WAIPARA COUNTY ESTIMATES

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27375, 14 June 1954, Page 6

WAIPARA COUNTY ESTIMATES

BRIDGE RENEWAL FROM REVENUE

Estimates of expediture totalling £76,810 were approved by the Waipara County Council at its meeting this week. A general rate of l«d in the £, with a rebate of 2£ per cent., will be levied.

The estimates provided £24,743 for maintenance, improvement, and sealing of main highways, £13,500 for maintenance and improvement of other roads. £15,400 for bridges renewal and maintenance, £5855 for other works, £2930 for reserves and housing, £3OOO for plant renewal. £1385 for public debt charges, £4496 for hospital and other levies, £4373 for administration, and £ll2B for all other expenses. The chairman (Mr C. N. Mackenzie) said it should be clearly understood that the council considered the urgent bridge renewal programme should be done out of current revenue, as opposed to the raising of a loan: he said this item of expenditure alone required £d in the £ from the rates, which would not have been increased if the work were not so essential. Members expressed regret that the District Roads Council had made available only £lOO subsidy for the extension of the footpath in the Waikari township. The amount would not go far, but the money would be spent and a further grant applied for next year. Mr A. E. Hunt was reappointed to represent the council on the Canterbury Provincial Patriotic Council.

The Chief Inspector of Films wrote confirming that the plans of the alterations to the Waikari Hall were satisfactory and had already received his approval. The County Engineer was authorised to call tenders for the supply of 73,000 super feet of Australian hardwood required for the current year’s bridge renewal programme. It was decided to apply to the Govenment for a grant from the Backblocks Access Vote towards the cost of Improvements to the Lake Sumner road, and to give priority to the work if a subsidy became available.