TAIERI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 1 September 1909, Page 39

TAIERI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Tne ordinary monthly meeting of tho [ Taieri County Council, held on Friday, wad attended by Crs Walter Blackie (chairman), , Gow, Allan, Docherty, Hay, Freeman, ; Robinson, and Blair. REPORTS. . " \ The County Engineer (Mr B. B. Cous- . ton) reported as fellows: — Contracts and Works. — The contract fern | OOerection of traffic? bridge over Silverstreanx ' at Meiklepohn's, was completed on August 2, and the period of maintenance will expire on I September 2. The bridge is » substantialstructure, built almost ntirly of ironbark irim- ■ bsr. The length of the bridge is 94ft, and the work has been carried out for the contraci ' price of £999 2s. The bridges over MilJ ' Greek, on Gordon road, and the Carnal, at Bivuces's, are completed with the exception* ; of final coat of paint. Tne driving of piles i at Campbell's bridge is now being proceeded 1 ■ with, and I anticipate having all bridge : contracts finally disposed of by next meet- ■ ing of council. At Strath-Taieri the coni tracts for construction of masonry arches ' are completed with fche exception of some minor works required *to approach road on I Sutton_ Ckitn road. DeHvery contracts at . Kaikorai Valley road and Shfnd's ro*d are * completed. eontl-aci,' Ontram-Ber- ! ; wick rood, is in progress, about 300 tons [■ having be«n run oat fco date. Tenders are ' ' called this month for three- delivery con- ' tracts on schedule and riding roads- The total expenditrl-9 incurred under Govern- ' ment grant for flood damage repair to data is £7246 3s lOd. This sum has been appor1 tioned amongst the various ridings as follows:—North Taieri £2239 19s lOd. Bast ! Taieri £777 Is lid, Otokia £482 16a Id, Oui- > ram £1155 7s lOd, M&ungatus £868 5? 2d, i Deep Stream £257 18s, and Sfcrath-Taieri £1514 14s. There are still four works to Ik,. -, carried out or completed under the authority — namely: contract 125 (£177 18s 4d), conr tract 152 (£200), Outrani to "Waipori cnlverfc . £100, and Taieri Eiver road re-form*tion. ; £275 18s lOd. When fins! payments have | been made on these works the total expenditure on flood damage repair will amount \o I £3000. Contracts 125 and 152 should be out ' of hand by nest meeting of council, and tha Outram-Waipori culvert by October. "Wit'rregard to the Taieri River road re- formation, this work is being carried out in conjunction with the Taieri Drainage Board, and should be shortly completed, but I cannot ' certify for payment till such time a,s tho : land has been acquired from Shand's Trus1 teea. 1 Dunedin-Mosgiel Doubling. — Councillor • Gow and -nvself have inspected the sites of - proposed bridge and level crossings near 1 "VVingatui, and have asked tHe district engineer to discuss the question of read crossings in order io arrange a modification of the right-angled crossing opposite tbs Citj. I Corporation' 3 subdivision. M'Laren's Gully road and Allanton School , .Crossing. — Your instructions regarding surfacing- M'Laren's Gully road and metalling of road leading to Allanton School have been carried out. Mr W. Dowdall's application to plant trees on waste portion of road opposite Mr Matthcws's stable should be declined, as the trees would overshadow road; and bridge, and be detrimental to their maintenance. Middlemarch Ditches. — In company with 1 the chairman and Cr Hay. I inspected the ditches which required attention at Strath- " Taieri, and we arranged to have tbe ditohea cleaned out. provided adjoining property- ' owners found man for man in carrying out the work. Bridge at Crawford's.— Tnis bridge iat ■ situate on the Taieri Mouth road, near Kuri Bush. The old ptructure consists of dry sione walls and 1 rough timber superstructure, and the 9pan of the opening is 12ft» Thw walls are in a atate of collapse, the beama have already given way, and traffic i» a"tt present carried by a temporary ford. The. road is -within a few chains of tbe coast and at times of heavy seas the mouth o£ tbe creek is filled up with kelp and sand. The area drained by the creek is about 400 acres. I would have recommended a double row of pipe culverts as the moat economical method* of rednstatement, but this would necessitate frequent attention on the park of the surfaceman to keep tbe outlet clear. I consider an arched, culvert, 6ft by sft, wilt • .be required to meet requirements, waA > recommend that tenders be called for the work •• forthwith. "There- is a good rock bottom Bft below road level, and an. abundance of .first-class gravel and sand i» .obtainable ton the sea beach within. a< coxrgle , of miles of Kuri Burh. ' ' , . The report was adopted. On the recommendation of the Finance Committee account? amounting to £118* 4s . 4d were passed for payment, and the salary of . the sanitary inspector was increased by £15 per annum. Receipts for the month . v/ere show a at £554 la lid The bank

book showed a debit balance of £4498 0s Ud. — The Finance Committee's report war adopted. The Electric Power Committee reported homing fcrwardtd to the town clerk of Mosgiel the statement that provision would be made for switching off electric power in case of fire \ y connecting by direct telephonic communication .the Outran) and JHosgiel Fire Brigade installations, countyor borough to bear cost. The town clerk of Mosgiel had replied suggesting that the City Corporation be again approached in regard to the matter. The Electric Power Committee therefore recommended that the chairman of the County Council, with the Mayor of Mosgiel, interview the Mayor of Dunedin ; also, that the Dunedin City Corporation be notified that the Taieri County Council will require electrical energy up to 25 horse-power at its Mosgiel quarry by l>ecember 1. — Adopted. The Sanitary Inspector reported having visited the Kaikorai Stream at various intervals during the month, and found it in much the same condition as usual. Owing to the dry weather the water was low, and therefore more liable to pollution than it otherwise would be All the works are trying to e\ade pollution of the stream as far as possible. There was a case of scarlatina at Riverside and diphtheria near Mcsgiel. Everything was being done to avoid contagion. — Adopted. The Ranger reported having visited the various districts throughout the country during the month, and found that the roads were fairly ciear of stray stock ; found wandering 24 heads, and fees collected £2 5s. — Adopted. The Crushing Plant Committee reported having ordered a. No. 3 portable Champion rock-crusher, with elevator and chute screen, and recommended that the matter of arranging for electrical energy be left in the hands of the committee with power ■to act. Further, that the matter of opening up the quarry be attended to before the erection of the crushing plant, and that the engineer be authorised to report regardiuer it — Approved and adopted. COBBESFOKDENCK. The Secretary of the Treasury, Welling- ' ton, wrote stating that the sum of £1 2s 6d goldneids revenue had been ierniited" to credit of council's account. — Received. The District Health Officer, Dunedin, wrote stating that a case of scarlet fever Lad been reported at Moniona. — Received. Hoßking and Cook, Dunedin, wrote stating Jjiat they had settled the purchase of the eece of land which the council bought from r Dif'xson for road purposes, and had paid the purchase money (£10) and are •ending foe execution the deed of covenant which the council are entering into with Mr Dickson in regard to clearing gorse. — To be executed. Irvine and Stevenson, DuneJin, wrote enclosing- letters for the council's perusal in connection with their application for a slaughter house license at Wingatui, and drawing attention to the clause in the letter of the Minister of Agriculture, in which he said that the- recommendation for the granting of the license rested in the hands of the County Council.— Application recommended. -Th« Clerk of Green Island Borough ■wrote asking the council if they would be Agreeable to transler the control of the stone quarry at Green Island over to the Borough Council- — Request declined. I Alexander Scott, Ellendale, Silveretream. j wrote asking permission to erect a gate on j they boundary between his place and Leish- J man's ; also* requesting, the culvert on the j road near the boundary to bs lowered. — Granted. Several ratepayers. Otokia Riding, wrote drawing attention to the dangerous state of the Beaoh road south of Brighton to-war-de Taieri Mouth, and particularising six different places on the road. — Deferred for a month. Messrs J. and A. Mcc, Kuri Busli, wrote drawing attention to the state of the crossing at G. Crawford's, where the bridgo was down. — Already dealt with. SBvdi.ii] ratepayers wrote petitioning the council to provide a better grade on ■ M'Laren'e Hill, and to have the road ' metalled. — Four trucks of metal to be allowed. ; Messrs A. Loudon. James Barron, and j H. M'Coll, Brighton, wrote drawing attention to the bad state of the road leading Irom Duncan settlement to Mr Barron's t;atc. — G-ravel to be supplied if petitioners cart it. The Secretary, T. and P. Company, Dunedin, wiote asking permission to open up the road for tho purpose of laying a drain and improving the drainage at its creamery, situated on the Brighton road. — Referred to engineer to act. A. M'Kegg, Henley, wrote requesting 'council to provide drainage by means of «- culvert through the road for sections near the store at Henley on the south side.— I*eft to engineer. 'Vf. B. Harton, jun., Woodside, wrote complaining of the trees overshadowing the Toad in Woodside township. — Engineer to act. R._ G. Baxter, Outram, wrote drawing attention to the need for metalling the worst portion of the Main ioad from West Taieri Church to Outram. — Work to be done. Several ratepayers, Sutton, wrote drawing attention to the impassable state of the roads leading from J. Kirkland'B bridge to tF. Moynihan's.— To be attended to. I W. Jaffray, Saddle Hill, wrote regard- ! injr council's decision re the Saddle Hill petition. He states that the ratepayers concerned decline to pay half cost. — Sum «f £10 to be spent in metalling and widening. TEKDEBS. The following tenders were accepted: — Contract No. 150, delivery 230 tons Kaikorai »idfn«r, A. Harris, £20 16s; Contract ffo. 151, (deliver j 500 cubio yards of metal near Aiosffiel, Baxter and Hunter, £47 8s 2d; jContraot No. 152, delivery 600 tons of metal Otokia. ftnil Outram Ridings. Baxter and 39unler, £50 15s.