WALLACE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Western Star, Issue 1968, 1 December 1894, Page 2

WALLACE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wednesday, November 28th. STATUTORY MEETING. Tho statutory meeting was held at noon, the clerk in the cuair. Tiit• r- tiring chairman, Mr ,7. W. Hamilton, suid before v.ieHtina' the position he had a'few wcrds to any. !!(• thanked thorn one and all For the very grout courtesy they had extended to him as Chairman. The best of public men wore not perfect, but in all he did he was actuated by a spirit of justic, and endeavoured to do hia riuty without fear or favor. In conclusion he hoped the Council would show the same respect and courtesy to bis successor. He then nominated Cr Ellis for the position. In do;og so he said Or Ellis was an old councillor, and ono who had always acted in a straightforward manner. He was a gemleman well-known in the district, and now that he had properly qnite close t<> Rivorton, be was always come-at-able, a very essential thiuj* with the County chairman. He had always shown an interest in the district, and'be' had no doubt that he would fill the chair with credit to i.iinsolf and to the Council.—Cr Ilurp said it was with much' pleasure he seconded the nomination. In Cr Ellis they had a very capable man. There heing no other nominations Cr Elds vrai duly elected, and briefly returned th inks to ihe proposer and seconder for their, kind sentiments. On tb'i motion of Cr. Newton, seconded by Or. Hirst, it was agreed to record in the minutes the Council's appreciation of the late chairman's sot vices. The following were ele'ted committees. Finance : ds Ellis, Hirst, Carmichael, and Hare, Cr Hirst to be chairman. Contract: Cr Hare, Hamilton, Hirst, and Newton, Cr Hamilton to bo chairman.

The Chairman was plectel to represent the Council on tho■ Hospitals and Charitable Aid Board, anil Cr Basstian on the Southland Hospital Trust. Cr Hare was again elected to the VV.aUace and Fiord Hosnital Trust. Fo'-tha Arrow Hospital, Mr W J. Marsh, of Arrowtown, wasre-ap lointetl Mr St. Omer, of Qneanstown, was elected to the Wakatipu Trudt.il ■■ ' •* :• ■

MEETING. The ordinary meeting was attended by the Cliaiiman (J.. C. Ellis, Esq.,) and Crs Hamilton, Hirst, Bare, Newton, and Carmiebael. Or. Mitchell, Manipori, telegraphed that he was uuable to be present, ami reported floods and damage to fords in the Mararoa hiding—Received. The Deputy Commissioner, Wellington, wrote staling that fcr e Government c;>uld hold out no hope of contributing pecuniary assistance to local bodies for the purpose of assessment.—Received. , .■■ In reference to level crossing at section 26, block t, Jacob's River Hundred, the Railway Department wrote stating that as soon: as the Council sent cheque for the estimated cost (£6 7s), t,ho work ! wouic'l be done. —On tbo motion otCr Hirst it. was decided to forward the amount, the nuver remarking that ths Departmonfc had gone back on their former proposition, but rather t.hac continue the anuual recurring expenditure of £l. it seas wiser to act in accordance with the motion.

The Chief Commissioner, lovercaigill, wrote requesting the Council to consider the taking over of the Lillburn road* from the mouth of the Waiau as far up as the work extended. The road inspector would be on the ground, and would go ovpr the roads at anv time with the County Engineer. The Chairman stated that there whs a sum of money in hand which the Council would not get until they took oyer the roads. The Engineer was instiucted to go over the roads and make a report on them. In a notification from the eeoretary of the Wallace and Fiord Hospital Trust respecting the election of a representative on that body the following information was supplied:— The amount contributed by Voluntary Contributors to tbe Wallacvond Morel Hospital, during the ypar ending 3[st March, 1894, was; £32*113-3d. Amounts contributed by local authorities during .same perierl wore as follows, viz:—Riverton Bbroueh, £39 19s Id ; Arrowtown Borough, £23 Os 8d; Avenal Borouah, £l6 5s id; VYinton Borough, £2O 7s sd; Gladstone Borough, £32 9s 7d ; East Invercargill Borough, £3l 8i 3d ; North Invercargill Borough, £35 17a; Queenstown Borough, £4S lis 8d; Southland County, £1962 14s lOd ; South Invercargill Borough, £52 19* id ; Campbelltown Borough, £64 19s ; Wallace County; £665 lis 9d ; Lake Conntv, £137 4s 8d; Stewart Island, £2 14s 2d' ; Gore Borough, £l3l 7-3; Invercargill Borough, £4BO 2s 5d ; Total, £3736 12 2d. The Land Board, Invercargill, wrote approving of the Council's proposals for expenditure of d.p. moneys at sections 55 and 96, Wairio. —Received. It was »lso intimated that the Board ap-. proved of the schedule showing the proposed expenditure of thirls and fourths excepting the posposals for Lillburn and Alton Districts, the moneys accrued or accruing on account of which were (o ba retained until the county agre'd to take over and maintain the roads to those districts.— Received. . ~ , The Chief Commissioner, Invercargill, wrote informinir the Counci! that the. Board had sanctioned the road deviation through section 62, Waira'ki District, and had directed the same to be rrcorlpd on tho office maps. With respect to closing the original road, the council would require to take the prope:' steps for doing so.—Received.

The Southland County wrote stating that they agreed to supplement the expenditure on the boundary road of Wallace County and Winton Riding to the extent of £5 as requested.—Received. . M. Mcintosh, Dunrobin, Centre Hil>, wrote requesting repairs to road from Hayes' corner to top corner of seclion 7. As the Council Lad some doubt as to the precise locality, the. Engineer waa ordered to report. > M Hayes, Mossburn, requested repairs to road through block 5, Centre Hill district.— To bo informed that the dp. moneys will be expended aa soon as received. Thos Finn, Patrick Holleran, Matfcbow Newton, J and A II Calder and Jno Creegan, settlers in the Wairio riding, wrote stating that as the block road leading from Holleran's corner to Wreys Bush-VSTairio main road was impassable, and on account of the county funds being low, they wore, preoared to give their teams to draw the grader to form the rond provided the Council r7id the clearing and sent a man to work the machine. —Cr Newton spoke in tm-ms of praise of the patriotic nature of the proposal, and it was decided to accept the offer, the grader to go the r e in its proper rotation. Messrs Kennedy and Harvey were granted six weeks' exto sion of timo in whieh to complete the Otautau bridge. S Losirmout, UivortoD, wrote rcquestioE; payment of balance due on contract on VVaimatuku-Flints Bush road, amounting to cE7 10s, £1 of which was deposit. If not paid by the Ist Dereoibor he would be compelled to take leg-i! proceedings. It was decided to refund the £1 deposit, and inform the writer that the Council thought he had been sufficiently well paid already for what be had done.

A. 11. Mackay, C.E , Marfcon, wrote informing the Council that ho had patented an invention for the protection of river banks and biidge approaches, and would supply the specifications for £l. Received. IT. T. Turner, Inspector of Stock, Invercarjrill, wrote drawing the Council's attention to the overgrown poise fences on the County roads. In many places it was very bad, and should be attended to at once. Little or no notice had been taken of the notices the Council had sent out. To allow the gorao nuisance to continue he considered a great mistake, and he respectfully asked tho Council to enforce the law for the suppression of the nuisance.—To be informed that the Council have already taken, srefg by in-

titnating to landowners that they roust clear the gorse off road-lines, and that the majority were attending to the matter. The Land and Income Tax Department wrote stating that £OOO being advance of subsidy due for ihe year 1894-95 payable under " The Local Bodies Finance and Powers Act 18S5 " and section 10 of " 'liie Appropriation Act 1894" had been sent on by voucher lor payment.— .Received.

I V. R. Haekwortb, manager of tho | National Bank, Riverron, wrote siuting that in compliance with the Council's request (ho rate ol interest in the oterdruit will be 7 per ceufc. per annum until further advised, that was piovided the aeeouut wad kept withia the statutory limit.—Received. The Tuxa Manufacturing Co., Dnnedio, , forwarded through ihe J. G. Ward Association another 2 uoz tins of the lird destroyer. They thanked the Council for having taken au intorest in it, and awaited their-Isports on its efficacy.—Received. Tho Auditor-Genoral returned the half, yearly balance-sheet, and certified to its correctness. Jno. Wilson, Rivet-bank, River ton, wroto calliug attention to the road leading to hss farm. It was only 3 yards from the bank of the r ver to the fence, and as it was dangerous ho hoped the Council would hare' it atteucted to. it was left in the hands of the members for the riding to arrange with Mr Hayes to make the road viable, expenditure not to exceed £lO, payable 12 months after completion. Allan Jones, DrummonJ, wrote offering to para tho sides of the road from Gibson's corner to Riverton for £5 lOs with the grader.—Cr Hamilton said the offer should be accepted. It would save pounds upon nwunns in surfacing.—The Chairman said ho wculd remind them that it had been decided not to expend any new votes.—Amotion that the off.ir be accented was lost ou the casting vote of the Chairman, Ic was decided to thank Constable Joyce, Otautan, for the prompt measures he had taken to remove the carcase of a horse washod down by the vive<; from off the pubic road, and refund 10s cost of burying same, as tho owner could not be found. R Br-ggs wrote giving notice that ho intended closing the old road running through his section (113 Takitimo) from Grassy Creek to Belmont. In regard to the samo matter \V Bradley wrote stating that unless something were done at once he wcull not be able to get bis wool down or goods up. A deputation consisting of Messrs L<*chlan MeKenssie and W Bradley waited on the Council in reference to the same matter, and hid the whole thing fully before the Connc:l. To meet the d fficulty Cr Hare gave notice of motion to movent the next meeting as follows—That the old track through Mr Bege's land (with his consent) be used this summer. The road from Mr Begg's, Grassy Creclrford (log ford) to bridge over Grassy Creek, near Belmont wo >ished, be made practicable. That the engineer report on deviation of road through the ©duration reserve across the creek from' Mr Begg's section and that if the report be favorable it be surveyed and made the main road, deviation to start from Wairaki grass paddock to main road at Belmont woolshod through Wairaki Educational Resorve.—Tho motion was seconded by Cr Ellis On the motion of Cr Carmicbael the folI owing sums were voted, to bo paid after 31st March next—That £lO be expended in clearing, forming, and general repairs to Hogan's road from Bayswater boundary eastward towards school and J B Pprde's aa far as possible ; that £lO be voted for the forming and general repair of road lead.ng eastward from Malcolm's. Cr. Hare's motion with resDOot to bimonthly meetings oE the Council was held over until next meeting. The following motions on the order paper were, in the absence of Cr Grant, deferred :—■ 1. That members travelling expenses be reduced one half. 2. That for the next ten months tho Conned only meet for the despatch, of business every alternative month. 3. That the Clerk be only employed half time. It was decided to invite applications from qualified persons to make the county validations, Buch applications to be dealt with by the Finance Committee on the 7th insn, when thay will meet to sign vouchers for wages etc. for the month NovemberDecember. Cr. Eliis moved : That the Finance Committee be requested to reconsider and if possible amend the motion passed with respect to the question of expenditure of money. His object in going so was t j get a specific sum placed on the estimates for each, riding. Seconded by Cr. Hare and carried. Tho sum of £lO was voted last year for expenditure on road between Wairio and I Hundred lino, and this will be expended as [ soon as practicable. The Engineer presented the following rp. port on surfacing consideration of which was deferred : —" Referring to your resolution of last meeting that the surfacemen be dispensed with, I beg to submit the following particulars for your, information. There are at the present time about 750 miles of roads which have, been completely or partially formed ; and there are fully aa many more upon some works, suoh as putting in culverts, small cuttings &c. have been done. These figures are exclusive of the roads on the west side of the Waian river, which the Chief Commissioner now proposes to hand to the Council In the maintenance of these roads the Council recently employed 11 regular hands, giving an average per man of 136 miles. The numbed of surfacemen is now reduced to 8, which adds 51 miles to e»ch man—lß7 miles apiece. The great majority of the old culverts in this County are of wood, many of them in an advanced state of decay; and they require constant supervision to prevent accident. They are very numerous. I have a detailed list of 428 in the Wairio, which does not include those in all the roads ; and in the Waiau on the direct road from Walkers bridge to Bellmount there are no less than S±. To keep all these in repair by casual labour would be very difScult, especially in the outlying districts; and doing a number of small odd jobs in many places, will cost more than retaining the regular surfacemen who have acquired much useful knowledge and experience. I may point out that there are some small amounts of * thirds ' avail, able for maintenance on roads already formed which will assist to pay thu surfacem3o's wages; and also that they mav be employed upon some of the deferrod'pavment works whioh are 100 small to call tenders for. I therefore to ask the Council to sanction the retaining of the 8 men now left, as the cheapest way in which the roads can be maintained—the men also [ to be employed upon the small deferred payment works before mentioned." Tho Engineer reported that he had inspected the p'ase where Mr Reid, of Morley Village, wanted a bridge, find was of opinion that a ford could easily be got bv making cntlings in the sludge channel* From the 2Sth January to 28th July £726 of thirds and fourths had accumulated. The work this money would do had broa laid out and accepted by the Land Board. The monoy, however, was not vet to hand. With referenco to contract 753, Mararoa Gorge, which had been delayed last year owing to the laloness of the season, the contractor, T. J. Bennett, wrote in reply to a communication that he would be able to start the work after Christmai. The Council then adjourned.