GREY COUNTY COUNCIL

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 December 1940, Page 4

GREY COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. 5 The monthly meeting of the Grey County Council was held last evening, there being present, Crs. J. W. Hannan (chairman), A. McDonnell, J. M. Eadie, W. Fisher, J. Mulcare, G. Blair, A. Robinson, H. G. Carter, the Engineer (Mr J. Higgins) and the Clerk (Miss E. M. Heaphy).. The Grey Hospital Board advised that Mr A. Robinson had resigned his seat on the Board, and by virtue of Section 25 (1) of the Act, the Council was required to appoint a duly qualified person to fill the .vacancy. Cr. McDonnell moved that Cr. Fisher be appointed to fill the vacancy. The motion was seconded by Cr. Blair and carried, there being no further nominations. In returning thanks, Cr. Fisher said that he would endeavour to do his best, in the interests of the Council an the hospital. The Public Works Department forwarded an authority‘for £254 (£2 for £1) for the Brown River Bridge work at Bell Hill. The Greymouth branch of the Plunket Society wrote, soliciting the usual donation to the Society’s funds.. —lt was decided to make a donation of £5, the same amount as last year. The Greymouth Surf Life Saving Club wrote asking for the annual donation to assist the club to carry outdts life-saving work on the Blaketown beach, and pointing out the necessity for a rescue station. The Chairman said that the club did not operate in the county, but provided protection for county residents who used the beach. . It was decided to donate £2/2/-, the same amount as last year. The Barrytown Settlers’ Association wrote drawing attention to the dangerous bends over the “razor back” near the Punakaiki River, and stressing that the school childrens conveyance traversed the road daily. The Engineer said that the same matter was brought up two years ago, and the Council then applied to the Highways Board for a free grant for. the work. A reply was received that the matter would be considered, but that was all that had happened. It was not a matter that could be taken on in the ordinary way, as there was a lot of rock to shift. The Chairman: Is it a ]ob that should be done, if it could be.

— The Engineer: Yes. It was decided to forward the leanest to the Highways Board.. Messrs Guinness and Kitchingham forwarded, on behalf of the New Forest Sawmilling Company, a copy of three applications for tramways, crossing the old road at Ngahere, the Ngahere-Haupiri highway, and tne Kangaroo track. It was decided to approve the applications, subject to the applicants entering into the necessary deed. Mr A. Haste, Rotomanu, wrote drawing attention to the damage being caused to his property by Puzzle Creek overflowing its banks and carrying gravel on his land. One oi his homesteads had already been ruined, and although he understood that the Engineer had the matter oi channelling in hand, he asked the matter be made urgent. The Engineer said that he naa nothing in hand, and thought it was too ‘ dangerous to touch. The creek brought down a lot of shingle and any interference with it might involve the Council in legal proceedings by other landholders. Cr. Robinson said he agreed that it would take a lot of money to fix.The Chairman moved that, in accordance with the Engineer’s recommendation, the Council should take no action in the matter, and that it be left to the Engineer to explain the position to Mr Haste. The motion was seconded by cr. Mulcare, and carried. ROTOMANU CREEKS. The Rotomanu Branch of the Farmers’ Union wrote forwarding the following requests:—(l) That the cutting in the rock on Hodgkinson s Road be widened; (2), that the following creeks be bridged:—Maori Creek, Pigeon Creek and the creek just on the Greymouth side of the 31|-mile peg on the Bell Hill-Poerua. The Engineer replied that he had' replied informing the Branch that the rock cutting would be done when opportunity offered. Drawings , had been made for bridges across Maori and Pigeon Creeks, and amounts appeared on the Public Works Estimates to assist in their construction, but as the proffered assistance was on a£2 for £1 basis, the Council was compelled, on account of its financial position to defer the matter. If conditions improved, it might ■be possible to deal with them next year. The creek near the 31f-mile peg was the worst of the three, but the conditions obtaining were not stable enough to warrant the erection, of a permanent structure. It was intended to construct a culvert at the creek near the 32-mile shortly. ' The Greymouth Branch of the Canterbury. Automobile Association also wrote asking what chance tlHne was of Pigeon and Maori Creeks being bridged in the near future. The Engineer-said that he had replied, stating that there was little ilkelihood of the bridges being erected this financial year, and enclosing a copy of the letter to the Rotomanu Farmers’ Union. On the motion of Crs. Mulcare and Carter, it was decided that the Engineer’s replies in both cases be approved and that further replies be sent notifying the respective bodies that the Council would do its best in the matter next year. ' The Commissioner of Crown Lands wrote, stating that Messrs Baty Bros., of Coal Creek, desired to obtain a freehold title to portions of road reserve which had been cleared and grassfed by them along the bank of Coal Creek. Sufficient widths would be reserved for all road purposes. A tracing showing the road proposed to be closed and applied for was enclosed. The Engineer said that there was a big reserv.e on the banks of the creek and it was not wanted for road purposes. As long as there was sufficient left for the existing'road and for access along the banks of the creek, he could see no objection. The matter was left to the Engineer to finalise.

The Public Works Department forwarded plans of road proposed to be closed and to be vested in the Railways Department and Mrs Malone, in connection with the Nelson Creek (South jßeach) crossing elimination. —Approved. • Messrs Joyce and Taylor, on behalf of Messrs Jack Bros., Ltd., forwarded

a memorandum of transfer of part section 2986 (2 acres 2 roods 28 perches), Block 2, Brunner S.D.) foil execution and plan for approval. The Engineer s'aid that the transfer was in connection with an application by Mr Priest for road access at Kotuku. The Council had. decided to secure a title to the ground required in the meantime, at a cost of £5. The transfer and plan were approved. HOME GUARD COMMITTEES. Cr. Ryall, as chairman of the Barrytown Home Guard meeting, reported that it has been decided to recommend the following as the Bcirrytown Committee: —Messrs A. V. Nisbett, T. B. Gilooly, P. Wafer,' S. H. Jones, R. J. Johnston, and J. Ryall. ,Cr. Fisher advised that the following had been recommended as the Ngahere Committee: —Messrs J. Blyth, D. Baigent, J. Donaldson senr., G. H. Gibson senr., T. Furlong and W. Fisher.

The Chairman said that the position in regard to the committees was that they were to be appointed by the Council, recommendations being received from the localities concerned.

The Barrytown and Ngahere Committees were appointed in accordance with the recommendations. The Chairman said that a meeting had also been held at Blackball, but a committee had not been submitted, and he asked whether Cr. Mulcare y/ould arrange for a further meeting jn Blackball, as it was necessary to have the committee appointed. ’ Cr. Mulcare said that he had received only a moment’s notice of the .meeting, as had happened before, and ,he was not able to attend. He asked jvhy a. committee was not nominated at the meeting. i The Chairman: Apparently they overlooked the necessity of doing so. Cr. Fisher said that 52 enrolments for the Guard had been received at the meeting, and the appointment of a committee had been overlooked. Cr. Carter said he regretted that, owing to personal affairs, he had been unable to visit Kotuku and Moana, but he would arrange meetings at those centres at an earlv date.

Referring again to the Blackball meeting, the Chairman said that he had been informed by Brigadier General Meldrum that after he received notice of the meeting, he had communicated with Cr. Mulcare, who said that he (Cr. Mulcare) could not attend, and obje^ +n Cr. Carteltaking his place. The Supreme Court sitting was on at the time and he (the Chairman) was not able to attend himself.

Cr. Mulcare: Yes, I objected, and I gave him my reasons. The Chairman (to Cr. Mulcare): Blackball wants a Home Guard, and if you do not care to preside we will 'get someone else. If you are not prepared to do it, I. do not see why you should object to someone else. Cr. Mulcare: If I-could find out who is responsible in Blackball I could contact them in the matter. The Chairman: The position is now that the Council is responsible for the Home Guard and we want a meeting in Blackball. I .suggest that if you do not want to attend, we can make other arrangements. Cr. Mulcare:. I will discuss it with the people there 'whom . I represent and get their opinion on it. In the case of the first , meeting I received

only a moment’s notice and I could not get away. The Chairman: The position is that it is no use begging the question. If you are not prepared to go, I will preside myself. Cr Mulcare: All right. The discussion then lapsed. The Director of Education wrote, asking that a light be installed outside the Blackball School gates. Cr. Mulcare: We have the maximum number of lights we can get, have we not? The Chairman: Yes, and the mum we can pay for out of the special lighting rate. Cr. Mulcare moved that the request be forwarded to the Power Board, remarking that the Board might meet it sympathetically, as they did at Kotuku. The motion was seconded by Cr. Carter, and carried. \

The Chairman said that notice had been received of an appeal by Mr F. L. Turley against his conviction for a traffic offence, on a charge brought by the County Inspector (Mr Sloss). It would not be brought on in the Supreme Court until next March, and it was just a question of referring the matter tp the Council’s solicitor. It was decided that the matter be referred to the Council’s solicitor. The Director of the National Service Department advised that armlets were available for issue to the personnel of the Emergency Precautions Organisation, and stated that organisations should advise the number likelv to be reouired. The Chairman said that he would like to mention the amount of work being done in the county generally on account of the Patriotic Fund. A shop day had been held last Friday, resulting in £144/13/7 being raised, more than double any previous shopday effort. The whole of the produce sold had been supplied by people in the county, and he thought that the Council should show its appreciation of the efforts of the residents of the county, and of the secretary (Miss Heaphy). Reporting on the proposed road access to the cage across the Arnold River at Kokiri, the Engineer said that he had visited the locality in company with Crs. Carter and Mulcare, and they had discussed the matter with the owner of the land required for the road, Mr Newman, and Mr and Mirs Cornish and Mr O’Neill, the settlers on the other side of the river. * Mr Newman would sell the land required for £lO, subject to the road being fenced, Mr Cornish would supply and erect the fence on one side of the road, and Mr O’Neill would do the same on the other side. The estimated cost of construction' of the road, including a small bridge, was £165, exclusive of £3B worth of material on hand, making the total £203.

In reply to a question by Cr. Mulcare, the Engineer said that it might be well worth while to apply for part of the Government subsidy allocated for the bridge over the river, on the basis of £2 for £l, as .the approach would be essential to the bridge. On the motion of Crs. Carter and Mulcare, it was decided to apply for the subsidy for the access road, pointing out its necessity, and also to approach the Member for the District on- the matter. Reporting on an application by Mr W. Thomas to build a house on road reserve at Kotuku, the Engineer said that the landholder on* whose frontage

the reserve was, objected to the erection of the house and intimated that he intended to apply to the Commissioner of Crown Lands to close the reserve. It was decided to advise Mr Thomas of the position. The Chairman asked whether the Councillors had any better ideas than the proposals submitted at the last meeting for a change in the riding system in +he county, and deferred until the January meeting. If so, they should bring them forward before, the publication of the notice of the special order. Cr. Carter said he thought the proposal for three • big ridings was a good one. . Cr. Mulcare said he insisted that something should be done to alter the system, which had been scandalous, whatever was the best system.

Cr. Carter said he did not think they could improve upon the Engineer’s scheme for three big ridings. It seemed to be by far the fairest. Cr. Mulcare said that the Engineer was neutral, and had an intimate knowledge of every -yard of the county. He (Cr. Mulcare) did not think anyone could improve on the Engineer’s scheme;

Further discussion on the matter was deferred until the . January meeting, as previously agreed upon. It was decided that the January meeting be held on January 16, , instead- of January 2, owing to the intervention of the holidays.

TREASURER’S STATEMENT. • The Treasurer submitted the following statement of receipts for the period, April 1 to November 30, 1940, with the estimates for the year shown in parentheses^—Rates £2790/5/6 £9,000); vehicle licenses £2,397/5/1 (£3500); sundry licenses £490/3/6 (£450); royalties and rents £2B (£50); sales and hire £315/2/7 (£150); compensation refunds £l2O 11/2 (£100); main highways £2047 9/3 (£7400); Government grants £345/4/4 (£2221); “halves” and “thirds” £525/18/1 (£800); “fifths” and “tenths”. £1678/19/1 (£2750); goldfields £2998/6/4 (£5500); employment schemes £9964/12/6 (£13,000); sundries £760/9/8 (£800). Totals, £24,462/7/(£45,721). The statement was received. Accounts amounting to £2,885/1/were approved and others totalling £Bl5/16/8 were passed for payment.