Waimate County Council.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 114, 28 February 1901, Page 3

Waimate County Council.

T'.vi asu-si monthly meeting of the i.b jve was hold yesterday; present Messrs *). P. Douglas (chair) and Xiyall, Hardie, Elworthy, Ross, Rhodes and Studholme. An apology for absence was received irom Mr Walker. Ihe minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. A number of ratepayers at Redcliff applied for a traffic bridge over the Elephant Hill creek above Redcliff. The Engineer said the bridge would be rather expensive. Mr Ross said it was needed very badiy. The overseer was instructed to « port. Mr George Manchester was reappointed to represent the Council in the High School Board of Governors. Major Steward wrote re drainage works at Whitney’s creek. He had :coramunicated with Government and -had received a reply that the chief surveyor had been authorised to .expend £9O in drainage and out of that sum the £ grant in aid to the settlers interested, with about £4O, will •be paid.—Received. Major Steward also wrote that he had written to the Minister of Land .re the Dog Kennel Creek road and the ro'ad in middle Pareora, and asked for a grant towards it.—Received. The Levels County Council wrote, ;pt)posing a conference of county -councils to make arrangements for the •uniiatenance of roads used by various .neighbouring councils. The Waimate Borough Council wrote, saying that Messrs Jones and O'Connor had been appointed to represent the borough in the conference with the Waimate Council re the •dividing roads and broad tyres. It was agreed to be represented at the conference, and the chairman and .Messrs Lyall and Elworthy were apoointed to act. ■1 was decided to notify the Borough Council of the conference with the | ■ other county councils. [ A letter was “received” from the ‘Canterbury Typographical Society re .the council’s advertising.

A ratepayer at Makikihi wrote, asking for time in which to pay his rates.

The clerk was instructed to collect all overdue rates at once.

D. Bell, S;- Andrews, wrote that the water from the race had flooded his ■laud and damaged his crop. He would sue-to council for the cost of -.the damage done. Mr Lyall was empowered to enquire -and report. The Lower Waihao Water race cCuunuittee-reporEed as follows.: — The committee met on February :21st. In reply to Mr Forde’s letter .forwarded by the council the committee could not entertain the proposal to -divert the stream referred to, but Mr Forde could make the race accross the road-so as to -water his ground. It -.was decided that tne work done by J. .Harper on McLean Bro’s. property be -paid, and that the amount be ■recovered. The committee also applied to he legally appointed under the Act of 1899. To facilitate the a! the committee tender their resignation. : It was decided to inform Mr Ford of, .the committee’s decision, and carry .out the committee’s inst'.u ;tions in other matters. The resignation was accepted. ; A discussion took place on the .question of appointing a committee or .an overseer. The 'Chairman said the council • could appoint the committee if the smajority of ratepayers petitioned for -one. Me Boss said therratepayers wanted -■an: engineer or supervisor, not a comimittee. Mr Douglas said they would have to >petition for either. Mr Ross -thought meetings of rate- , payeirs should be held to decide which ithey would have. ■MrHardis thought that an inspection •was wanted.

The matter was left for a meeting <of the ratepayers to decide, the Clerk ;to call the meeting. The same arrangements were made jin connection with the lower Pareora icommittee.

Mr J. Carrol, Glenavy, wrote 1 •complaining of the supply of water in - ibis races, —Received. ' ) Mr J. H. Secretary, of the Redcliff 3)ip Company, wrote asking for a 1 -supply of water for dipping purpose. | i The application was granted, pro-vided-the race is made to the satis- i Taction-of the county .engineer, at a 1 jrental of £2 10s per year. : 1 Mr A, McLean asked for leave to i jputiin a 11 or 2in pipe from the water -race to his house. ' The application was held over. Hr J. .Adams, in reply to the : resolution, wrote and pointed -oat that there had been no expense on - tthe Bush Road for .twenty-five years. He was willing to put on a man to - help with the shingling. ; The letter was received. Mr Ohas. Akhurst wrote, asking for ?a reference for the time he was acting as county clerk last year. It was unanimously decided to grant the reference. Mi Hamilton wrote with reference io the council’s liability for damage •done to crops from water overflowing .from the races. A letter was received from the Police office, Timaru, asking the -council, as a Board of Health, for the afuneral expenses of a.man who died at St. Andrews. The clauses of the Act of 1900 were read which showed that the local -authorities were liable. The letter was held over till next -meeting. ■ # Accounts amounting to £IO9B 8s 9a were passed for payment. . It was .decided to hold a specr' meeting to consider the water race by-la ws, on Saturday, March Oth. The committee appointed to enquire into the proposed road connection in the Otaio Hiding from the Woolshed Valley. to the Main Back Line, reported that though they recognised the use of such roads they could not The report was approved of. The. committee appointed to enquire, antotbe Otaio watef raoe question forwarded an amount of oorrespon-

dence on the subject. Mr Rhodes thought the Government should construct the race themselves, and then the cbuncil could take it over. Mr Hardie agreed with Mr Rhodes. It would be the best plan to let the Government do the v work. It was decided to inform the Government that the council were willing to take over the races when completed or after the preliminaries had been arranged, a copy of Mr Hamilton’s letter to be inclosed. Mr Rhodes suggested several improvements in the dog tax collecting and rangers’ duties. He [moved that the rangers in the northern districts be written to, with regard to the keeping of cattle off the roads. This was agreed to. TENDERS, Tenders were opened for five contracts, hut they were considered too high, with the exception of one, contract No. 379, R. White, £3O 16s, which was accepted. The others were held over till next ordinary meeting. •engineer’s report. Upper Parooya Riding. —Labour is engaged re-forming and making improvements on the back line between the Pareora river crossing and Manning ton. The line is fairly sound, and will not require much new material. The river fords have been substantially built. Some attention will be necos sary till the uew'woVk is set, after. which little trouble is anticipated. Elder’s and Nicholson’s roads contracts, Nos. 358 b and 300 a, have been duly carried to completion. Lower Pareora Riding.—The road formation and other operations in progress on Walker’s road have been temporarily suspended to allow the council’s teams to get through with theworks on the back lino in tha upper riding, but will bo resumed probably a i the course of a month. The works asked for by Mr Fraser and others are much required to keep pace w.th th; demmd of fresh ‘settlement in the locality. An estimate of the cost was given. Levels will be taken with the object of readjusting the road drain between the Otaio bridge and St. Andrews pound, and the work will be put in hand immediately time can be spared to make the necessary survey. Otaio Riding.—Contracts Nos. 309 and 373, on the Woolshed Valley and Bussell’s road, have been finished. In connection vdth the expiry of the maintenance term of the latter it will be necessary to make some form uf protective work at the Makikihi r;v ;r approach. This is an inexpensive matter, and will be dealt with as 5,.0 . as possible. Pressure of other urgent work has prevented Mr A. Martin’s application being considered during the month.

Makikihi Riding. The College Governors and others' application ro the Swamp road has received attention. A considerable length of road formation has been done, and a platform bridge built out of the sound remnants of the old Upper Waunate Creek bridge. A contact will be advertised for next meeting of the works proposed to be undertaken on Mr Steffen’s road. An estimate was given of the road works applied for by Mr M. O’Brien. Deep Creek Riding. Beckett's bridge, contract No. 864, is appro ich iug completion. Contracts Nos. 865, 866 and 868 have been finished. The scarcity of teams has prevented arrangements being made for metalling Mitchell's road, but the matter will be considered as soon as possible. Tend n-s have been celled for tho works on Clarke’s road, Parker’s Bush road, No. 371, is in progress and will be finished by the end of the month. The improvements on Mr McLachlan's frontage will be proceeded with ;as soon as possible. The Deep Creek section of the main Hook road repairs is being steadily carried forward. The failure of a small bridge near Mr Bennett’s has rendered it unsafe for healvy traffic. An inspection will be made and it will be reopened as soon as repairs can be effected. Waihao Riding; Contract No 357, Pike’s Point to corner, is recommended to be determined as it has been found difficult to get the work completed,; the contract time is overdue. Plans etc of the Clarkesfield and Kaiwarua roads are finished. Tenders for cleaning Whitney’s Creek and lowering Mr O’Brien’s cutting will be laid before the council. Mr Foster’s application deals with about five miles of road improvements on the main line beyond Waihaorunga. In the absence of a team two men were employed to attend to -the urgent requirements. More extended work will be undertaken. .Access will be made to the bed of the creek in Waimate Gorge and the Waihao river for watering stock. ,J. H. Calligan’s application to have the road formation lowered to drain land can only be done after property holders te -the -north -of the road have brought up an outleft about half a mile long to provide for the escape of the drainage. Mr S. E. Marshall’s application eau be given effect to by cutting about 9 inches ofl the crown of the road. The cost would be small. Temporary repairs have been madeln-the Elephant HillWaihaorunga road,* and the remodel-ling-of the length reported on will be shortly undertaken. An estimate is given of "thq cost of the works applied for by-Mr C. N. Orbeil on a section oi the Mount Harris road. Hakataramea Biding ’ The roadmac

cannot at present get assistance for extra improvements applied for but hopes to be able to do so in a few WG6ks* A list of property holders who had neglected 10-eleargorse was appended. It was decided to do the work asked for by Mr Fraser and others, JJhe contract for the work on the road near Mr Steffens was held over till next meeting. f It was resolved to do the road works applied for by Mr M- O’Brien ■With regard to the bridge near Mr Bennett’s it was left for the Engineer to deal with. - ■ It was decided to determine contract No. 857, Pikes’ Point to Fleming’s corner* as the contractor would not finish bis work. The clerk" was instructed to the Survey office in the 0 larkesfield plans. No action was taken with regard to J. p. Oalligan’s present, the clerk being Instruoted to and inform him wiat^it'Syonld be“<ff..m> usenkt present* - ‘ ; / k -- - *.;<’};

Mr Marshall’s application was granted, as was also the application of Mr N. M. Orb ell for work on:; section of the Mr. Harris Road.

It was decided to* ake proceeding against taree property holders whr had refused to clear gorse off thei» frontages. S. Green applied .for some repairs on a road leading to his house from Parsonage road. At present -be had to make a detour of two miles and a half to reach home, Mr Rhodes said that last month more money was spent on the Deep Creek riding than all the rest of the county. Mr Studholme said that only £2O out of £2OO worth of work had been decided to be done in Deep Creek to-dvy. Mr Green’s application was held over.

Mr Rhodes said he would like the engineer to report upon the cost and advisability of making a ford at the Miikikihi river on the main road.

At the chairman’s suggestion the engineer read a table showing ’ the comparison of works done by the road grader and by hand. In both execution and cost the former way was the better.