WAITAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1279, 13 May 1880, Page 2

WAITAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

The regular monthly meeting of the Council was held to-day, when there were" present —-Mr. D. Sutherland (Chairman), the Hon. R. Campbell, Messrs. Duncan, Falconer, Thomson, Murcott, Johnston, W. Sutherland, and Todd. ~ Mr. Oliver.(Engineer) and Mr. Barron (Inspector) were in attendance. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed, and the outward correspondence was read and approved. A letter was read from the Secretary to the Treasury intimating that the sum of L 37 3s Bd', land revenue, had been paid into the bank, to the credit of the County. Mr. H. J. Rickards applied for a slaughtering license for yards to be erectedat, Kurow.—The license was ordered to be issued, provided that no objections were lodged within the specified-time. Inspector Thompson wrote suggesting that Constable Walker should be apI pointed Inspector of Slaughter Yards in the Ngapara district. —-The appointment was made as.requested. , The Under-Secretary for Public Works wrote asking ior certain'information relative to the sums expended upon Public Works in the County.—The Clerk stated that the information had been supplied.:

Messrs Hislop and Creagh, on behalf of Mr. Hugh Wallace, wrote urging upon the Council a, claim from their client for L 27 12s, for delay, occasioned in getting on with his contract in consequence! of the railway authorities refusing access across the railway and for extra cartage necessitated by the refusal, of the railway authorities to grant access across the line. The writers stated that their client was prepared to submit the matter to arbitration.

The Chairman stated that from the inquiries he had made he felt persuaded that Mr. Wallace was entitled'to some consideration for the delay which took place in consequence of receiving a written notice from the Council, pending a settlement with the railway authorities. As to the extra cartage, he did not think Mr. Wallace had any claim. Mr. Thomson said that although notice to stop had been given to Mr. Wallace he had not done so, but had gone on with the work.

The Engineer, in reply to a question, said that Mr. Wallace was entitled to some compensation, probably half the amount (Lls) claimed for delay. On the motion of the Hon. R. Campbell, it was decided to offer, without prejudice, LlO in settlement of the whole claim.

A letter from the Southland County Council with reference to the sum of L 5427 12s 4d retained by. the Government pending the settlement of the doubtful claim of the Counties of Maniototo, Tuapeka, Vincent, and Lake. The assistance of the Waitaki Council was requested in securing the division of the amount amongst the bodies legally entitled to participate in its division. —A letter from the Secretary to the Treasury, acknowledging receipt of a letter from the Waitaki Council with reference to the detained revenue was read. —It was decided to forward to the Southland County Council a copy of the letter on the subject already forwarded by, the Chairman to the Government.

A letter from the Clerk to the Otepopo Road Board was read, requesting the Council to take over as County roads the beach road from Waianakarua to Kakanui and about twenty chains of the road from the south end of the Kakanui bridge. ; Mr. Falconer moved that the roads should be taken over and proclaimed County roads as requested. Mr. Thomson said he would second the motion if the mover would include 250 yards of road on the opposite side of the Kakanui bridge. The. Hon. R. Campbell opposed the motion.

Mr. Murcott proposed as an amendment that the matter should stand over until next meeting, and that in the meantime the Engineer should report as to the amount that would probably have to be spent upon the beach- road during the next 12 months. The Chairman said'that the Council had already expended a large amount of money in the Otepopo Riding, but hitherto all j the money had been spent about Maheno, and he thought they might now spend a little for the benefit of settlers in other parts of the riding. Some further discussion took place, after which the amendment was carried. Mr. John Locke, the dog tax collector, wrote bringing under the notice of the Council that during his canvass for the tax . he had found certain dogs strictly belonging to 'persons residing within the County, but which had been registered with the Oamaru Corporation. He suggested that in order to get over the difficulty, an arragement might be come to with the Municipal Corporation and the County Council as to the tax each were entitled to.—The matter was left in the hands of the Chairman, who undertook to interview the Mayor upon the subject. Mr. John Henderson, Secretary to the Awamoko School Committee; wrote drawing the attention of the Council to the fact that the footbridge over the Waikoura Creek "was erected on School property and requesting its removal as it was intended to fence the ground—The Council determined to erect a swing gate, the School Committee afterwards to keep it in order. . The Clerk stated that Mr. O'Meagher had requested him to verbally mention

the fact of his leaving the premises adjoining the Council Chambers. Resolved, "That advertisements be published with a view to obtaining a new tenant." ; Tenders for various works were then opened, and the following accepted : Contract No. 85, erection of pound at Duntroon, Mr. J. Slater, LBS ; contract No. 92, erection of culverts and formation of road at Maerewhenua, Mr. T. H. Woonton, LB6 ; contract No. 93, pitching and gravelling at Papakaio, Mr. . *•. Flaherty, Lll9 4s 6d; contract No. 94, gravelling three portions of road at Awamoko, Mr. T. Flaherty, L 67 6s ; contract No. 98, erection of fencing at the Cape, Mr. J. Slater, Lll 5s ; contract No. 96, painting bridges in Moeraki, Messrs. Sutton and Co., 9id per square yard; contract No. 97, painting bridges in Papakaio, Waiareka, and Kakanui, Mr. J. Russell,_ 7d per square yard.—The tenders for painting were accepted provisionally upon the quality of the paint being approved of. The Council then proceeded to consider the question of striking a rate. On the motion of Mr. Duncan, seconded by Mr. Johnston, it was decided not to strike a rate. [Left sitting.]