GREY COUNTY COUNCIL

Grey River Argus, 6 December 1940, Page 5

GREY COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. There were present at the monthly meeting of the Grey County Council held last evening: Councillors J. W. Hannan (chairman), J. M. Eadie, W. Fisher, A. McDonnell, J. Mulcare, A. Robinson, G. Blair, H Carter, ’the Engineer, Mr J. Higgins, and the Clerk, Miss E. M. Heaphy. Accounts amounting to £2,885 Is were approved of and accounts amounting to £Bl5 16s 8d were passed for payment. The Grey Hospital Board advised that Cr. R. Robinson had resigned his seat on the Board, and asked that an appointment be made to fill th e vacancy. > The Chairman said that the Council should make an appointment, and on the' motion of Cr. McDonnell, seconded by Cr. Blair, Cr. F.sher was appointed to the Board.

Cr. Fisher thanked the Councillors for his appointment, saying that he would do his best on th e Board. The Public Works Department, forwarded authority for £245 on a basis of £2 for £l, for work on the Brown River Bridge at Bell Hill. The Greymouth Branch of the Plunket Society wrote soliciting a donation. On Cr. Carter’s motion, seconded by Cr. Blair, it was decided to make th e usual donation of £5. The Greymouth Surf and Life Saving Club wrote for a donation towards the carrying out of life-saving work; on the Blaketown beach. It was decided to make a donation of £2 2s. The chairman said that, although the beach was on the Borough, County residents would be using the beach during the summer. Cr. Mulcare said that it would be a gesture of goodwill. The Barrytown «Settlers’ Association wrote drawing attention to dangerous bends on the road over the Razorback, near the Punakaiki River, pointing out that a school children's conveyance travelled over the road .every day. Th & Engineer said that years ago the matter had been referred to the Main Highways Board for a grant. The Board promised to consider the matter but no more had been heard about it. A good deal of work was necessary to improve the road, as there was a lot of rock in the ground. The job should be done It was decided to refer the matter to th e Highways Board with a request for an improvement to the road.

Messrs Guinness and Kitchingham on account of New Forest, Sawmilling Company forwarded printed copies of applications Nos. 156/40, 157/40, and 167/40 to the Warden for Tramways. The applications were approved of. Mr A. Haste, Rotomanu, wrote drawing attention to damage being caused to his property by tne overflow of Puzzle Creek. Already one of his homesteads had been ruined. He requested that the matter be given urgent attention. The Engineer said that he did not intend to touch the matter, as. it was too dangerous. Th e matter was 100 big for the County. Tne water carrying the debri s might go on and fill up th e drains.

Cr. Carter said that the erosion was on the hillside and the spoil and debris were being vvashed down to the creek. Cr. Fisher said that the water w...s running through th e nouses. Cr. Carter said tnat the debris would spoil a lot of ground in the district. . The matter enected a large number of people. He suggested that the Council get in touch with tne Government with a view to seemg what could be done. The ground below Mr Haste’s property was being ruined.

The Engineer said that the erosion wollcl be difficult to stop.

Cr. Fisher said that bush nnd undergrowth were stopping the distribution of the, debris a great cieal.

It was decided to take no action, and it was left to Uie Engineer to explain to Mr Haste the position, on the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Cr. Mulcare. i The Rotomanu Farmers’ Union wrote asking that improvements by widening be made at Hodgkinson’s road, and that the following creeks be bridged: Maori, and Pigton, and also the creek at the 313 miles peg near the Bell Hill-Poerua r. letter was received from the Grey Branch of the Automobile Association, Canterbury, regarding the possibility of having the Pigeon and Maori Creeks bridged. The Engineer’s reply stating that it was n °f possible to do the jobs this financial year was confirmed on the motion of Cr. Mulcare, who stated that the Council would do its very best to complete the matter next year, seconded bv Or Carter. A letter from the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Hokitika, regarding the road proposed to be closed nBi'ock 4, Cobden S.D., was left in the Engineer’s hands. It was decided to accede to the request of the District Engineer. Public Works Department, that consent be granted to the taking of the land in Sections 3008, 3009, 50/19, and 30/07, Block 51 XVI, Greymouth S. containing 2 acres 2 roods 12 perches, and used for the purpose of a new road, and also to the closing of the old road abutting on Section 3009, Block XVI, containing 1 acr=> 0 roods and 33 perches, thus eliminating the Nelson Creek crossing. Messrs Joyce and Taylor, on beh.aJ of Messrs Jack Bros. Ltd., forwarded a memorandum of transfer of part of Section 2986 containing 2 acres 2 roods 28 perches, Block U Brunner S.D., for execution and plan for approval. The plan was approved. Cr. Ryah. forwarded a list lor approval of persons recommended tor the. committee of the Home Guard at Barrytown. The committee was approvd a s follows: Messrs A. V. Nesbett, T. B. GiEovly, P. Wafer, S. H. Jones, A. R. Johnson, and J. KyalCr. Fisher forwarded similar recommendations for the Home Guaid a Ngahere which were approved as io/ lows: Messrs J. Blyth, D. Baigent, JDonaldson, senr., G. H. Gibson, senr.. T. Thurlong and W. Fisher. The Chairman said that a Home Guard meeting had been held at Blackball', but no committe had been set up. There had been a mipe meeting, but there had been no member of the Council present to preside. He asked Cr. Mulcare to arrange a meeting to obtain nominations for the committee-. Cr. Mulcare said that he had not been notified that there was a meeting, until 1 I p.m., and it was then too late to diop everything and go to the meeting, as 1 he had another engagement. Cr. Carter said that he regretted that owing to personal affairs he had been unable to visit Kotoku and Moana.

The Chairman to Cr. Mulcare: “Blackball wants a Home Guard, and if you, do not care to attend the meetings, som e , one else would.” Cr. Mulcare said that he had been twice informed that a meeting was to be held, but it had been too late to alter hi s aijrangem ( ent v s. The Chairman said that the Council was responsible for the formation of the Home Guard, and if Cr. Mulcare was not prepared to do the job, he (the Chairman) would do it himself if necessary. Cr. Mulcar e . said that he would see the men who had organised the previous meeting. The Director of Education wrote asking the Council to instal a street light outside the Blackball school gates Cr Mulcare said that the maximum number of lights in the agreemnt with the Grey Electric Bower Board, had been installed in Blackball. The chairman stated that the maximum amount of money had been spent on the Blackball street lights also. Cr. Mulcare suggested that, the letter be forwarded to the Power Board with a view to seeing what they could do in th e matter. It was decided to act on the suggestion and point out that the Council had spent the whole of the special lighting rates in Blackball. Notification wa s served on the Council to the effect that Mr F. L. Turley had appealed against the Magistrate’s decision in a case brought by the County’s Traffic Inspector. It was decided to have rhe County Solicitor appear in the Court when the appeal was heard. The Chairman said that the appeal would not be heard until next March. The Chairman, in referring to the good work done by County members in regard to Patriotic funds, said that in the shop day last Friday, £144 13s 7d was raised, this being a much larger total than realised on any previous shop day effort. The whole of the produce available was sold. He expressed his appreciation to the ladies of the County for their good work, and especially referred to the good work done by the Secretary, Miss Heaphy. . The Engineer reported regarding proposed access to Mr Cornish’s property at Atarau, that he had discussed the matter with Mr Newman, the owner of the property through which the road must pass, and he had agreed to sell the land wanted for £lO, provided that th c road was fenced on both sides. He had also spoken to Mr O’Neill, and he, with Mr Cornish, had consented to erect a fence on each side of the road. The estimated cost of the road would be £165, which, With £35, the cost of materials on hand, would make a total of £203. Th e length of the road was to be five chains. It wou.d be worth while to try to obtain a subsidy of £2 for £1 for the road, as it would lead right up to the proposed bridge. On the motion of Cr. Carter, seconded by Cr. Mulcare, it was decided to approach the Governmnet for a subsidy, pointing out the urgency of building the approach. In reference to th e application by William Thomas for a permit, to build a house on the side of the road near Kotuku, the Engineer stated he had visited the area and found that Mr Molloy, the owner of the properly on which the house was to be built, obected to the building, and had; asked that the access road b e closed. It was decided to acquaint Mr Thomas with Mr Molloy’s objection. The Chairman asked if the Coun-

ci.lors had any new ideas in reguiu to new divisions of the County ridings. Cr. Carter said that he was quite in favour of th 6 scheme worKect out Ly the engineer. Cr. Mulcare said that somethin; should ue done to equa’jse repre ?ntation of the ridings. The pi.sv..t position was scandalous. ‘■Something was obviously wrong with the present system. The position of the Paroa riding had been more acusi* in the nist iew years, but other ridings were as badly off. Cr. Carter said that no improvement could be made on the Engineer’s scheme. It was decided 1 to hold the next meeting of the Council on January 16, 1941. The Treasurer’s statement of i<ceipts for period ended Novemoer 30, 1940, with the estimates for the year in parenthesis, was as follows: Rafes 2790 5s 6d (£9000);/ vehicle licenses £2397 5s Id (£3500); sundry licenses £490 3s 6d (£450); royalties and rents £2B (£50); sales and hire £315 2s 7d (£150); compensation refunds £l2O 11s 2d (£100); Mam Highways £2047 9s 3d (£7400);, Government grants £345 4s 3d (£2221), “halves” and “thirds” £525 18s in (£800); “fifths” and “tenths £16(8 19s Id (£2750); goldfields £2998 6s 4a (£5500); employment schemes £"°4 12s 6d (£13,000); sundries £760 9 S 8d (£800); total, £24,462 7s 0d (£45,721).