County Council.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 143, 19 December 1901, Page 2

County Council.

Tbe monthly meeting of the County Council was held yesterday, there being present Messrs J. F. Douglas (chair), G. Lyall, W. J. Hardle, A. Milne, C. Studholine, R. Rhodes and D. Boats. Apologies were received from Messrs Walker and Elworthy. The engineer reported on the work done during the month. The report was considered in detail and various decisions come to.

The engineer was instructed to again inspect the road on which the hedge trimmings were, and if they were not "removed to proceed against the settler; Referring to the Daledew Road Mr Rhodes said the committee went over the road and there were some very steep cuttings to make. Unless they were made the settlers would not be able to get their grain out. It was decided to hold the matter over until the committee meeting on January 8, when a reply would nave come to hand from the Hon. W. J. Steward re an appropriation to pay the cost.

The Hunter- Makikihi Road ia to bo attended to.

A discussion took place on the question of repairing the North Bush Road, and Mr Studholme urged that the road required attention. It was suggested that the heavy traffic should be penalised. Mr Studholme said that it would not do to charge one man and not another. The man carting over this road was continually mending it or it would require much more repairs. Mr H. Studholme wrote asking that the road from Kelcy's Bush to Beckett's should be put in repair, as it was almost impassable. Mr Adams was continually repairing the road or it would be absolutely impassable. It was decided to spend £SO as suggested by Mr Bremner, on the portion from Mr Beckett's homestead to the Waimate Borough, and the chairman is to look into the matter of" the other portion and find out what is done as regards penalising heavy . traffio in ether counties.

The work asked for by Mr Huston is to be done.

Messrs Corrigan and Badinett waited on the Council to ask that the £IOO placed on the Estimates for a deviation of Dog Kennel Creek Road should be taken charge of and expended by the Counoil. The request was agreed to. The Hon. W. J. Steward recommended that applications for the various monies in the Estimates should be applied for at various time* and not all at onoe, and this recommendation was adopted, CORRESPONDENCE. Correspondence was read and dealt with as follows: From the Health Department with reference to infectious diseases and suggesting that arrangements should be made to have the provisions of the Act carried out between the meetings of the Council.

From the Lands Department that the grants for the Takitu and Skevington's roads were still available. From W. A. Sides and ten others asking that the Waihoo Towns Road from Mr Kingsbury'B to Mr Sides' properties should be metalled. It was agreed formerly not to ask for metal for three years and these had expired. A contract bad been prepared for this work.

From J. Davis, Bedoliff, re Jba gate 'over the road near Mr Anniag's, asking that it should be removed. Mr Rosa said that the gate should be left there as it was impossible to fence the open river bed there. A letter was read from F. T. Anning asking that the gate should be allowed to stay there if he pot it in the middle of the road. His neighbours were agreeable to leave the gate. It was resolved to allow Mr Anning to ereot the gate in the middle of the road when he complied with the,usual forms. From Mr Hutton, Postmaster at Timaru, that he had sent the Council's application re telephone to the head office.

From W. M. Hamilton, re the sanitary bylaws. The matter woj referred to the Sanitary Committee. From G. Duke, Morten, saying that the Council's reserve was infested with rabbits, and gcrse was growing there. He wished to bav« the gat* locked so as to keep bis sheep In, ar£ would keep the rabbits and gorse do* if this were done. \ '*

.Mr Breraner said there was very little gone on. the reserve. ' The reserve was not fenced from Mr Duke's property. The application was granted. From the Inspeotor of Stock asking for a map of the Waimate County, which was granted. From J. M. Peebles, Glenavy, asking permission to fence In gravel, reserve faring Bedoliff Road. would surrender it at the pleasure of the Council.

- Mr Boss .supported the application, whioh was granted, subject to the land beiag available for the County teams for camping purposes. , Frclm B. Low and five others, thanking the Council for attending to a portion of the road, aud asking thac that portion from W. Hayoaan's to) Xiowle properties should be formed. MrH(kym«tt» waited otx the Council in support of the application. About a mlie inquired attention and the settlers iateresUd would do the work for 6s •> chaijv itgiven the use of the grader. . i Mjr. /Studholme said , the work rj£ ; [«iwd, doing at ones. Ha uigtd

<!i - W - : : > *hat the Engineer should report on it tor next meeting. The Engineer said the grader would not be available for about six weeks, •and if the settlers would plough th' sides the actual grading would not tak , long. Mr Rhodes said that this wor, Should hot bo done unless absolutel, necessary, as Deep Greek was very heavily in debt. * The Engineer is to report. From B. Brims, Oamaru, thanking the Council for attending to Grassy Hills Road. Prom D. McFarlane, Hakataramea, that he wished his accrued thirds to be spent on clearing scrub off roads and tracts, and if any were left, to form toads.

It was resolved to make charges on thirds for expenses of superintending the spending of thirds. From A. Shirley and others, Norton, •asking that their thirds should be expended in repairing the road through ■the settlement. The Engineer was instructed to prepare an estimate of cost. From E. C. Studholme objecting to the Council taking a gravel pit on his land' at Studholme Junction, as it would depreciate the value of his section. He was of opinion that land in other places would be just as good -as in that'uhfavourable. place. Mr jiitudhojine waited on the Council with reference to the proposed gravel pit. The site was right in middle of the paddock, and such reserves were always harbours for travelling stock. Then the fact of its being in the aniddle of the paddock was inconvenient in working the paddock. Gravel '.pits anywhere were a perfect nuisance. Mr Bremner is to make other trial in this neighbourhood. From S. A. Hosking, offering £2 ]per acre for the closed road near Mr Brunton's. It was decided to advertise for offers Tfor the land as required by law, adjoining land owners to be notified. TENDERS. The following tenders were received: - Contract No. 375, cleaning out "Whitney's Creek, M. Leonard, £47 *'6s 8d (accepted); Kennedy and Sons, £59-; A. Niool, £64. Contract No. ~&06, metalling Smith's Road, A. Nicol, ~£62 2s6d (accepted); T. W. Crone, £7O; G. Sullivan, £9B 19s. Contract No. 408, Grigg's Road, Manchester -andMcKee, £225 Is (accepted); R. - White, £302 10s. Two tenders were for Redcliff Bridge, but being too high the matter was loft in the hands of the Engineer to do the bridge by day labour. Nine tenders were opened for a supply of Australian hardwood timber, -and that of Mr John Jackson, of Timaru, for £llBO ss, was accepted. Tenders were received for the of dog-tax collectors and rangers as follow:—Deep Creek, Makihihi, and Lower Waihao : E. T. ■George, £2 per month and 6d per -collar; A. Shirley, £1 5s and 6d. Hakataramea: R. Cameron, £1 and "61. One application was received for -Pareora ridings. The tenders of Messrs George,and Cameron were accepted, fresh tenders to be called for Pareora ridings, to be in on January Bth, 1902. Mr Rhodes suggested that the rangers should forward each month a -diary of all cattle impounded during 4ha month.

Tenders for dog collars were received as follows :—C. Dash, £1 19s per 100 ; H. Mann, £1 19a 6d; J. Workman, £2.

From C. Hobbs, stating that the complained of at St. Andrews -were now in good order. From A. Walker, apologising for •absence from the Council. As regards the Norton road, he thought the settlers' wishes should be giren effect 40.-

From Dr. Barolay, reporting a case 'of infectious disease at Studholme. The Health Department are to be notified.

The chairman stated that he had interviewed Mr McLean re the danger '■to Btock through getting into the races, =but the latter had not replied yet.

Accounts amounting to £1234 53 53 were passed for payment. The clerk presented a return of the -cost of printing and advertising for the past four six-monthly periods as ■follows .—March Slst, 1900 : Times, ,£22 6s 10d; Advkrtisbr, £24 17s 9d ; September 30th, 1900: Times, £35 17s 9d; Advertiser, £lB la 6d; March 31st, 1901: Times, £25 5s 3d ; Advertiser, £lO 143 9d ; September .'3oth': Times, £2 15s 6d ; Advertiser, 4346 Is 6d, The saving effected by the present local arrangement for the nine months to September 30th, 1901, was £2l 7s. From I. Adams, re the fact of the pollution of his water by a cesspit made from an old well. He had told 3>r Symes, but nothing had come of it* and he asked the Council to investigate the matter. Dr. Symes is to be written to. The chairman said he had a matter to bring up re the roads in the county. At present all the roads in the county sare " main "roads. This was not fair to some ridings, notably Deep Creek. It would be only fair to take all the Toads- and classify them into main and 'district roads. The former would be kept up out of the general account, «nd the various ridings could keep up the other roads out of their own funds. It was a thing that would havo to be done, and it would be a most fair thing to do. A general rate could be levibd over the whole county for connty roads, and the various ridings would contribute as they needed. They could consider this matter on .January Bth. M* JRhodes said he quite agreed With the chairman's ideas. It was the only equitable way of diridmg their revenue. . Mr Studholme said that the debit balances of ridings could be taken as an indication of hew many main roads a ridiDg had. It was decided to consider this matter on January Bth, as also a proposal to name the main roads in the county. Mr Rhodes asked that the Engineer should be asked to make an estimate j of the cost of ft ford over Alexander's crossing, Otaio, and this was agreed to. It was decided to close the office irom December 24th till January 4th. WATBB BUSINESS. Mr J. Morris, supervisor of the "Waibao water race district, reported that he had had the Whitney creek dam rebuilt, but it had been broken down.' He bad accused Mr A. Henry of breaking the dam, but the latter denied this. A race in Mr Slavery's property caused a shortage in the race, as the water from the latter's wee'ran to waste. Mr A. Davis had not cleared the gorse from his races, • add fbe supervisor had had it cleared and charged the coat {£l 4s) to Davis. Mr ftoss suggested that doing away with the-dam would j»a the better 4 fray in the end*

Mr A. Henry waited on the Council and explained 'the circumstances of the case. He had removed the dam on one occasion. If water was taken iwer down he would expect cornpen-

■Ation. ■ , _ Mr Rhodes moved that Mr Henry hould be sued for removing or causing he dam to be removed. He did this because of Henry's removing tbe dam and then claiming for water taken elsewhere. - Mr Milne seconded this, which was carried, Mr Ross alone dissenting. Before concluding, the chairman wished the members a merry Christmas and a happy New Year, with better prospects in the coming year.