TAKAKA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 15 June 1936, Page 10

TAKAKA

COUNTY AFFAIRS MONTHLY MEETING OF COUNCIL (From Our Own Correspondent) At the monthly meeting of the Takaka Council there were present: Councillors A. H. Barnett (chairman), P. V. Langford, L. Manson, A. H. Rose, R. Sparrow, J. W. Page,, junr., and the Engineer-Clerk, Mr G. E. Boyes. Accounts totalling £551 12s 3d were passed for payment. .A vote of two guineas was made to the funds of the newly organised Boys’ and Girls’ Agricultural Club. The Council unanimously decided to oppose the suggestions brought forward by the National Federation of General Labourers and Related Trgde relating to wages, hours and working conditions, and which were considered wholly unreasonable. , The Public Works Department forwarded a copy of the “Gazette notifying the Council that the Puramahoi aerodrome site had been exempted from payment of rates. It was stated by the Engineer that the work of scrub-cutting, etc., on the site had already been commenced. The matter of the proposed Canaan stock track was, after considerable discussion, allowed to stand over for the present. „ A „ . DOMAIN RESERVE AT POHARA The Nelson Automobile Association informed the Council that, it was not prepared to purchase sections at the Pohara Beach, but that it would contribute towards the purchase provided an option were given to /ome local or other representative authority. The Council decided to exercise its right of purchase over an area of 63 acres at Pohara and to seek contributions towards the cost from the Takaka Town Board and the Nelson Automobile Association. When the deputation from the Pohara Beach Improvement Society waited on the Council in this regard later in the meeting the Clerk was, he said, pleased to be able to inform them that the Council had decided to purchase this site for a Domain' Reserve. Members of the deputation expressed great appreciation of the steps taken by the Council and assured the councillors that the Society would soon go ahead with its plans for improving facilities at the Beach. ENGINEER’S REPORT

The Engineer’s report for the month of May was as follows: — , Waitapu Riding.—One week’s work additional filling to the low levels has been authorised on the Awaroa road near Little River. Further widening and re-forming work is in hand on the Totafanui-Pigeon Saddle road. A ditch was cleaned out and deepened on road leading to Mac Shane’s, also repairs to culvert and metalling has been carired out on this section of road. Re-forming work is in hand on Wainui and Ligar Bay sections of road. Six loads of metal were delivered to Richmond’s road.. Watertables have received attention on Rameka Creek road. The track has been opened up leading to Mr Falconer s section above the Tarakohe school. Slow progress has been made on the Wainui bridge contract. A portion of the wingwall concrete work on the right bank has been carried out, also the three abutment piles haye been driven on the same bank and a start has been made in the river bed driving the next set of pier piles. Anatoki Riding.—The metalling contract Canaan road is finished and I have authorised Mr J. Sixtus to carry out necessary repairs to this road, also for him to keep the new metalling raked in. Obstructions to the track have been caused through logs laying across the track near bush clearing recently carried out by Mr Lindsay, near Page’s Saddle. Repairs to Sam’s Creek road are in hand and the power grader has been operating on the Long Plain, McCallum’s. Pigville, Sowman’s and Upper Takaka by-roads. Water-tables have received attention on Upper Takaka; by-roads. Repairs to road leading to Smith’s, Waituhi, have been attended to. Repairs have been carried out to Black Maori and Rangieta roads. Further chain netting work was carried out to protection works. Go-ahead creek. A further week’s work has been done to the Swamp road, the ditch on the eastern side being opened up. Further repairs and re-form-ing work has been done on the Barrons Flat track and track leading to the Grecian. Main Highways.—The additional filling and metalling work near Cassidy’s Corner is finished. Metalling was carried out to the bridge approach, Motupipi bridge and Pohara road. Large stones have been raked up and carted away on a section of the Puramahoi road in readiness for the metalling work. The sanding to the decks of the Takaka and Paynes bridge have received attention. The power grader has been operating on all the sections of highway and the permanent surfacemen have been engaged chiefly in cleaning out watertables and outlets and inlets to culverts. ANNUAL MEETING

Councillor Barnett was again reelected Chairman of the Council, members expressing appreciation of the very good work he had done for the County. Mr Barnett, on taking the chair, returned thanks for the confidence reposed in him. The chairman’s honorarium was fixed at £4O. It was decided that a general rate of lid in the £ in the Waitapu Riding and of Id in the £ in the Anatoki Riding, on the unimproved value of all rateable property be levied. A Hospital and Charitable Aid rate of 5-16 d in the £ is to be levied on the capital value of all rateable property in the County (including the town area). The president (Mrs C. Wilkinson) and secretary (Mrs R. Audley) of the Takaka Women’s Division, waited on the Council seeking assistance towards the maintenance and upkeep of the Rest Room, Commercial street. It was decided to donate the sum of £5 per annum towards the upkeep of the Rest Room. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT In his annual report the chairman said: — During the year under review roading works have been maintained at a satisfactory standard and new construction work with the assistance of grants from the Public Works Fund have been completed or are in hand. The Long Plain culvert and approaches costing £166 £2 for £1 subsidy from'the Government was completed and the work of constructing a new reinforced concrete bridge of three 35ft spans across the Wainui

river is now being undertaken. Contract price £ 1,230, £3 for £1; metalling contract Canaan Road £2 for £1 is completed. Application was made on last year’s main highways estimates, for one mile of tar sealing, this work was recommended by the District Highways Council, but the Highways Board did not grant the application, thei.r reason, I think, for not granting the work is explained in the letter received from the Hon. 'Minister of Public Works, following my representations to him.' Additional highway length was granted namely the Central Takaka section. A considerable amount of improvement work has been carried out to our riding roads with the assistance of the Unemployment Subsidy Scheme, and we have at present 10 men engaged under this scheme on full time work, 40 hours per week, the Board subsidising the labour to. the extent of 35s per week, per man. Negotiations have been completed for the acquiring' of land for an aerodrome site situate at Puramahoi, the Council agreeing to pay £2OO by way of compensation to the present occupier, the area has been surveyed by the Lands and Survey Department and they are arranging the transfer. The Takaka Town Board have joined us in this matter and have agreed to contribute 25 per cent, of the cost. The Government have agreed to place the flying field in flying condition. The required land for road purposes leading to the Show grounds ' was acquired and'this road has been openled'up for traffic.. , After representations to the Government and Ma'in Highways Board requesting improvements to the Takaka Hill Road it is very pleasing, to note that the improvements are. receiving attention and the work already done on various sections is a vast improvement and when completed will considerably improve our main outlet. The total revenue for the year amounted to £17,428 and our expenditure £16,659 making a total turnover of £34,079. The total expenditure on main highways totalled £2,572 while the subsidy received from the Highways Board amounted to £2058. The cost of maintenance per mile of highway amounted to £53. Riding road expenditure amounted to £7BO. The total rates levied amounted to £2,371 and the amount collected at the 31st March last was £l,BlO or approximately 76 per cent, was collected. In addition arrears to the extent of £698 were received. In view of the difficult times and the difficulty in connection with Crown properties the position regarding arrears of rates is considered satisfactory. The power grader plant worked 263 days during the year. This plant is giving good service and although it has been running for six years there appears to be a few more years of usefulness in the plant. A lot, I think, is due to the grader operator for' the careful handling and attention he gives the plant. The total'cash credit of the County Fund account at the end of the financial year amounted to £BOO. Riding balances ended the year with a credit of £317 irr the Anatoki Riding and a debit of £l6O in the Waitapu Riding. The estimates ' are submitted for your consideration and in view of the present commitments and proposed works ahead in both riding the general rates could not be reduced. The hospital' levy has increased this year by £176, therefore it will be necessary to increase the hospital rate. The conversion of our loans totalling £ 4,625 was finalised at the end of last firiaheial year. The loan is now under a more satisfactory term, being arranged under a table basis of repayment of' principal and interest at 4 per cent, for a term of 31 years annual payments total £270. A revaluation of the county is now under way and it is expected that the new valuation will be ready at the end of the present financial year. In conclusion I wish to thank the councillors and staff for their loyalty and support and also Government Departments and other local bodies' for their co-operation.

TOWN BOARD MONTHLY MEETING At the Monthly meeting of the Takaka Town Board the following members were present: Messrs E. A. Polglase (Chairman), K. Page, L. Norriss, and the Clerk (Mr G. E. Boyes). Messrs W. Birdsall and C. Cate were granted leave of absence. : Accounts totalling £47 3s 6d .were passed.for payment. The Takaka County Council wrote asking for a contribution towards the purchase price of a Domain Reserve of 63 acres at Pohara Beach. The matter of assisting the Council waj held over until next meeting. A request from the Boys’ and Girls’ Agricultural Club for assistance was declined for the present. The Takaka Branch of the Farmers’ Union drew the Board’s attention to Californian thistle growing in the town area, and it was decided that the occupier of the land be notified to take steps to eradicate the weed. The Bank of New Zealand advised the granting of the overdraft applied for. It was decided that the rate for the year be fd in the £, with a sanitation charge of £2 per annum: The unauthorised use of the Board’s tar-boiler and roller was reported to the meeting and it was decided that the person concerned be charged 3s per day for the period of such use. Sitting as a Relief Committee, the Board passed accounts amounting to £27 10s. A cheque for £l2, being the Board’s share of the last Art Union for the relief of distress, was received, and the sum of £lO was voted for the relief of two necessitous cases. • SCHOOL COMMITTEES

At the further' householders’ meet' ings held in the Takaka District the following School Committees were elected:— East Takaka: Messrs R. Sparrow (chairman), A. G. Hitchcock (secrc* tary), T. E. Baigent, L. Barnett, anc Geo. Sixtus. Kolinga: Messrs E. Patterson (chairman and secretary), R. Galey, W. Heyward, H. Galey, A. Thomas.

ST. JOHN AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION

At the recent meeting of the St. John Ambulance Association in Tnkaka the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: Chairman, Mr A. Taylor; secretary-treasurer, Miss M. McCallum, and . Messrs F.. A. the chairman, secretary, and Miss E. Fugle. ■ Owing to the lack of support' being

given the local section some difficulty may be experienced in continuing its work. In an endeavour to obtain new recruits it was decided tc circularise the Girl Guide and Boy Scout Movements, the Women’s Institute, the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union, and the Druids ahd Oddfellows Lodges, urging them to get their members to join the Association. The first instructional lessons for the season are to be held on Bth July. At the recent annual examinations held in Takaka the following were successful candidates:— For Medallion: Misses E. Fugle and M. MBcCallum, and Messrs F. A. Hume and H. J. Thompson. For Voucher:' Mr I.' Satherley.