TUAPEKA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XI, Issue 754, 9 March 1878, Page 3

TUAPEKA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of this body was held yesterday in the Council' Chambers, i Present : Horace Bastings, Esq. (in the chair) and Messrs Bennet, Honner, Clayton, Rodger, and Oudaille. Hnnrrß3. The minutes were read and confirmed. The correspondence consisted of the following business :— INSPECTOBS OF SLAUGHTER TABDS AND ABBATOIKS. Letter from Inspector Thompson, stating that he had no objection to the appointment of Sergeant Comyn, Constables Clark, Strain, Mcc, and Dunnett, as Inspectors of Slaughter Yards and Abbatoirs for the County of Tuapeka. Moved by Mr Bennet, and seconded by Mr Honner, " That the persons suggested by Mr Thompson be appointed Slaughtering Inspectors." — Carried. HEBBIOT HUHUBED. A letter from Mr John Edie, in which he stated that it was not necessary to reserve a road through section 3, Mock* XII., as the proposed new road goes through part of one end of section 3, which he had dotted black on the map, from section 9, block 12, to where it joins the present Tapanui road.— Read. BEHISSION 07 BAIBS. Mr John Croziermade application for a remission of rates paid by bun, amounting to 15s, for a section in blocks V. and VI., Waitahuna East, as he was neither the owner or occupier of lands within the blocks named. He stated that proceedings had been taken against him for the recovery of the amount, and in order to save trouble and expense, he paid the sum stated, proposing to bring the luatter under the consideration of the Council. * Referred to Rate Collector to report upon. PETITION. The following petition was received from settlers residing at Heriot Hundred :— " We, the undersigned settlers residing on and near block IX., Greenvale, beg most respectfully to call your attention to the state of the district road leading from Swift Creek between sections 16 and 17, on to the main Switzers road between sections 1 and 2. Owing to the exceedingly steep nature of part of that road, it is impossible to gain access by dray to some of the sections unless by going a round of ten miles by the Dunrobin. The rond^ could be made passable either by making or cutting, or by carrying it through an adjacent gully. As it is a very great hardship to have no means of reaching our properties, than by Dunrobin, as above mentioned, we earnestly urge upon your Council the necessity of aiding us in the matter. We would respectfully suggest an {inspection of the road by the County Engineer. [Here follow twelve signatures.] Referred to the Engineer to report upon the same at his convenience. bngineeb's eepobt.— No. 1. • Mr Smaill (County Engineer) presented the following report : — "I have to report having examined the County between Waitahuna and Waipori, accompanied by Mr Adam and several members of the Waitahuna Road Board. I have to report that a very good road can be made between the places referred to at a reasonable cost. It is proposed to make the sidings 16 feet in width at formation leve', and to cross the Waitahuna stream by ford. The work will not be costly, and the survey will be proceeded with in a few days. "Waipori to Wetherstones via Bungtown. — I have examined the track, accompanied by Mr Wright (of Waipori), whose thorough knowledge of that intricate pece of country was of great service. I find that a very good bridle track can be formed at a reasonable cost over much more road country than the present track. The greatest difficulty to be overcome is the pinch near Mr M'Cluskey's, which can be surmounted by sidings taken up the gully," and a deviation from present track near the top of the hill. The probable cost of forming a bridle track would be £800. I would recommend that the amount available (viz., £400) be expended on the Waipori end; the grades of the siding to be as easy as possible — to be afterwards widened for dray traffic if found necessary. The portion near- Mr M^Clnskey's to be attended to at some future time, as at present it is passable for horsemen. Mr Smaill thought it much better to do these Waipori roads by day labor. Owing to tKe difficulty of specifying a large portion of the work it would be much better to do it by a gang of men. ' - ' Mr Clayton thought it a mistake to do the work in the manner proposed. He would prefer seeing it done by contract: A long desultory conversation took place as to the method to be adopted in the expending of the £400 on the road to Waipori via Bungtown — whether the work should be done by contract or in the manner suggested by the Engineer. After which Mr Clayton moved, " That Report No. 1 be adopted with the substitution that tenders be called for the work instead of having it done by day labor." Mr Bennet seconded. Mr Honner said : For a bridal track he scarcely saw. how the Engineer could maEe a plan of it that could be worked to by a contractor. If it were a dray track it could be managed easy enough, but not so with, a bridal track. The Chairman strongly urged the Council to adopt the Engineer's proposal of doing the work by day labor, but on putting it to the vote, the motion was carried. ekginebb's bbpobt.— No. 2. -•* < 1. Having in view the efficient supervision" of the roads and works of the County, I have to request authority to employ a number of ■working foremen, whose duties -would be the supervision of surfacemen, timekeeping, and inspection of new works in their districts. 2. I propose to employ three additional men at rates not exceeding ten shillings per day. 3. Mr Goldsmith to be employed in the

construction of the track to Waipori, and in the supervision of new works in Waitahnna and Waipori. 4. I have also to request authority to inorer.se the number of surfacemen during this and next month, to repair the roads in the Countybefore the winter sets in. 6. I have also to request authority to alter (he pwsent system of payment of day laborers. I would suggest that time sheets be made out and presented to the Council every month, showing , iaj detail each man's name, number of days .employed, rate of pay, and amounts due .to each man. Cheques could be drawn np for the amounts stated in the pay sheets, and held by the Treasurer until the Engineer had issued the vouchers, the preparation of which could be delayed until date of issue. Also, that a small sum, say £20 per month, be left to the credit of the Treasurer to meet payments that it may be necessary to make in discharging any workmen. It is absolutely necessay to have this power if' discipline is to be maintained, and it is also desirable to have County charges clearly defined.— l have the honor, &c., War. Smaill, Engineer. Mr Honner said" that instead of curtailing expenses that report would'considerably add .to them.^ The plan of having one man in each Riding was a very good one, but the difference between 7s and 10s was too much. In Australia the same thing was carried out by giving an extra shilling a day, and he thought that good men could be found for that money ; bufr he feared, in other respects, that they would have more officers than men. One shilling a day for the extra responsibility he considered* rwouk}. he quite - sufficient. As far as keeping on the Sub-Inspector was concerned, -if Mr Smaill is going to* be" Engineer and Inspector, there should be no necessity for a Sub -Inspector. He (the speaker) was aware that work had accumulated, but there was not likely. to be anything like the same amount of work at any future time. He wquid be against the appointment of a number of permanent billets, and he thought Mr Smaill ought to be able to do the engineering and inspection himself. - The Chairman said that it . would take several men to supervise the work now going on. He was aware of the resolution about the Sub-Inspector, but he did not see any possibility of doing the work without some one. Mr Smaill had been working fourteen hours a day to overtake the work, and had now got as much as he could do — pegging off roads, &c, — to keep him occupied for some weeks. He thought the foreman proposal was a very good idea. He believed the Council had been paying pounds and pounds away to no puipose to men w"ho had not been properly supervised. He did not thiuk any of their servants were eating the bread of idleness. While there was so much field and office work to do, he did not think the Snb-Inspeclor could be spared. After a time, no doubt there would be less work to do. He must say that he fait the responsibility of the position he held very much, and he desired to keep down the expenses as much as any one, but he could not see how the matter of inspection of works could be neglectedj __ Mr Honner said he had no desire to insinuate that any one was not doing his duty. Another thing he wished to refer to, was this : As a rule, any resolution that had been passed by the Council should be rescinded before it was over-ridden. The Chairman remarked that this was quite correct, and it was for the Council to say what was to be done. Of course, if they say that Mr Goldsmith's services should be dispensed with, their wishes would require to be carried out. Mr Bennet thought that one man in each Riding, paid an extra Is a day, would be a very good plan. The paragraphs in repoit No. 2 was then discussed seriatim, and decisions arrived at as follows : — 1. That the engineer be authorised to employ one foreman surfaceman, full time, in each riding when required. „ 2.' This paragraph was struck out not being approved of. 3. The resolution of the Council passed at a_ previous meeting re tub-icspeclor to be given effect to as he would not be required, it having been resolved that the road, Lawrence to Waipori via Bungtown, be let by tender. 4. This paragraph was thoroughly approved -of. 5. Also approved of, and a resolution passed authorising the Chairman to arrange with the bank to honor the Engineer's certificates to the amount ef £20 each month, between the meetings of Council. WAIPOBI- BUNGTOWN BoAD. A deputation, consisting of His Worship the Mayor and Mr E. Herbert, waited on the Council with reference to the sum of money to be expended on the bridle track between Waipori and Lawrence via Bungtown. The Mayor said the deputation understood that a sum of £400 was about to be laid out on the Bungtown road, and it had been represented to them by the residents of Waipori that if the sum were supplemented by the Council, the track could be made available for horse traffic. The sum of £200 more would put it in a fair condition. The present ' track goes over very high country, and is at times impassable in the winter. In fact, on one occasion, the Coroner could not go out one winter for five days to hold an inquest. Mr Herbert, however, knew the country better than he did, and would state to the Council what he knew of the matter. Mr Herbert said with regard to the portion of the road nearest Lawrence it was very steep, and there were several settlers located in the neighborhood who had a great difficulty in getting their produce to market. The Chairman, in reply to the deputation, read Mr Smaill's report, which will be found above, and stated that the Council would expeud the £400 at once. * In reply to Air Bennet it was stated that the nearest portion of tho road referred to was in the Road District. The Chairman then recommended the Council to knock at the door of the Road Board with regard to that portion of the road. The deputation then thanked the Chairand retired. ; TENDEES. Tenders for the following contracts were accepted i— No. 30 (construction of 90 chains road through Gorge to Eae's), J. Lythgoe and Co., £2136 Is 2d ; three other tenders were received, Contract 31 (approaches to Teviot bridge), David Andrew, £231 18s 4d j two other tenders were received. Contract 32 (gravelling 196 chains of road from Tuapeka River to Big Hill), J. Crawford, £710 10s. ASSESSMENT COUBT. It was resolved that the. Chairman be empowered to attend the Assessment Courts if considered necessary. . TOTBBS LISTS IN OUTLYING DISTRICTS. It was decided that the Clerk be authorised and appointed to prepare Voters' Lists for outlying districts, in accordance with the provisions of the Counties Act, 1876. ABBEAB3 OP BATES. It was agreed that the Chairman, and Messrs Oudaille, Clayton, and Morrison, be appointed a Committee to examine the arreas list in the ratebook, and to write off any amounts that cannot be legally recovered. Resolved : That the Finance Committee hold a special meeting at ten a.m., on date of next ordinary meeting, to consider and report upon the financial position of the County. QTXABBT BBSBBVBS, Resolved : That Mr Smaille be requested to define quarry reserves along Switzers road towards Heriot Hundred, and that the Waste Land Board be requested te reserve same from sale. . The Council then adjourned.