LAKE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Lake County Press, Issue 2790, 19 June 1919, Page 5

LAKE COUNTY COUNCIL.

(From Lake Wakatip Mail.) Ordinary and special meetings of the Lake County Council were held in toe Council Chambers last Wednesday. Present: Cre. W. Reid (chairman*, W, Gordon. Geo. Reid, Si S. Reid* G. S. Edie. P. D Thornsonl, P. T. Lynch, J. S, Collins and J. • Cockburn. The minutes of last ordinary meeting were read and confirmed and out»ward correspondence read and apPI XNWAJID CORRESPONDENCE. The clerk, Cromwell Borough Council, wrote asking the Council to endorse a resolution passed by his Council relative, to urging the Government to proceed immediately with the LW Hawera hydro-electrio scheme.—Endorsed on, the motion of Cre Thomson and Collins. _ • The Palmerston, North Chamber oi Commerce submitted resolutions regarding the advisability of. the Government controlling the mam arterial roads of the Dominion. Cr Thomson asked would this mean that the Council would then only have to maintain the by-roads in the °°Cr Edie thought the Council should ascertain where they were before they committed themselveeq lr the Government took over the main roads the County would probably ba taxed extra for theumaintenance. . Cr. Geo. Reid thought that if tine Government took over the main roads they would probably not make the usual grants to local bodies for mam roads maintenance and would carry out the work themselves in f^ ea * He was of opinion that it could be done cheaper by the Public Works Department and it would be less burden to the taxpayers. He certainly thought the idea worth considering. Cn Cockburn was in favour of U\ Edie's suggestion that enquiries should be made before any step was taken. The Inspector, called, said the recent Conference did not deal with this matter, but he had heard that the Government had some such idea. The Chairman thought it might prevent any grants being made for byroads altogether. The letter was receivied. Hon D. H. Guthrie!, Minister ot Lands, wrote stating that the Minister of Agriculture had promised to crive every consideration to the suggestion of the deputation from the Council that the Government might supply bisulphide at a cheap rate to farmers for rabbit destruction—Received. The Minister of Internal Affairs wrote stating that the Peace Celebrations would take plaoe ?n tne second Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday after the signing of the Peace Treaty. This would afford more time for preparation.—Received. "From the same Minister intimating •that the Government had decided) to introduce legislation authorising Local Bodies to make grants out of their funds for permanent peace memonaisu Writer pointed out that this .did not effect the Government's decision that the Government subsidy on money raised or granted for Peace Celebrations must not be expended on permanent peace memorials.—Received. Tha Minister of Public Health wrote expressing surprise that any exception should have been taken by any residents of the county to cleaning up their properties in compliance mth the provisions of ".Clean-up Week. The District Health Officer should be referred to if the authority were SPECIAL MEETING. The ordinary meeting was adjourned and the special meeting opened. " It was resolved to make and. levy * a general rate separately in each riding, of 6 farthings in the £ upon the rateable value of all rateable property within the County, etc.. for the year ending 31st March, 1920. \ It was also resolved that the audited balance sheet be passed, accepted and declared finally sotUed; ORDINARY, MEETING EESUMED. The First Assistant Secretary, Post and Telegraph Department;, wrote advising that the period of the guarantee for Upper Shotover teiephone line having expired the account had been, closed! and the bond cancelled.—Received: The Acting District Traffic Mana sen, Southland section. N.Z. Rail' warn advised) the Council that there ■was no telephone at the Garston ran' wav station. Writer suggested that the Postal Department telephone) might be made available. A letter was also received from the Postal De partment stating that the wire was already heavily burdened and uie request could not be acceded to.—Rei The secretary N.Z. Counties Association ,wrote asking for the name of the Council's delegate, if any »for the forthcoming .Conference; ala any Council remits.— , ' Eesolved on the motion ol Collins and Cockburn that the Chair man represent the Council. The Mines De partment,, wrote stating that the Mm fster of Mines- was unable to see his way to agree to the proposed re duction of rent on Messrs A. XHawke's and Others' special alluvia claim at Hayes Gully owing to there not appearing to be sufficient grounds in support.—Received. From the same, stating that .the | Minister had approved of the tut on Messrs Lafranctu Bros. special dredging claim No. 949 and exxendcdJ dredging, clftun. No. LlB5. at Cordrona being reduced m each oa» to the nominal sum of £1 fol w months from 30th June, 1919. as requested by the Council. The clerk stated that the Warden had asked that the following rerjoution be read:-Moved by Ors W. Reid lad J. Cackburu-That in regard to application No. 9/19 by Alfred Lafranchi and Albert Goaclum Lafraiichi to the Warden at Arrowtown for a reduction of rent under Lna Claim license No. 949/g7,4.<ftfc anu Extended' Dredging Claim License No. 1185/25.'A11i (both at Cardroiia this &S resolves that «£»&»£: rears up to and including 30th Ja u arv 1919. is unrecoverable and that f copy if this resolution be forwardSd to the Receiver of Gold Revenue otQueenstown with a request to wite p&m Sftid ■* unrecoverable.

Prom the same stating that the Minister of Mines had granted a further sum of £l5O to enable the necessary Work on Glenorehy to Mines tracks to bo carried out.—Receive* From tho same asking if the Council had any works which it was desired to add to those already on the Estimates. No maintenance work 6 should be included!, and only works op or of service to goldfields. It was decided to make anplicationf for tho following grants for Lake County:—Public Works: Pembroke to Cardrona River,, Ballentyno's road, graveiling £100; Pembroke—Matukituki Road, £100; Cardrona—Pembroke, £3oa re.-vote; Skippers Main Road, £100; Arrow to Cardrona. £IOO Kingston - Garston - Black Bridge, £100; Garston-Parawa, via Paddy's Alley;, £100; Queenstown to Cromwell, via Speargrass, £200; Queenstown to Roaring Meg, £350; Queenstowu; to Arrow, via Arthurs Pt. £SO Glenorchy to Paradise, £IOO. Mines Department: Glenorehy to Mines, £150; Garston to Thomas Fitzgibbon's amplication for a water raco from Cornish Creek hj 300 yards above Arrow Rivers, came before the Council.—Decided that no objection could bo taken as long as the County road was protected' The secretary Southland H. and C.A. Board 'intimated that the Council's apportionment of the levy on contributory local authorities for the ensuing vear would be £SOB 19s 4d. Mrs Isabella Clark, Whitechapel Flat,, wrote stating that a bull belonging to Mr Thompson had been causing her great annoyance by jumping the wall of beta property and breaking it down,, etc.—The Council instructed the clerk to inform Mrs Clark that they had no power in the matter. Freeman Bros., Green Island,-wrote drawing attention to the bridge at Pike's Creek used for the passage of sheep. Writers had been forced to erect this,, which was of a temporary character,, owing to the other lower down being washed away. It would require widening and re-deck-ing, and some attention to the approaches. The Minaret wharf also required prompt attention as it was in an advanced state of decay. Writers asked that the County engineer report both matters. They were prepared to supply blue gum piles for the wharf also beams for the bridge at Pike's free of charge.—lnspector to report first opportunity. Atley Bros., Arthurs Point, applied to the Council for assistance towards restoring their hydraulic mining plant to a'Tvorkable condition,, it having sustained considerable damage by floods et&o; during .their absence at the war. They were anxious to develop the claim as they were confident of getting good gold. The Works Committee recommended to the Council that a copy of the letter be sent to the Minisfber of Mines with the Council's recommendation that a report be obtained on the property. It was resolvedj, on the motion of Ctsl W. S. Reid and Edie—That the Hon. W. Fraser be written to requesting that his engineer be asked to furnish a report on the state of the Annie Bridge. The Works Committee's report was adopted on the motion of Crs. W- S. Reid and Cockburn. The Finance Committee reported as follows:—Receipts since last meeting,, £556 6s sd; bank overdraft at date, £3,750 2s Id; to-day's accounts, £972 12s 6d; below limits £340; application made for £97 9a 3d of vote, Glenorchy to Mines. The report was adopted on the motion of Crs. Lynch and Collins). The chairman asked the inspector when the teams would be available for gravelling on the Lady's Mile, which was very muddy..—The Inspector replied that he had been hampered somewhat but expected to make good progress from now on with the work at present in hand. Cr. Cockburn thought that as a public body the Councd should take some part in the peace Celebrations. Councillors, generally, however, were of opinion that the Council was represented in its contribution to the celebrations. Moreover,, there were committees already formed for the direction of affairs. The Inspector's read and adopted, was as follows: — To tne Chairman and Councillors, Lake County Council Gentlemen!, —I have to report that the grading of the Speargrass Flat road has been completed. The filling in and widening of the approaches to the new concrete bridge over McChosuey's Creek and gravelling of the approaches to the new Arthurs Point bridge have been carried out A new concrete pipe culvert has been put in on Allan's road to replace the old wooden one which was decayed. A beam broke in the bridge over the Five Mile Creek, Crown Ten-ace, and I have sent up some heavier timber from the Arthurs Point bridge to replace all tho beams in it» which wfill enable it to carry heavier traffic The road at Kawarau punt on" Mr (McBrido's side is being widened out at, the place where the slip came down last year to enable him to use his wajgon on it, The small bridge over the creek on the Garston—Black Bridge road is completed. A new piece of road) has been formed at Branch Greeks Cardrona riding, where the river cut in last flood. Groins have also been put in to protect it fromi floods. The widening of the road 1 to Mr McLean's, Matotapu, will now* bo started as the roadmen in the 1 Cardrona riding will now bo avariiH able. Tho Rees River, Gorge Road was not 6o badly damaged as re-, ported to me and will be repaired as, soon as possible out of money voted for flood damage. General surface work has 't>een carried out on all tho roads before the winter seta in and they are iu fair order at press ent J. POWELL, County Inspector. Mr Wilson,, district Eields Inspector, waited on the Council in regard to the forming of a Rabbit Board or Boards in the district. The Council „ however, were of opinion that this was a matter for the A. & P. Society to take up. The. mutter of a maternity ward at the Lake County Hospital,, was brought up by Cr. Cockburn. This is fully reported elsewhere) The meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the chair.