COUNTRY COUNCIL MEETINGS

Evening Star, Issue 18627, 7 May 1924, Page 10

COUNTRY COUNCIL MEETINGS

PALMERSTON BOROUGH,

Dr Howden presided at the monthly meeting of the Palmerston Borough CouuUl, hie Secretary of tho Eastern District Sub-union of the Rugby 1-ootball Linou requested permission to make a charge ot Is for football matches on the local reserve.—The mayor stated that last jear permission to charge for the full twenty days allowed had been granted. Ihe council would like to know, however, what became of the money collected.—Cr Hopkins said tho council had spent about £llß on the upkeep of tho reserve last year, and ho thought it should r-cce-ive some recompense from the footballers. Sixlc pounds were supposed to have been collected at tho gates by tho footballers last, season.—On the motion of Cr Morrison it was agreed that permission be granted tho sub-union to charge, on condition that tho council receive 26 per cent, of the takings. Mr W. B. Steel, secretary of the Otago Power Board, forwarded tne opinions of the board’s solicitor as to those eligible to vote in the borough’s on loan proposals; that “ratepayer” means a person whose name appears for the time being in the occupiers’ column in tho valuation roll of a constituent district in respect of rateable property within that district. Mr J. W. Whitfield resigned his situation as a servant of tho council as from. May 31.—1 n reply to questions, he stated ho was willing to carry on the sanitary, pound-keeping, and dog tax collecting duties if he were relieved of hall caretaking and town lamp-lighting work.—On the. motion of Cr Barclay, seconded by Cr Cameron, it was then resolved that Whitfield be retained as pound keeper, dog tax collector, and on sanitary duties at his piesent salni'V. and that" -A- Matheson bo offered the job of hall-keeper and lamplighter at a salary oi 30s per work during the winter. Tho foreman of works reported on work done since last meeting and in hand. -Cr Hopkins said he had lived in Palmerston about fifty years, and had never seen the streets in' such a bad state as at present. Winter was the wrong time for concreting kerbs and channels. Gravel-carting, he considered, was also done at the wrong time of the year. He thought gravel should bo carted and spread now, instead of the channelling and kerbing which w-us being done, and w’-ich would take about three mouths to complete.—Other councillors endorsed Cr Hopkins’s remarks, and on the motion of Cr Barclay it was resolved that Messrs M'Kean and Bryce be nut' on to grade and gravel roads at once under the supervision of the Works Committee. It was decided to request the Railway Department to increase the conveniences at tho railway station.

BRUCE COUNTY. I Cr Driver presided at the meeting of Bruce County Council. Mr Arthur Craig (secretary of the Greenfield Fanners’ Union) wrote saying that lie had been instructed to inquire from the council why it was that when a vacancy occurred on the South Otago Hospital Board affecting the ratepayers ui Bruce, nominations were not called for to give the ratepayers a direct say in who nhould be the member on the Hospital Board.—lt was explained that it was not for the council to call for nominations, as it had tho right to appoint a representative itself. Tho clerk was instructed to , acquaint the writer with this fact. i Mr R. S. Willocks C‘Talbaria ”) wrote on behalf of himself and a number of residents of the district drawing the council’s attention to the inconvenient and unsafe turn at the junction of the Hillcnd and Main roads above his house. Ho understood that the necessary repair work would cost £2.—Cr Scott said that the place certainly was dangerous.—The matter was left in the hands of two members and the inspector, with power to act. Messrs Andrew Melville and David Thomson (Milton) wrote protesting against the state of the Gorge Creek, which, they claimed, had not been cleaned out for a number of years. Cattle had been allowed to get into it, and it had become partly tilled in. preventing them from getting tho lower part of their farms drained. —Tho council was of opinion that the section was under the jurisdiction of the River Board, and the writers were re- ; [erred to the board. | Mr John Kirkncss (Stirling) applied for' a shave of the carting in the Matau Riding. It was, he claimed, about twelve months ago that he had first applied, and since thou he had had one day’s work, lio wanted to know why he had not got his share, of the work, as he was a ratepayer, and had satisfactorily completed several contracts for the Bnico County.— Cr Renton said that the present man did tho work thoroughly, and he, felt that if tho carting were divided the man might refuse to do the work. He added that tho man was also on the same telephone line as lie was, and was therefore mor-o accessible.—lt was decided to write stating that the council was quite satisfied ; with its present arrangements, but if there were any extra work to bo done he would j get it. | The clerk was instructed to sue for Die outstanding rates, and the inspector was empowered to sue for any breach of the motoring by-laws. j A grant of £lO was made to tho local branch of tho Blanket Society. |

It was agreed that, ns the day set down ! for the annual meeting (June 3) was also the day for the opening of the Winter Show, the meeting be held on the pre- i vious day. The Chairman, at the conclusion of the ! business, thanked the councillors for the support they had given him during his term of office, and also extended _ his thanks to the office staff, who had given . •him their valuable co-operation, ( The receipts for the month amounted to ’ £BO7 7s lid, while the expenditure was ' £1,769 17s 7d. I The Inspector (Mr J. IT. Bateman) re- j ported as follows for the month ended April 30;—Nineteen chains of gravelling have been done on the eastern end of the School road, Moneymore, the whole of the gravel (130 loads) being carted free by Mr A. B. Stewart. A Gin pipe culvert had been put in on the road leading to Mr W. Xuwbiggiug’s property. A good deal of free work has also been done on this road by Mr Newbigging. Mainteu- ; auco metal has been spread on the Centre road, Inchclutha, and metal and gravel have been applied to the Main road between Taieri Ferry and Crichton, and for the Manuka Gorge road. Lawrence’s road, Matau riding, has been regraded. Various (metalling contracts in the county under loan moneys and Government grants are making good progress, and several will be ’ completed during May. The following , contracts were let during the month; —i Contract No. 60, formation and culverts, j Imrie’s Hill, Waihola riding, W. Sinclair, j £104; contracts Nos. 73 and 74, mainten- j ance metal, Stony Oreck-Hillcnd road, ; W. Cochrane, 10s per yard ; contract No. | 75, carting seventy-five tons of metal to back road, Milbum, J. B. Hagen, 4s 2d per ton. —The report was adopted.