GREY COUNTY COUNCIL

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 August 1936, Page 10

GREY COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING.

The monthly meeting of the Grey County Co”undl was bold !ast ■ ing. there bo ng present Councmor , A. Jtyall (Chairman , H. G. Carter, a . Mnlcare A. Donnellan, A. Robins n,j IC T ostia, A. MeDonuell. tbu , gineer (Mr J. Higgins) and the Clerk (Mr M- Keating). Accounts amounting to £34-0/-/ ( were passed for payment* Or Mulcare said that he had been quStloned Bardins too Nsabero Terrace road, and he asked what the position .was in regard Clerk said that the Council had written to the Railway Department asking them for the price of a section reouired for the road. At the last meeting of the Council the Deparb ment had advised that a n valuation was being made ot the land, but further communication had been Received from them. Probably it would come to hand any day. Cr Mulcare said that it was veil .necessary to get the job done, as the road was to provide access to th only sports ground for the whole di ‘ U The Main Highways Board forwarded authorities for the following maintenance works Big Grey-Taramakau £1710; Grey-Westport, £2OOO, Ku

mara-Haupiri £5OO. pt4 t The Highways Board wrote sug o est ing that the Council should consider the reclassifying of the Big Gey Taramakau section of the Inangahma Junction-Weheka main highway, ,ni Class 2 (8i tons) to Class •> ((> a tons) and also the -adoption of a geiiaial Class 3 classification throughout the County. In regard to the first suggestion it was pointed out that the highway at both ends of the Grey , County section was classified aClass 3, and thus the loads allowed on the Grey County section could not ,be carried right through. The Board it was stated, was advocating Class 3 for all rural roads, as otherwise they were too expensive to maintain. An? hardship imposed on operators at present utilising vehicles which would exceed the limit allowed by the Class 3 classification could be overcome by the issue of special permits, until such time as the vehicles were to be replaced. , , , The Chairman said that the section referred to was, one that the Government proposed to take over as a State highway. However, he would move that the matter be deferred to /‘the next meeting, the Engineer, in the meantime, to draw up a schedule of all roads, showing those that were hot classified at all, and those which could bo reclassified. The motion was seconded by cr (Ogilvie and carried. The New Zealand Counties Association forwarded a comprehensive survey of the new legislation affecting County Councils, in which it was stated that the Minister of Labour had advised that he. would not grant registration to a County Council employees’ union, as already there were other unions in existence covering them, but compulsory unionism would bo enforced wherever the workers were covered by an award. Exemption from awards previously enjoyed by the County had been withdrawn. It was decided to hold the matter of wages and hours of County employees over until the next meeting, the Engineer to prepare a report in the meantime.

DISTRICT ROADING. The District Engineer of the Public Works Department wrote requesting the Council to carry out the legalisation of the proposed new Big RiverRough River road. Cr Mulcare asked what would be the cost of acquiring the land required for the proposed road. The Engineer said that he did not think any* land would require to be purchased. Othifr land could be exchanged lor that required for the road, but the surveying and legalisation was required, costing probably

£lOO. . . On the motion of the Chairman and Cr Mulcare it was decided that the Council agree to carry out the legalisation, as requested. Ttie Minister of Public Works (Hon. R Semple) wrote stating that, in regard to the representations made to Irfm urging the construction of the Crooked River Valley road, near Lake Brunner, he had ascertained that the road was adjacent to a considerable area of freehold land, mostly river bed flats, of which 1700 acres was held by the Te Kinga Land and Timber Company, and 340 acres by Captain Whitmore. The proposed road would immediately increase the value of the land, by at least £1 per acre, and he considered that a contribution of £2OOO should be forthcoming before the Government could undertake the work. , Cr Robinson said that the road would be a public road, and might not be any good to the land at all. Cr Mulcare said that it was a matter of being consistent. Big sums ot money had been spent in opening up land at Big River and in the Kopara and the owners had not been asked to contribute. However, it might be the policy that the Government intended to stick to in the future. The Chairman moved that it be left to the Engineer to reply to the Minister's letter.

Cr Garter said that the time had come when there should be a stand taken against the attitude o£ the Department to such roads. People had been established on farms for years without any roads and had given their whole lives developing their farms — was it right that they should now be asked to contribute towards the roads? In his opinion it was not, and it wa« against national interests. On behalf of tile rural ratepayers which ho represented, he must protest such an attitude. Reading and the provision of access to rural lands was one of the.first things that had to be undertaken, and he did not think he would be doing his duty if he allowed the present matter to go past without drawing attention to it. He maintained that it was a national task, and should not be left to the people who had spent their lives develoiiliig their farms. Thh, Chairman: I would like to see the file on that road in Wellington. I think it would show why it has come

this way. The Chairman’s motion, that the Engineer reply to the Minister’s letter, was carried. /The State Forests Department forwarded schedules showing that the fifths and tenths accrued for the quarter ended June 30, amounted to] £471/10/8. The Commissioner of. Crown Lands also forwarded sched-f

ulcs showing halves and thirds fori J i— council I wrote requesting that the Council should .give further consideration to the question of the payment of the proportions for- the maintenance of | the Taramakau bridge, and enclosing a copy of a letter from the Minister of Internal Affairs Latins tliat bofore setting up a commission to in nuiro into such matters, it was his policy toJ have a discussion boliveen the local bodies interested, in an endeavour to save the cost o a c “moraairman said that ho did not see anything wrong m meetm o the representatives of the Kumara Boiough Council, as suggested. Cr Robinson said that accoiding a Press report he had seen, the W estland County were going to { and he moved that the Cleik and the Chairman meet the Kumara Borough Council, and report back to County Council. The motion was seconded by Cr Carter and carried. Messrs Guinness and Kitchinghain forwarded a plan of the proposed subdivision of F. Kendrick, at Karoro for approval.— Approved, With special ' provision for roading. , • : Messrs Joyce and Brosnan advised • that in regard to the action ot the Council in taking portion of the land ■ of J. A. Ryan, Rotomanu, for a gravel ' reserve, under the Public Works Act, 1 an objection had been received from ’ the owner, and it was now tor the Council to fix a time and place ioi ’ the hearing of the owner and any • he might have, as provid-

ed in the Act. It was decided that Mr Ryan be notified that he could meet the Council at its next meeting. The Waipti County Council wrote suggesting that representations should be made to have heavy lorries fitted with sealed governors, in order to restrict their speed to the limits imposed under the Motor Vehicle i emulations. , The letter was received, the Chairman remarking that it was only a waste of time, as there were already enough regulations. The Railways Department wrote asking that any work done on railway crossings should be done under the supervision of the Department’s foreman, and to his satisfaction, and pointing out that the road surface was to be laid flush with the rails. The letter was referred to the Engineer. TRAFFIC BRIDGE.

A petition was received from W. Blackman and others, asking that a traffic bridge should bo constructed over Big River, at the ford above Slatcy Creek. It was pointed out by the petitioners that the river was fordable only under favourable conditions and then only at great inconvenience. The bridge would provide access to a large area of land and silverpine bush.

Cr Mulcare said that he understood the petitioners were prepared to help, either by contributions or labour in hewing birch timber for the bridge. Even if the bridge was only a temporary structure, it would serve the purpose, and he thought 'that the Council should make an effort to assist. The Council had little money for such work, but they might be able to get a grant for it. He would move that the Engineer go. into the matter, and that an application be made for a Public Works grant.

The Engineer said that previously he had recommended a road up on the* (orrace. to connect with the preseni. bridge.

The motion was carried, that an application be made for a. grant, either for the bridge, or the suggested road. The District Engineer-of Railways advised that he considered it inadvisable to shift the Matai station, but that an effort would be made to keep the access road clear of flooding. Tho Clerk was instructed to advise the Matai settlers accordingly. Messrs Kidd Bros., Blackball, forwarded an application for a slaughterhouse License, Block 3, Mawheranui Survey District. Objections to the granting of the application were received from Messrs Wilson and Clark. It was decided to forward the application and the objections to the Minister of Agriculture, as provided in the Act.

The action of the Engineer in granting a permit, under the usual conditions, to the Big Tree Company, to erect a petrol pump on the road at Atarau, was approved. Tho Board of Governors of the Greymouth Technical High School wrote asking for a donation toward the funds of the reference library at the School. The request was referred to the next meeting of the Finance Committee.

Messrs McAlpine and Shanks wrote asking the Council to improve the ford over the Rough and Tumble Creek at No Town, which, they stated, was not negotiable after a flood.

The matter was referred to the Engineer, to report to the next meeting.

The Grey Hospital Board forwarded a copy of the estimates for the year 1936-37, showing that the County Council’s levy was £2761/11/2. The Clerk said that the levy represented a decrease on that for last year.

Cr Mulcare submitted a verbal report on the initial meeting at Hokitika, to discuss arrangements for the New Zealand Centennial in 1940. He said that they would have to advertise the West Coast, as it appeared it was going to be a big thing, on the lines of the Melbourne Centenary, and would create world-wide interest.

OF DOGS. The Grey Valley Farmers’ Union wrote asking the Council to consider tho early registration <jf all dogs in the County. It was pointed out that in previous lambing seasons halfstarved dogs had been a menace, and tho registration would reduce the number of useless dogs kept. The Inangahua County, it was stated, had already enforced the registration of dogs.

The Chairman: It is a question of how we are going to go about it, but it certainly wants doing. Cr Mulcare agreed that it should be

done. Tho Clerk said that the Act was still in force in the County, and they still got a few registrations, but never in his memory had the Council employed a collector. On the motion of Cr McDonnell it was decided that tho Clerk should obtain particulars of the Inangahua Council’s method of collection for the noil, mooting.

' The Engineer’s report on the heavy ftraffic loads being carried' on the district roads, requested last month, was i held over for discussion, together with

road classifications, at the next meet ing. . L Tho Council then went into committee to discuss'’ outstanding latcs.

TREASURER’S STATEMENT. The Treasurer (Mr M. Keating) submitted the following statement of receipts for the period, April 1, 1936 to August 3. 1936: — Rates £1054 .17/7; Vehicle Licenses £920/15/3; Sundry Licenses £337/14/2; Rents £2O/5/8; Refunds Comp, etc £lB6 18/7; Sales £54/18/1; Government Grants £96/14/6; Halves £Bl9/7/4; State Forests £369/6/5; Goldfields £1202/15/6; No. 5 Scheme £2298 12/6; Gold Scheme £10357/18/4; Sundry £317/2/9. Total £18,138/18/4. Applications by the Kumara Goldfields, Ltd., to construct box culvert across the Greenstone-Hohonu. and by E. Rubbo, to cross the Rapahoe station road with a water race, were granted, subject to conditions to be imposed by the Engineer.