GREY COUNTY COUNCIL

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 September 1917, Page 8

GREY COUNTY COUNCIL

- MONTHLf MEETING. An ordinary meeting of the Grey County Council held yesterday was attended by Crs \A[. Haunan (Chairman), R. Baybiitt, Pi Doiinellan, J. Rvall, P. Hydbr, J. McCarthy, A. Blair, J. T'inh, and -J.' Irvine. CORRESPONDENCE. The Minister of Public Works wrote stating' that.the Council's application for a subsidy to repair flood damage at Deep 'Creek, on the Kaimata-Moana road, would receive consideration.—Received.

The Premier wrote, stating lie regretted the Minister of Pailways did not consider the retaining of the siding al Matai station necessary—Received. The Premier also notified that representations on the subjeclof a public pound for Cobden would receive careful consideration.— Received. / The Minister o/Railways (Ron. W- 11. iierries),,' in reply, staled that only on three occasions since ..May last, had the ferry steamer,

Wellington to Lvttclion, failed to coaiic't with (lie overland servicel lo the "West ('nasi, and t hat ii would be inadvisable to make .•my alteration al present in the West Coast-Chrislehureli time-table-—-Received. The Pailway Department, in reply, in regard to the southern

approach lo the railway bridge on

the 15kickl>all-X<!'ahere rood, stated, it reasonable care is taken, there appears little need for I lie expenditure asked fori and the public usii:i>- the bridge remained outside the g'afes until the passing of (rains.— Received, and resolved, on the motion of Or Donnellan. seconded by Or. Irvine. that the mailer be brought under the notice of the Minister on his next visit to the ('oastA circular from the .Minister of Finance, in connection with the

W:ii' Lo:ii), was received. The Department of Agricultlire forwarded slaughter-house liI • ('! 1S l' S • The Lands Department, Ifokiiika, forwarded schedule of ■•halves and thirds-" £m.S? was authorised to he paid to t lie ('oiincil—Received. ('orrespondenee was received from the Minister of Public Works in connection with the ('nbden Uridyl' contract, in which In' stilled he would have no option bul to close the bridge during the contract if ''■ were ll(, i agreed that the contractor was only liable for the span or spans on v, hich he ' was at work Rcceived. 'the Cobden Ratepayers' Association forwarded a complaint of J!. Mclntyre, who stated he was not receiving a fair share of work. —Received and referred to Engineer' The Mayor of liokitika forwarded special patriotic resolutions suggesting a (lay of tin! ional prayer. Received. A daughter wrote asking that her mother, who had several sous iit the front, be exempted from rales. She had given her live so'iis to the war, and it took her all her time to get a living-—" Received and resolved thai the County collector be instructed not to take action ill this case. Anton Anderson asked for permission to erect swing gate on t'pper Moonlight-Crey Valley Road.- Received applicant to be i-oiiiinulfwl In enninlv with the Act

regarding advertisement. ('. Ifewison forwarded ;m estimate of tlic approximate cost ol' :i motor ;:ml>i!lnner lor 111»- (Irey district, about £,"'.()(>. Received. On (he motion of Cr I'yall, seeon.ded by (':• McCarthy, CJo was votedTlie Greymoulh Jockey (Mill) drew Hie Council's attention to the "turn-out" at Hie Kaceconr.se, Omoto Road, and asked that a:i improvement be made at this point- —Received and referred to the Engineer. Noel Peat, Moann, forwarded a letter from the Prime Minister in regard to streets and roads at Moana township- 'l'he Premier siuled that the Government would favourably consider an application for assistance if such application is made by the Grey County Council. It was, however, to be understood that, the work was properly chargeable to the County and that the Government cannot provide more than a limited pari of the total cash--"Received. On the motion of Or McCarthy, seconded by Cv Baybutt, it was resolved thai; application for a grant as requested be made, the Engineer to give an estimate of the amount required. P .0. Carey, Coblten, asked that the unfinished portion of Fox Street, between Clifford and Hall streets, be completed. —Received and no action taken. Newcombe Bros., Robinson River, asked for assistance to put the Nnnev River track in a passable state of repair.—Received, and resolved that the sum of £l.O be spentWilliam Young, Totara Elat, applied, for permission to erect a

, swing' gale oil the Totivra MatGrey Eiver road, near the Presbyterian Manse—Received, and consideration deferred until the usnjft conditions are complied , with. The Cobden Ratepayers' Association asked for . permission to u.-e a portion of Newcastle street reserve for the purposes of an experimental fruit and vegetable plot ir—Received and- consideration deferred. J. Robertson, Secretary of the Cobden Fire Brigade, asked for a grant to purchase a table for use in the new building; also for a- lamp in front of the building, and that the gas be laid on- The Brigade also required a supply of ladders, buckets, blankets, etc., as previously promised.—Received and requests complied with. Herbert Fiddes and party applied for n prospecting subsidy ..for mineral lodes—Received, a favourable recommendation to be made to the .Mines Department. GENERAL. Seven applications wore received for the position of roadman for the Aliaura dislrict. Frank B. Smith, at present •roadman, for Orwell Creek, was appointed to the position. The appointment of a roadman for the Alia ura -Kopara road was left in the hands of the EngineerThe statutory resolutions, levying rales on the same basis as last year, were passed.

ENGINEER'S REPOftT. The Engineer (Mr J. iliggins) reported on the following matters:— Baekblocks Working- Party.— Tin- Kngineer reported at length on the proposal to form a working parly of men to carry outworks in (lie baekblocks, wherefor labour was unobtainable in I lit' localities concerned. Cr rivalt moved (lial (lie mallei' he deferred until after (lie election of (lie new council in November. (V Ryder opposed the motion, and moved Iwo amendments—one in (lie direct ion of empowering' the Kngineer to employ three men lo carry out (he scheme and the other thai (he question be deferred only till next meeting of the Council, the I'lugineer in the meantime lo prepare a list of works authorised on which money had not been spent, and also an estimate of moneys spent during the year under the (leading of "assistance to roadmen' (casual labour). C'r Domicilii)! seconded the amendment, which was lost, (lie moiion, to defer (he scheme until after, the November elections, bein g agreed to. Road Roller—The Engineer reported that the Inangahua County Council's road roller was available for hire at the rale of i."-2 5s per day (including driver's wages), and recommended that it be employed on an eight-mile «tretch of road from the Main (Jrey Bridge to Ahaura PlainsThis portion of the Main (Jrey Valley road wa's in a bad state. There was plenty of gravel, and the work of scarifying and rounding oil' con Id be done at a less cost with the machine. Cr Buy butt moved that the machine be hired and given a trial. If successful, he thought it .should be used for the whole of the (iiey .Valley Main J.ioad.— CarriedAccident Insurance—The Engineer furnished legal opinion to the effect that the Council could . i t :.i,.,.( 1...,,,..,,,,... ~..i;_

cries to cover coniractors and contractors' workmen, and deduct ilic amount of premium t'j'om contract moneys. Ci- Ryall moved, and the Chairman seconded, Hint Hie Ru»iueer be empowered to give eil'eet to the proposal- - ('allied. Ton .Mile-151 uft Road.—ln re,.;il(| (o Mr Lang-ridge's request thai metalling be (lone on the Ten-Mile Bluff road by day labor the Engineer reported that n special grant of ±l5O would he required, and also that the sanction of the Public Works Department would be necessary in re-

garcl to the employment of day labourCr Ryall moved that application be made to the Government for £l5O for; metalling and permission to do the work by day labor—Seconded by Cr Blair and carried. A complaint—ln regard to Melntyre's. complaint thill; he had not received a fair share of the Council's work at Cobddn ,lhe Engineer did not. his having" applied yjfflj^o l tlie roadman bavintMJHßyed horses and drays wEereP necessary. McTntyi'e, however, received £l3" odd at last meeting and at that meeting vouchers for £l2 would be pi'esented for payment on Ids behalf.—Resolved that a copy of the Engineer's report on the matter bo sent to the Cobden Ratepa vers' A ssoe iati on. The Jockey Club's request for road improvement at Omoto was loft in the hands of the Engineer with power to act. NOTICE OF MOTION. Cr Donnelhtn, in accordance witli noliee given, moved that tenders he called I'm' the widening of the Main Grey Valley road at Ngahere. a survev of which had already been 'made- He pointed out that there was a lot of traffic from the railway station to Ngahere. and thai the present narrow state of the road was unsafe lor traffic Seconded by Cv Baybutl and carried-