Computer possibility for Akaroa

Press, 27 June 1983, Page 4

Computer possibility for Akaroa

The Akaroa County Council might be using a computer by the end of the year. A committee was set up at a meeting of the board, to investigate the possible purchase of a computer. The County Clerk, Mr L. W. M. Graham, said that the installation of a computer would be of immense assistance to the administration section of the council. “If the council wishes to run a computer next financial year then it would mean the equipment would require to be installed by Christmas at the latest,” he said. The computer favoured is an N.C.R. 9010 which will cost about $44,000, including software. Mr Graham said that if the council bought this type of computer it would receive the benefit of being able to buy programmes written exclusively for the type of work envisaged for Akaroa by a former County Clerk. The installation of the computer would only be

possible when the new extensions to the county building were finished. New sealing Sealing work could soon be done on a portion of the Okains Bay-Chorlton Road highway from Okains Bay' to the north side of Stony Bay. The council has applied for a grant of just under $lOO,OOO from the National Roads Board to go ahead with its extension sealing programme. The council has applied for the grant in the belief that the N.R.B. had an under expenditure of approximately $9 million during the 1982-83 financial year. “If this application is approved, the metalling and sealing could be done in the latter half of this financial year,” said the country engineer, Mr K. A. Paulin. The new sealings would eliminate the steep, difficult to maintain, metalled section of the Okains Bay-

Chorlton Road highway, the engineer said. Mr Paulin said that a decision would be known in August. Cr T. J. Brocherie said that if the application was successful it would mean more work than the county staff would handle and some work would be contracted out. Dog fees The county has decided to waive the ?4 late payment penalty for dog owners who have not registered their animals. Dog owners who had not registered their animals by May 15 were liable for the $4 penalty. Several letters objecting to the fine were received by the County Clerk. “Although the penalty provisions are included on the dog registration form, I feel there is some justification in the complaints in that perhaps this aspect of the new Dog and Hydatids Act, 1982, should have been highlighted in some way on the dog registration form,” Mr Graham said. The penalty provision was at the bottom of the form in small print. Dog owners will have until June 30 to register their dogs without further penalty. At present 534 dogs out of an estimated 700 have been registered. Cheques have also been received for the registration of 40 dogs but these have not yet been issued with a tag because they were paid after the penalty date on May 15.