CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 191, 8 March 1878, Page 7

CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

« An ordinary meeting of. the Clutha County, Council was held in the Courthouse here on the 26th uit. There Avere present : Messrs M'Neil ' (Chairman), Joavttt, Brugh, Scott, Dallas, Ayson, Scobie, and Roberts. The following is the portion of. the report held over from last issue : — THE COUNTY.FUND. The following letter Avas read from the Treasury : — ' , Treasury, "Wellington, JVo. 16, IS7B. Sir,—E.efemng to the sum of £590 5s Bd, the fiist moiety of the subsidy due ''-to the County of Clutha for tho current year, which sum, under the erroneous supposition that, as the, whole Act J is now in force in your County the subsidy was payable to the County fund, 'waa remitted for credit, of the County fund account, on the 4th instant; I have "the honour "by direction'' of the Honourable .the. Colonial Treasurer, to. call your attention tb.ru'y letter of the 16th January, No. 2004, notifying to you that the Governfirteilt was advised that although the Act had been brought into full force the County fund for the present year was nevertheless distributable, in terms of section 31 of " The' Financial Arrangements Act, 1876," amongst the Road Boards ■ and to request that you will be good enough" to direct tbat the sum erroneously paid as referred ..to above, may be repaid to the Public Account, with a view to its being paid over to the Ro<ul Board's and outlying districts in the County in accordance with tbe decision of the Commissioner so soon. as that 'decision shall have been received.— l am, etc., . . C. J. Bathjn, Secretary to the Treasurer. The Chairman Clutha County. Council, A telegram Avas also read asking the. Chairman to act as Commissioner for allocating the funds amongst the several Ridings and outlying districts. The Chairman explained that he had Avritten fully to the Government j pointing out that the Council, had passed a resolution on 31st March last .allocating the funds, copy of- Avhich had been forwarded to the Colonial Secretary on 2nd April ; also explaining that since the adoption of the Act by the Council all the obligations undertaken by the Road Boards consequent upon the allocation of the funds had been met by the Council, and that these Boards did not now expect further to participate in the County funds. As the Council had arranged for an overdraft at the Bank, and had . incurred other heavy responsibilities, he hoped the Council would be alloAved to retain the subsidy. It appeared that the letters from the Chairman and the Treasury had crossed each other, and the matter Avas therefore held over till a reply Ava3 received from Wellington. In the meantime the Chairman and Mr Scobie Avere requested to see Mr. Larnach and endeavour to have the matter arranged. - ' ■ . •» -. ■ CROSSING AT CLINTON". A letter was read from John Black, for the Resident Engineer, Clinton, stating that as the Council's Engineer has not yet taken permanent levels of Drury-street, the matter of the road crossing will have, to remain in abeyance, ; until a sectionshowing their grades is, supplied. ! : . -, Also a letter from Mr R. Scobie asking the Chairman to instinct the County Engineer to complete the work without delay, as considerable time has elapsed since the work was authorised. '> ---' . ; On the motion of Mr Scobie, the Engineer . .was instructed to .. proceed with the work at once. ■■-. • , ,...- ROAD WAIWERA. TO, OLYDEVALE? : The following letter .from the ! Chairman of the Clydevale. Road .Board was jread:*-^;. ■.-■ . _-•. ,j ( - .-_ ,yv y. % r yy \ .a'? Clydevale, Waiwera, TTeb;f9th, ! 1878 ,Slß,rr-.On .behalf uf .the, above Road Boardi have "now the' honour to .address you ahd trust' that, the • subjects rwill-receivej favonrable^con*^ sideration' of your Council. The Clydevalfc-Rp-id . Board earnestly . recommends ..that the Rd&d i which 7 leads from the 'Main ' South Koad from near the Waiwera to Clydevale should be declared ! a C6-anty-'rbad76nstKe ! gro-inds of itsimportaniJe as being a ,. through! '",ro^from ; .th^jVJ"*f(\fera and [Popotunoa district^.^'Tuapek^^^^^rhat it is the only road from this-important district to the; main roadto Dunediny and'theipbst-office, mill, l-

etc, andshortly to the railway station. That tlu Ashley Downs .Road Board being interesod. ii. only a portion of it within that district does noi keep the whole of the road in lit condition f:> tr.iffic, and th.3 district labours under great disadvantages thereby. That this district c-m--tribut'!*-a large share of the County rates and can only receive benefit therefrom on this road, and that unless the Coiraty takes it in charge, or grants a liberal vote for it, its use, I fear, that about three miles of it will become quite impassable during winter, when the traffic increases by the opening of the railway. This Board has long had in view the erection of a bridge over the Pomahaka river upon the line of road already alluded to, and used every endeavour to obtaiu the assistance of the Ashley Downs Road Board, but without success, and it has now determined to erect a bridge at a cost of about LIOOO out of its own funds, but unless some help- is obtained from the County this work will be paid for at the expense of some other very necessary and important works Avithin the district, but the Board trusts that the County Council will- see fit to make a liberal vote towards this most important and necessary work, and which will be a great boon to a large portion of the County,— l am, etc., Thcs. Brydone, Chairman. Mr * Dallas mentioned that he intended giving notice of a motion with reference to the Comity roads, and consideration of the letter from the Clydevale Board Avas deferred. ROAD, BALCLUTHA TO PORT MOLYNEUX. The folloAving communication from the ; South Molyneux Road Board Avas read : — '..,.... Feb. 22, 1878. Mi* Griffiths having given notice to the Board of his intention to close the road which is at present used through his property, "Waitepeka subdivision, on account of a portion of the road by the river-bank having been washed aAvay, the Chairman was requested to notify the same to the Clutha County Council, and to request them to take the, necessary steps to have the road opened for traffic. Also, that the County Council be requested to make application to the Government to obtaiu the LBSO voted by the late Provincial Government and lapsed, to be expended on improving the said main district road, "Waitepeka subdivision. Donald.- Henderson, Chairman. Mr Jowitt moved that application be made to the Government for the sum of LBSO. He knew that the vote had lapsed in consequence of a mis-understanding with the Engineer, and he believed the application would have more Areight from the Council than if it Avere to- be made by the Road Board. Mr Brugh seconded the motion. Mr Dallas considered it strange that the Council should be asked to apply for the money seeing it belonged to and would be expended by the Board. The proper course would be for the application to be made by the Board itself. - HoAvever he Avould not oppose the motion. — Motion carried. ROAD. AVAIPAHI DISTRICT. The following communication from Tolmie's executors and others Avas read: — Dunediu, Feb. 8, 1878. Gentlemen,— We have the honour to request that you will take the necessary steps for having declared closed the road lines between Sections 76a, 73, 74, 29, 30, and between Sections G9, 33, 34. all in Block 111., Waipabi district, as shown and marked red on accompanying map. A similar • application was made by us in April, 1575, to the Provincial Secretary, and was promised to be granted ; but we have just learned that our written application to the Government had arrived too late for the session of that year. — We have, &c, W. A. Tolmie's Executors, (Per J. .Rattray). James Logan. William Dellow. Joseph H. Nelson. The Clerk in reply to a question .said there seemed to be no provision in the Act for the closing of roads in an outlying district. Consideration of the matter was deferred till next meeting. matau bridge. The folloAving letter from the Clerk to the Bruce County Council was read. Council Chambers, ■ - Milton, Feb. 15, 1878. Sir,— By direction of the Chairman of the Bruce County Council, 1 have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of Feb. 6, 1878, enclosing cheque for L 6 18s 9d, being payment of balance of repairs to Matau bridge, and, in reply to return you the cheque again, as the Council has been paid direct from the Co.onial Treasurer the sum of LSO, beiiig the sum voted by the Clutha County Council for the repair of Matau bridge. The sum of L2B 10s 9d received from the M atau l.oad Board for repairs to the bridge will be returned to the Board again. The balance will be kept by the Bruce County Council for any further repairs that may be required to the Matau bridge, under whose control and management it has been placed by the Minister for Public Works in bis letter of June 19, 1 877.— KKave, &c, Alex. Nelson, County Clerk. W. Henderson, Clutha County Clerk. From the discussion that ensued it ap- ■ peared that the- L6 18s 9d with the sum of L2B 10s 9d received from the. Matau Road Board made up the sum payable by the Clutha Council for the repairs of the bridge, but the Bruce Council elected to ' return these sums and. keep the. larger sum of LSO, holding the amount thus received in excess to meet any repairs which might be .required at some future time. This was considered scarcely the action which might have been expected from the Council of Bruce, and the Clerk .was instructed to communicate accordingly. COUNTY ROADS. A letter was read from W. Dallas, Clerk to Pomakaka Road Board, enclosing resolutions passed by that Board as follows : 1. That the County Council be requested to declare the road from Southern Trunk Road as far as Pomakaka, ford a County road. 2. That Ihe County Council be requested tb declare the rdad through Te Houka from Southern Trunk Road as far as the junction of ' roads on top' of hill on Avest side of Kaihiku stream a County road. — Consideration "deferred? "A i: ;A AD VERTISINGv ..A -,y A letter wass read from the Proprietors of the Tapanui Courier, asking, permission to insert the Council's advertisements, appearing in the Clutha Leader; lmlng special local reference in Tapanui.; — Letter received. : - ' "' . ' . an informal petition. A petition was read from' Messrs A. Orr, •P.- M'Alister, and others, owners of land adjoining- the Main vßoad between Clinton and .Upper Waipahi •Bridge,/ petitioning that the 1 road referred to be ihade" fit for traffic. -,-_ „ .? " " '"'; ; . The (i Chairman" pointed 'out that all : required' 'to-be prese_ited by some .•member; pf, Council and as this had not been done in the present case, the petition c .could-.notvbe.received.^-^^»»,>-.~ n . m . -i A y The "Oif i^7was"ihstructc d -to .return the** same to Mr Orr7 ' *' f 7 - f .f*;t • permission to quarry;'" i p. -Abetter was r read frqm..-Mr McMillan, 'Inspector* on- theTßalclutha-Glintoniliiie of railway, ';. to remove .material: for 7 the- r.Sway rf j_rqm7a bluff on ' Hh® f6ad"4me i^

I Creek, — The request :Avas granted, .subject to the Avork being carried out to the satisfaction of the County Enginoor. engineer's rkport. , Tho foiloAvinj report by the CountyEngiii'ier was read : — j "I have the honour to report that, ac- , cording to instructions, I have advertised for, tenders for the . -works authorised at last meeting of the Council, Avith the exception of the work to be done on the Mataura Road and on the road from 'Kelso township leading towards" Glenkenich school. . It Avas not possible forme to prepare plans and specifications in time to have tenders in for this meeting, but as soon as I have completed the survey of the road through Clinton toAvn, I will make a survey of the work required, so that tenders may be • called for immediately. ' l The Avork authorised to be done by day labour at Clinton is. being proceeded with, and should the Aveather continue favourable it will be finished before Avinter. " In regard to surface labour, I may state that there are only threo men employed at that work in the meantime. The tAvo men employed on the road to Catlins are forming the places to be metalled where' the road passes through the bush, and tAvo of the surfacemen avlio were employed on the main road are at the work that is being carried out by day labour at Clinton, one of them being placed in charge of the work. "It Avill be necessary to make arrangements to pay the men by voucher, or some other Avay, as the Council may? think best. — I am, &c, Mathew Paterson." Report received. TENDERS. ' Tenders were ..opened and read for various work's within the County. Mr Jowitt moved — " Tbat Messrs Falconer and Co.'s tender for contract No. 16 be accepted conditionally on the. money being paid to the County Fund account by the Government, and that fresh tenders be called for the other works on Catlins 'Road."— Seconded by Mr Brugh, and carried. . . Mr Ayson moved—" That all other tenders lie over until next meeting."—Seconded by Mr Scobie, and carried. SLAUGHTERING LICENSES. Mr Ayson moved— "That the Chairman be authorised to grant slaughter-house licenses, provided no objections are lodged." — Seconded by Mr Scobie, and carried. Mr Scott moved—" That the police be appointed inspectors of slaughter-houses, ' and that Inspector Thompson be communicated with on the subject." — Seconded by Mr Scobie, and carried. - The meeting then adjourned.