GREY COUNTY COUNCIL

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 September 1934, Page 12

GREY COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING- ' ’ , The Grey County Council’s monthly meeting was held last evening, there, being present: Councillors .1. Millcare <SSrLn>. J. W. Hannan, A. Robmson, J. Ryall, H. G. Carter, A. Dopnelian, G. Blair, W. T. Ogilvie. An apology for absence was received from Cr. A. McDonnell. A motion of condolence was passed, on the motion of the Chairman, with the relatives of the late Cavaliere GPerotti, those present standing in amounting to £1,927/7/1 were passed for payment. _ The Main Highways Board advised payment to the County F und, on account of maintenance of £1,562/5/9. It was decided to forward to an roadmen a copy of a circular from the District Public Works Engineer stating that an examination for foremen and overseers will take place on October 30, 1934. The Public Works Department wrote asking if permission had been granted the New Zealand Flax Company to erect electric lines at Baiiytown. —It was decided to advise the Department that the required pei - mission had been granted. The Moonlight Goldfields Ltd. wrote asking the Council to shingle portion of the road to the company’s claim at Moonlight. " The Engineer'stated that the work was in progress. On the motion of Crs Ryall and Robinson, it was decided that no objection. be offered to H. Langridge using an unformed road reserve at Maher’s Creek. An application from G. Teasdale for permission to construct a box culvert on the Seven-Mile Road, was referred to the Engineer, with power to The application of A. V. Nisbett for the Council’s consent to generate electricity by means of a water-wheel, at Barrytown, was granted. A letter from the Lands Department asking the Council’s permission to close a road in Block 9, Cobden S.D., was referred to the Engineer for a report. It was decided to make a donation of £5 to the Grey Branch of the Plunket Society. It was decided in view of a letter

from the District Engineer that the Main Highways Board be authorised to take charge of tar-sealing. T. Donnellan wrote asking that the Council spentf some money on conditioning the Lake Hockstetter track. The Unemployment Board also wrote in connection with the track, stating that it was prepared to give the subsidy of 30/- a week if eligible married men were put on the work. The Engineer stated that he had inspected the track and thought that an expenditure of £7 would fit the track for snigging purposes, for which Mr Donnellan required the repairs. He intended snigging timber for fluming. On the motion of Crs. RyaJl and Carter, it was decided that £7 be expended as suggested. J. Low applied for permission to erect a hut on a reserve at. Barrytown. —It was decided to offer no objection. It was decided that no objection be made to A. Anderson erecting a hut on a road reserve at Ru Ru.

An application was received from Messrs Colligan and Russell to carry about two heads of water through a culvert undei* Bourke’s Road, and offering to keep the water-table cleaned out Avhile using it. Messrs J. W. Aiken and A. V. Nisbett wrote objecting to Messrs Colligan and Russell being granted permission.

The Engineer stated that he had inspected the locality, and found that the pipe was barely large enough as it was, and in wet weather was nearly full. Messrs Johnston and Nisbett had cleared it out regularly in the past. He recommended that the application be refused. On the motion of Crs. Ryall and Blair, it was decided to carry out the Engineer’s recommendation. A. V. Nisbett wrote objecting to Messrs Colligan and Russell occupying a road reserve fronting his property at Barrytown. The Engineer explained that Messrs Colligan and Russell had been squatting on the reserve for about -four years, and had caused a nuisance. The reserve was on Nisbett’s frontage. He thought the matter was one for a legal opinion.

Cr. Hannan said that, a resident was entitled to object to anyone squatting on a road reserve alongside his boundary. If the men were causing a nuisance, they could be shifted, asthe Council had not given them, permission to squat there. They had merely offered no objection. The Engineer said Nisbett wanted the reserve for seven chains of road for turning a lorry. Cr. Hannan moved that Messrs Colligan and Russell be asked to vacate the reserve within a month.

The motion was seconded by Cr. Carter and carried.

Mr J. Pamment wrote asking the Council to make an access road to his farm at Payne's Gully, to facilitate his getting his cream out during the coming season.

The application was referred to the Engineer for a report, cu the motion of Cr. Robinson. The Reefton School of Mines wrote asking the Council for a donation.

Cr Hannan said the mining industry was very important to the West Coast, and particularly from the point of view of the Council, which received its share of goldfields revenue. The School was doing valuable work, and he thought a- donation should be made.

To Cr Ryall, the Clerk said the Council made no donation last year. On the motion of Crs Donnellan and Hannan, it was decided that a donation of £5 be made, Crs Robinson, Carter and Blair dissenting. A letter was received from Rotomanu farmers asking the Council to put in hand the metalling of Hodgkinson Road, as soon as possible.—lt was decided that the Engineer call tenders as soon as the authority is received.

lhe Youth Hostel Association wrote asking the Council to clear the track from Moana to Mitchells, for the convenience of trampers.—Received. J. Barrow wrote asking the Council to metal the side of the road at Kokin.

Cr Blair said the applicant paid about -£9 a week in timber royalties, of which the Council received >ts share. He moved that the application be granted. The motion was seconded by Cr Donnellan and carried. G. Gillanders wrote stating that he wished to do some prospecting in the vicinity of No Town, and asking the

Council to repair portion of the old track .between No Town and Cr Carter said it would be a, piet.ty tpueh proposition for the Council to tackle, as the route had not. been -used for a good number of years, and it was almost impossible to get through on foot. There were about six miles of track. • Cr Hannan said the application was more for the Mining Executive tha for the Council, and he moved that the letter be referred to the M^ ing Executive. The motion was seconded by Cr Robinson and carried. An application by S. Fry for an access track to the Victory Reef was also referred to the Mining ExecuU Stratford and Blair’s application for a renewal of tram site license 74/21 in Block 16, Greymouth, was granted, on th.e usual conditions, imposed by the Engineer. i „ , , A letter from the New Zealand Counties’ Association regarding motor taxation, asking the Council’s opinion on various aspects, was referred to a sub-committee, consisting of tne Chairman, Crs Ryall and Hannan, with power to make recommendations. , ~ The Greymouth Borough Council forwarded amended estimates of the cost of the aerodrome site, but the Council decided, on the motion of Crs Ryall and Blair, to abide by their former resolution. Cr Ryall stated that the Harbour Board at its recent meeting had decided not to increase their contribution. W. J- Pickering’s application tor permission to put a culvert across the Teremakau Settlement Road was referred to the Engineer, with power to act. An application from the Ahaura Sawmills Coy. for a further loading bank, on the Ahaura-Kopara road, was granted. An application from H. Hudd, held over from last meeting, for compensation in connection with a road at Kardro, was read. The Engineer said Mr Hudd constructed the road at an expense of £32/10/- in 1906, and had maintained it since. In 1926, the Government made it a public road, unknown to Hudd, who had since been maintaining it as his own. Now several sub- ; divisions had been made there, and 1 Mr Hudd was now asking that he be compensated. Hudd knew nothing of the Government’s declaring the road public until the subdivisions were made.

Cr Ryall said Mr Hudd was certainly entitled to some compensation if the road was now to be a public one. On the motion of Crs Ogilvie and Ryall it was decided that Mr Hudd be granted £2O compensation. A. Rothery wrote asking for an access road to his property 'at Inchbonnie. The Engineer said it would cost about £lO to give access, but the Council could hardly give him a road. On the motion of Crs Robxiison and Hannan it was decided that £lO be expended on giving access. The Beekeepers’ Association wrote asking the Council’s co-operation in a protest to the Government against the new grading regulations which made West Coast honey practically useless for export, and threatened to ruin an important West Coast industry. Cr Ryall moved that the Council co-operate with other local bodies in making a protest against the new regulations. The motion was seconded by Cr Robinson and carried. J. Dowling was granted permission to erect a garage at the road-end at Te Kinga.

The rate was struck at 22 in the £ on the capital value, on the motion of the Chairman and Cr Blair.