WAITAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 529, 11 January 1878, Page 2

WAITAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

* The following is the conclusion of our report of the meeting of the County Council held yesterday : OBJECTION TO DEVIATION OK ROAD. Mr. Newlands attended for the purpose of laying before the Council the grounds on which he objected to the deviation of the road leading to the Mahcno railway station. Mr. Newlands briefly explained his reasons for objecting to his land being taken for the purposes of widening and deviating the road. Some little discussion took place, and eventually it was decided to postpone consideration of the matter until next meeting, in order to give members an opportunity of visiting the road, and to obtain the attendance of Mr. Stewart, the surveyor who laid oil' the proposed road. TENDERS. The following tenders wer? accepted : Contract .No. 20, earthworks, Papakaio pre-emptive, Mr. T. Mowat. L 535 4s. ; gravelling road at Hampden, Mr. Nicholson, LBS 10s. SIONTNU CHEQUES AND CONTRACTS. Mr. T. Y. Duncan was appointed to sign cheques, and Messrs. Craig and Duncan were appointed to sign contracts, INSPECT] ON OF ROIV.w. The Council Chamber was appointed as the place for the inspection of the Valuation Rolls, fo,r all Ridings, excepting those of Qtepopo and Moeraki, which are to be seen at the Hampden Post Olliee. WAIKOITRA CREHIC ROAD. Mr. P. Aitchison wrote to the Council stating that his property had been damaged by the creek and road, No action was taken in reference to the matter. MAEREWUIUiI.'A ROAD I.LNE. Messrs, Brindley and Stewart's report and plans of the new road granted by Messrs. Borton and M'Master as a substitute for the old one, were received and adopted. sin. barton's hei-ori*. The Road Inspector reported as follows :—- Oamaru, 10th January, 1878. The Chairman, Waitaki County Council. Sir, —I have the hi i:or to forward report for the month of December, 1877. The concrete bridge at the Horse .Range is almost iinished. The contractor has also completed the gravelling of the Port Moeraki mad, and that of the Kaka Hill is progressing. Tenders have been called for gravelling a portion of the main road south of Kartigi, The contractor for the gravelling in the Otepopo Riding is making fair progress. The widening of the road at Maheno lias not yet been satisfactorily completed. In the Waiareka Riding, contractors are making fair progress. A small bridge has been re-planked beyond Corricdale, and two of the creek crossings are being metalled and repaired. The surface men are also placing two new culverts on the road to Teaneraki, and the mill race bridge is being lengthened and a handrail erected. I would recommend that a light footoridge be placed on the Big Hill Creek near Windsor, for the convenience of children going to school and church. In the Papakaio Riding an application has been made to me for the use of surfacemen to enlarge the ditches along the main road in the Landon district. I would recommend the work be done, and that the material from the ditches be used in widening the road between the town boundary and the racecourse. In the Awamoko Riding the road formation at Elder's has been completed. The contractors for the Otematakau footbridge have given notioo that they do not intend to proceed with the work. Part of the material and plant are lying at the river, which I have taken possession of, and I would suggest that the work be gone on with by day labour at the contractor's risk. Considerable improvements have been effected on several portions of road in the Otekaike Riding at Parson's Creek and Rutrged Ridges in widening sharp turns and raising the creek bed. The roads round the lake (Ohan) have been seriously damaged with the heavy floods in that district, and will take longer time to repair than was at fust anticipated.—l have, etc., J. Barron, Inspector. Mr. Sutherland remarked that so far as he could see nothing had been done 'to the Otekaike roads. The Chairman was of the same opinion. He said that the system at present adopted was defective.

Mr. Duncan thought that tliero wore other works more necessary than the load to Pukeuri. In reply to a question from Mr. Todd, Mr. Barron said that the cost of the Big Hill Bridge would be about 140 or Lso.| It was proposed by Mr. Duncan, and carried, that the Inspector's attention bo directed to that portion of the report relating to the widening of the Main North Road, with the exception of which item the report was adopted. MAIN ARTERIAL ROADS. The Vailaki Road Board wrote, in reply to a letter from the Council requesting information as to what main roads the Board wished the County to take over, stating that they saw no necessity for any change in the management of the said roads. The Kakanui Board stating that they would consider tho same subject at their next meeting. The Waiureka Road Board wrote to the effect that they would hand over to the Council the road commencing at the Waiareka Railway Station and ending at tho corner of block X., Kurow district, tho total length being 17J miles. TAPAKAIO PRK-KMPTIVE. Mr. Duncan moved, " That the sum of L 275 be voted to the Waitaki Road Board, and that tho road through Papaicaio Pre-emptive be proclaimed a County Road." Seconded by Mr. Craig, and carried. PROPOSED UPPER WAITAKI RRIDGE. The Chairman gave an account of Ms action in reference to this matter while lately in Dunedin. Ho had been one of a deputation to Mr. Larnach, who had promised that the Government would! give one-third of tho cost; Mr. Bruce, one of the deputation, said that ho would ask the Waimate County Council to vote a third ; and he (the Chairman) had promised to represent tho matter to the Waitaki County Council, with a view to obtaining the remainder of the cost. Ho remarked that the work was one of tho. greatest importance: that the bridge would have to be constructed sooner or later, and that the present opportunity should be taken of getting it carried out.. After some discussion, it was resolved,, on the motion of Mr. Todd, secondod byMr. Duncan, " That a sum of money bevoted, amounting to one-third of the whole cost of the bridge, said cost not to exceed L 15,000." Pl'IlUI! POUNDS. On the motion of Mr. Duncan, it was resolved that Schlnter's Yard be proclaimed a public pound, and that Mr. Frederick Sehluter be appointed poundkeeper ; also (on the motion of Mr. Craig), that the pound at Mahono be proclaimed a public pound. PUBLIC I.IHIIAIIIKS. On the motion of Mr. Craig, seconded by Mr. Mnrcott, it was resolved that the sum of L2O each be handed to the public-, libraries.at Kakanui and Otopopo. ACCOUNTS. Accounts and legal expenses, U> tlm amount of L 1275 7s. GM., were passed for payment.