VINCENT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 1689, 5 June 1929, Page 6

VINCENT COUNTY COUNCIL.

The annual meeting 0/ the Vincent ' County Council was held at the County, Office, Clyde, on Thursday, May 23, when there were present: Crs J. 1 Bitchie,C. Weaver, F. Partridge, S. A. i 'Stevens, B. Urquhart, W. D. Naylor, A. ' C. Scoular" and E. Butcher. I The business of the meeting was that of appointing tthc chairman for the ensuing period. Nominations were called for the only one being that of , Cr James Ritchie; he was re-elected accordingly Various members spoke highly of the services rendered to the j council by the chairman, and expressed the opinion that a change in leadership was most undesirable in view of the operations of the council in a large' bridge-building programme. Cr Eitchie iu replying thanked the members for the confidence reposed in him, and said he would continue to carry out the duties of his office in an impartial manner. As far as the policy of the council was concerned he himself was in favour of spending money wherever it was most urgently required, irrespective of its situation in the county. He extended a, welcome to Crs S. A. Stevens and Butcher, and from his personal knowledge of them ho felt confident they would make.excellent members. The chairman also paid a tribute to the services of the retired members, ex-Crs Spain and M'Knight, wlio for many, years served ratepayers well. He moved that an appreciation of their services should be placed on record. It would be pleasing for them to see so many old councillors back, and the fact of their return unopposed was an inj dication that ratepayers were satisfied I with those who were representing them iu the affairs of the county.

ORDINARY MEETING. ' The first ordinary meeting then took place with Cr James Ritchie in the chair,, all the councillors being present. The returning officer's report on the elections held on May 8 was received. correspondence: The Ashburton County Council forwarded a report of the proceedings during a deputation to the Minister of Heal til regarding hospital levies.—Received. | The Commissioner of Transport asked for information of amounts paid in heavy traffic fees for each year since j the inception of tax hi 1925.—1t was I decided that the information should be supplied-by the engineer-clerk. I The secretary New Zealand Soeicty' of Civil.Engineers thanked the council for affording facilities for the engineer to attend the annual general meeting in February last, and outlined the business transacted.—The letter was received.

\ The secretary of the Otago Motor Club wrote thanking the council for attention to the traffic dome in Clyde. —The letter was received. B. .Rcdhe.ad (Lowburn) was granted permission to erect a-spring gate on the by-road leading to Darkey's Gully, subject to the usual provisions. J J. H. Keddell (Galloway)' was " granted, permission to fence-half a chain of road leading to run 221K [ John Magnus, Doctor's Point Gold . Mining Co., wrote asking that the track from Butcher's Point to Doctor's Point ■■1)0 repaired.—Left in the hands of Cr Stevens and engineer with authority to spend up to £lO. ) Mr Gilchrist, Oturehua, wrote' asking .how close the rural delivery boxe» 'should be placed to the roadline.—The 1 chairman said that if the boxes wore ■ erected outside the wajter table there could be no objection. It was not the | council's duty to keep the road clear to allow traffic to pull off to the bound-

aries. So long as these boxes did not interfere ' with the traffic there could be no objections. It was agreed that permission be given for erection of these on the side pt the road, and on Cr Butcher's suggestion it was decided | to suggest to Mr Gilchrist that where {'possible boxes be placed together so as

to obviate the necessity of frequently pulling off the roads, Regarding the overhanging rock near the Cromwell Railway, the Public Works Department engineer wrote that he did'not hav* sufficient money left to comply with the request for its removal. He also stated an application had been made for approval of the suggested change of locality for expend|i«g the vote available for the Matakanui irrigation scheme. He would advise them when a reply had been received so that a proposal could be subnutted. Letter received. Cr Scoular asked that authority be .obtained to . spend £l5O to repair the race. It was J an ; urgent, matter that should be attended to before the frost. The settlors were unanimous that the money should be spent.—Agreed to; ( The district engineer, New Zealand Railways, advised that the St. Andrews cross sign was required to be. erected on. every point of road which crossed the railway line or on main roads where side roads crossed the railway at a distance less than was decided that the engineer should report on the council's requirements at next meeting. -' ' ' Mr W. A. Bodkin, M.P.,' forwarded a' letter from the Minister of Mines advising that.ithe "department was now prepared to agree to' the request of the council, and allow a grant of £IOO on a £1 for, £r basis, to-be expeided on the Corrick. sidcof 'the Nevis Valley, instead; of Garston side.—lt was resolved to, submit proposals for the ex-;' expenditure of the grant. ' • ■> ; No. 16 District Highways Council asked the amount of the.loan indebtedness in respect of main and 'secondary highways from. March 31, 1924, and 1 '

March 31, engineer-clerk stated that he had already' supplied the 'particulars. ... - s '.'..-, BEPOETS. . , The engineer-clerk's report on the work done under contract for gravelling 112 chains of the Lindis Pass road, and also on the recent slip on Murray's , road was Tead and adopted. The following matters arising out of . the -road inspector's report were dealt ' witiifr- .- " • Cr Urquhart said ho would like to get M'Lennan's road gravelled/ The only i gravel available was on. Mrs . Kane's property.—The inspector said the road was in bad order. It meant . a cart of about two miles from Mrs j Kane's. It would cost about £75. The inspector and Cr Urquhart were asked to report to next meeting. The roads • to Makaroa were now in good order. It was decided that a pipe be put in .'. the road near the slip on Murray's ' road; that a proposal be submitted for { spending the grant on. Oarr.ick Hill; that authority be sought for expenditure on Moutere Disputed Spur road; that the grader work on the Ida ValleyMoa Creek main highway in preparation for the gravelling contract near county boundary; that £25 be spent.on tlie Matakanui portion of the Disputed Spur road; that a footpath be formed in front of new premises at' Omakau;' that the motor lorry should atteml' to' the pipe on Chapman's Gully'road dud at the. corner on the Alexandra-Ear;ns-cleu'gh road, and. that the Public Works, Department be asked to consider the removal by -unemployed men of she dangerous corner on Butcher's GullyAlexandra road. ;->/5 5 v"; ';

Cr Stevens asked what the position . was regarding the Springvale bridge. [ The chairman replied that as soon as authority was received tenders would be called. • i ■ 'i" Cr Butcher said that the main Ida Valley road wanted grading badly. The trouble" was that. the road was lower than the ground and the irrigation .water ran down the middle of it. —Water courses to be cleaned out, and road straightened up by grader. • ■ Cr Weaver asked that' repairs be authorised on the Earnsclcugh-Alex- ; andra road. - . , '- 1 ' The chairman was voted £IOO travel 1 ling expenses. . . . j The chairman and Cr Weaver were' authorised to , sign cheques. The county ;derk was appointed, treasurer. The treasurer was authorised to arrange with the bank for an overdraft of £3OOO. . . , Cr Eitchie was appointed . the county's representative on-.the Main Highways Council. '-..'..-, The treasurer's statement showed; a credit balance of £2142 in the Couiity Eund account. The schedule of accounts amounting to £1143 10s 5d was passed for pay : ment. , I Subject to the approval of the. Public Works Department, the followiiag tenders were accepted:—Contract No. Bi3, Elliotts road—C. Smith (Pembroke), £l6B (only tender). Con 1 i.t'raef No. 814, forming 120 chain's Vin-' j cent County and','2o chains Alexandra Borough of the 'Clyde- Alexandra rbad J —C. Smith (Pembroke),' £2so' '(only • tender). Two quotations were received 'for the renovation of the council | chambers, that of W. M. i6v £72 10s, being accepted. ; ' It was decided to apply for the re--quisite authority to expend' the grant for the' erection of the Liiidis Eiver' bridge, Ardgour. l - ''*•'! j Clutha Eiver Bridge, ' Lowburii.— The- consulting engineers; were 'instructed to secure the approval of the Public Works Department' off plans and, specifications of the proposed Lowburii bridge. < • ■ -'. . ,/ On the question of suitfiblo inscriptions to be placed on the new county | bridges, this matter was left .in ;the,l hands of tlie chairman and engineer. , The meeting with a vote' . of thanks to the chair. '