Not Enough From Roads Board

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31672, 7 May 1968, Page 18

Not Enough From Roads Board

The cut in basic subsidy paid by the National Roads Board left insufficient money to carry the council’s normal subsidised works programme, and no allowance had been made for the normal rate of growth of a developing county, said the chairman (Mr D. H. Warren), in a report to the Paparua County Council last etening. “For the first time, it may be necessary for the council to redue* the subsidised works programme to match the subsidy all -cated,” he said. “The only alternative would be to carry on with subsidisable work at full county cost—an entirely unacceptable solution.”

Mr Warren said that additional funds had become available to the board from under-

expenditure last financial j ear. A first priority in allocating this money should surely be to meet basic subsidy requirements. Mr Warren said he would ask the District Roads Council. at its meeting later this month, to accept this as a policy decision, and the County Clerk (Mr A. Kelly) had written to the board advocating this course.

Now that the amalgamation of Halswell with Paparua county had been effected, the time was opportune, said Mr Warren, for the new council to ask for special reading assistance from the board.

The council agreed to discuss the question with Mr W. Baird, the South Island counties’ representative on the board, as a preliminary, possibly, to sending a deputation to meet the board’s chairman, the Minister of Works (Mr Allen). Water Control.—The council accepted an invitation from the City Council to a meeting on Thursday, of the six councils interested in forming an underground water authority, and took no action on a suggestion from the North Canterbury Catchment Board for joint staff talks to see if a solution could be found. Rats.—The health inspector (Mr G. W. L. Fairhall) was asked to report on a rat infestation at the Haytons Road rubbish dump.

“Benefit”.—Members agreed that the idea would be of considerable benefit when the council agreed to ask the Christchurch Beautifying Association to discuss an annual competition for industrial and residential properties at Sockburn.

Rest Room.—The council agreed to a limit of $4OOO to build and equip a rest room and men’s lavatories at the Woolworths property at Hornby. Crossing.—Approval was received from the Transport Department for a pedestrian crossing opposite 425 Main

South Road, Hornby. Residents recently protested at a proposal to put the crossing further to the east. New Road.—The possibility of a new road linking Hei Hei Road and Denton Park, and passing under the main trunk railway line, was reported on by the Sockbum town committee. It was agreed to consider the scheme when the development of Smart’s pit for recreation was being planned. Car Club?—On a request from the Canterbury Car Club for help with its plans to build a garage, store and offices estimated to cost $15,000 to $20,000 at Ruapuna Park, the council agreed to make a 5 per cent grant and a 20 per cent interest-free loan from reserve funds it the money is available. Reaffirmed. The council reaffirmed Halswell County Council decisions to reimburse the Halswell Domain Board’s costs in developinganother five acres of the

domain, and to pay $lO,OOO towards a Halswell swimming pool at the appropriate time.

Refused.—Mr I. Hiatt was refused permission to have a used-car sales yard at his property at 85 Main South Road. Mural.—Although councillors said they had studied it but could not understand It, the council accepted from the Jaycees a concrete mural for erection at Sockbum Park. Substation. The council approved an Electricity Department proposal to develop land at Early Valley, Halswell, as a site for a major substation.

Fume*. Complaints of noxious fumes from the sulphuric acid plant of Kempthorne, Prosser, Ltd, at Hornby were reported on by the finance committee, which said that the problem was due to defects in the new plant beyond the company’s control at present, but operations had been maintained within Health Department limits.