General Items

Grey River Argus, 5 November 1949, Page 8

General Items

To fill vacancies on local bodies caused by the death of Mr. W. H. Mclntyre, the Buller County Council has appointed Cr. M. Clarke,, of Denniston, to the Buller Hospital Board, and Cr. W. H. Gourley to the Buller Electric Power Board and Buller Milk Board. An election will be held during the first week in December to fill the vacancy on the County Council. A deputation of thirteen Broughan Stret residents complained to the Buller County Council for delay in carrying out drainage, water supply installation and footpath improvements in the area, Mrs. J. Risk said it was considered unfair that the residents should have to pay increased rates for services which they had not as yet received. Another member of the deputation said (hat the water from the wells was filthy and it was not right that mothers with babies and other young children should have to use it. Anof the deputation said ( that she had to go to her relatives’ place to get clean water for her child for washing, and another member said that she was often forced to use her neighbour’s gateway to get to and from her own residence to the road, because of the (flooding which occured on the frontage of the section. The chairman (Cr. M. Durkin), who represents that section on the council, told the deputation there had been many complications in getting the work underway, and the engineer was very keen to get it completed. The engineer, Mr. C. F. Schadidk, reminded the deputation they paid only a small rate. The deputation re/lied they would be pleased to pay twice as much to get the works done. Mr. Schadick said the work would cost £BOOO, and trouble had been experienced in getting grants to meet part of the cost which, at the amount named would have been too heavy for the council to meet. He added that the work had been held up because of no pipes being available, but that problem had now been solved, and they would be available on Monday next, when a start would be made. He gave the women an assurance that all three works would be started together. The senior engineer of the Works Department at Westport, wrote requesting the council to take over the maintenance of the new road to the Charming Creek mine. Mr. Schadick said that the annual cost of maintaining this road would be £l2OO. Cr. Durkin said it would b e advisable to check up on the council’s ability to finance the extra work. The engineerclerk should proceed to Wellington to interview Treasury officials about getting grants for works which were not altogether the council's concern. It was decided not to take over the road until some satisfactory agreement was reached.