WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

West Coast Times, Issue 8074, 13 February 1891, Page 4

WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

The following reports were read at the last meeting of the Westland Conr.iv Council—

OVBBSBEB BUTLER'S BBPOET.

Big Wanganui to Watar^a Biver. — Part of this road is in very fair repair, the bad plaous are the swamp near Mount Hercules, which requires to be metalled all through but it is hard to get metal for this part of the road, also a few places on Mount Hercules where the late floods have damaged the road in a good few places. Wataroa to Porks. — This part of the road rpquires metalling in many places. I have been repairing part of it near Waitangi river lately but have not finished it yet. Forks to Okarito. — About three miles of the road has been metalled in r*ll the rough places which is in fair order at the present the remainder of it about two milei requires to be metalled in many places, the late heavy rain in this part has taken down two large slips near the Okarito end of the road.

Forks to Mapourika Road. — Most of it is in fair repair but there are a few places that require to be patched with metal.

Mapourika to Waiho Track. — Farts of this track are in passable repair, there are a few soft places getting in it lately which require repairing as soon as possible as there are some of them very bad,~ovring to so much wet weather.

Three Mile Bluff Track.— There are a few soft places getting in this track. Farts of it are in fair repair.

Waiho Biver Track near the Sea Beach. — This was referred to me to report on re extending it further up the river. The river is running hard up against the bluff from over a quarter of a mile above the end of the present track to near the sea beach. At the end of the track the river has cut away the shingle beach and left a perpendicular face of eight feet deep and no ford. The track would have to be extended up the river about 20 chains or more before it would be any good for traffic, and then perhaps she may cut in at the end again as she has done the last twice and there is noLhing to Stop her doing the same again. But at the same time it would give men a good chance to get up the river to a ford, where the track would comeou to a river bed in which the river has not been running for years. It is very hard for me to say what it would cost to make it as it is nearly all bluff formation and some of this kind is very hard and some not so hard but take it all through it is very hard to make a track through a country like this. I would say that between £60 and £70 would make it. I believe it would be of great service to the public if the track was made. At present there is a fair ford near the beaoh.

Omoeroa JBluff Track. — This track is in fair repair excepting one or two small patches which are a little soft.

Gillespies track is also a little rough in places with a few soft holes here and there but will be easy to repair. Q-illespies to Cook's river track is rough in many places and requires patching with metal as soon as possible. Gillespies Creek Bridge. — I have got manuka saplings nailed on all the wide places between the slabs some time ago. I do not think it is dangerous as all the slabs that are on it are of good Bilver pine. Cook's Bluff Track.— There was a slip on it when I was south last time, hut was being cleared off just then. The track was not used as tbe ford in the river was out on to the beach so that the traffic did not need to go over the track. Jacob's Eirer Track is about the same as it has been for some time past, rather muddy, at a part of it near the south side of the nver. At this place the river and sea keeps cutting away the bank at the approach which leaves it bad at times.

Paringa and Waitaha tracks are in about the same state of repair as when I last reported on them, Some places are rather rough. The late floods have done a lot of damage to the roads throughout the district. Culvert near A. and H. M'Fetrich's house, Totara Biver. — There is a creek near their house that overflows its banks in wet weather, and floods all around the house for Borne distance each way and the road acts as a kind of dam and backs up the water for some time something is wanted very much indeed to take the water away from the house. I tlun* if the creek was cleaned up and widened that it would take most of the water away.

I have read a letter in the Hokitika " Leader " signed Andrew Scott, in which he says that he was surprised to find that he had no rote for the County election, fie also says that I told a man that he (Scott) did net pay any rates, which is not true. What I said was that he did not pay hie rates, and that he was not entitled to a vote. Now, I think I should know if he (Scott) paid any rates or not, as I paid his rates for him out of my own pocket, £8 16s, to the County Council some time before he gave me one pound of them. He gave me £6 16s in two pay* ments, the balance £S, I hare not got yet, and I believe it is now nine months since I paid them into the County fund. A. Scott gave me an order for tbe three pounds which he says in his letter, was in the hands of the County Council, and when I five th« order to the County Clerk, he informed me that there was another order in before me, for all the money that was owing to him, or the full amount of his contract £15. So now, gentlemen, you see how A. Scott thanks me for paying his rates, by writing letters to the public press. A. Scott has not paid his rateß for 1889 and 1890 yet at least not to me and he told me he would i not pay them some time ago, and this is the man that was surprised he had no vote. I see by the " West Coast Times " that Mr Seddon had in bis hand a receipt by me (John Butler) incorrectly. If so I am not aware that I made a mistake in it. A. Scott has not paid hiß rates to me for 1889 and 1890 yet, and I , cannot see how he could be under the impression that he'had paid up to the date of the receipt, which, I believe, is March 1890, But I cannot be positive as I have not any of the books here at present when he told me he that he would not pay it.