COUNTY COUNCIL.

Kaikoura Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 35, 24 February 1903, Page 6

COUNTY COUNCIL.

SATURDAY, FEB. 21, 1903. Monthly meeting. Present: Crs A. Bell (Chairman), Jas. Boyd, C. Haswell, P. Keenan, F. Parsons, JG-.J, Renner, C. Smith and G. Smith. The inward correspondence was almost entirely formal. THE INSPECTOR Reported to the following effect Howard’s shingling contract completed and Hailes’s nearly so. Three men are employed clearing the Greenburn cutting ; Adair and Wallace are employed on road near Mr Spenseley’s—it was in very bad ; order; W. Smith been employedclearing track up the Puhi (so as to relieve traffic while shingling was going on) and track over to Kaiwhare. Sumner is employed cleaning out side channels on Beach Road in the Town—water-: way was blocked in several places flooding the footpaths. Red Swamp road has been completed ; drain through Mr deepened ; this will relieve water 7 at flood times from flowing down, the road. Took a man and cleared Hapuku ford and picked off large stones on either side. The ford was in a dangerous state, having been neglected very much. He (In. spector) considered he could attend to the fords much better than trusting to obtain the services of! anyone not regularly employed by the Council. , Adair and Wallace put in a day repairing crate at Konai crossing ; also repaired approach to Middle: Creek bridge. Footbridge over Mill road creek, Ash wick, requires renewing ; have had a temporary bridge constructed. Sent up set of pipes to be placed on Reserve cutting in few days. Mr Palmer’s offer to do work, to prevent overflow, on the Greenburn, for £5 is a reasonable one. Having taken the levels, consider ; a wooden culvert on the to Green burn road able as the creek be® 2ft. (there is ti Ml gfebU obtained ; a 20ft. be ample Cr Renner agreed' thatthe ? ' Hapuku ford had been neglected, ' through Renwick mistakdnh/ ’ thinking the retirement of thoreSj 1 Inspector terminated his agree! ment and not doing anything tl the ford. A man on the spot d close at hand should be able to givf the ford better attention than tffi Inspector, who might be some distance away South, and, therefore, Renwick’s services should be continued. Cr Parson’s thought the Council should act on the Inspector’s recommendation. It was carried that the matter be left to the Inspector. Cr Renner held that the Inspector was unnecessarily loading himself and must accept the consequences. The Chairman said that the Ret Swamp Road ford had not beef raised as agreed to. Cr Renner said that when Couii cillors met on the spot and a.greel to a ford being put in they did net know there was a paved ford ft couple of inches below. the. gravel washed on to and covering it. The Inspector said Close’s Trustees were satisfied. Cr Parsons disagreed, on principle, with the Council’s resolution not being carried out, but if the Trustees were satisfied he was. Cr Boyd objected to employment of day labour in cleaning out the Town water-tables. Cr Renner was opposed to day labor when not necessary. In this case sumphs and waterways were choked, and water lay a couple of inches on the footway. Cr Boyd : Have the channels cleared out twice a year by contract if necessary. Cr Renner said it was a favorable opportunity to tell the Inspector that the Council looked to him having ail contracts carried out to the letter, otherwise he (the Inspector) would suffer. The Chairman said he had already spoken to the Inspector to that effect. Report adopted. WHARF SHEDS. The Chairman reported that he and Cr Renner had seen Mr (Goodall that morning, inspected

gentleman’s shed and plant, and J pointed out what land would be required. Mr Goodall’s price was £2,500, which he (Chairman) thought high. (Cr Haswell had forgotten about the matter.) Cr Renner did not regard the price asked excessive. It must be that the consideration offered was a valuable one, and if Mr Goodall sold it he would be parting with his business. Cr Parsons was not disposed to move in the matter ; in a few years the landing might (as Cr Renner had pointed out) be elsewhere. Report received. No action was taken. TENDERS were received and dealt with as ■ follows Robb’s Road : (Estimate 155.) M. Yaxley (accepted) 17s 6d chain Puhi Puhi-Rock reduction, etc : (Estimate £16.) Mclnnes & Smart (accepted) £l5 0 0 M. Yaxley 17 19 0 A. Wilson 25 0 0 Puhi Puhi Metalling : (Estimate Is 6d.) A. Howard (accepted) Is 2d a yard A. Wilson ... ... 13,,,, Mclnnes & Smart 1 4 ~ ~ M. Yaxley 16,,,, R. Wallace ... 20,, „ COUNTY CORRESPONDENCE. Cr Boyd moved that no person I other than the Chairman have iccess to the correspondence until presented to the Council. The Star, he said, had published the lumber of applicants for the kispectorship before they came before the Council. Cr Parsons seconded the motion aid spoke in support. Cr Renner ridiculed the motion, aid held that he, as a Councillor, hid a right to see the County co/respondence when the Clerk wis in attendance. He knew of applications for the Inspectorship before they came to hand. Cr Boy a I Knew nothing about a journalist’s I soirees of information. division. Ayes : toptit tfte: Kaikoura-Cpnway section of the Cheviot road in order sftid then hand it over to the Council to be maintained. Cr Renner regarded that as inevitable, but moved that the Council protest against the road being handed over before the Hundalee section is metalled. Seconded by Cr Parsons and carried. Cr C. Smith moved that the Government be asked to restore the North end of the Hundalee road at the Oaro. Seconded by Cr Renner and carried. ' MISCELLANEOUS. Cr Parsons drew attention to brier, and gorse on River Board reserve, and the Chairman to blackberry near Clemett’s. —To be seen to. Tenders to be invited for reforming and metalling road near Green Hills; for ditch cleaning where necessary; for road at Garrett’s S. Run. Inspector to see to ditches in front of Mr D. Sweeney’s, Postman’s road ; to report on track over Kai’s Hill; on road leading to Mr Kennedy’s ; on Poole’s road; and on road near Mr Guy Boyd’s, The Inspector submitted an estimate of a new bridge over the Lyell near Mr Gray’s smithy ; concrete .abutments and centre-pier, with ironbark stringers and sills and local timber for decking:— Tenders to be invited. The Council had no objection to swing-gates on the Reserve-Green-burn road if the settlers interested agreed. It was decided to ask the Government' to widen the road at the Ohau; Council, meanwhile, to have a guard provided. Cr Renner moved that tenders be invited for levelling Takahanga Domain ; Cr Haswell seconded. — Cr Parsons urged that the matter be deferred a month. —Cr Renner objected, pointing out that athletic bodies and townspeople were waiting to lay off a track and. improve the ground.—Motion carried. Cr Haswell moved that the Inspector proceed to lay off the work jn Torquay street, which the ex-

Inspector had not had time to attend to.— Cr Renner seconded, and urged that the pipes leoding across at the back of Mr Mayson’s be removed and the water taken along the upper side of the road.— Agreed to. —Motion carried. Cr Keenan spoke of the danger to life and property contained in allowing traction engines to traverse the narrow roads of the County. He moved that, if possible, no such be be allowed on a road not exceeding half a chain width in formation. Seconded by Cr Renner. Motion lost. Ayes 2, Noes 4. Payments amounting to £296 13s 6d passed. Bank credit £1240 14s 2d.