COUNTY COUNCILS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21245, 17 August 1934, Page 7

COUNTY COUNCILS

OXFORD At the monthly meeting of the Oxford County : Council those present were Mr P. Fisher (chairman) and Messrs L. Watson, H. G. Parish, C. Bassett. W. li. Coliings, E. Engelbrecht, and F. Gorton. The moiithly report, which was adopted, stated that several roads had been patched and others graded. Mr T. Inch was granted permission to plough his road frontage. It was decided to form and shingle Woodstock Gorge road between Wasbpen road and Rockford road. The council did not accept a tender for the demolishing of the old town hall. Representatives of the Returned Soldiers' Association waited on the council on behalf of the Lees Valley soldier settlers. They stated that the Lees Valley settlers had been promised bridges over the Whistler and the Upper Ashley rivers by previous governments, but the bridges had not been erected. The Public Works Department, through the Unemployed Board, was prepared to erect a bridge over the Upper Ashley, if the counties concerned would find £2OO. This amount the Ashley County Council was prepared to find if it was not ■ called upon to allocate any money for ! the Whistler bridge. The deputation thought this was a fair offer, and trusted that the Oxford council would find its quota for the Whistler bridge. It was decided by the Oxford County Council that it considered that both bridges should be put in at the same time, and if the outstanding rates on the Lees Valley properties were paid it would favourably consider paying its quota towards the "erection of a bridge over the Whistler river. I It was agreed to ask all ratepayers who have ponds on their properties supplied by the Eyre water races to clean them out, as ponds, overgrown with weed, caused a shortage of water in the dry months. It was decided to shingle Main street footpath from Fenwlck's corner to Mr D. Hawke's, and to erect one street light on Park road and one at the school on Bay road. Messrs Mather, Foster, and Hasell waited on the council and asked to have the water racfe running through their properties shifted back, so that more paddocks could be watered. It was agreed to allow them to shift the race if the levels were satisfactory. WAIPARA At the monthly meeting of the Waipara Count Council there were present: Messrs W. K. McAlpine (chairman), R. I. Black. A. Cowie, J. Quigley, and J. G. Whyte. A motion of sympathy with the relatives of Mr James Douglas was passed. The clerk and treasurer reported that collections during the month since the previous meeting amounted to £283 18s 7d, leaving the bank overdraft at £2097 17s 3d, compared with £5900 2s lOd at the same date of last year. Accounts for payment totalled £1777 10s, including four months' instalments of hospital levy amounting to £1147 17s lid. After making provision for these amounts the overdraft would stand at £3875 7s 3d, which was partially offset by outstanding and accruing government subsidies totalling £3388, the majority of which should come to hand soon. Expenditure on all accounts for the first four months of the current year was £4554, the corresponding figure for 1933 being £4251. The'strength of the Lake Sumner road unemployment relief camp had been brought up to 18 men, and it was estimated that about 40 working days were required to complete the work. A stone retaining wall was being built on the inside, and the shingle face on the river side was to be faced with rocks. The following rates for the current voar were levied:—General, 3d, estimated to produce £9337: Lake Sumnot- runs special area, lid: Edwards bridge special area gd; Stonyhtirst special area id; Horsley Downs drainage and water supply area 2d. The question of loan conversion was further considered, members being of the opinion that the Order-in-Council was not in accord with the intentions of the council when conversion wns approved. It was decided that there was no mandate from electors to confirm the conversion scheme in its present form, which would entail consolidation of special areas and the levying of a special security rate over the whole county in place of the existing special rates over defined areas which had derived benefit from the expenditure of the loan moneys now to bo converted. The chairman and clerk were appointed a committee to continue negotiations with a view to having the Order-in-Council amended. The Transport Department forwarded a series of suggested amendments to the regulations dealing with the issue of drivers' licenses and control of motor traffic generally, which members decided to approve of. The Westport Borough Council wrote asking for support of a resolution protesting against the extension of the life of Parliament. This matter was considered to be outside the scope of local bodies, and no action was taken. The Lyttelton Harbour Board wrote forwarding a donation of £lO for the relief of distress. It was decided to use the money to augment the wages earned by certain relief workers in the district. The Main Highways Board wrote offering to subsidise a traffic census over all main highways. The clerk was instructed to attend to the matter.