COUNTY FINANCES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 54, Issue 155, 13 April 1934, Page 6

COUNTY FINANCES

THE ANNUAL STATEMENT.

A SATISFACTORY POSITION DISCLOSED.

WOODCUTTING F'OR UNEMPLOYED

The Ashburton County Council met to-day when there were present Messrs J. Moore (chairman), H. C. B. .Withell, J Lambie, R. Houston, F. Frampton, R. W. Wightman, J. Bland, S. P. Taylor, J. Carr, H. J. Ci’others and W. G. .Gallagher. The clerk (Mr G. Kelly) submitted a balance-sheet for the year ending March 31, which showed a ci-edit balance of £9835 compared with one of £8741 last year. Receipts amounted to £75,497, compared with £74,317 last year, and the expenditure totalled £65,662, as against £65,576 last year. Details in the statement were as follow, with the figures for last year given k parentheses : —Credit balances —Ashbuiton riding £433 (£824), Mt. Hutt £1164 (£1258), Mt. Somers £1468 i(£1240), Rangitata £631 (£856), South Rakaia £IOOO (£1021), Upper Ashburton £1202 (£1323), Wakanui £606 (£768), water supply account £3220 (£1479), Methven supply maintenance account £l5O (£B4), -uethver supply loan account £221 (£243). Assets —Rates outstanding £2660 (£3878), rent outstanding £ISOO (£1745), sundry debtors £755 (£818). Receipts Firewood sales £3401 (£1565), royalties £1460 (£101.6); Expenditure—Main highways, maintenance £11,279 (£12,817), county roads £2720 (£2384), reserves £4773 (£3882), plant and tools £3OOI (£2853), hospital levy £6902 (£6247), unemployment wages £17,363 (£20,262). Members Considered the general position highly satisfactory.

Report by Actinig-Engineer. 1 The Acting-Engineer (Mr H. A. Vezev) reported as follows: “Water Supply.—Am abundant supply of water has been available in all ■ districts during the period, and ino difficulty should be experienced in maintaining this full flow for the remainder of the season. Occupiers are now commencing to. give attention to many of the smaller races which were badly overgrown and a considerable number have been served with notice to clean/with good results. “Ashburton-Rakaia. The supplies from the hills were beginning to diminish, but were replenished by the rain which fell- on March 27. All the intakes are being well supplied and a strong flow is reaching the Acton main from the hill races; The Mount Hutt race continues to carry a satisfactory head of water, the gauge reading being approximately 4J- inches. The Methven supply race has been cleaned for the greater part of its length, and the township high pressure mains were hushed out.' The Rakaia River has remained at a faii'ly low level with theexception of a fail' flood on March 11.; The main gates have now been completed and the rail and-boulder groyne, is well adyanced. During the period 98 rails were driven and 200 running, feet of boulder groyne completed. The intake is now well undei* control and the danger of flooding of properties through the overflowing of the race is reduced to a minimum. Although a quantity of silt will still bo- carried down the race, tlie greatei* part ox it can be trapped and run off from the channel. The position of the river immediately below the bi'idge lias greatly improved and the opportunity will be taken to construct • two protective gi’oynes between the bridge and the head works.

“Ashburton-Rangitata.—Supplies in this distrinct have remained constant and have reached, the extreme ends oftli'e system. _ The South Ashburton main, which has been thoroughly harrowed, is supplying a full head and all distributing faces are running full. The Hinds Gorge, Hinds Terrace, and Limestone Creek supplies are all sufficient, although the water in the Limestone Creek dam lias dropped during the month. v.

/ Roads and Bridges. “The crushing plant is still located at Barrhill and the following roads are being shingled:—Lauriston to: Barrhill, Back Track, and River Road. A great deal of time was lost at the commencement of the period through power weakness and it was necessary for the traction engine to take over portion of the load. During the period 692 cubic yards were spread on Tlie Mount Hutt section of the Back Track, 759 cubic yards on River ■ Road, 704 cubic yards on Lauriston to Barrhill, and sales amounted to 30 cubic yards, making a total output of 2185 cubic yards for the period, “Roads in the Rangitata, Mount Somers, Upper Ashburton, Wakanui, 'Mount Hutt, and Ashburton ridings have been graded -and patched and generally attended to. “The relief camp on the HakaterePotts Road near Lake Clearwater was terminated on March 31, but has been re-established under tlie' subsidy scheme. A smaller gang is now engaged and excellent work is being carried but in . widening and shingling the worst portion the road.” The report was adopted.

Trailer Fire Pump in Action

Reporting on the outbreak of fire in the Dromore plantation last Sunday, the inspector (Mr E. N. Johnson) said ho was called out at 3.30 p.m. fco find that a fire had started in the debris at the Chertsey end of the plantation. Fires had been used to burn the debris on the Thursday, and these were covered with soil and a clear space made round them. On Sunday morning a strong wind from the north-west came up and blew the dry soil off the -‘•op of the fire heaps, and caused sparks to scatter. About three * chains of the ground was on fire, and there wa3 a risk of it spreading to the plantation. The fire engine was sent for, and it arrived about 6.45 p.m. A water lace

was handy, and some 800 feet of hose were used with one lead, this being adequate to deal with the fire. A slight mishap occurred, the 2-J-inclx hose leading from the pump ueing punctiired where it came in contact with the ground, owing to the vibration of the pump. This could be remedied without much loss. “Tho plant is an admirable one for'the purpose,” said Mr Johnson, “and I think the risk of fires spreading- in any of the plan-) fcations where water is available, is very small.' Some useful experience was gained by those worlcing the plant. The fire was practically out in a little oyer an hour.”

Referring to the eradication of tho rabbit pest in the County, tho chairman said he considered a determined attack should be made on the pest this winter. Trapping was no good, and a systematic poisoning campaign should be undertaken throughout the whole district, he said. “The position is serious,” said Mr Gallagher, “and I think some steps should be taken to .organise an attack. May would be a good month for the launching of the attack on the whole County. I have never seen the rabbits so plentiful.” It was decided that the chairman should make arrangements for a campaign, and that the assistance of farmers’ organisations should be solicited. '

The Lighting of Horse-floats. The Council agreed to refer the necessity of ■ lighting horse floats to indicate to approaching cars what class of vehicle it was to the transport authorities. It was stated that the Council had good cause for complaint following the recent accident at Fairfield. The Main Highways Board advised that the levelling of the material at the sides of the pavement, at Rakaia was not the responsibility of tlie contractor, but should be carried out as ordinary maintenance work by the Council, subject to the usual £3 for £1 subsidy of tlie Board. The importance of having this part of the-roadway put in order • 'or sffnv-moving traffic sucli as traction engines in an agricultural district like the County was stressed, and it was decided that' the work should be undertaken# ' It was decided that in future contracts should be for the whole wdtli of i roads.

'Thanking the Council for tlie woodcutting by contract granted to relief workers in the stand-down .week, tlie Ashburton Hospital Board said tins had been a great boon, and asked it this would be continued. The Board had written to the Unemployment Board asking if allocations would be prejudiced by this action, but the reply had not been very satisfactory. A further communication had been se.nt forward. ' Mr Gallagher thanked the Council for its generosity, and asked J -or a renewal of the scheme, and Messrs Frampton and Withell supported this, the latter mentioning that this was a good reason for the continuance of planting trees. It was decided that the wood-cutting should be continued as formerly. An applicant was • granted permission to remove rubbish dn the Allenton district. ■ . , , It was decided to hold a- special meeting next Friday to consider the estimates for 1934-35.

Useful Work for Unemployed. The chairman expressed the view that counties should make a combined front in the matter of unemployed relief. He thought that counties in Group 15 could confer and appeal to the Unemployment Board to have the men do useful work. ■ “If things go on as they are pointing,” said Mr Gallagher, “we should advocate the dole.” The chairman said the camp scheme was still possible, but tlie Board bad reduced its subsidy. The Council had all the plant for this scheme. Mr Taylor said that if useful work could not be carried out by relief workers the Council should not handle the matter of relief.

Now that the Council controlled the land on both sides of the Hinds River, following the merging of the Upper Ashburton Road Board into the County, Mr Withell said there were great opportunities for clearing work in the river-bed.

Mr Carr said that, following the water-supply investigations being carried out in the country, men could bo utilised in water-race work.

It was decided to have reports submitted to the next meeting and to meet the Minister of Employment (the Hon. Adam Hamilton) on some suitable occasion and. discuss the matter of. a camp scheme to carry out such important work as that mentioned by Mr Carr.

Mr Gallagher stressed tlie importance of the experimental work being carried out at ,Scafield and thought the Council should make sure that tho work was continued. *

The chairman said a report would be submitted shortly.