets and liabilities as between the two Boards. (2) When this had been done the Geraldino and Mackenzie Councils would agree between themselves that their boundaries shall be altered, and that the new Opulia Road District shall thenceforth be includpd in the Mackenzie County. It would probably bo September before all the necessary steps were taken. It would then be necessary to re-divide the county into ridin.es. and apparently tho merginc of the Road District would necessitate a fresh election of members for the coimtv. It was resolved that a fresh election 6anll be avoided if possible. GENERAL. The Council resolved to grant a bonus of £lO to F. Watts, to cover his travelling expenses for the past few years, lie having found his own bicycle. Regarding the reserve of 2200 acres set aside to go with the Tekapo Hotel, the chairman aaid the Council should get that under their control. —Mr Gutlirio said he thought the Department would put a rent on it and offer it to the Council at that rent DOMAIN BOARD. Mr Banks submitted the report of the Domain Board for the year. This showed that the sum of £l4 16s Id had been expended during the year. The river protective works were proving satisfactory in protecting the Domain and the willows were making excellent growth. Further protective works would be required to safeguard the lower portion of the Domain. About .eight years ago the Council advanced £IOO to the Board to carry out necessary works, and the position now is that this sum has been refunded and the Board has a credit balance or £lO 10s 2d, The balance-sheet was adopted. ACCOUNTS. j Accounts amounting to £372 19s lOd I were passed for payment and the j Council rose.