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Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 412, 7 April 1904, Page 5

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The following concludes our report " of the above council's meetiug :

EsonrEsas Rkpokxs. Omtrrtcts -Nu 493 —Bridge at LinIt- Rv«r (Mtconuicbie and Gye) |tt Tavu spans of this work still remains to be .lone in the river. H. «d the contractor taken advantage of the excepftiwtally low river to do this part, the '* work would have been completed.

No 498 -(Win. Smith). I have not bean en the ground lately, but understand that nothing has so far been don* to the Jetty. Ho 002 —(Otago Central Foundry). Thi-« work is progressing Sitisfactorily, bir> will not; be completed within contract time. No 504—(W. M'Lean). The contractor has only just started on this wo; k after a lot of delay. No 473 a and b—(B«ndigo-Mataka-nni road). These contracts are now finished, and all available money has •sen expended. ■XGIXEBRS Gkhzbax. Bstobx. Lindis Pass Boad —I visited the part * known as the Block Gutting, but do not see that we can do anything to ■■prove it. Proposed foot bridge over the Manu- .. herifci* Biver near Howden and Mon- * criefFs Nursery.—l find no suitable pl»e where a foot' bridge could be erectei except at great cost. In time " of flM*l it would be practically useless as the river spreads out so much and . u liable to alter its course. Mills Gutting—l have called tenders for this work, having got a grade of 1 * in 15 besides improving the turns. fcuggate Punt.—The repairs have *J be ti effected and the pant is agsin in the w *ter.

Nevis Bridge —I am working at the 1 pi. us of tbe new bridge and will submit them to the government when finished, in the meantime I have called tenders fertile necessary road deviation.

Government Totes.—There is Ll2O available for expenditure on the Clydefcike County Road, aad I propose to ep *cil it in gravelling the worst parts ot» both sides of the Half way House. There is also £J7 available for the 01 yde-Alexandra to Qpbir road, vote for Clyde-Tuapeka County will be absorbed with the grader, when the • necessary gravelling has been done. Clyde Bridge.—Co examination I * fad that the longitudinal bearers are 11 *|o a bid state, some of them broken in t9Cm<l useless This is caused in a large measur* by the practice of tarot- ' ting across the bridge H these were renewed it would mean stripping the | planking off, and if this were done, it 1 be fit to put back again. Resolved—Tnat a notice be put up at the Clyde bridge to the effect that the structure is not fitted to bear a greater load than five tons, and that . i£ load of greater weight than five 1 tans be taken over at one tame upon the bridge. Cr Pitches thought the resolution wtm ld f*U heavily on coal carters who ~ bad contracts to fill. Councillors.—The council to protect the interests of the general body of ratepayers. With respect to the request by tne £ Otago Central Foundry Company for a progress payment on contract No. , * 802, several councillors expressed the opinion that as there was no material upon the building site the request for a progress payment of £3OO was premature. Cr Batler moved—That the Foundry Company be paid £2OO progress payment.—Seconded by Cr Fitches and carried. Regarding the Nevis bridge, Cr Fitches thought it a very unnecessary expense to be keeping an inspector H.«ter such little undertakings as buildin* a footbridge. It was an uncalled " for expense —one man paid to watch

two working * ' &e Engineer thought an inspector cnitrfctor in tbia country with the sole rfafc of the work. Cr Kane had sug- * tested the presence of of an inspector » - He (the engineer) thought the con- : - tractors should be fined for not having the work completed, which fact necessitated the inspector waiting on fc the work longer. The contractors tgrtinye. not asked for an extension of ift'f time. - •'• * * Councillors thought the Question of fine should stand over until a final • payment was to be made. *- The reports were adopted. son) rsapicTOa'a bkpobt. ■ road has been damaged on different occasions by toanderstorma, The Kevis-Bannoekburn road had suffered from the recent plump of rain. , of repairing the damaged ' toads* fcgjjt been heavy, but the work is now nearly completed. Ciocawell to Wanaka—Rome short stretched require gravelling, and this *IH have to be done; also pipes *§i!lTi the newly farmed road. Ofomwell-Hawea —There are part? \ wqoire gravelling, but not to such an y,- i extent as that necessary on the JjFarmka road. 9? Aleianlia4)phir—This road gqt badly washed out, but necessary rer pairs have been attended with the result that the road is now in fair order. Ciyde-Springvale —Part of this road '"2 was blocked near Springvale, the pipes not having been to hand to put.in the 1 embaukment, thus the water flowed m c over the road as a consequence. The Tucker QUI roads are now repaired. Ida Valley road—The heavy traffic upon the main road causes a good deal of * work, and a short piece from the j turn to Beilly's to the end of Pitches | * «eiitrMt will wqoire f»Tti%»

The Alexandra District roads got wash»l out with floods, and about 25 chains of road at Oonroys requires gravelling. Tracks for Deer Stalkers —The Din-.'le and Highborn tracks are in i repair. There is still a little to be doue to the Timaru track, which is an expensive one to keep up owing to the constant presence of slippy country. Mskarora —The road at the Jetty has been considerably widened at a cost of £3. The other tracks and roads in this neighborhood are in good order.

Tarewera Track—l did not go to this track, but asked M'Kee to report on it He informs me that £2O would make a track for saddle traffic. It would take double that amount to form a pack track that would cost £5 per year to keep in repair. Resolved—That the inspector apt point a man to carry out the necessary repairs to the road at Reilly's, Ida Valley.

Resolved—That the inspector have repairs done to r'ae road at Gonroys. Regarding Mr Faulk's request for repairs to the Boundary Greek Track, the inapestor said he had not examined the line of track. He had dealt with it from the view expressed in a report he had received from M'Kee, the roadman in Makarora.

Or Pitches informed the council that Mr M'Arthur, Btratch«Glyde had fenced in the old lines in his locality, and that ther present road required cul verting. The council instructed the road inspector to have the road mentioned attended to.

Resolved—That £lO be voted by way of subsidy o! £ for £ for costs of formation of the Tarewera track. Cr Fitches asked if the council would agree to the grader b*dng employed at forming the road through Waikerikeri Valley. The nature of the ground is such as could be easily operated on by the grader. The grader would save the expense of constantly repairing this road that is frequently damaged by the overflow from the county water race. Resolved —That the grader be employed at forming the road on Earnscleugh Flat. Resolved—That the Waikerikeri road be formed by the grader as suggested by Cr Fitches. In reply to Or Fitches the road inspector stated that he did not think it desirable to touch the sand upon the Clyde-Alexandra road, as were it stirred up it might cause a shifting of the dunes. Some discussion ensued as to the public convenience that might be served by a chair at Deadman's Point. The council considered such a chair would be merely for the convenience of the dredge hands in the locality, and was also likely to extend benefits to the Borough. Those Boroughs were never ready to extend assistance in opening up or maintaining communication to their several localities. The council would have to keep clear of expending money that would have only the effect of directly benefiting borough towns.

Resolved—That J. Scott be informed that the council would find a rope and give a subsidy of £ for £ up to £4, provided that J, Scott undertake to erect a chair at Deadmans's Point, and maintain same for public traffic to the satisfaction of the .engineer. McKenzia Bros., Upper Nevis, wrote as follows:—As there is no bridge of any kind on the Upper Nevis River, the fact renders it impossible for us to work sheep to advantage, the river being practically too high even in dry weather to admit of safely crossing sheep. We are forced to shear our sheep at the Lake, consequently have to cross the river even though it be in flood at the shearing or other seasons. We He on the south side of the river, while Kingston is on the west side. A. glace at the map will show you our position. We now purpose applying • to your council to erect a suspension i bridge in place of the chair at Upper | Nevis. We trust your council will J meet us in this matter before next I April. The clerk stated in reply to the | chairman, that Bros, pay ! rates annually to the amount of 15s sd.

Besolved—That the letter be received and the chairman communicate with McEenzie Bros anent the matter of erecting a bridge, which undertaking the council could not consider. The road inspector's report was adopted. In reply to the chairman the engineer stated there was £ll 18s land fund to the credit of the block traversed by the Wilhin BJver, The clerk was instructed to inform the Otago Lend Board of the foregoing. Besolved—That £3 lis be voted the Electric Gold Company as payment for work done upon the road. Besolved—That the engineer have the boring rods re-threaded the pipes cut, and other necessary repairs done so that the rods may be made service* able.

Cr Laidlaw drew the council's attention to the dangerous state of the road near Leask's, where the Manuherikia is encroaching on it. The bank is precipitous, and a fatal accident occurred there recently. The dangerous part of the road should be fenced, —Resolution accordingly.

The Inspector of Nuisances report complained that the closet at the Dunstan Hotel was on a street line. The clerk said that he had written the lessee anent this standing nuisance —Report adopted.

Cr Laidlaw was granted leave to move the suspension of the standing orders, to enable him to make his motion upon the order paper.

Cr Laidlaw moved—That £3OO be spent IB fcfvJeg a road from Muddy Oma to

Lauder Railway Station, and the mover pointed out the advantages that such a deviation and formation would give, Mr Laidlaw introduced Mr John Wilson, of Lauder, who asked for a deviation of the road mentioned in the motion. Mr Wiiaon Mid the deviation would effect all the settlement in the Lauder and Matakanui district This was a large area of country that was closely settled. M oney has been spent upon the road on previous occasions.

After hearing Mr Wilson further, the council decided to consider the subject matter of the motion next morning.

Resolved—That the council stand adjourned till 8.30 next morning. Thursdays Sitting.

The council resumed the adjourned sitting at 8.30, the councillors of the previous day being in attendance.

The council went into committee to deal with the accounts and charitable aid,

On residing at open board the chairman read the report of committee as follows: Contract 605—Resolved that the tender of R Redhead, £B9, be accepted.

Contract 506—Resolved that the tender of R Redhead, £23, be accepted. Contract 507—Resolved that the tender of Webster and Betts, £IBO, be accepted. The schedule of accounts amounting to £1,845 178 was passed for payment. The amount paid for heads and eggs of small birds for the season was £llO 9s lid.

Or Laidlaw moved—That £3OO be spent in forming and gravelling the road from Muddy Creek to Lauder Railway Station. • r Rutherford seconded the motion pro forma. Or Fitches opposed the motion on the grounds that the county funds did not warrant the expenditure.; It was an undertaking that might be allowed to stand over for some time longer. Crs Kane and Butler would nob support the motion, the county funds being too low to warrant such a large expenditure upon work that was not urgently necessary. The Ohairman aaid the road would have to be opened iu the near future, but as at present the council would not be justified iu undertaking the work.—The motion was lost.

In reply to the chairman, the road inspector stated that Elliott Bres could not have used a horse and dray for the period mentioned by them, The claim is excessive. Cr Heaney'a remarks were about correct when he stated that two days work was done. The seven shillings claimed by Elliott Bros, was not allowed. DEPUTATION. Cr Pitches introduced a deputation of settlers from the Waikerikeri Valley, asking that a portion of the water in the Waikerirtker Scream be given them for irrigation purposes. Mr Bartholomew, solicitor, Alexandra, appeared to support the request made by the settlers, and discussed the operation o* titles to the water. It was, he stated, the suggestion of the settlers to maintain the upper portion of the race on return for a concession of water. The cost of maintenance is a drain on the finances of the council. The settlers would allow two heads to flow to Clyde which volume is in excess of the amount used by the town's foik. The settlers desire to be allowed to use the surplus water in the creek Their lauds are affected, and without a water supply are of no value It would not be detrimental to the Clyde supply were the settlers request granted. Cr Fitches : The request of the settlers is reasonable and as tne facts have been stated lucidly by Mr Bartholomew there is little more to put forward in support of the request. He would ask that consideration of the xuestion be adjourned until he had an expression of opinion from the ratepayers in the water district. It was only right that the ratepayers should he consulted on the matter, before the council committe takes any definite cource. Cr Kane agreed with Cr Pitohes's desire to consult the ratepayers of Clyde. The settlers' request was reasonable and would be given full consideration by the council when an expression of opinion was given by the people of Clyde. Several other councillors expressed the opinion that the people of Clyde should be consulted.

The council decided to allow the farther consideration ef the question to stand over until Cr Pitches had brought forward an expression of opinion anent the matter from the people of Clyde. Resolved—That £2O petty o&sh be passed for payment. The council then rose.