The Reporter.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 38, 16 December 1893, Page 9

The Reporter.

SOUTHLAND COUNTY COUNCIL NOTES. The monthly meeting of the Southland County Council, held on Thursday, was attended by the Chairman (Mr T. Green), and Crs. Hast, McQueen, McCallum, Dunlop, Raymond, Eraser, and Hamilton. DAMAGED CHAI'F. W. Hamlyn claimed £2 2s for chaff damaged through his dray being capsized on the New River Elat road.—The Engineer reported that the road had been repaired in September, during which month the road had been flooded four times. At the time of the accident, due to a hole in the road, there were twelve inches of water on the ground, and under the circumstances he did not think the Council could be held responsible.— Members thought so too.—Mr Hamlyn to be informed accordingly. THE SMALL BIEDB’ PEST. The Department of Agriculture notified that the [Gore Earmers 1 Club had asked to have the Birds’ Nuisance Act enforced as soon as possible, and they had been informed that the matter had been laid before the Council. —Cr. Hast thought the Department should be informed of .the amount expended by the Council in trying to abate the nuisance. At the same time the Act required amending—it would not work well till boroughs and road boards were compelled to take action as well as county councils. —Cr. McQueen said that the Club had devoted the money granted by the Council to paying for birds’ eggs, and as the result a collection of these aggregating 20,585 had been exhibited at the Gore show—they had been gathered by boys —Cr. Hamilton said the Winton Farmers’ Club wished him to take action in the direction of getting the Council to strike a special rate to obtain funds for dealing with the pest, {but before doing so he would like to have the opinion of the settlers all over the Winton Riding.—The Chairman said the question was a very important one. At present funds that should go for works

had to be given to check the pest.—Or. Hamilton said that some of the settlers demurred tq paying rates, ai d then subsidisingwith their own money the sums voted by the Council. —Cr. McQueen said that the birds were getting worse and worse in bis (Mataura) district— there were now four or five for every one last year. While he would not. approve of putting the Act in force just now, he thought that some money should be voted to the lessening of the nuisance. Out of themoney voted ohly some £6O or £7O had been expended, and he thought that £SO migl t hedevoted to the purchase of poisoned wheat from Mr Powell, of Longbeach, for the efficacy of whose prepared grain he could vouch. A quantity of it might be distributed by the surfacemen on the county roads. — At the afternoon sitting a motion to this effect was carried, and it was also decided to inform the Department of Agriculture of the steps taken by the Council in the matter. HOKONUI RAILWAY EXTENSION. Mr A. McDonald, Hedgehope, on behalf of the settlers interested in the extension of the above line, wrote asking the Council to communicate with the Government re the expenditure of the £SOO voted last session for the erection of a bridge over the Makarewa in connection with the continuation of the railway,—The Chairman said he had telegraphed to the Hon. the Colonial Treasurer regardingSouthland grants, and he had replied from Auckland that he would look into the matterwhen in Wellington on his way South. BOUNDARY ROAD EXPENDITURE. The matter of a vote for Broughton street,, (forming one of the boundary thoroughfares between the County and the borough of Gore which has been frequently before the Council was advanced a stage, the sum of £B4 10s being voted for works upon it on the motion of the chairman provided, however, they could legally do so. ROADS IN SEAWARD BUSH. On the recommendation of the Engineer it was decided, on the motion of Cr. Dunlop,, to apply to the Government for a grant of Lsoo for roads to open up lands in block 22, Invercargill Hundred—Ao. 1, road running north from Tis bury siding towards main road; No. 2, south from Tisbury siding ; No. 3, east through block 22, to South Invercargill; No. 4, road adjoining railway, Tisbury to Waimatua. THE PARE ROAD. Reporting on an application by W. Guthriefor work on the Park road, the Engineer stated that the thoroughfare is partly within the boundaries of the boroughs of Invercargill and Avenal, and is, strictly speaking, outside the jurisdiction of the Council. This objection had been waived in the past, as therates collected by the two boroughs would not have been spent in forming the footpath had the Council not assisted. The work asked for; was urgently required, hut want of funds weuld not admit of 19 chains being gravelled, although that length might be formed. The ditch cut by the Invercargill Council was an eyesore and a nuisance, and should be filled in, and the water turned into, its proper channel.—The application was held over owing to want of funs. THOSE TRACTION ENGINES AGAIN. Cr. Fraser called attention to the fact that a traction engine had recently been driven from Otautau to Invercargill, and complained of the damage done to some of the 'bridges owing to the usual precautions not being taken.—The chairman said that the owners could be held responsible under the bye-laws, and Cr Hast, who said there had been several accidents lately, gave notice that at next meeting he would move—“ That the attention of the travelling public be drawn through the press to section 2 of the Police Offences Act Amendment Act 1890, by which drivers of traction engines are compelled to stop their engines and render all possible assistance to drivers of vehicles on county roads, and that the attention of the owners of traction engines; be drawn to the above Act.—Cr. McCallum : And I think the same thing applies to bicycle riders. They are not very careful. MATAURA, THE LAND-EATER. On the motion of Cr. McCallum, Cr. McQueen was authorised to open up communication with owners of land on the east bank of the Mataura river with a view to arranging as to the alteration of the position of roads likely to be washed away. RATEPAYERS IN ARREARS. The Chairman mentioned that the rates were not coming in very well—some of last year’s were still outstanding. The Council got its works out early in the spring, and if the rates did not come in they had to increase their overdraft.—Cr. Hamilton : And we have to pay interest on the money.—On the motion of Cr. Hast, it was decided that all ratepayers who have not paid last year’s rates be summoned without further notice. NEXT MEETING. After dealing with a number of applications, the Council, having passed accounts amounting to £2,744 5s 3d, adjourned to the second Friday in January.