TAIERI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 4 March 1908, Page 24

TAIERI COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Taieri County Council, held on Feb. 28, was attended by Crs J. Miller (chairman), W. Blackie, M. Stevenson, F. Docherty, J. Elliott, F. Freeman, J. B. Blair, and R. Gibson. FINANCE. The Finance Committee's report for February, 1908, showed receipts at £448 7s lid, and that the bank book showed a debit balance of £3144 ISs lid. Accounts amounting to £1012 8s 2d were passed for payment. The committee recommended that the clerk be instructed to notify by advertisement during The month that «11 rates not paid on or before the 31st of March next will have the additional charge of 10 per cent, added thereto; also that the clerk be further instructed to call for tenders for accident insurance covering the county employees during the insuing year ; and also that the matter of supply of stationery, etc., for the incoming ! year be left to the clerk to purchase. — Adopted. REPORTS. The Electric Power Committee reported having conferred with Mr J. Shacklock (chairman of the Dunedin City Electric Power and Lighting Committee) and with Mr E. Stark (city electrical engineer). The committee recommended that the council, with- the engineer, visit the site of the dam for conservation of water on the Waipori watershed, to decide on the council's action. After discussing the question -of a suggested electric line from Outram to Mosgiel, with, the city electrical engineer, the committee recommended that the erection of the line be left in the hands of the city electrical engineer, Cr Blackie, and the county engineer. A letter from the Public Works Department re supply of electric light for the Mosgiel Post Office should be forwarded to the town clerk, Dunedin. The committee recommended that the Borough of Mosgiel be asked to permit the Dunedin City Corporation to erect an electric line in Factory road east and west up to the county quarry. — Adopted. Mr B. B. Couston, county engineer, reported :— " Contracts : Allanton bridge. Fair progress has been made during the month, 12 men being constantly employed. Piles and sheet pi.es are driven complete, capsils and corbels fitted throughout^ the whole of the trusses erected in position, and the joists and decking laid for three - spans of the bridge. The only timbers not yet to hand are the 24ft joists. These are expected daily, and on their arrival the bridge can be completed in a month's time. — Henley-Ber-wick road : The earthwork of this contract is nearly completed, and the gravel will be run out in a fortnight's time. As it is important that the balance of the Berwick straight should be raised and gravelled before the winter. I recommend that Marwick be given another 10 chains of the road at his schedule rates, and that tenders be called for next meeting for the portion of road that then remains to be gravelled. — Little Lee bridge: Plans have been prepared for submittal to the road engineer for bridge to. be erected over Little Lee, on the WaipoTi El Dorado road. The design is for a concrete arched bridge with concrete parapet walls, I recommend that the work be proceeded with on receipt of notice that plans have Ucen apnro.ed. Maungatua Guard Fence. — This work ha* Locn carried out by day labourai.a a substantial guard fence 40 chains in length has been erected at the most dangerou* portion c f the Maungatua Hill. Road Grader — The streets of Allanton have been graded, this work completing the *=<*■> -dule \ for tho «imimcr contract. M'Laren's G .' I The ni-talhng of M'Laien'b Gully roao «n schist spalls i= completed. The work . charge on Otokia fomihs. and was a - ■ out by day labour Mosgicl Qi airy - J i district railway enjii'wr h« s forwarder '<■ me a plan showing wliat appears to •>? '. c j most economical way of providing " i:< ■* i to Mosgiel quarry. I recommend th*t c arrangement of the siding be appioved by • the County Council and the Railway De- • partment asked to supply an estimate for carrying out the balance of the work. The cost of the siding complete will be in j accordance with my original estimate— be- , tween £200 and £250. Middlemarch Drain- ' age. — The size of the pipe for outfall drain- , age depends entirely on the purpose the drain is intended to serve. With the fall available between Middlemarch and the Taieri River a six to nine-inch diameter pipe, ' costing, say, £6 to £8 per chain, would take the sewage from a population that would occupy the area of the township proper, but if the rainfall for this area had also to be conveyed a pipe drain 24 inches, in diameter, or an egg-shaped sewer 3ft x 2ft. would be required, «t a. cost of from £25 to £30 a chain. I do not think there is any i possibility of a scheme being entertained that would entail a greater expenditure than ■ £500. For this sum a 12-inoh pipe drain could be laid from Middlemarch to the river, and would serve to convey the sewage from the whole, and the surface water from the central portion of the township. Such a scheme might be carried out by allocating | £350 from next year's schedule and £160 from the riding account. Recommendations. — I have the following recommendations to make:— l. That £50 be expended from Sutton fourths in blasting bluffs and regrading«oad on the Sutton Hill. 2. That a 12-inch pipe culvert be inserted on Allanton to Rock and j Pillar road, nea* Harvey's Flat. — Report aSopted. Tenders to be 081164 for 10 chains of gravel formation on the Berwick-Henley xoa& The question of Middlemarch drain-

age to be left to Cr Elliott and the count> engineer to report^ The Sanitary Inspector reported an improvement in the Kaikorai Stream, but that he had been obliged to caution the managers of the Freezing Works, the Woollen Mills, and Bailey's Works, at Burnside, re pollution. — Adopted. CORRESPONDENCE. The Secretary of the Charitable Aid Boaird wrote asking the council to reconsider its decision re distribution of charitable aid, and see if it could not take charge of the matter in its own district.. — Decided that the council undertake to distribute its own charitable re-» lief. L. E. Ellisson, hon. secretary Fairfield" Bowling Club, wrote asking permission to use storm' water on the Main South road fox filling the well in Shale Bros.' paddock, in connection with water supply to the Fair-> field Bowling Green; the overflow to be re« turned to the ordinary course; also, for permission to put a line of 1-Jin pipes down the road in a ditch, and to dump the clay from the well in the hollow on tne Old Brighton road. — Permission granted, subject to approval of the engineer. A. PETITION. Seven ratepayers petitioned the council to approach the Government with the objectof having the railway across the Taieri, near Hindon, made suitable for passage of stock, and of allowing them the use of the bridge at certain times on certain days foe, . that purpose. Fording the river was very, often dangerous and very inconvenient. — Ai copy of the petition to be forwarded to the Minister intimating that the council is inclined to accede to the request of the petitioners, and asking for the Railway De-, partment's views and an estimate of the cost. Mr Reid, M.P., to be advised as to what is being done. The Treasury Department, Wellington, wrote informing the council that the sum of £1 13s had been remitted to. credit of their i account at the National Bank, Mosgiel.— Received. The Minister of Internal Affairs wrote enclosing copy of notice respecting proposed , alterations in the boundaries of the borough | of Roslyn. — Received. I Tne Department of Public Health wrote informing the council that a case of infectious disease had been reported from Green; Island. — Received and dealt with by inspector. Dr Rasa Collier, Middlemarch, wrote reporting four oases of infectious uisease (tuberculosis) at the sanatorium, Rock and Pillar. — Received. The Secretary of the Otago Benevolent Institution wrote forwarding particulars of outdoor relief cases for quarter. — Received. The Secretary of the Otago Benevolent In* stitution wrote forwarding particulars of cases for relief- — Received. Reid and Bundle wrote enclosing application by Mr R. B. Smith for a water race j on section 18, block VI, Mount Hyde district, following the course of the creek which flowed beneath the Hindon-Outram road. — No objection, provided a culvert be inserted to the. < approval of County Council, and the same. - to be maintained at applicant's expense. • Ross and Glendining (Dunedin) wrote enclosing cheque for £42~8s 9d, being half cost of r&aintenance of Eaikorai Valley road, and stting that their agreement would now terminate, as the arrangement between them en J the council was that the payment should, coninue until the road was consolidated. As^ in their opinion, the consolidation must have' been effected long ago, the payment must now cease.— To be informed that the council will continue to maintain the road for & further period of six months on the same basis as before, otherwise they will have to look to Messrs Ross and Glendining for any damage cau«ed by extraordinary traffic. ' The District Engineer, New Zealand Railways, Dunedin. wrote acknowledging receipt* of the council's letter of the 27th inst. in> connection with proposals for crossing various roads,"" and stating that no reference to the crossing of the Lower Valley road, near Junction Hotel, Cattle Yards, ( had been made. He asked the council to advise if the proposals for dealing with that road had been! approved. The railway would pass under the road, whih would be practically unaltered. — Approved. The District Engineer, New Zealand Railways, Dunedin, wrote informing the council that the department proposed constructing * temporary siding across the Valley road at Cattle Yards, opposite -Black wood's stables. — Received. A. Bennett wrote drawing the council's attention to the state of the road leading; to section 57, block VI, Dunedin and East Taieri, and asking the council to take some> steps to have the road improved, as it was impossible to get in and out with heavy traffic. — To be informed that the council «J» prepared to contribute pound for pound up to £15. Ten ratepayers at Abbotsford wrote asking the council for a sidewalk on the worst portions of the road leading from Abbotsfoid Railway Station in the direction of their homes and properties. — Etngi^ieer to tako steps. John M'Leary, Brighton, wrote asking the council to make the improvements in the road leading from the beach ae_w*s promised when the ext.ra rate was levied. — One hundred' yards of gravel to be put down in the worsfl parts. Duntan M'ln.tosh, Brighton, wrote stating "U in reply to resolution passed at laet • .cetiug of the council re proposed new road, ■ he would undertake road formation, etc, for the £240 lean and £25, council's grant.—Received. Cleeve Bros., Blacfc Root, •arrata drawing the council's attention to the fact that there was no load into Run 186b, and would ba plejsed if the council could improve the Lea Flai road. — Engineer to be empowered to confer with the Tuapeka County engineer on the matter. Murray, Roberts, and Co., Dunedin, wrote stating that the Lands' Department required that the county seal be attached to plans re granting of new roadlines on Taieri Riven passing through blocks X and' XII, StrathTaieri, before the titles could be issued, and) asking that the council accede to their request.—The clerk to ascertain whether the conditions embodied in the minute of the council relating to the matter have beer* complied with, and, if so, the plans to be signed and forwarded. The Wailtem© County Council wrote tusking for the 00-opera^lon of the Taieri County; Council in applying for a Government grantf towards- the erection of a bridge at the Rock and Pillar crossing, the sum of £800 being • the amount estimated for the proposed work. — The liability of the council in this coanection to be ttsoertained'. The Department for Lands wrote forwarding a copy of &n Order-in-Council appointing Taieii County Council a Domain Board to have control of Allanton Domain.— Received. The Collector flf Cuatoms, Dunedin, -wrote showing the amount of gold purchased within the county during the month of December, 1907 to liave been 3210z Odwfc 18gr.— Received. GENERAL. II was resolved, on the motion of Cr Blackie seconded by Ct Stevenson — " That* the oounoil invite' offers for a scheme to supply the county from Mosgiel quarry withi metal and spalls ioic a period of five years* delivered on carts and tracks,"