WAIMEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 143, 17 June 1881, Page 2

WAIMEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wednesday, June 15. Adjourned special meeticg held this day to take into consideration certain alterations in a roaa in Suburban South. Present : All the membeis except Mr Shephard, absent on leave. A letter from the Secretary of the Wairaea Highway Board was read detailing an agreement entered into between that Board and Me»ars Allport and Trolove respectively in relation to the proposed alteration. No further opposition being offered from any quarter to the intended alteration of road being carried outj; "On the motion of Mr Bird, seconded bj Mr Wells, it Was resolved, That the undermentioned alteration of road in Suburban South proposed by tbe Waimea Highway Board and decided on by a majority of ratepayers of the district at a meeting duly summoned, having, after due notice, been considered by the Council, that the decision of the ratepayers meeting be confirmed, viz., "To stop up the road between Sections numbered 52, 53, 66, and XVI, on the plan of Suburban South, and to take land for a road in exchange 43 links wida and 28 chains 40 links long through and along the south side of the said Section 63,'* Wednesday, Joke 15, 1881. The monthly meeting Wis held on the above day. Present, all the members except Mr Snephard, absent on leave. The minutes of tbe two special meetings held in May— (l) for considering certain proposed alterations in the roads of Subutban South, and (2) for considering the annual balance sheet, also the minutes of the last monthly meeting, were read and confirmed. A letter from Mr Dlackett, Resident Engineer, dated May 17. h, was read, informing the Council by direction of the, Engineer in charge of the Middle Island, that the metalling contracts in tbe Motupiko, Clarke, and Hope Valleys will be out of the contractor's hands on the 31st May, and asking the Council to undertake the maintenance of the road so far as it la Within the Waimea County. ' On the motion of Mr Macmahon, seconded by Mr Phillips, it was resolved, That, the maintenance of the new portion of the great rbid to the West Coast is uttefly beyond the present means of the County, and that on grounds of justice as well as of necessity the eost of maintaining the great leading colonial roads should, fall on the colonial revenue. The Council will, however, out of the verj. limited means at its disposal, endeavor* until ' other arrangements are made , to effect any repairs of a pressing character which may threaten to obstruct the. traffic^ should such be heeded. ; ■ „ A ; letter was read from the Under Secretary for Pdblic Wdrk3 with reference to the request of the Council that the unex pended balance of the tote for tbe great i West Coast road within the county should be spent oh the proposed deviation of Spooner's Range, sfciting the regret of the Minister of Public Works that owing td the small balance at his disposal haying been absorbed by other necessary works he is unable to return a favorable reply to the request of the Council. The Oounsil having again taken Mr Carkeek's report on the proposed doviation into consideration together with his plan with description of the; grAeteß. refeeited.. since the laat meeting dr the Council) • It was, on tha motion of Mr Bird, seconded by Mr Dencker, resolved, That as it now appears that the Government have no funds available towards the forrtUtiou of the pro posed deviation of the road at Spooner'a Range, and as the Council consider the grade of one In ten on a portion of the new line shown in Mr CarkeekVpJan as objectionably steep, the question be deferred for the present. . , A letter from the Overseer of Roads in the Upper Motueka Highway District wan read, asking the Council to spend the sum of £15 in repalrldg the present catting from tbe head' of tforii*' Qully to the top of Spooner's Range, alleging that the expenditure of such a snm at present in the manner described in bis letter would keep the catting in good repair for the winter, also pointing out the great desirability of an expenditure of £5 oa the road in Kay's Valley, and a similar sum in turning the oreekfroni David Kerr'g. Gully into, the Motueka; river with the view of preserving the road. Oo the motion of Mr Wells, seconded by Mr Bird, it was resolved, That the Upper Motueka Highway Board be requested to expend the sums named (£25 in all) in the manner detailed by their Overseer, , A claim from Me James Cross for the estimated value of the building at Motueka wharf (£B7) was laid before the Council (a deduction of two months' rent due from him being made). The Council decided to defer the settlement of this account till its next meeting. ■ The Chairman stated that since the last meeting of tbe Council Mr Morley bad completed contract (£124 143) for repairs of the Motueka wharf, and that on the certificate of the Inspector, Mr Parker, the balance due had been paid ; also that extra work and materials outside the contract done and furnished by Mr Morley at the wharf to tbe extent of £37 14a had, on Mr Parker's certificate, been paid. A letter was read from Mr Morley enclosing' a demand (accompanied by details) for the Bum of £59 3s 3d for extra work and materials at Motueka wharf (in place, pi the sum of £37 14s certified to py Mr Parker), with au appended certificate from Mr Burrell and Mr Gaacoigne as to the correctness of Mr Morley's account, ;On the motion of Mr Wells, seconded by Mr Bird, it was resolved, That a copy of Mr Morley's account be Bent to Mr Parker for his remark? thereon. On the motion of Mr Bird, .seconded by Mr Phillips, it was resolved, That the Government be requested, to reimburse the Council the sum just expended on the Motueka wharf* according to the terms of the agreement between the Marine Department and the Council; and that application be made at the same time for the sum of £57, to be paid for buildings, &c , erected by the late lessee at the wharf. iThe inspector of works, at the Motueka wbarf, Mr Parker, having reported that the old part of th« dwelling-house, there is In very bad condition, the Chairman was requested to reply that the Council must postpone any further expenditure in connection with the Motueka wharf. A letter was read from Mr Fowler, on whose land the Biwaka pound is situated, refusing to renew the lease of the present pound, but offering " to lease . another piece of land to put a new pound on, the old one being completely rotten." On the motion of Mr Dencker, seconded by Mr Phillips, it was resolved, That the Council decline to move further in the matter until it has reason to believe that a new ponnd at lliwaka ia necessary to the public convenience. The Chairman was requested to ascertain for the information of the Council at its next meeting what sums would be payable to the several Highway Boards under tbe terms cf the resolution passed by the Council on the 20th August 1879, whioh ordered that' " moneys accruing from goldflelds revenues, ' gold duties and sales of land shall be spent" in; the localities whence such moneys are derived." . >I An application was read from the Secretary, of the Motueka Highway Board for a grknt of £200, to be expended on the main j Hqe of the road throughout the district "iome part of which are in great need of repair," It was thereupon proposed by Mr

Macmahon and seconded by Mr Dencker* that the eum of £125 ba granted to the Motueka Highway District to be expended as follows: £100 for repairing aDd gravelling truck road, from the Moutere Hotel to the Bridge Lower Moutere ; £25 for the repair of the trrink road, Motueka, on that part between the Post-cffice and the bridge near Riwaka. This motion was Buperseeded by the following amendment, proposed by Mr Bird, and seconded by Mr Wells, That the consideration of the proposed grant be postponed for more definite information from the Motueka Highway Board as to where it is required, and until the Council has more definitely ascertained its financial position. A letter was read from the Under Secretary of Public Works in reference to a petition to the Government forwarded by the Council from certain settlers in Stanley Brook, praying for a grant of £800 towards forming a road from Lower Wakefield to Stanley Brook acknowledging the receipt of the petition and stating that it would be duly conasdered. A letter from the Colonial Secretary 9 Ofllae Wellington, dated 27th May, acknowledging the receipt of one from the Council asking that the vesting of the Motuekn wharf by the Government might be notified in the "Government Gazette was read, and informing the Council that the Council's letter bad been forwarded to the Marine Department. The Chairman haviDg informed the Council that no reply from the Marine Department had been received, he was n quired to repeat this request to tbo Government and to telegraph to Mr Shephard asking him if possible to hasten the action of the Government on this essential point. The Chairman informed the Council that the sum of £13 6S (in place of the snm of £K voted by the Council) had been expended on the Manugatapu Road including some small repair on the Waimea side of the Herenga Bridge. She Chairman stated that he had drawn the attention of the Pelorus Highway Board to the fact Of the Herenga Bridge needing some repair, and suggested joint action on the part of the Council and that Board, should larger repairs become necessary. Payments ordered : Mr. Carkeek £10 for Survey and report on proposed road deviation at Spooners Range : £6 17s Cd, Colonist advertising: £25 Motueka Highway Board protective works along Companys ditch : I2s removing logs Matueka bridge : £3 19s Id Mr Tarraut comurissson on Dog Tax; 15s Mr Oxley commission on Dog Tax £7 19s Mr C. H Martin Report on Maungatapu Road and Inspection of works there including 5s for tools : Mr Parker £10 for; specification Motueka wharf and Inspection of Work. . Notice of motion for next meeting. — By Mr Macmahon : — That with the view of adjusting vepresentatLnof the various Districts composing the County of Waimea it is desirable that the Riding of Motueka have two Members after the next General Election. Council adjourned to Wednesday 20th July at 11 o'clock