GREY COUNTY COUNCIL

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 March 1917, Page 3

GREY COUNTY COUNCIL

oedinaeTmeeting

Au ordinary monthly meeting of the Grey County Council was held vesterday ultcsnwu. Present: Crs. i,i. lianniuii (Chairman), l>. Jiuybutt, V Ryder 1\ DunncHun, J. Uyull, JMcCarthy, A. uuiir, J. riuu,uwl Ja* Irvine. CORRESPONDENCE. The Resident Engineer wrote ia regard 10. ilit" expenditure of Governmemt grants and subsidies by local bodies- The estimates were prepared with labor til the rate of 10s per day, plus is per day war bonus. Cr. Eyall said a contractor had to pay l ; 5» per day and it would be imi! ■saifilo for the Council to get equ-

ii'actoi'H to lake up contract}* on the Public Work,-; Estimate* on the basis ot 11.; per day for labor. Cr. Ryder supported Cr. I'yall and s.lnied that labor was not available • ;>r County works under at least *'2* pel' day. The "Commissioner «>f Crown Lands approved of Ihe Council's proposals i»r ii'ii.< expenditure of "halves' and "third:;."- --Received. 'l'hi: Receiver of hand Revenue advised in regard to payment of revenue for December quarter to the County Fund Account, and also forwarded list of outstanding rents and royalties in the Grey district. —Received.

T. OT'Onuell, Cobden, asked for remission of part of rates on his unoccupied properties. A tihnilar request vas made by Mary O'Donnell.—Rercivi'd, and on the motion of Cr. Rvali Vic jij'iilicittioiii was granted provided t!a- request, on enquiry by the Ueri\, v..; in accordance with requirements of U'.e statutory provision. A:;;. Ha Brooks as,;t.d for the !'e-mstatome-nt of a subsidy for rigld-"!-v.av ;,;immii land at iiivervicw (lata Mei.auuhha.;).— -Keferred U the Eu' '" 'The Cobdi-n Ratepayers' Association w-otv! acricin.v to purchase of section i„ K u >; Street at Cobden for publio purposes. -Keeeived and leferred to ihe Engineer iV approval. The Chairman explained that the Council I::,!! oilered t ) subsidise up !, i -•">.!, i' u ,j Uiat a deposit for purchase had been paid by the Ratepayers' Assueiatiou. 'n>r Chairman of the Waiuj.u County Cuuiiei! forward'-d a ciivulai asking toad bode-; to blimi :d out the :ib«>Uib:ii u{ the present !s\>tem <f Governi;, n; o'r.tnfs.. etc., and that a more a.-eepiabie system be instituted.-—Re-'l !,-. Chairman said he v.'iili be- l>;Lsis of complaint in ihe circularThe oreseu! seemed an unfair system , ' ih:.i; sums of money were put on ,;... j.; I'.jiiate,; for a (listrid, which it

|!.. i ;l . >V (.'ti I!:;:! the Council :ip]'l'oVi' of the \Viii:ij>u County t ouuci! •■> suggescnrried- ! I lie M,ii-k«'!i/.if County Council asii- ,..| ,j,,, < „.| m .il !.. en «'|,Vi:;|.: ill fll(jeavor'mg !-i have a Customs limy impaled oifmoior tyres, Midi duty to lit) allocated to Keai bodice for the upkeep of roads. Received. ( r. Rvall moved thai consideration! be held over until ;in estimate was prepared as m the amount nucli a «"X would vield to the (iivy County Couu. i-il (,|, a eapital valuation basis- - Seconded b\' the Chairman and carried. ",!. i!.'(ii!iii!-lia!n, of Cobden, asked !'.,;• j, (eduction of tali's oil U'.l CC-iipled propeity.- Reeehed, and request i (l he complied with providing, on e:iliuirv, the claim is ve.riiiod. CuiiiUi'Sd and Eitohingham wrote in , v fi ivnee hi 'he plans for 'Moot.. Road.. The Chairman moved the necessary ~ .-..juii.,.,, in regard to taking of land (Mi Orr-r-Onioio Road. This was seconded by Ci\ Donnellan, and the Chairman and Cr McCarthy were appointed to sign the plans.

Margaret J. MeJnvee asked for a, reduction of rates in view of the fact that there was no- road to her pronerty.—Received and referred to the Engineer, the Chairman pointing out that the Council had power to reduce races only in the case where property was unoccupied. When there was a buildiiv on a property, and that build, ing was: unoccupied for not less than nix months in any year, the Council could make a remission of half-rates-Applicants were entitled to such remission as. a matter of right, providing the dates of unoecupancy were furnished to die Council and verified bv them.

'The secretary of the Cobden School Committee asked for the use of portion of Newcastle Street in connection with agricultural studies for school children.-—Received. Cr. Rvall moved that the request lie granted, with an intimation that no title could be given. Cr. McCarthy pointed out that a fence migh' be erected and trouble arise, lie moved that the request be referred to the Engineer.—Carried. Ivone' Song, of Marsden. sought permission to lay a pipe under Marsden K.iad. (Kent d. subject to conditions it. be inn-osod bv Engineer. James Murphy! f>f Kumara, applied

for permission to M T«t a swing gate across Tlohonu R<> >d. --Received and -.■ranted, subject: to conditions having

been complied with and with approval of Engineer, A. and It. Smith, of Blackball, applied for penuia«ioiJ 10 erect a swing gate acrous Brunner Track.— Grauited, subject to approval and conditions the Engineer might impose, E. CainpUM, luuua, Mat, complained that T- Kennedy was about to fence Back Road, Tut urn Flat.— Referred to Engineer. Mr. Leiteh, miumg manager of the Blackball Coal Company, offered to contribute £2O towards drainage m Brodie Street, Blackball. This offer was made in reply to a letter from the County Engineer, and was not to be accepted as a precedent for similar works at Blackball.— Received. The Chairman moved that the offer I>c accepted and the work proceeded with'.—Seotfltdcil by Cr. Dojiuollan

and carried, E. Airey, Poerua, asked for it footbridge over Dry Creek.- Received. Cr. Ryder said the bridge was necessary for children going to school. At present a log was being used, lie moved that the matter be referred to the Engineer with power to act- - Seconded bv Cr. HyaU and carried. Cr. Raybutt brought up the matter of a public pound at lotara Mat., which' had been deferred on account of the finances, of the Council. The land had boon acquired and tenders called for tiio work, lie moved that tenders be again called for the work. V\'. Rvall said there should bo a-

fnoditieatioii ot me pian, as oe o.w not favor a pound at Totara Flat cost. big in the vicinity of T: 1 St). After discussion it was agreed to refer the matter to the Engineer to report on tbo lowest cost of erecting ti jiound that will meet with the requirements of the impounding Act and the necessities of the Totara Flat disCr. Rvall moved that the footpath between' Cobden Bridge end Cobden quarrv (first section) be put in hand- -' Seconded by Cr. McCarthy and car. lied. C. .!. Dalv. ol Orwell CrceK"; as-lu'd tor a reduction in fee of tract ion engine Hcen.se. Mr. Daly waited on the Council in person and was informed that the Council had no power to make the reducib n asked f"i\ ENUINEER'S REPORT. Matters referred Uit- Engincei (Mr. .!. Wiggins) wei-e dealt Willi as fellows; Ihguun.-: Creek Bridge, In reg-'jd to tile Cobden Ratepayers' Association's biter slating that Dignan s t'reivt bridne was in danger of col-lap.-Me. the Engineer reported that the bridge was in good order and showed no :dgns of weakness. It was rather narrow for its situation »n the main street through the town, being o:i!v lift wide, but a separate foot|;!:d..e existed for pedestrians. A

great improvement would w mam .o substituti'tig a concrete culvert of mo full width of the street for the present bridges- As to the complaint regardin..' 'a danuerous hole in Cardweil Str.vl, ilie Engineer stated that llu) I,;,!;. complained of is an open drain wh.v.i eali .... a fair stream of water duiii:-. heavy rains. U would have to \w p.p,d betore being tilled up. He did not look upoa it as a very urgent: matter. The Council resolved that a ropy of the Engineer's report be sent to the Association. Widening Main IKad at Ngahere. - The Engineer reported that the length oi' roai/ propo„ed to be widened was 2| ehaim; and the probable c-.-n ..'MIM 1 . IP o;vc<l thai lim ihatler siaud over for the present. la legard lo M.ss Brooke's letter claiming subsidy of £3 per annum [,„■ allowing foui tralfcc l» l»«s& <>ver herdand, the Engineer reported that a subsidy of ,£3 had been paid for many warn until the construction of Waterson's Road rendered it no longer necessary. Since the cradle bridge was constructed ever the Amiton i;;,.,.* ;,, OrUnhi'v itiio. foot iratiic

hud been passing through ■<>■'■ •» Hrooke's land to the bridge. A track could be constructed to the bridge clour "i her laud at a rust at' £6. The Chairman if ihis was tlkbridge the Lake Hoehstetter Gold .Mining Company had promised to pay halt' the east and had not done so, and on being informed that such was the ease it was resolved that no action be takea, .Miss lUw.ke U) lie informed that she could take steps to prevent peiMons trespassing on tier property. Fire Brigade Station, Cob(%n.— The Kngineer approved of the section s lecied by the Ratepayers' Association, and it was resolved that tlie Conned pay over the balance of £2o, the other £2o being subscribed by the Association. In regard to the application of the Cobden School Committee to fence in Newcastle Street, the Engineer report. ed that the street was unformed and did not think the Council had power to grant the permission asked for.— Received. Reduction of Hates.—ln regard to Mrs Melnroe's application for a reduet ion in rates on die -round that she had no road to her property at Upper Crev, Hie Engineer reported •that during 11)16. £ll 16s had been expended on the horse track leading to her prop Hv, and the sum of £- was now due for similar work. lie

solved that a copy of the report be sent to Mrs M.olnroe. MothveVs Road. — In U> Mr. Campbell's complaint of Rack Road likely to be fenced by Mr. Kennedy, the Engineer reported that the fences; bad been accidentally binned during the summer, and he understood in erecting the- new fence Mr- Kennedy had encroached somewhat on the road. Cr- Raybutt explained that Mr. Kennedy wi.ihed to use poison to eradicate the gorse, and in order t\> do it safelv had. fenced in a portion of the road- When the poisoning wan succeieg'ully done Mr, Kennedy would shift the fences to the proper boundary. li was resolved thai no action be

Permanent Roadinoli. - -The Engineer reported vacancies in three dn--I.l'ieln .and pointed out that furllcr vacancies would occur as the result of calling up men for military revvico. Ji was resolved, on the motion *>f Cr. Raybut i, that Frank Smith (a returned soldier') bo appoint;'.! in mo Urwel] Cret-k sec; ion O'.i ihe motion <»f Cr. Ryder it wan decided io call for appiicaiions for the position of roadman for the Croeiit-toue seelion.