GREY COUNTY COUNCIL

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 December 1939, Page 4

GREY COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. | The monthly meeting of the Grey I County Council was held last evening, there being present Crs. J. ilyall (Chairman), G. Blair, J. W. Hannan, J. Miucaie, W. Fisher, A. Robinson. A. McDonnell, 11. G. Carter, the Engineer (Mr. J. Higgins) and the Clerk (Miss E. M. Heaphyj. Accounts amounting to £3624/4/3 were approved, and others totalling £22/0/4 were passed for payment. Dr. T. Fletcher Telford, Medical Officer of Health, Christchurch, wrote advising that, as from December 1, he would be relinquishing control of the West Coast Health District and that, fiom the date mentioned, Dr. K. J. H. Davies would be medical officer of Health for the Westland District. Dr. Teilord also expressed his thanks and appreciation for the co-operation and many courtesies he had received from the Council. 'fhe Chairman moved that the letter be received and that a letter expressing appreciation of his services be forwarded to Dr. Telford. In seconding the motion, which was carried, Cr. Mulcare said that Dr. Telford's services during the epidemic would never be forgotten by the people of the West Coast. The Medical Officer of Health for Westland (Dr. Davies) wrote requesting information regarding the present position concerning the Blackball water supply, and whether there was anything further to report to the position as it was in May, 1937. Cr. Mulcare said that the people of Blackball always had the question in mind, and if a workable scheme could be evolved it was only a mattr of finance. It was decided that the Clerk should reply to the letter, setting out the position. Mr. G. Anderson. Lingren’s Terrace, Blackball, wrote drawing attention to the bad condition of the road leading to his property and requesting that a few loads of gravel be placed on it. The Engineer reported that the matter had been attended to. Mr. S. J. McGrath, Nine Mile, wrote applying for a year-to-year lease of a four acre piece of land between the 91 and 10 mile pegs on the Coast road, for grazing purposes. The application was referred to the Engineer, for a report at the next meeting, as was an application by Mr. A. T. Richards, Barrytown, for the use of a road reserve adjoining his property. White’s Electric Gold Dredging Ltd. applied for permission to construct a pipe line culvert under the road leading from the main highway to Golden Sands settlement. It was decided to offer no objection, provided that the conditions laid down by the Engineer were complied with. TRAMWAY CROSSINGS. Messrs Guinness and Kitchingham, on behalf of Hahn Bros., Ahaura, forwarded applications for licenses for two tramways, crossing the road. The Engineer said that the matter of bonds from the Sawmillers’ Association had not yet been finalised. Cr. Mulcare: They are just about making a joke of the Council over it. Cr. Carter suggested that Hahn Bros, should be advised that the Council could not deal with their application until the matter was finalised with the Sawmillers’ Association.

The Engineer: That would help to bring it to a head. On the motion of Crs. Carter and McDonnell, it was decided that Cr. Carter’s suggestion be given effect to. Cr. Mulcare: 'Would it not be a good idea to clean the whole matter up? We have already got a resolution on the books stating that permission for the tramways will be withdrawn, unless the matter is adjusted.

The Chairman said that they did not want to be too hard on the millers, provided that they knew they were doing something in the matter. Cr. Mulcare: It has been hanging fire for over six months. Cr. Robinson: We warned them three or four months ago and the only thing to do is to lift up some of the crossings. They are having a joke with the Council. Cr. Carter said that the resolution passed that evening should; give the Council an indication of what was going to be done. Surely Hahn Bros, would move the Association in the matter. He did not wish to be hard on any particular miller, but they should make the Association reach finality . Cr. Robinson: The hard part is that we are blocking Hahns, while the others are carrying on. The Chairman said that ,he did not think any member of the Council wished to be hard on the millers, but the matter had to be finalised. Cr. Mulcare remarked that the Council could see whether the resolution passed that evening did any good, and the discussion was allowed to lapse. Messrs Joyce and Taylor forwarded a dedication of part section 3373, Block 16. Greymouth S.D., containing six perches, as a public road, from Esina Hogarth to the Council. —Approved. The District Engineer. Public Works Department, wrote forwarding tracing of land to be taken for a road and a road to he closed in Blocks 4 Mawheranui and 1 Ahaura S.D., in connection with improvements at Orwell Creek, for consent of the Council. —Approved. The Commissioner of Crown Lands, Hokitika, forwarded tracings of a road reserve proposed to be closed and disposed of. in Block 10. Mawheranui S.D. —Approved. The Main Highways Board’s District Representative (Mr. R. Trevor Smith) wrote, stating that the Board did not consider the Council’s Engineer’s reply concerning the Barrytown deviation and the Council’s financial position as satisfactory. When allocating the Council’s liability for the deviation. the letter stated, the Board gave special consideration to the financial position of the County, and was of the opinion that the offer to carry out the work with the comparatively small contribution was an exceedingly generous one. In addition to reducing the Council’s share to what was considered the barest minimum, the Board agreed to load the amount over tour or five years, to further assist I lie Council. A contract had been let for the bulk of the work and it was expected to call tenders for the bridge wort shortly. The Board would much prefer, the letter continued, that the Council. ackfiOwlidge its reebonjsihih ity. rathe* than that the should

be required to exercise its powers conferred under Section 19 of the Main Highways Act, 1922. ' The Chairman moved that the letter be received, remarking that the matter would be dealt with in the report of the deputation which interviewed the Minister of Public Works on his recent visit.

The Board’s representative forwarded an extract from a Gazette relative to the declaration of the Inangahua. Junction-Haast Pass highway as a main highway, and stated that the control would be retained by the Main Highways Board.

In reply to representations made by the Engineer, the Highways Board’s representative (Mr. Smith) advised that the Nelson Creek deviation had not yet been gazetted a main highway, but early in the New Year the new deviation would be. declared part of (he Inangahua Junction to Haast Pass main highway, the length of old road between the Ngahere end of the deviation and the present end of the Ngahere to Haupiri Junction Main Highway would be declared an extension of that highway, and the position of the old main highway from the present, junction of the Ngahere to Haupiri Junction Main Highway to the northern end of the deviation, including the old Nelson Creek bridge, would then : become- county. Before this was done, the length to be handed back to the county was to be resurfaced with crushed metal. The Chairman: That is satisfactory. The Highways Board representative forwarded a copy of a Gazette notice relative to the declaration of the Ngahere-Blackball road as a Main Highway, and advised that the question of the control of this highway would be considered by the Board at its next meeting.

In moving that a letter of thanks be sent to the member for the district (Mr. Webb) Cr. Mule,a re said he thought that it was largely due to his efforts that the road had been declared a highway, and it. would mean, a considerable saving to the Council. The motion was carried. Referring to the Coal Creek protection embankment. Cr. Carter, said that he had noticed cattle grazing on it. and tramping it down. He did not think it should be allowed and he suggested that it should be fenced off. He also suggested that willows should be planted as an extra, protection on the river side. The Chairman: But the District Engineer does not believe in willows. Cr. Carter: I don't know why. They have to be controlled, but they have saved thousands of acres of land on the West Coast. Cr. Robinson asked whose responsibility the bank was now. The Chairman: That is one of the things we do not know. Cr. Robinson: Well, t think we should. The Chairman said that the Council had agreed to fix the weaknesses in the bank, with unemployed labour, and the Minister had promised to supply 1001 b of grass seed, but it had not. come to hand. Cr. Mulcare said that it was the usual policy of the Public Works Department when it completed a job to hand it over to a local authority. The Chairman: They will probably keep an eye on it, but that is all thev ' -.ill do. Reporting on an application by Mr. ( Albert Habhab for access to his property near Ahaura, tie Engineer said

that it would be an expensive pro position to put in a proper road, anti he suggested that the applicant might be satisfied with a grant of £IC towards putting in a road sufficient tor his needs. It was decided to communicate the Engineer's suggestion to Mr. Hannah The Engineer reported that, in company with the Chariman, he had waited on the Minister of Public Works (Mr. Semple) on his recent visit, and had placed before him several matters, including the Brown River bridge at Bell Hill, the Barrytown deviation and the Brown Grey bridge. Suggestions had been made, but nothing definite had been promised. In regard to the Barrytown deviation, the Minister had said that the Council would have to pay something. The Chairman said that, written replies from the Minister would probably be received in a few days. The report of the deputation was received, and they were thanked for their efforts. It was decided that the office staff be granted the usual Christmas holidays. ; It was decided to treat the question of the street drainage at Ahaura. discussed at several recent meetings, as a matter of urgency, after the end of the present financial year. The Clerk was instructed to insert advertisements in the newspapers, drawing the attention of County residents to their liability to register dogs. TRE ASURER'S S TAT EMEN T. The Treasurer .presented the following statement of receipts for the period April 1 to November 30. 1939, the estimates for the year ending March 31, 1940, being shown in paren111G SGS I — Rates £2358/3/8 (£7600); vehicle licenses £2451/10/4 (£3700): sundry licenses £466 (£500); royalties and rents £lO/10/- (£60); sales and hire £lB7/14/1 (£130); compensation refunds £69/7/6 (£120); main highways £3944/12/2 (£8.359); Government grants £1617/13/2 (£5218); ‘halves" and "thirds” £757/18/11 (£750): “tlit'ths" and “tenths” £1243 13/9 (£ 2900); goldfields £4031/5/1 £450(1); employment schemes £7BlO 10/11 (£ 13.000): sundry revenue £429/8/3 (£850); totals £25.378 7/10 (£47.6871.

The Clerk said that she hoped to receive a good proportion of the rates before the office closed for the holidays. to avoid congestion early in the New Year.

As it was the last meeting of the year, the Chairman extended season's greetings to the councillors.