TUAPEKA COUNTY COUNCIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18349, 13 September 1921, Page 9

TUAPEKA COUNTY COUNCIL

The monthly mooting o£ the above body wag held on Friday afternoon ; present—Cra M'Lennan (chairman), Brown, MacDonald, Bennetts, Leary, Revie, and Cotton. Bollaney Bros., Kononi, wrote asking if they could have the use of the grader and surfaceman to form about four chains of road.—Referred to member and inspector to report at next meeting. H. Bayly, Roxburgh, wrote in regard to over-valuation of his property, pointing om that the present valuation (£930) included a house valued at £450, which had been removed in 19X9, notice of such removal having been made to the council, which had evidently neglected to advise the Valuation Department. He therefore claimed that the council had power to refund the rate on the excess valuation.—The _ clerk drew attention to the fact that this man had paid rates for 1920-21 without demur, and ho could find no trace of any advice re removal of house. —Cr Bennetts said it was no doubt a case of (hardship, and unquestionably the valuation was out of all proportion. He moved that the Valuation Department be advised of the alteration in the value' of this property. Seconded by Cr MacDonald, and carried.

The Secretary, Clutha River Board, forwarded copy of petition to Minister of Public Works, signed by a large number of settlers in the Tuapeka Mouth and Greenfield districts, asking for the improvement of the Molyneux River by means of dredging in order to provide an outlet for ibo produce of the district. He asked that the council adopt a resolution supporting the petition and forward same to him.—Cr Leary explained that the board was anxious to get a grant from the Government to enable them to put on a dredge to clear *lO river of banks interfering with the navigation, and he moved that the Tuapeka Council support the action of the council in its request for assistance in the matter. --Seconded by Cr E«yio, and carried. The Clerk. Clutha County, wrote in regard to installation of oil engine on Tuapeka Mouth punt, stating that his council agrees to the installation, but suggests that aa the Tuapeka County inspector (Mr Smith) fitted up the Olydesvale punt he would be the proper person to carry out the work an. the Tuapeka Mouth punt.—Cr Lean? moved that the council's inspector (Mr Smith) confer with the Clutha County engined’ as to cost and report at next meeting.—Seconded by Cr Bennetts and earned. The Chairman Eketahuna County Counoil wrote ■drawing - attention to the nnsatisfactory ' position counties were placed in through failure of assisted soldier settlers to pay rates. The Attorney-general had promised a deputation to bring the matter before Cabinet, but nothing had so far eventunted. He '3UGT<restod that the oounoil should us© its influence through their member to hilve the matter put on a satisfactory basis from a county point of view, and also support the Eketahuna Council in the matter at the County Conference.—On the motion of Ors MacDonald and Bennatts tlie member for the district (Mr Edie) was asked to support the Eketahuna County's representation. ERADICATION OF HAWTHORN.

Cr. Bennetts, in accordance with notice, moved that hawthorn within the ridings of Benger and Teviot be declared a noxious weed. He explained that he was asking the council to pass the motion in the interests of the fruit-growers in these ridings against the menace of fire-blight, which had made its appearance with deadly effect in the North Island. There was great danger of its spreading to the South Island, and as it was recognised that hawthorn was the host plant of this disease, active measures were being taken in the North Island and the Nelson district to eradicate the hawthorn to prevent the spread of the disease to nan-infected areas. Otago was becoming prominent in fruit-growing, and particularly in regard to apple growing and the introduction of the disease would ho a calamity and practically kill the whole industry. The fruit-growers in this district were not anxious to cause any hardship, and were prepared to adopt measures to assist in some way the eradication of the hawthorn hedges, Cr Macdonald seconded the motion pro forma. He sympathised with Cr Bennetts 'to a certain extent, but pointed out that in several instances it would cost up to £4OO to pull out the hawthorn hedges and replace with fencing. He was, however, quite agreeable to the upper end of his riding down to Kerr’s Creek being included in the prescribed area, but he could not consent to his whole riding being taken in. He suggested that the matter be deferred for six months.

The Chairman said that ho sympathised with Cr Bennetts, but did not think the council should take any action in the matter. There was no evidence that this blight would spread to the South Island, and if the council adopted the resolution they might bo imposing a great hardship on many of the settlers. Cr Leary said ho could see no justification for declaring hawthorn a noxious weed. If it was going to be such a menace to the fruitindustry as Or Bennetts thought, then it should be made a national question. Cr Bennetts reiterated his statement that he wished the motion to apply only to the fruit-growing areas in the county; that the growers themselves were' anxious to have hawthorn declared a noxious weed and no hardship would be inflicted upon anybody. With the consent of the council he would amend his motion to include only that part of Teviot Riding down to Kerr’s Creek.—This was granted. After a lot of desultory argument between the mover and the chairman the motion was put and lost. r THE COUNTIES’ CONFERENCE. The Chairman said they had received advice that the Counties’ Conference would be held on September 28, and one of the main questions to be discussed was the Minister of Public Work’s proposal for a main road from Wellington to Auckland in the North Island and from Blenheim to Bluff in the South Island, which were to be maintained from the Consolidated Fund and by a proposed tyre tax ol 15 per cent., and he asked for an expression of opinion from the members on the subject as a guide to his actions as their representative at the conference. Personally, ho thought it a preposterous thing to declare such main roads which would in many places run parallel with the railway, and the result would be that while they were helping to maintain such roads they were deriving no practical benefit from it. Or MacDonald thought such a proposal should be opposed. It Was of no benefit to the back-block settler, and he much preferred the suggestion made some years ago to classify the main roads for contribution from the Consolidated Fund.

Cr Revie said he appreciated the objections of the chairman, but it was very hard for them to criticise the proposed Bill without knowing what was m it. If it was as they suspected, it was quite clear their county would derive no benefit from its contribution for upkeep per medium of motor tyre tax. Their chief trouble was to got to the x-ailhead, and it was their duty to see that all the revenue they could got was spent in their own county. Cr Bennetts thought their representative might be able to give a conditional assent to the proposal provided some of our arterial road are included. If, for instance, he could get a promise for a main road from, say, Beaumont to Wanaka. He agreed it would be unfair to the ratepayers of this county to agree to the whole of the tyrelax being expended on a main road which was of no benefit to them.

Cr Leary expressed the opinion that the whole scheme for the main roads was being engineered by the Motor Association, who wi bed them for the purpose of pleasure. The Chairman thanked the members for tho expression of their views, which would bo a good guide to him at the conference.

GENERAL. The accounts for the month amounting to £B3B 15s were passed for payment. It was resolved that Mr Edie, M.P.,, be asked to apply for a pound for pound grant for the road from Moa Flat Homestead to school, the Chairman explaining that the settlers in the district wore preparing to subsidise the vote by work. Mr Edie, engineer* reported upon Messrs Todd Bros. (Limited) claim for £l7 4s in connection with the transfer of mad. He had found that the old road had been closed by Gazette notice, but had never been transfeired owing to objections by the bite Mr Johp Herbert. The area was 1 acre 2 roods 24 poles, and the price agreed upon at the time was £6 per acre equal to £9 18s for the total area.—lt was resolved that Messrs Todd Bros. (Limited) bo paid £9 18s for the land taken, and that the old road be transferred to Mr Alex. Haugb. jun. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The roads throughout the country, on the whole, were in good order. The Benger surfacemen were busy with a team. 1 hey had greatly improved the road right on to Shingle Creek. It would bog 00,.! policy for the council to have at least 100 to 150 y&rds of maintenance gravel between Beaumont and Island Block.