GREY COUNTY COUNCIL

Grey River Argus, 10 September 1935, Page 8

GREY COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Grey County Council was held yesterday afternoon, there being present, Crs. J.« Byall, H. G. Carter, J. Muleare, A. Donnellan, W. T. Ogilvie, A. McDonnell, G. Blair, the Clerk (Mr. M, Keating) and the Engineer (Mr. J. Higgins). In the absence of the Chairman (Cr. J. W. Hannan) from whom an apology was received Cr. Byall was voted to the Chair, Accounts amounting to £1755 8s Id were passed for payment. The Main Highways Board wrote regarding the sea erosion at Barrytown stating that the cost of a survey of a new route at the present time was not warranted, and suggesting that in the meantime, the present route might be protected by brushwork. The Acting-Chairman said that Mr. P. C. Webb M. P. and himself ha I interviewed Mr. McKenzie in Wellington. and he was getting a report on the matter from Mr, B. T e Smith (District Public Works Engineer. In all probability the survey would be made In the meantime, he understood, the brushwork protection was to be carried out. The Golden Sands Mining Coy Ltd., wrote asking permission to sluice part of the unused road reserve adjoining the Company’s claim at Banytown.

On the motion of the Acting-Chair-man, and Cr, Ogilvie, the application was held over until the next meeting., for a report from the Engineer. Mr. J. O’Brien M.P, for Westland, advised that the Minister of Public Works had agreed to grant the following votes:— Orangipuku Bridge £250; Crooked Bi ver Road £2OO. The Acting-Chairman in reply to a question said that they were entirely new grants, and would nob even appear on the estimates, having been made out of the Minister’s own. giant.

On the motion of Cr. Muleare, it vs, decided that letters of thanks Lo sent to Messrs J. O’Brien and P- C. Webb- M. ’s.P., and that Or. Byall be ■thanked for their efforts in obtaining •the new grants. The New Zealand Counties Association forwarded a copy of remits passed at the recent conference requesting the Council to support the following resolution:—“That the Government be urged to pass legislation this session authorising the payment of a subsidy of £1 for £1 on all county roads.” The Acting-Chairman said that Mr. Jull, President of the Counties Association was very hopeful that such legislation would go through, and if it did, it would put the Council on a far better footing, than through the subsidy on rates. The Clerk: This Council would get £2OOO, instead of £5OO. Cr. Carter: It looks to me that it is just a way to get round the agitation for derating. The resolution, as suggested by the was moved by the Act-ing-Chairman, seconded by Cr. Bob insou and carried.

The Post and Telegraph Department wrote requesting the Council to support the Health Stamps Campaign, and to appoint a delegate to a meeting to be held at Greymouth to further it

’it was decided to support the campaign, and Cr. J. W. Hannan was appointed as the Council’s delegate to the meeting. Messrs Guinness and Ktiehingham forwarded a copy of an application for a water race by the New Biver Gold Dredging Coy, in Block 2. Holionu S.D., covering road reserve. On the motion of Cr. Ogilvie, it was decided to offer no objection to the granting of the application. The Unemployment Board ‘wrote stating that, as the result of a deputation to Mr Bromley on his recent visit to Blackball, it had been decided to grant a subsidy of 35/- per man per week, for the provision of a water supply for Blackball, and the Board was desirous of knowing whether the Council intended to take advantage of the offer.

The Engineer said that' water was already laid on to the town but re ticulation would mean a big expend! ture for pipes, and it was a question whether it was warranted. Cr. Muleare said that it might' be as well to go into the matter a little further, seeing that the Unemployment Board was prepared to help. It might be possible to expend the money offering there to help the citizens with work near at hand. It had already been decided to go into the question, and he thought the Council should proceed. He moved that the Engineer and himself meet the Blackball residents, and find out if anything could be done in the matter. The motion was seconded by the Acting-Chairman and carried. In reply to a question, the Clerk said that as far as he knew it'here would be no subsidy on material. Cr. Muleare: It would want more than a subsidy on labour, but still it can be looked into. The Barrytown Black Sands Coy Ltd., wrote requesting the Council to assist’ in the provision of access to the claim near Baker’s Creek. The letter was referred to the Eng ineer for a report. The United Sawmillers Ltd.* wore granted permission to cross the Camerons Terrace (Road with a telephone line from the Camerons Post Office to t'heir office. An application by W. R. Cobur n to erect a fence across a track at Neame’s Flat, Marsden was granted on the motion of Crs. Ogilvie and Muleare. Bourke Bros, applied for permission to put a culvert under the road at Barrytown flat, south of Fagan’s Creek. On the motion of Crs. Byall and Ogilvie permission was granted subject to conditions imposed by the Engineer. Cr. Muleare said that, in regard to the Blackball-Brunner road, he would suggest that the lengtlh constructed some time ago should be strengthened, as it was only a light road at pre sent. The Public Works Department were operating there with unemploy cd labour, and the work may be able to be done at the present time. He moved that the Engineer furnish a report on the matter to the next' meeting. In reply to a question the Engineer said that the work would be better done, as it would be a great' help towards future maintenance The motion was seconded by Cr. Robinson was carried. On the motion of Cr. Carter, the Engineer was instructed to bring down a further report regarding the jetty' and the Domain Road, at Moana.

The Acting-Chairman asked the Engineer whether there was any possibility of speeding up the Ten Mile deviation by placing extra gangs on. or some other expedient. The Engineer. The co-operative contractors are doing pretty well at present. The Acting-Chairman: Yes. but I think it could b* speeded up. The Engineer said that he would investigate -the position. REPORT OF CONFERENCE. Cr. Byall, delegate to the recent Counties Conference, ■submitted the following report: — “1 beg to report that I attended the Triennial Conference of the N.Z. Counties which was held at Wellington on Wednesday and Thursday August 28th and 29th. The Conference was a fully representative one, practially every County in N.Z. being represented thereat. The President M. A. E. Jull who has occupied the position of President for the past 31 years in his address to the Conference, referred to the many problems facing the County Councils in Dominion. He referred to the demand for a £ for £ subsidy on expenditure on roads other than Main Highways, the much vexed question of Hospital taxation and the refusal of the Government to recognise any liability in connection with rates for land leased from the Crown or over which the State Advances held a mortgage. He was hopeful however that before long this long felt injustice would be remedied. A remit to the effect that the Government should be liable for rates in the same manner as other mortgagees was carried, as was a remit asking for a £ for £ subsidy in respect of all expenditure on roads other than Main Highways. A deputation from .the ' Conference ( waited upon the Government and the various remits passed by the Conference were placed before the Cabinet. The remits to which particular atten •t’ion was drawn, were those dealing with Government subsidies, the present unsatisfactory system of Hospital Levies and the payment of rates by Government Departments and the problem of Native Rates, which are almost impossible to collect.