Lost Concessions —Higher Rates

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30900, 5 November 1965, Page 29

Lost Concessions —Higher Rates

With the Transport Amendment Bill now law, the council would lose £l2OO worth of concessions a year on vehicle operations, and would have to rate for the money, said the chairman (Mr W. C. Miller) in his annual report to the Wairewa County Council yesterday.

Mr Miller said the statement by the Minister of Transport (Mr McAlpine) that counties might well be better off financially lacked conviction. Councils could only hope that recovery would be made either by a higher basic subsidy, or by free grants for reading work. He recalled that, at the request of the North Canterbury Catchment Board, the council had agreed to a threeyear trial of letting Lake Forsyth out to the sea Ift lower than normal. It may have been an abnormal year, but between May 15 and August 25. the lake was let out five times, at much greater cost. The upper part of the Kaituna stream was in “a shocking mess” and the Catchment Board had been asked to make proposals for extension of the flood control scheme. Mr Miller was re-elected chairman, and Cr. K. H. Parkinson deputy-chairman. Other appointments were:—Counties’ Association. Mr Miller; South Island Local Bodies’ Association, Cr. J. N. Buckland; Canterbury Progress League, Cr. Parkinson; Banks Peninsula Noxious Weeds Committee, Mr Miller, Cr. T. F. Latham: Banks Peninsula Hydatid Committee, Cr. W. S. L. Mcßae.

Flood Scheme.— Plans for clearing trees from 4$ miles of three streams at Little River were submitted by the Catchment Board. Total cost would be £4500, subsidised to reduce the local share of the cost to £l7OO. It was decided to call a meeting of ratepayers to consider the scheme.

Sealing.—lt was decided to seal Beach road to the Lake

Forsyth outlet and to build up 48 chains on the Kinloch road in preparation for sealing, possibly before the winter. It was agreed not to realign the road at the Kinloch bridge. Turn-off.—At Cr. T. D. Barwick’s suggestion, it was agreed to ask the Ministry of Works to give urgency to provision of a new turn-off from the State highway to the I Lake Forsyth outlet. The council has repeatedly drawn attention to a traffic hazard at the present junction.