The Reporter.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 42, 13 January 1894, Page 9

The Reporter.

SOUTHLAND COUNTY COUNCIL. F.kiday, Jax. 12. The monthly meeting was attended by Mr T. Green (chairman) and Ors. Hast, McQueen, Raymond, Ward, Hamilton, Fraser, Dunlop and McCallum. Lender the head of special business the treasurer reported that owing to the increased valuation of property in the West Plains special rating district a half-penny rate would be sufficient instead of the one of live-eighths of a penny now imposed.—lt was decided to take steps’ to reduce the rate accordingly. The treasurer also reported a similar state of things in reference to the South Hillend special rating district. The present penny rate was in excess of what was required, yielding £2OO Gs Id as against annual debentures of £ll9. He adeted that a half-penny rate, yielding £IOO 3s, would be sufficient for a few years, as there was a surplus of about £G3 to the credit of the account. —On the motion of Cr. Hamilton a resolution in favour of the reduction of the rate was carried. Ordinary business was then taken. Deferring to the Hospital and C. A. rate, the treasurer pointed out that the present rate of one r eighth of a penny in the £ was a little mere that was required to meet contributions, and suggested that it might be advisable to reduce the rate to one-twelfth of a penny when striking the new rate in July >sext.—To bo considered at the June meeting of the Council. The action of the chairman in granting F. Jack permission to lay down a tramway' along the road cast of section 30, block 3, Winton Hundred, and a siding from the railway to his mill at Winton, was confirmed. A number of ratepayers at Mataura Island having complained of the erection of a fence across the road to Seaward Downs by the N. and A. Company, the latter wrote, in reply to the Council, that they had taken legal advice, and were of opinion that the best way out of the difficulty would bo for them to fence off a chain road along the river, so as to stop all traffic, and then decide the matter by a friendly suit, should the chain road wash away. The Company added—- “ We didn’t take kindly to the idea that you can step in and take our land whenever y r ou like, and especially for a road that is so seldom used.” A subsidy of £ for £ was voted to the Waimumu Road Hoard for a bridge on the Mataura to Hushy Park road and bridge and cutting on Broom’s road. The dog license foe for 1891 was fixed at 2s 6d for sheep and cattle dogs up to three in number for each owner, subject to statutory declaration, and 5s for all other degs. Several settlers petitioned the Council to aid them in having a road opened to sections 51, 52, and 53, Winton Hundred. They had applied to the Land Board, and the reply was —“ No funds available.” The petitioners were shut up in a bush clearing, a mile and a half from a road, and had very little chance of getting their crops harvested unless something were speedily done—After hearing Mr O. W. Tanner in support, it was decided that the Chairman and Cr. Hamilton should bring the matter under the notice of the Hon. J. G. Ward, the member for Awarua, on his return to Invercargill. A notification was received from the Gore Borough Council to the effect that after the expiration of two months from the date of the service of the notice they intended to apply to the Government for power to construct a traffic bridge over the Mataura, and to recover one-third of the cost thereof from the County Council and that any objections which the County Council might have to the proposal must be sent to the Governor within two months from the date of service of the said notice.—The Chairman was authorised to obtain a legal opinion as to the position of the Council in the matter, which is to be considered at the next meeting, and it was decided that the members be a committee to investigate and advise on the question The Department of Justice notified that it was proposed, in terms of section 9 of the Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Act, to

appoint the Council to have authority throughout the licensing districts of Awarua and Mataura. —It was decided to accept jurisdiction. McPherson and McEae, saw-millers, asked the Council to discontinue, or materially reduce, the charge made for carrying their tramway over the Hillend bridge. They were fully rated for the bush reserve, and the tramway saved the road from a severe traffic. -—Held over for consideration till next meeting. Gr. F. Murdoch applied for leave to lay down a traimvay across the Bay Koad, at a point 2i miles from Gladstone.—Granted, subject to the Engir.ecr’s approval. K. Patterson and eight other settlers in the Winton district applied to the Council to have half-an-acre of land at the road reserve, Hodge Gully, set apart for a public sheep dip.—held over for further particulars. J. Welsh was granted permission to erect a swing gate on road on north side of section 5, block 7, Invercargill Hundred. The Engineer reported that the bridge adjoining McGuire’s claim on the road from 'Waipapa to Six Mile, had fallen in, and as the timber was qqitc rotten, lie suggested the erection of another bridge on the newlysurveyed line of road.—Mines Department to he asked for a vote of £IOO for the work, as

there are no ratepayers interested in the road, and the rate under the Mining Broperty Act is nil. It was resolved to continue the services of the dog tax collectors engaged last year at the same rate. It was decided that the road deviation on Mr Lawrence’s estate, Makarewa, be agreed to, as applied for in Mr Russell’s letter of 2nd June, 1893, but that the deviation within Awarua riding be not carried out. Accounts amounting £IG42 18s 9d were passed for payment. On the motion of Cr. Hast, who said that great complaints had been made on the subject, it was resolved that the attention of the travelling public bo called, through the press, to section two of the Police Offences Act, which deals with the duties of drivers of traction engines on public thorough fa i’es. Tenders were ordered to he called for works on the Woodstock - Dacre road ; on Clearwater’s road, and Barrack st., Riversdale , fora supply'of gravel from main road to Pino Bush church; and for grading hill at Brock’s, on the Gore-Pukcrau road. The offer of the ratepayers of Grasmere to raise a certain amount for works was accepted and £ll granted as a subsidy of £ for £ on the sum collected. It was decided to call the attention of the Minister of Public Works to the fact that the railway works on the Seaward Bush line have cut off traffic on the district road at the swamp at Otevamika Gorge, and that he be asked to give instructions to have the matter rectified. On the motion of Cr. llaymond it was resolved that in consequence of the striking and collecting of the mining rate absorbing all the revenue collected under it, no mining rate be struck for the future, and that a copy of the resolution be sent to the Minister of of Mines. The chairman mentioned that £SO worth of poisoned grain had been ordered, and that on its arrrival small quantities would be given to the surfacemen for distribution along road lines infested by small birds. Farmers’ would also be supplied free of cost, conditionally on their agreeing to report as to the efficacy or otherwise of the grain The Council then adjourned.