County Council.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 122, 31 October 1901, Page 3

County Council.

The monthly meeting of the Wai iiv-ue County Council was held yesterday, there fading pivseiU Messrs J. F Douglas (chairman), K. fi. Rhodes. G. Lyall, A. Walker, D. Ross, and W. J. llardie. Apologies were received from Messrs Milne and Stndhohue. ENOINKBtt'S RBPORT. The Engineer imported on the work dov 1 during the month : Upper Pareora Ruling.—Estimates were enclosed for the work on Pringlo'a road. Totara timber for bridge repair* not being available, b:uegum hid been ordered. Lower Pareora. The road boundaries referred to by Mr A. Williams bad been examined, and it would hi necessary to form a iungtb of 25 chains, to be compitted in the aucu nn. The grader w.mid ba a 'ailalro for this purpose in six weeks. The draia recently np tired and deepened from St. Andrews pound southwards was completely chaked with gorse trimmings. The practice of filling in these into ditches was a common one, and should ba discontinued.

Ooak).—The surveys of Martin's ,iud Daledew (Kmika) toads were duly m ule, and tenders called for work on Martin 8 road, tfo provision had been made on the Parliamentary estimates for the Daledew road, and the Engineer recommended that an application should be made for a grant for this road, Contract No. 393 on the Main South road had bean comjjierud. Particulars were furnished of the alternative cross road through . sir Stewart's property connecting the sod vratt with Teschetuakar's ivi.id. Mr Stewart objected to his property being severed by a road. M'ikikibi.— The stone-breaking of contract 392 remained undone, and final payment would be held over. A difference had arisen over the question of the amount of metal on this contract, and the Engineer favoured the tallies of the roadman. Deep Oreek.—Works on the Studholme Junction and the GorgaWaibao LAjrks road were well in hand. Trial shafts were sunk for mecal at Studholme Junction, and one best lesults were got on Mr P. Ssudholme's property at the junction of Moiloy's with the Main Sonth road. Negotiations should be opened with Mr Studboluae for the purchase of an acre and a half there. 1 he council woild need go make a special order to require the gorse to b.) oteared ffom Mr i. Sul.ivan's road frontage. Particulars were given of the work asked for by Mr MUUom on Timaru road. Waihao. —The progress of contract 399 had. been delayed by a settler obstructing ihe contractor from procuring the necessary metal from his property. Notice had been served on the man, but owing to the Engineer's abseuce from town the contractor had to taKe the metal from a more distant pit. Should an occasion arise in future, he recommended the Council to insist on its rights. A nurrrber df works were completed during the month. The Engineer recommended letting a further length on Clarkesfield road to the men now on the road. A number of the recently metalled roads in that ndmg bad been rolled with the county road roller, but the result in each owe would proye of no permanent valua to the road, ' the roller being too light and the tfroand too dry for wiy 1 solid compactingof the metal. With even moderate traffic the surfaoe would at once break up and cub iufco deep ruts. Repeated notices to the contractors on the Station Peak road having no effect, the Engineer recommended that the balance of the contract munev (£5) should be forfeited and spent on breaking the „ietal. The ratepayers oE iledQliff bad ilnanimdasly decided fchafc a bridge was the proper orossing over the storm-water channel of the Elephent Hill creek. He agreed to the transfer of contract No, 879, Kaiwaroa road, from one contractor to another. m ■ Habataramea. .-*• The Counoll's teams bad done considerable, work in the To Akatefawa part 6f tha' tatxfet. Ptf«ct» of the Saadburst

street drainage had been attended to, and one team was still in that, riding. On investigation he had found that bis estimate for Sullivan's extra tvotkbad l>een too low, and he now recommended thatan additional &d per yard, or £6 103, should be granted. The Engineer gave the names of several ratepayers who had failed, after notice, to clear off gorse from their road frontages, and it was decided 'to proceed against them.

The following deoisions were come on the various recommendations of the Engineer's report; — Mr Pringle's application for shingling road towards Bluecliff* was not entertained, but it was resolvsd to have 73 chains formed. Mr A. Williams' application for formation in Lower Pareora riding was considered, and it was resolved to form 25 chains. It w«a resolved to enforce the removal of gorse trimmings from water channels. The Ooupoil decided to offer more work on Olarkeefield road to the present contractor at the same rate. The Hon. W* J. Steward is to be again asked to get 'a sum placed on the supplementary estimates for the Da'ledew road, Otaio Settlement. On the matter of the total of the shingle carted on the Makik'ihi road, the contractor, Mr A. Smith, wrote that he thought the Council's'roadman ; had made a mistake of fifteen yards.

The Engineer said he had every Confidence in the roadman, and his total was accepted. The footpath on the Timaru road asked for by Mr Milsom will be done as soon as the ratepayer clears the gorse on the side of the road. The application of Mr W. M. Smith, Hook, for metalling the Swamp road was considered. • It was resolved to 'have the fauces over this road removed. The metalling is held over till uext meeting. Wiih reference to the question of a ratepayer declining to allow gravel to be taken from his property, the chairman said that they would iu the future insist on their rights, and if obstructed would make an example of the ratepayer. In this case the circumstances were such as would not pay the Council to proceed when the Engineer paw it-.

The Engineer was instructed to call for tenders for the Elephaut Hill bridge. With regard to Sullivan's contract, it was resolved, on the Engiueer's recommendation, that a further sum of 2i per yard should be allowed the contractor-.

The Council decided to prosecute ratepayers who had not grubbed the gorse from the road liaes, as ordered. Mr Rhodes and the chairman were appointed to sign the sheet transferring Contract 393 from C. Clarke to G. Sullivan. CORRBSPONDBNCB, Correspondence was received and dealt with as follows : From the Hon. W. J. Steward, dafending his action with reference to the Pareora Ridings Bill. From the Fepartment of Roads, re the works asked for at Walk ikahi. that they could not. be grauted this year. From ('. Wilson, making an application under the Workars' Compensation Act. Th<* clerk to ascertain the council's liability, and mike a claim on the Insurance Company. From W. Ford, asking permission to erect a verandah at his shop at Studholme.

Tuis WaS agreed to, subject to the engineer's sanction. From the Department of Agriculture, enclosing four slaughter license forma for signature and for wue. These are to be itßJed whan the others come to baud.

From W. Traves, ranger of Otaio, sa>i ig than the reason of the complaints by Mr Tech -maker, was that there was a great, deal of un fenced land, near Where the cattle were on the road, and he could not take the cattle off this.

Tho poundkeeper i 3 to be informed, that if the cattle are a nvrtace to the roads, they can be taken of wast°-, unfeticed land. Ha is also to bj instructed to summon people in preference to pounding cattle. Air Rhodes tfaid, with reference to these unoccupied lands that they were just harbours for vermin, and were no use. Other pieces of land we're thsame, and he moved that the Valua tion Department should be written to for the names of the owners, and fail itVg this that the lauds be sold.

Mr J. Shaw and 8 others wrote, that cattle were a serious nuisance on the Hunter and Mdkikihi Road. Mr Traves i 3 to be written to on this matter. From Campbell Bros, asking that the Dip Ore k and T-ule Top ro.id. should be wetaiiod. The Engineer had arranged for repairs to this roadVVork of breaking boulders on Mount Parker and Grassy Hill s Road is to be done.

Mr J. H. Preston, renewed his application for repairs to the bridle track up the Waitaki River, and this was agreed to. , .. .-. From C. fl. Besley, St. Andrews, asking that the Waimate County Council would assist in gelting a te'ejihone service, between .Tiraaru I and Waimate. Mr Rhodes support' a the applica tion. and urged th it thd Hon W. J. Steward, should be written to On the matter, and this was agreed to. From the secretary of the South Canterbury Hospital Board, enclosing a return of patients from the Waimate Oountyj who still owed money. Mr Walker explained that this return was sent to thd County Couricil, who were thought to know more about the financial portion of the patients, than the Hospital Board. This" wduld help to do away with so many bad debts. It w'aa resolved to send to the Board, a statement of the financial position - of the various patients, as Known to the members Of the Council* # . The committee appointed to con aider the qufatiori of office cleaning, reported that while satisfied with th« present arrangements, they thought there were several county ratepayers io necessitous circumstances who would undertake the work, and that applications should be called for the position, f reference to v be given to a County ratepayer. The report was approved arid appli cations are to t>e called foi next meet*. iug. Abetter from Mr A. MaNeil, was received" with reference to cattle trespass On the road, asking' wtidtber tb# jtanjar. bad y»ww lo .sutomon

people, after taking driving bees, and whether the ranger could take oattle from ft flood channel. Mr Boss thought that the ranger ■honld b* satisfied with driving fees. Mr Walker said that the ranger should bo commended for bis action.He was keeping the roads clean _and should be supported by the CduncH. r It was resolved to reply to the letter that the ranger had the neosssary power to Set as he bad done. From T. Hamilton and ». W. Henderson stating that the committee, who were trying to get a bridge over the Waittiki ftirer at Redcliff had got the sanction of the Waitaki Counfctl for their engineer to assist to survey the pltce. They asked that this Council should allow Mr Bremner to assist in the survey. Mr Bremner sad it was a big under. taking and would take about a fortnight. * . It was 'decided not to grant the request. . ' _ Accounts amounting to J 8939 14s 7d were passed. From Mr R. F. Garner owner of Clement's section asking that the road leading to the section should be closed %8 it was of no usrc.

The matter is to be looked into,

From Mr S. Green, asking that the road lending from Parsonage road to Parsonage Paddock should be put in order It was resblved to hold oter this matter till next yeah From M. Highland asking (or a refund of j 63 13* 6d sent by hitfPfor draining Whitney's creek. He had cleaned his portion of tb* "creek himself.

Mr Ross suggested that an there was only one qtber man to p*y for the cleanin/ Of the creek, the matter should.bjJsJt over-far a month to giVe him pay. This Ingestion wan adopted.

Were received from Messrs R. Campbell and T. W. Crone, asking thnt their teridnrs for contract, No. 403, should bs withdrawn, the lattar, because h« had smoothing oat. •

Mr Walker pointed out tlut if this were allowed. ind'iscriuVinfitoly, con tractors might combine, *u& *ho lowest one withdraw. The meeting decided to keep the tender's in, until they were opened. The other tenders sent in were ; - K. White, £133 16s; W, J. Black, £l4O 7s.

It was resolved to allow the two to withdraw, and Mr White's tender was accepted. The Clerk was instructed to write to Mr Crone, that on no other occasion would they allow anyone to withdraw. The small birds question tvfts considered. The chairman stated that lust year they had paid £320. It was resolved to pay 2s per hundred, and to take no number less than twenty-five. The councillors and Mr Wright of Hunter were appointed to buy eggs. A letter, datw Ouly 4, was looked up, stating that the work on the road through No. 2 Pareora settlement would be gone on with without delay. Mr Khodes asked that tho 'clerk should write and get this Work procpeded with. Nothing had yet been done, and the matte* was urgent.

Mr Lyall agreed that this work was urgent, and the clerk was instructed to write and urge that the work should be proceeded with. It was resolved to close tlje office on the day observed as King's Birthday, and on the Timaru show day. The clerk reported that the rates were coming in fairly well. He was instructed to take all necessiry steps to recover rates. WATBR babes.

Messrs A. McNaughton and J. Morris (supervisor) waited on the council.

The monthly report of Mr MorrU was read. This showed a good supply of water in the raaes. Mr MoNaught.in's race had been regraded. Mr McCulloch declined to tn/ike the race through his property at the price allowed by the council; Mr fi. Martin hud written that he lud no water and Mr Morris had found a leak which he stopped. He proposed to close an old race and cut a new race in Mr Mo Naughton's property to supply Mr Fahey. Mr Henstridge had objected to the supervisor inspefitiug hia races and he asked what he should do. Mr McNaughtori wrote objecting to a new race being put through hi 3 property to supply Mr B. Fahey. Mr McNaughton said Mr Fahey could be supplied with water without going through Mr McNailghtou's property. Mr Morris said Mr Fahey could not j readily get water from hia oue section to the other.

It was resolved, on the suggestion of Mr Itbodt*i that Messrs Hardie and Lyall should inspect the disputed race and report to uezt meeting. Mr Morris was informed that he had power to go on the banks of any race in the district, and Mr Henstridge is to b« written to t lis effect. Mr T:j McDonotigh wrote asking to: p lynieiifc for opening a r*c^. The request was declined* A matter of gorsd growing in a race mentioned by Mr P. Connelly was referred to the supervisor.