BRUCE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Clutha Leader, Volume XL, Issue 45, 5 December 1913, Page 2

BRUCE COUNTY COUNCIL.

ANNUAL MBETINO.

The Bruce County Council met at Milton at 9.45 on Tuesday morning, when the. adjourned annua! meeting was held. The alerk (Mr L. W. Potter) occupied the chair, and there were present Councillors 1). Boyd, H. M. Driver, T. Scott, T. H. BußuelJ, l'. Haggart, W. Bell, D. Gardync, T. llitchon, J. Clark, E. 11. King and .1. M. Bogg. Councillor Driver moved that Councillor Boyd (the retiring chairman) be elected chairman for the ensuing year. During the-past year ho had made a suitable chairman, and on more than one occasion had. shown extraordinary ability. Some councillor* might think that the office should lie a rolling one, but he thought the chairman ought to have a few years' olfiec so as to get a chance to get into the work. Councillor Boyd hail always shown tact, but he (the qieaker) did not think it was necessarv to enlarge on his qualities, which were well known to the council. Councillor Scott said he had much pleasure in seconding the motion. If Councillor Boyd carried out his duties as well a* hj« had done last year—and he had every confidence that he would—the council'would get on well with him

as chairman. Councillor Boyd, in thanking his fellow-councillors for tlecting him to the position, and also the mover and seconder for the remarks passed concerning him, said he hoped that his conduct as chairman during the. coining year would prove entirely satisfactory to the members of the council and a benefit to the ratepayers. The experience of the past year would be a decided advantage to him in matters pertaining to the ollice. He had no hesitation_ in accepting the office of chairman with the council as it was constituted at present. Councillor Boyd, in referring to the council's method of doing business, said that it had been frequently proved that there were no cliques—which was a good thing for the rate])ayiU.s) _ :w councillors often showed that they were averse to saddling the general account with an expense which could be put on to *, riding; also the councillors knew no enemies. They welcomed any ratepayers to the meetings so that they could see how matter* of interest to them were dealt with. In conclusion, he thanked the council again for electing him chairman, and hoped that the year's operations would result in good work for the county. (Hear, hear.)

ORDINARY MEETING. The ordinary meeting wan then held, Councillor D. Boyd occupying the ehair. IXSIMOCTOR'S RIO I'OUT. The inspector (Mr .1. H. Batoman) reported as follows on the state of the roads and works for the month ending November '2B: — The grading required at the Lovells Flat-Hilleiul and Mount Stuart roads has been completed, and the is working at M.ulrine's. Several chains of "ravelling has been done on 'Robson's road," Lovells Flat. The road where the fence, requires removing back at Stoney Creek has been defined, and the owner will have the fence shifted as soon as possible. A groin has been put out in the river at the church, liichclutha, where the hank has fallen away, and another groin will be required further up the stream to turn the scour from the rivevbank. The surfaceman has been instructed to replace all the willows which are not growing in the bank at Baruego Flat, also to protect the riverbank at I'illins'. The eontractor has made a start in connection with the erection of Glenore bridge. A traction engine broke two beams and all the planks in the small bridge on Tough's road, making it necessary to renew the bridge throughout. The material has been ordered for the newcover on a culvert nt Wangaloa, and this work will be done as soon as possible. The formation required for the footpath at North Balclutha is complete, and the gravel will be put on as soon 'as it can lie obtained. The small bridge leading to the quarry at Clarendon, over which the broken metal will require to be carted on to the phosphate road, is broken down, and it will not be advisable to repair it for all the metal there is available to be taken out. A load or two of stone is required to iill a hole which has been scoured out at the lower end of the culvert on tho main road at Clarendon post office. Permission has been given to Mr F. McKay, North Balclutha, to take a few loads of soil from the bank near Mr Leonard's house on the main road. The scoops belonging to the county are more or less worn out, and will need replacing by later models which will be more suitable for county work, The report was adopted.

FINANCE. The statement of receipts and expenditure for the period ending November 30 showed:— Receipts. Bates, .1912-13 £ 1 11 0 Kates, 1913-14 1276 H G Bontfl 2:! 4 Dog Tax 0 12 0 Traction Engine License .. 10 0 Motor Bogistratiou .. .. 010 0 Gold Fund Kevonue .... $ '' ■ '•> Balance of Subsidy .... Mil £343 7 11 Expenditure. Councillors' Expenses .. £ll If) 8 Salaries 41 17 0 Audit Fee (September Halfyear) 3 S S Hospital and Charitablo Aid Board Levy 41(5 St 9 Printing and Advertising .. Hi 7 0 Interest Account 20 16 10 Small Birds .. « !•» 10 Works, General 414 8 4 Works, Government Grants 211 16 0 Contractors' Deposits Eftfunded .. •• •• •• 8 0 0 Insp«ter'B ComniHie* .. 619 0 i £1162 It 7

RANGER'S REPORT. M The ranger (Mr H. C. FarquhaiMnn \ K reported as'follows on cattle ami Ikhv |U flf found wandering in November:—Toko- M mairiro riding—five head cattle, unc K horse; Waihola—seven head cattle, mu K horse; Matau—lo head cattle, thru B horses; Cric-hton —six head cattle; U ;i | ft moral No. 2—four head cattle, s a H horses;—total, 32 head cattle, U H horses. —Noted. H COItRKSPONDKNCK. I

The Assistant Secretary-General iVt OfUce wrote stating that there was » total surplus of £:> 7s on the working of Tokoiti, Kaurokau, Moauariri an,! (ilenledi telephone oilices, and that s , the office is self-supporting the ncroant lias been closed and bond cancelled.— Received.

The I'lider-Soeretary Department „f hands and Surveys wrote re providing £lO for erection of lock at mouth (l f free I', at top of liamego creek, stal'ia;. that an amount will probably apjuMr on. the Supplementary Kstinuiics ;„ undertake the work.—Received. Hon. .las. Allen wrote stating ilia!,],, accordance with the council's appliation for assistance to clean out. t], 9 canal at Titri, ho had communiratni with the Minister of Marine and li a ,| given instructions that: JClo (half-rust) be placed upon the Public Works Intimates. -Received. Hon. .las. Allen wired that fhe emmcil's letter had been referred to Mb,:,. ter of Lands, re subsidy of ii'ioo lor Hood damages, and stated the ivqii(v, WDiffl receive consideration when Si:;.. i plemeatary Kstimatrs came down, a: ; ,| that the matter would not be „\,. r . I looked.--Received.

The District Kugincer Public Woik< Department forwarded circular letter if blinding metal, asking when Government grants upon metalling road that in no case should metal be blimli.'.l until passed by an olficer of this .Dcp:iumerit, and that if this instruct ion v. M not complied with payment of chiim may be disallowed.- Received. Mess.rs .1. I>. Ilrown and five others

(Wnngaloai wrote conjointly diawi";; attention to the urgent necessity of impairing road in som hern end of KaiUii:gata riding, and requesting that work be done immediately, as it was wry much cut. up and positively dangerim-Mr, drive over in the dark.—Councillor lloggart said that the engineer went „vrr the road about a mouth ago, and it w.i« found to be in fairly good order, hut a Hood had washed out a culvert, and l.ii surfaceman hud gone out on Miike lie moved that two surfacemen be *,,.,(

lIS soon lis possible 1 0 ill) 111'' work.- Seconded by Councillor K,;,;

ami carried. .1. 'llothiniliv ami \- others wn.ii> <-oii

jointly asking that a picro mine i.f Coast road lie metalled between Glenlodi anil Akatorc (near llollamby V,, s< it was in a very had state in winti'r. They stated they were prepaid li, ,;o the calling free it' council would i|,i quarrying and spreading (if metal Offer accepted, and road to he f ( .rm;d and prepared for metal. Geo. (Iraliain, Waipori, forwin.iel plan of rend leading to his land ;i; LiU Waipori, and asked that _."> chain* i* tilled in hv the eoilliril. I'uiiiiniii.l Driver said that about HO had alrriur

In l I s|il lit 01t it i KM I \' tl .ipplll it Kill \\ 0111 M 1 \ ( (1111 1 itl [> l\ " I I I I II I hl' m o ins i\ n In '-]K inl ui\ mi i nun ir ii tin inid ( Ulll I Duncan Allison, Millon. asked ur; \m of |'icct> (if roailline on road le.'tiliii;,' !u Hilleiul, and Mating if his request iv;u -rantel lie would c-h.-ai- it of inn'eApplication declined. W. Chaplin, Ttiieri Moutli, <-ompl;i:;.r' of slate of roil.l through section "I 1 :!!:■! Mis I il'imfull s| i |iit\ t I Moutl \!iid hi t i I \\rf* rraceful condit ion, anil lie w I I til in ll' s| ii||l |( I i » lg( s 01 i ilt lit 111 l till ' 11 i I Rl um I II 1) \tkin on i it! i \ wiuti 1 \ lik ti ii ( I 11 ( l tin l iit n i 1 Ik, i I (|lll M its I ] I ■- lit ltl\ II I tio|| (si (In |u|> iI u i ) l IKIl K l 1] Ii ( ot s lion ' h i ln„ lit il \ tin 1 in \ I 1 Ids ( oni iH i K I til it 111 l ( lllll|, 1( \ s I 1 tal iii 1 \ l!n ( mint hi \ > s ' is! stl K| lisu t iti\ 1

1o do what he can to oppose !M' '<" enactment of the particular -r.-;..".r--Secoiided by Councillor Clark ai.'l >'S- r ' ried.

l-\ .1. Wright, .Mill,urn, wrote •UiW-Z attention to slate of mail and fillvt"-rts in tht) locality of "Lime Spring - Left with laoiiibor for riding and cnji* ncev to deal with.

It. Peattie, "Aldersydc," Clark'viiic, wrote asking council to ha\c diU' ll °~ tho roadline extended from syilc" entrance gate to t'iie railway crossing cleaned out and piti]" 1 ' 1 ' 1 ? graded, and have larger pipes pat > !1 ;" the gateway culverts.—Left with |, '" air ' mail, membra for riding ami ia-pi'ttof. GENERAL. C'ouncillof Kinp,- moved that {lu> eoureil pay a sum not exceeding -i" f° r ut chairman's actual travelling eipfnsi'!--" Seconded by Councillor liiicliou auil tarried. Councillor Scot! niovei! llntf 1 1' specter be authorised to take a.'ti" 11 against the drivers of . the tnH»» !! engine which had damaged tic nrw;,' on Tough's road.--Carried. On the motion of Councillor Ik'Ug '-' l inspector was also authorised to p 11 * , surfaceinan on quarrying metal at u '

OUS qUSUTtOS. , , ■,, ,-■ I j!.. I •' ? ill" (onncillor i\in,tc moved !'•' "■' speetor In- instructed to wlnn'm !«'> scoops for tlic county, and i !!:l! '." selection of them be left with the M* niiin ami inspector.—Seconded hy ' t,u eillor Driver.—l'mincillur H:^ 1 ' moveil that; each riding obtain i's scoop, if it required one, as it u> .' ponsivo to shift them about i'"" 11 n i ' !in ° to riding.—'Phis was seconded by cillor Begg.-» Councillor Kin? s» Jl! seemed unfair for each riding t0 saddled with the cost of a scoop,»» asked what was to become of the scoops. What riding would pot ««■ H«, however, withdrew his motion, w» ;thehuncndment was carried.