CHEVIOT COUNTY COUNCIL

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21355, 24 December 1934, Page 10

CHEVIOT COUNTY COUNCIL

* I There were in attendance at the last meeting of the Cheviot County Council Crs. J. H. L. Hiatt (chairman), T. Stevenson, D. McLaren, A. McGiffert, and W. L. Foster. The chairman referred to the death of Mrs M. S. Gibson, a very early settler in the county. A motion of sympathy with her relatives was passed. The chairman, No. 13 District Highways Council, Christchurch, forwarded a copy of gazette notice declaring the road from Domett to the Hurunui mouth (Hurunui road) to be a main highway. As from date of notification, all work done on this road would carry the usual Main Highways Board subsidy. The Main Highways Board, Wellington, forwarded specifications for the width of bridges being built on main highways. Before proceeding with designs for new structures, councils should reach agreement with the board as to the width of carriageway to be provided. The Public Works Department, Christchurch, drew attention to the delay in getting works commenced for whicti Government subsidies were available in the public works estimates. It was desirable that county councils should proceed with these works at an early date and. if unable to do so, to advise the department accordingly. It was resolved to advise the department that the council hoped to proceed with construction of Sisters road bridge and possibly Crystal Brook bridge towards the end of the financial year; but did not anticipate being able to proceed with Mount Sanford stream bridge for financial reasons. The Agriculture Department, Wellington, advised that county councils had been authorised to administer the Noxious Weeds Act in their districts It was resolved to take no action. The Canterbury Progress League asked the council to give its considered opinion as to whether the South Island main trunk railway should be completed or abandoned. It was decided to inform the league that the council considered this question should be left to the Government and the Railways Board who had all the relevant information, engineering reports and estimates at their disposal Accounts amounting to £763 Os 5d were passed for payment. It was reported that all the deben-ture-holders in the Conway and Hurunui bridge loans had applied for conversion of their securities and the old debentures had been surrendered by them. It would now be necessary to print new debentures and to compute the premiums which would be payable to the debenture-holders. Ihis would be payable out of the sinking funds. Broken interest to the date of conversion, December 1 was now payable, and future interest payments on the new debentures would De at the rate of 4} per cent. It was decided to have the matters attended to. Dog Collars Six tenders were received for the supply and delivery of 400 dog collars for 1935 registration. Thatof Mr W. P Windust, Auckland, at £8 18s 6d, was accepted. Dog registration fees for 1935 were fixed at 2s 6d a head for sheep and cattle dogs. In the case of rabbit packs, the fee is to be 2s 6d a registration up to four in number, and thereafter Is Gd. For any other dog, the fee was fixed at ss. It was also resolved to call tenders for the right to cut cocksfoot on the roads of the county on the usual conditions. Christmas holidays were fixed as from mid-day on December 22, 1934, I to the morning of January 3, 1935. It

was decided -to postpone the next meeting of the council for one week to January 18. Councillors mentioned that shore erosion was occurring at the north end of Gore Bay, where groynes had been erected some 30 years ago. These had fallen into disrepair and it was decided to put them in order. The tar-sealing of the main road from Hurunui river to Cheviot was discussed, and it was decided to obtain an approximate estimate of the cost and particulars of survey requirements. The county engineer (Mr A. R. Callander) reported that, during November, 1934, 25£ cubic yards of patching gravel were placed on the Christ-church-Blenheim main highway, and 20i days' grading was done on the road. The Mina highway was graded and a pipe culvert installed at Mina Railway Settlement. Gravelling of Gore Bay highway was continued. I'he contractors for shore-protection, groynes at Gore Bay had completed about two-thirds of their work and had commenced building the last groyne of their contract. On the Leader-Waiau highway, 20 feet of fluming was constructed to carry a culvert discharge across bad ground near the old railway crossing; and 24. feet of stone and netting gabions were built to prevent scour of the One Tree Hill ford. Work was continued under the No. 5 scheme at the last cutting on the Sinclair road deviation. During the month 377 cubic yards of spoil were taken out and placed in the adjacent J filling. The filling was consolidating well under construction traffic.