WALLACE COUNTY COUNCIL

Western Star, 24 May 1904, Page 2

WALLACE COUNTY COUNCIL

The monthly meeting held on Friday was attended by the Chairman (Jn<>. Fraser, Esq) and Crs Hirst, Dyer, Ei J. Stevens, D Clark, J King, Newton, Power and Cupples. g ;. CORRESPONDENCE. ~ %y ;." J. C. Shearer, Drununond, was granted permission to concrete a footpath 50ft-; ; by 7ft in front of his building. ,\ '. %r £ Robert Sutherland Qrawia, wrote, objecting to the manner in -which thirds accruing from lus property had been spent, leaving his section Ll 7in debt.; Gravel was required on road at south end of the i homestead.—Cr King said the thirds on Mr Sutherland's property had been spent by the Engineer, the whole of Mr Sutherland'thirds being absorbed in the construction of the bridge. —Mr Sutherland,, ■who was present, stated that as the bridge benefitted other settlers their thirds should have been spent on the .bridge!. -What he-wanted was to "have Ins section clear of de.bt. —Cr King stated that next year the thirds from, other sections would be utilised, 'and Mr Sutherland thanked the council and withdrew. Bobt. Cupples,-jnr.,-wrote stating that the road leading :to the Yellow Bluff bridge encroached on his land on part of section 15, block 2, Jacobs River Hundred, and he claimed Ll 5, ? per acre for such, there.being If acres used for 1 the road. —In reply to a question by Cr Clark if the landhad beenacquh-edbythecbuncil, I the chairman stated that the bridge bad

been built off the roadline, hence the deviation.—-Cr ; Cupples said he was' riot interested in the land, and he moved that the matter be held over until 1 next meeting, and that the chairman, Cr Clark, and himself visit;the: land in qestioh. '-He thought Ll 5 was rather'much for the land.—Seconded by Or Dyer and .carried* Jane Harvey, Clifdeh, offered L2 for flax on her boundary. —lt was resolved to leave the matter in the hands of Ber for the riding to deal with. Robert Taylor, Mount Linton, drew attention to a broken bridge, on the road to Wairaki which had been broken since March. The bank had been carried away at one end. The same writer, also drew the council's attention to the big cutting on the Nightcaps road, which was in a bad state, the water tables of which required

j cleaning. —-The Engineer stated that it would take LIOO. to repair the bridge. A stock bridge could be erected at a lower cost. 'There was a good ford on the river. The,riding, was not-in a position to erect a new bridge.—lt was decided to hold the matter over till next meeting. 7 .'. \,; ; i \ P. O'Meara wrote in reference to the 'deviation on Orean's Hill, stating that he did not want to put any obstacles in the council's way ami would only charge £4 for the land. He would, however, expect the council to put up a sheep proof fence when the deviation goes the shorter way as a good live; fence J afc' present existed. — Cr NewtonHitoved;' ii'ni Or Power secon- • ded, that O'Meara's .offer f be accepted.— , The Chairman and "-Cr ■ Hirst said they j understood that O'Meara was to give the J land for nothing. However, as* the •amount was small, it would be accepted.. I'—Cr Newton said O'Meara did not benefit by the road, and did not require it.'— Cr Clark said ho was surprised to hear Cr Newton uttering those remarks. Afterfurthar/disciis'siqn, the* -engineer was "instructed to shave the new 'road surveyed, at once! ' ' „.'.''*";' '"'*'...' , <,< ■ ■..■ R.. Gray, Centre Hill,-wrote statiug that the Oreti River had washed away part of his freehold, and he; wanted' to fence the roadline. He also stated ' that the road formation hotel to the stable is off the roiid line, and he asked what was the intention of the council in regard to these matters. Cr Dyer said the track was formed up theriver, but in Cr Chewing's time the road was altered. Lately there had been £IOO of Government money spent in this part of the ridirig. He £IOOO to keep the'-road along'the river in repair. The«;ohe ; no"w road. That portion of the-:road Gray's property could be inquired into. —Letter received. J."" ;K/*•"?-": * A Reid, Nightcaps, stating Tihat he had laid a plank on the bridge when crossing wfith, his engine of which he,' could bring .a witness lio jprove; ''The'bridge was broken when hauling a truck over after:; the, engine had crossed.-7-The'; •Clerk-'-stated* that Reid's letter made things worse,as he; reepjired a license to haul ..a waggon and

did not possess one.—Letter received. * C/.- Small, secretary of the Te Tua Farmers. Unions wrote?« requesting I that two bags of Brooks' ppißon be forwarded to Waihoaka station. JEJLe also drew attention to the bridge at the Te Tua factory, and -stated |hat. a. was required.—To* be "attended to. A discussion took place on bird poison. Cr Cupples contended i that the poison should be made locally, which could be made cheaper if a large order were given. As the various ridings were using poisoned grain from. different • makers, - it -was ultimately decided that the. matter be left in the hands ? of each member, the amount not to exceed LlO for poisoned grain in each riding. Wm. West, Waiau, was granted permission to cut 200 kowai stakes at 10s per hundred royalty. '] './ "A \j ;:' / Messrs Smith and Rose, Etalvale, notified, their intention to survey the new road along the top of Blue Terrace;to the Etalvale boundary, and asked that the new road be made fit for traffic as soon as possible.—The Engineer stated that a

road hadjformerly, beenlaid off.by the.late 'engineer along the' flat,, but the Commis-. sioner of Crown Lands had objected as it was likely to ;be Swashed away* by floods. There were, however, no funds available for the new road on the terrace, i and it was decided to notify Messrs Smith "and Ross accordingly. Jno. Playfair, Gummies Bush, I wrote stating that a quantity of flax abounding his property had not been dealt with though applied for by J. Sutherland. ~As the flax was encroaching■ on" : his road,he asked that the council sell", or- remove,;—> Received. . ~ i. ■ .- , • Louis Garden drew attention to the bad state of the road leading from Pahia to the beach. r As, the heavy traflic .was now over, he asked that the road' be- repaired, gravel for t which could be ; ob-1 taitied from a pit'dose by. On the motion- of- Cr Hirst it- was decided to in"forni Mr Garden -that -no funds were available, and that it was too late in the season to do the work. Geo. Pearce, Wakapatu, again drew the council's attention to the bad, state

of the'erossing at the mouth of #l}e; Ourawera Creek.—Received. ; i " Fisher and Co., Orawiay offered £6 for flax on Waiau. river. reserve, two miles up the Ofcahti flat, including small islet close to Eastern bush, with the right to move the flax up to December 31st 1905. —Matter held over till next meeting. * :.• Messrs Forbes and party," Qrepuki, asked permission to put a tunnel through ifcfiefi road near McPherson's slaughter yard. , They, also asked for,a subsidy from the council, as driving through the road would do away with a county culvert which now exists.—Letter received. : Wm. Taylor, Aparima, was granted a traction engine license. 'A petition was presented residents

of Orepuki, containing 60 asking that the council erect a foot bri-ige over the old workings'on Fortune's road, neir the old school glebe.—Ci Hirst said he fished to draw."the attention of the council to the number of signatures on this petition, many of whom were not interested "■in the footbridge at all, and whose names should not be attached. Only those interested should sign their nan.es to any petition. With regard to the footbridge in question steps had been taken long ago to erect the bridge, but the wire rope was not strong enough for the purpose. The matter, however, would be attended to in due course. Cr Dyer stated that as £4ol} were available for work in his riding, including bridge building, he would like to have the services of the Engineer and have the work carried out.—Agreed to.

D. P. Walker, instructed by committee of the' 'Orepuki chiircb, drew attention to, the height of footpath in front of church, the drop being 3 feet, * and dark nights this was dangerous to churchgoers. —Cr Hirst said he thought the drop was about one. foot instead.of, threw, .fiSit. s However,'if the committee \ make the thing better, heiwould supply 1 a' plank and they could do tbe-hvbor. h •Correspondence from- the Publics Health Departnfer t regarding precautions to be observed in \viewof the outbreak of the plague was laid pu the table., ~ k x j* Russell and Son, solicitors, ,fisked»Eh« council to sanction transfer of leKse" in Drumindhd reserve f.'otri Mrs Gibson to Chnrlps Affleck.—The Chairman said therehvas no objection, and the request was granted. ■'-•--.-• •>*'. " A ~-'' :: ''.- -'■>*■' - '>«"' - Cr Newton stated that the Manager for the Nightcaps Coal Company had t offered him slack coal to be ? placed on streets at Nightcaps for ; Is per load.—Left to the member for riding to deal ;with.: \ ■■ ' v; Cr Hirst reported on.the application : for repairs asked for bjr 1 A. Lenun'n and others. ' He had visited the road, the upper end of which was- in a' badjjitfite. "The planks in some places were overgrown with goise, which-thfc, made to cut. "' *' ?'

' Cr Hirst sail! there- was 'anotherSiiatter he- would like to bring -: befurejifihe council and that Was 'that two sawmills, were about to startr—one aif Pvichards's and the \ r other at Miske's. If these sawrmlls were allowed to cart timber over. the roads ,it would take all the rates of" the riding to keep the roads in repair. There *had already been spent £SOO oa a road used by one sawmill. The sawmills destroyed .all.Jbhe roads; of»tbe» comity,-and •"where ' do the rates go to ? , There - should be] a/---bye-law passed, ty protect ithe ;'rateff|!ylf.-g Siwmillers' were hot ratepayers. Vile*ventured to say that within ,a mpnthjrfter these sawmills stalled;, carting'timber the road from Camp" Creekf to. Waihoaka would be axle deep;in nsud}-f-«Cr, Oupjilee said he had much pleasure in sup"] totting Cr Hirst, and hoped he could suggest, some plan to stop destroying the roads 'by.' carting timber thereon. The chairman should consult the county's solicitor in . regard to the council protecting themselves both in the sawmilling and milling industries, regard to the latter* industry, he w,buld sliggest that dressed jfibre be ratecK >A bye-law was now in force to.regular the wi(|th of tyres out it was not sufficient to preserve the yr roads. Cr Hirst suggested that any per*'" son or persons'destroying a county road should be, compelled to put the said •road in a proper state of repair.. He unoved that Crs King, Cupples^. the en? gineer and the mover visit 'the:rprtd from Orepukt to Waihoaka and see'lor themselves the state of the road, so'that the council could take proceedings. He ■was prepared to spend a year's rates in having this case settled.—-Seconded by Cr Dyer arid carried. -_ ■

.: With regard to contract taken oyer by Barry, which Hogan had failed to conrplete,, Cr Hirst gave notice of motion that Barry be paid LQ 16s 6d for, work done on road leading to gtade works. „ . fiv h '■'' . - ~ : " .: ; . ,: ENGINEERS REPORT. , \-. ;Yeaiow; Bluff/Bridge.'-— This is again made viable for a cost of L2Bfe Some protection' rorki, however, are required, and should be gone On withat y once. ' ..■■:'■':■' :-'}y-y:.'c^

■.;: Waii;aki ' • badly cb&itgedkby 'Mc&M the liner§ being washed out. It will be necessary Jx); drivetfoujr,njewpile^and also othei 4 tiers "by"driving iron nails] The coat of repairs which are being effected will be about L7O. Dean Burn Bridge—Moat of tbe i material is ordered,, and as the council'^ I plant is on 'the. 'ground, I would suggest that day labor be used -"for Wttdii/pin- ? stead of contract. -1 would estimate 0 ' the * cost of budding afc L 42,. ~ i:., ?~ y r ;. Birchwo'6d'&ad.'^ ; hftve UidHiffthree }% routes for this road and w6uld suggest shortest route be.taKenl. There are no engineering difficulties in the way. The cost of formation will be 'about L4O, Cr King, in speaking to the Engineer's report, said that the matter of a road through^Birchw66d : should'*''-be"' J 'ltSft: in" ' abeyance for. one month.—Cr., said the council should uphold the Engi-< - neer's report, and the road should be-, gone on with. —The Chairman said the road laid out by the Engineer was the best and cheapest, and in future he would support any recommendation made by the Engineer. ' v 'r ■-/

- * THIRDS AND. FOURTHS. Donald McKay, lessee- of small, grazing : » run No 42,:Ntghtaaus, having written to the Chief Commissioner about the ex- - ,.- penditure of his "fourths," "tlie Comiiiis" "i" I '' sioner forwarded ;his'letter to ;tha council 1 with u covering note requesting a 1 report :'| on-the matter. ■■■'Mr-McKay sfiid : " r he had ' paid in the way of fourths £39 12s lid and all; that ihad) been spent were tw sums, one of ?£7 arid the other of £7 lgd, leaving a balance of £2414s lid, and this hie desired spent in gravelling us far as it would go at the place that he.had pointed out to the engineer. If the 'work 'were, not done before the next rent- fell? dqeilie l i he would refuse to pay any, more rent. •"■ The Clerk said the balance to'thecredfi *' ff " of ; the section =was £18; \§£. jj , : ,>' iS ,•, \■jM , 5 Cr Newton : Perhaps' the EngineijPf ■' could enlighten the 'council! ' I' eonfeW*!* ' •■ h know nothing about it. ,ji' ,-i-u > . The Engineer : Mr,McKay pointed out ; the place'where ?he-wanted the fourths spent, and a contract was let, accordingly. " :V- " : ;' -' ; '•' ': '.- :'- ' ; - " The Chairman : Then the work has been'attended to. " Cr Newton: Has the £lB odd beea apent? ~ '--'i>'.'.ii ■■:.-• >-,<;i.'. ;'•■"■/ The Chairman ; "The work in progress will "absorb' the balances 'V 1

Letter received and Chief Commissioner to be informed of the position. ; /Regarding sections , in;ithe 3 Takitinjo district, the Chief Commissioner; wrote in reply to a communication from the council stilting that he had written to the lessee,, Mr Miils> who infortiied the Commissioner that the understanding he had come to with the late Engineer was'that after the oum of £lO had j been spent" in improving the road to his sections, the council might spend the. balance -where it suited thenir He added that the inapio venients had not yet" been "earned ouf, " and the matter should stand Over -iiiitil Z next summer. The ComroissioneFsaifl he had decided to jteold. over L 8 3s ac-

crued to sections for .the present. That had.been struck out of the schedule.- Before submitting next proposals, the. cojjncjlHjhoui&arraiige with Mr MMs;; ; : regafd-1 ipg theplace where he desired hXs.thirds spent'. *, *%k % I filf - y «|Thfi Engineer said there hM'be'enian aria&geiuent \wjtK the= latp engineer.There was a sum "of EBO accrued to tho sections,.and-, -ho tp-have the | money spent, oil the"'new road. He (Mr , McGavock) did not know, anyriiing about | the arrangement with -regard to the" expenditure of the. LlO on lWdlirie adjoining Mjuls%'property, anH fie expended alii the money available on the new road. There was nothing to prevent the expenditure now. —Letter received. ■ W. G. Hodgetts, Te ,Tua, again asked •that thirds accrued to his section in block 18, Longwood, be spent. - •'.:•;•. '' Cr Hirst said if any. money had accrued to the section'it had "been spent. '"When letters of that nature arrive they should be referred to the Engineer for Ids endorsement. 2"i '' ;■ The Clerk said it-had been referred to J&g Engineer. - ~ ~ chairman said all ,-ther.money accrued had:' beeii spent on the road. J The : ®nguieer statpd owners; .of sections made ;iio tecpmnjendatipn, the practice- was to sbemton" the rdadlines leading to the sections in a block. Frequently, after the money had been, spent, • -owners cameto the council and -wished it *'spent, cUfiferently. , (

DIPTON-HAMILTON BURN KOAD. : 3. C. wrote suiting that he had communicated with the Minis- ., ter regarding the lapsed vote for this >pad, attdasked him to send authority for fil: *He forwarded Minister's reply, .(which was to the effect that there was t iLIOO available for the.yrork, that being ' ithe sum voted last sessjpn.. As .the council held ho authority 7 to ;i undertake the fwork they should not have undertaken ; It, as doing-so .took the control out of the •/hands of.the Government. | Tho- r Clerk"stated:that an authority for eoriie to hand." It should, howeverV'have beeii Ll5O •- ''■- . don't they send their authorities properly. We never get authoririe&seht untd (he whole season is over for mafengf roads.; • c <. The f pent on the roadf Wndythiy" pyfor the balance.* ■■■ '' ; ' I The Clerk to apply accordingly.

i I gg& y (V'--ixAXtcutting;- > I Mfc2Er#rald-Bros.',' Pahvj,-. wrote stating weather, they.'had been ' 4nabfe4b'retnove portion of .flax on rpiul Reserves, and asked "for an extension of ; §me to end of November. •ICr Hirst said te. was sorry to have to 'Appose the application. They had already received a nbdnfehiS.. extension, and tlie council could 1 npt.prolong it, because tpat would be giving them a yearly lease 'd|the ground. They..'were given ample ;tlhie to remove th©>fl'%#nd he moved the latter be'iJew^d^—Carried. ■ : % :'■■. pßra^'-PisEß;-- y ..? |Cr on tlie approach £SO b| grant fur bvidgpj ■ seconded'- by Cr ■■ Stevens afldcarried."'•' >> V-. ; ■ f wSS.' r '<;v>».-*V-r-V-!•'■■,- :':.-. r |: iPAPATOTABA/llpAl). %r ?A letter Was" jeceryed from Messrs Bennett, Smoothy'ahdCoUltev, also plan of ditch Avhich had been the subject of some dispute among settlers in thai district. Theyj asked- that' the council reinedy the .overflow of water-wfiich in time of rains;floods their.properties, ,*Cr Hirst it was wrong /for these people to .Vrjte to, this ntatter as Cr King and hipise'lf had been appointed to inspect the matter, and tlie present letter would not coerce him in the matter, as he had already made up his infhd.... -• ! She-report of CrsKhig and Hirst was» as.follows :—" That- McPKerspnjholds no authority for diverting:., th¥Seek into a diteh jotttheiriainirpad as hefhad notwfeissipn."■frdTtn Hhe "CpmndsEahda or- the "Warden to he would therefore have to tujrn ; now...Jruflghig -ipto-.'We :1 ditch. that4the, settlers be thertimber frpm the creek." Tlie report was aAvg- ' "—'-"•

Accounts amounting to £1479 17s 7d were passed for payment.- ..; The Coutacil then ad|puined. < | Vv