Vincent County Council.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 404, 4 February 1904, Page 5

Vincent County Council.

The ordinary bi-monthly meeting; of this council was> held in the. Council Chambers, Glydfe* <ro "Wednesday and Thursday,, 27th-and 28th January, when* there were 'present :—Crs Horn (chairman), Katie, Heaney, Butler, LaidlaW, Rutherford and Pitches. • The minutes of? the previous statutory and ordinary'meetings were read and confirmed. ' '~~ CORRESPONDENCE. —J as Haslett wrote tbanking the council for reappointing him as its representative on the Charitable 'Aid Board.—Received. —From the Treasurer, Wellington, re interest, £54 7s 9d, on a loan under "The Loans to Local Bodies Act."—Received, the Olerk being authorised to pay the amount into the Public AcC» count. —The Department of Lands wrote, informing th« council that the sum of £134 2s, being "Thirds" and " Fourths " of land revenue, accrued during the period 29th June to 3rd October, was paid into the Bank of New Zealand to the council's credit.— Received. —From the Department of Roads, informing the Council that money provided by Parliament cannot be diverted from one work to another.—Received. —William Collins, puntman, wrote about the state of things at the Maungawera Punt.—Received, and consideration deferred. The Hon the Premier sent a telegram of seasonable congratulations to the councillors and ratepayers.— Received. . Resolved—That a suitable reply be sent to the Premier. —The Department of Roads advised re vote of subsidy to erection of the Nevia bridge.—Received, —From the same, re vote for the Bannockbum-Nevis road, Lake County boundary road, £226 2s 9d.—Received. Other departmental communications were read and received, and consideration of same deferred. —From Mr Herdman, MHR, re Ophir-Ida Valley telephone line.—Received. —From Department of Roads, instructing that £l5O was available for the Nevis bridge. If this amount was not spent it was probable that the vote would not be renewed.—Received. —The Land Board wrote about the formation of a road in Makarora Valley, Lake Wanaka. Resolved—That the Land Board ba written to anent the matter. —James Lloyd, Maungawera, wrote complaining of the working of the Maungawera punt. The Chairman read a letter from Collins, the puntman, in which he stated that a screw-jack was required at the punt. Lloyd's letter was received, and it was resolved that he be informed,that change's were to be made in the working of the punts. Dugald Bell, Timaru Station, wrote anent the formation and repairs to track for dear stalkers. The Otago Acclimatisation Society were intending to give pound for pound subsidy up to £2O for the prosecution of the work. The secretary of the O, A, S. wrote in- j timating his society's intention to vote ( £3O for the purpose of forming road in the neighborhood of Hunter Valley, Or Kane considered that £2O should be voted by the council seeing that much of the money would be spent in clearing tracks used by settlers, as well as by deer stalkers.

Cr Butler: The council does not get revenue from this locality. The Chairman: The roads are used by settlers. The Government should vote money for the maintenance of those necessary tracks. Or Laidlaw: The money might be voted by the Council with the understanding that a like sum be deducted from future votes for tracks over this country. The council derives so very little revenue from this neighborhood. He moved that the Chairman be authorised to wire Sir Joseph Ward offering to spend £2O, along with the £2O voted by the 0 A S, and asking for a subsidy of £ for £ on the £4O. Seconded by Or Pitches, and carried.

Resolved That W Anderson, Bannockburn, be informed that the council will execute the work of covering his tail race at the point mentioned by him. —L D Macgeorge wrote anent the survey of a road through Wilson's farm at Lauder. Or Kane: Were the exchange not to Wilson's advantage he would scarcely be anxious to make it. He should pay part of the expense. Cr Butler: If the council is obliged to have a survey made it has its own engineer, who can do the work. I would be in favor of the council taking no action in the mrtter. The Chairman thought Wilson's request was absurd on the face of it, and he had stated so much in his reply to L D Macgeorge. The Chairman's action was approved. Resolved—That the Tinkers Gold Mining Company be refunded the deposit made by the company in connection with the deviation of a road when the work is passed by the engineer. —R Norman wrote asking a rebate on rates on the old Albertown Hotel, and a reduction of future rates on this He would be soon pulling the building to pieces. The Olerk stated that rates to the amount of £1 8s lOd were due since 1903, and the last rates were not yet paid. Resolved That Norman be informed that his rates must be paid, and that the council has no power to reduce game, v

wrote complaining of the condition of the 01yd© water race near his residence. The leakage was dampinghishut-' , . ,TherEngiheer; ; was given power tor act asbethought fit in the matter. ; M'Lean, wrote asking that he be paid for the work done when his contract was completed. : Or Pitches supported the request. Resolved-—That the! Engineer pay McLean £54 2s 6d in advance, if he thinks the work done will'warrant the payment being made. M'Oonnochie and Gye were granted one month extension of time in which to complete their Nevis Bridge contract. , ' ' —J B Ewing asked that the road to his property be put in a fit state of repair. \ The Engineer was authorised to have the work done when next he visited Hawea, \ *■ The Olerk read the schedule of outward correspondence.*■■"' * . Or Laidlaw moved that the inward correspondence as read and received be approved. Seconded by Or Butler and carried. PETITION,

Or Pitches presented a petition from 40 ratepayers, who ask that a footbridge be erected over the Manuherikia River, at what is known as " Robertson's Crossing." Or Pitches said that petitioners would find a part of the money to cover cost of the footbridge. It would be a decided convenience to the travelling public. The petition was placed upon the council table for the usual two months, at which time it would be brought up for consideration. chairman's REPORT. The chairman had only to report that he had a deal of correspondence anent the votes to Nevis bridge. He and the Engineer had let the following contracts, which the council authorised them to consider and deal with:—• Contract 501, R Redhead, £49. Accepted. 502, Otago Central Foundry, £450. —Accepted. 603, John Varcoe, £2B 2s 6d.—Accepted. The report was. adopted. Terry traffic returns for December and January were scrutinised and then laid upon the table. The County Treasurer's Statement of all transactions in the County Fund Account for December and January were read and adopted. The dinner adjournment was agreed to.

Engineer's Report. Footbridge, Springvale—This bridge is finished by the settlers, I understand' at a cost of about £BO, of which the council pays £4O. I would like instructions from the council as to who is going to look after the bridge in future, the settlers or the council.

Muddy Creek Bridge—lt would cost a sum of £34 to erect a traffic bridge over the creek. Clyde Waterworks—Everything is going on satisfactorily, and the supply has been kept up regularly through the present spell of dry weather, and if the publie are not satisfied with the present system, then, in my opinion, they ought to be. With regard to the top race, which carries the overflow from the service tank, I would like definite instructions from the council as to the disposal of this water, as at present things are in anything but a satisfactory state. The leakage from the dam could be brought round into the service dam, and so save a certain amount of water. This would not mean an extra flow into the service tank, as only a certain amount can be used, but it would conserve water in the dam. Fire Hose Keel—l have not been able to get any fresh quotations for these; M'Knight Bros promised me one but it has not come to hand. CONTRACTS. No 473 a and b (Elliott Bros)— The contractors report that they intend finishing next week. No 493 (M'Oonnochie and Gye)— Since last meeting nothing has been done on the contract for the Lindis bridge, although I have written to the contractors twice anent the matter.

No 498 (Smith)— Repairs to Lake Hawea Jetty. The timber for this work was not upon the ground when I' was up last month. No 500 (R Love)— This contract has been completed. inspector's report. The roads throughout the County are in fair order. The surfacemen have been mostly employed on byeroads. As requested I forward you a statement of work done by the grader as follows:—19 days in Ida Valley, where 7 miles and 20 chains of road were formed at a cost of 2s 8d per chain. From the Ophir racecourse to Lauder creek, a distance of 7 miles and 34 chains, the road was formed in 15 days at a. cost of 2s 3|d per chain. The cost is computed on the actual rate paid for wages, viz, £4 2s per day. The wear, and tear is considerable. The roads require culverts or piping at every |mile. I expect it will cost 3s 6d per chain to complete the works. Another two weeks will about complete the work above Clyde. *; Footbridge at Springvale—lt was decided that the Council pay the balance of money due, and hand the bridge over to the settlers to take charge of, all liability of the Council in the matter to cease from this date-v^,.' f ;,;: .•.'/ .; Traffic Bridge Laidlaw to make enquirieOn'to the urgency of. the matter and repjrs at fiext meetiug of the council. Iffffev: Be the Nevis bridjffi| ? thei-. Ohairman statad that the Government would only vote £3OO for this the remaining MQQ woul&'fe»wto&* fo*»4

by the council; It was a large sum-, certainly, but the work was urgently necessary. The Nevis people contributed a large amount of revenue to the county, He moved that this council vote the necessary £()00 required to build the Nevis bridge. ; Or. Laidlaw seconded the motion, and in doing so saich that the Nevis crossing was impassable throughout the greater part of the year. He thought of the people of the back country. Or Butler supported the motion, and on being put to the council it was carried. ."■'"'• Or Laidlaw asked that the matter of attending to the culvert at Moran's be left in the Chairman's hands to deal with.—Agreed to. ' The Oouncil went into committee to deal with contracts, and On resuming at open board,the report of committee was read as follows:—Contract '504," Elliott Bros, £115 ; R Redhead, J6162; R M'Lean, <£150.--Resolved that R M'Lean's tender be accepted: The report was adopted. ~ : Resolved—That "the council stand adjourned till 8 am the following morning, f (i- ." (Remainder of report held over.)