CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18466, 30 January 1922, Page 8

CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL

The usual monthly meeting of the Clutha •County Council was held on Friday. Present—Or*. Gumming (chairman), Jack, M‘lndoe, Thomson, Harris,. MTntyro, Morrison,. ■ Maginness, Lawson, and North. ; ' : TENDER ACCEPTED. The of John Lay of 10s per yard for gravelling about 30 chains of the Wairood near Robertson’s comer was accepted. ' ? FINANCE. Thq receipts for the period i ended on January 24 totalled £2953, 19s 7d; and the - expenditure amounted to £1738 3s lid, —In, moving- that the accounts' bo passed, for payment. Councillor Lawson said there would be an addition of £SOO to pay over ‘ ■ to the S.O. Hospital, Boat'd. —With this od- - ditioni ,the motion - was carried. 11 ENGINEER’S REPORT. Th(S engineer reported as follows:--Bridges and Culverts.-r-Tho only work done 3>y the bridge gang during the month, has' £f;en the redecidng of tne Waiwera . , bridgq. - Paterson’s bridge on Back road has been repaired, and a culvert redeoked on Miller’s road, Pomahaka. Now, planks have been ’pat in where required on Puerua Lock bridge. A 'bridge of 17£t'span near ■ Bradfield’a on the' Pomahaka River road needs: redeckifig and hand-rail fixed. On© • of the concrete walls in a bridge on Barr’s road, "dydevalo, has failed and needs renewal;’ at once. A small bridge on the Glonoimaru Valley road needs repairs. Metpliing, ©to.—ln Glenkeniab Riding re- , pairs -find : surfacing - have been carried on ■ on Tweedie’a, Greenvale, and other roads. Good progress has been made with the metalling - on ’Koi to Kelso road. In 1 Waipahu gliding clay has been curried an at Hooking -1 s road, some metal laid on Ar-tourtiAr-Landslip rood, and general surfacing. Grading has been commenced on Glensheo’, -raifeU# General surfacing has 1 been done in Pomahaka Riding, with some plough scoop work On Fa-gg’s road. Arrangements. have )>een, mad© for a. supply ' qf rwdntenanoe metal, few Main road. In din top Riding grading has been carried out oaf Clinton-Owaika and Lochindqrb roads, and. Bilrfaoing on Cairn and M’Kinhon’s and Fish Pond’s roads. In Clydevale Riding, a good deal of damage was done by the etormfof the 13th, particularly ou Rongahere School road, Tuapeka Mouth'to'Rongahere, Pannett’s Hill. and below Pannett’s cm Tuapeka Mouth road to Clydevalb. Foariylheavy work is involved in the repairs which; were taken in band at' once. Ro- •/ pairs have been carried but on the 'WaiweraOlydevala. road, and some maintenance * gravel? lard. Pot holes and ' 1 water-tables - have teen attended to on Benton’s road aiid the-iMam road. To Houka. In Richardson Riding 15 chains of metal have been- : laid oh HHi foot and Holden’s roads. Some metal has. been quarried and carted to Edward’s rood. The usual summer repairs have been carried oat to clay road in South Molyneux -Riding. ’The Swamp road from , . Lauder’s qqmer towards the Pairetai Dairy .Factory;; rtejeds maintenance metal os soon os possible. In Catlins Riding a stmt was made pie tailing Cither-wood''s road, . but discontinued. Repairs have been made to Newharipn and Hanning’s roods. The work to be carried out by the settlers on the Chnnitell Bay road has been completed, yards of metal being laid, and water-tables ploughed and cleaned. Grading haa been ' ooimnericed on Ohloris Pass road. In MhdenDon Riding much needed repairs hove been in hand on Waikoata, Kaler’s v Saddle,;; and Catlina VaDey roads. Scrub has beeii cat on Long Point, Shark’s Tooth, and Mojmat’s Saddle roads. Two pipe culverts been put in on the Main Waifeawa rohd/ . Or FJorth’ referred to the road from Lauder'S comer to Porotaii, and moved that tho engineer gat the week done. —Carried. Cr Morrison moved that the bridge on Barr’s road be repaired ac soon os possible. —Agreed to. Report adopted CORRESPONDENCE. The Public Works Department forwarded a taking land for a road and dosing a rood through blocks IV arid VP Clutha, and I and IJI;, South Molyneux survey districts. —Received. The pi on, J. G. Coates (Postmastergenoral); through Mr, A, 8. Malcolm, wrote with reference to representations made by the cmfhoil regarding rural mail delivery fees proposed to be charged from January % and Is taring. that it. had been decided to reduce the fees by SO per cent.—i.o., . to 10s per annum for serving a box on tho. route of a delivery of a frequency not greater than thrice weekly, and £1 per annum for more than thrice weekly. l —Cr M'lntyre moved that Mr - Malcolm : be in- ■ ■■■’ formed of the council’s appreciation of thr Minister’s action.—Agreed to. The district engineer. Public Works De-partment,-wrote with; reference to the Cflydevids-Wharetoa road' that no additional pfovisjont.had been made, for ‘this work J§jgear's The

amount authorised and expended was £255 10s (£ for £), and it was _ not proposed to issue any further authority.—Received. The Selwyn and Ashley County Councils forwarded 'a lengthy circular recording the council's firm disapproval of calculating hospital levies on capital values only. It was hold that the levy should be assessed on both population and capital value, and it was. suggested that: one-third of the levy should ■ be charged to population and the balance to capital value. They asked coun : oil’s support in making representations along these lines to Parliament. —The chairman said he could not see how the population idea would work. —The clerk: Onethird on population and two-thirds on capital value.—Cr North though the , proposal was in the right direction; and moved that _ the* council support the proposal.—Cr Maginness,' in seconding, said it would shift some of the burden on, to ..the, shoulders of- the people in the towns.—Carried,' The secretary, South Island Motor Union, appealed in the interests of public safety to have all “grass islands” at the junction and intersection of roads '• removed. —Cr North, said the majority of the roads in' this countv. were too narrow tq permit of “islands.” but ho ’ would move that letter be handed to the engineer, with instructions to make inquiries.—Carried. The Heathcote County Council asked- the council’s support for .a resolution urging the Government to amend the Counties Act of 1920 so as to include a section of the Muncipal Corporations Act dealing with the subdivision of and within a borough.— It was agreed to support the resolution. The Waim'ea County Council asked the council’s support for a resolution urging the Government to amend the Rating Act by . inserting a clause enabling local bodies to make a rebate of 5 per cent, to all persons paying their general rates within--50 days from the date on whch such rates become due.—The council agreed to support the proposal. The Receiver of Gold Revenue notified that Walter Francis Knowles, Pomahaka, had been granted a miner’s right. John .M’Leon, Owaka, applied for a billiard room license.—Granted. George Reid, secretary Waikoikoi-Merino Downs telephone party line, asked permission to carry the wire , across the road at Spittle’s bridge and again at a point of rood between M'Phorson’s and Spittle’s.— Received. Arthur Ombler, Puketira. with reference to Catlins Valley to Table Hill, road, stafed that, despite the Minister’s 1 statement that a connecting road was not necessary, he considered the work should be done,' and asked the council fo make further representations to this end.—Cr Lawsor. moved that the request be referred back to the Minister for favourable consideration.— Carried. • Arthur S. Porks, enclosing rates, said it was a scandalous shame to have rates increased in these hard times.—Received, John Dulfly, Owaka Valley, asked that fuchsia and scrub be cut on eight or nine chains of roadline at the back portion of' section. 52, block I, Catlins, and offering to do the work for £2. —It was decided to pay for the work done. Wm. Conn, secretary Woipahi. Saleyards Company, asked permission to erect yards on sections 16 and 22, block IV, Waipahu township.—Referred to public health officer for a report. D; A. Falconer, Kelso, asked that the Telegraph- road leading through his property to the river be attended to. —Received, Cr M'Lntyre remarking that he had arranged with the engineer to inspect all roads. D, A. MTachlan, Clinton, called attention to the dangerous state of the culvert on block road leading from Tapanui road to Popotunoa bush. —Surfaceman to attend to the culvert. John Ross, Purakauiti, asked that the roads and water-tables in his district bo attended to, as they were in a bad state of repair.—Loft to the engineer and Cr Lawson to attend to. Alexander Tapp, Owaka, reminded the council that about 18 months ago it had decided to metal . that _ portion of road known as Tuck’s Hill, in front of Mr A. Sime’s property.—Cr Maginness moved that applicant bo notified that the work would bo done before winter.—-Agreed to. B. Clement and Son, Popotunoa,' drew attention to the bad state of the roads between Rodger's Ford and J. J. Milton's.— Received. A. E. Russell, secretary Kaka Point Welfare Society, made the following requests to council;—(l) That the street from the Point to M’Kechnie’s store bo widened to a chain width and' a footpath formed for pedestrians; (2) that the main road to the Point at the comers of Messrs Anderson and Ilielop bo widened; (3) that the road in front of Bates’s property bo metalled; (4) that imbnediate steps lie taken to compel owners of buildings and fences which encroach on public roadlircs/ and streets to have the sumo removed forthwith.—Referred to the engineer for a report. ' HOSPITAL SITE. The .following local bodies notified that Representatives were appointed to attend

joint inspection of hospital sites in Balclutha as follow: —Bruce Council—Crs Scott, Allan, and Renton; Kaitangata Borough Council, Mr R. Aitchison: Clinton Town Board, the Chairman; Balclutha Borough Council —Crs Landols, Guest, and Henderson. ~... ....., ~ . . ACCESS ROAD TO TAUMATA. The Engineer furnished a report detailing a conference hold on the ground at Taumata re road to give access to Mr Houliston’s property. Those present were the member for the. riding (Cr MTndoe), the engineer, and 'Mr Houliston. Two routes were suggested, and the one recommended would rim for 33 chains through Lot -2a (M‘Donail) and the same distance through Lot 27 (Houliston). The formation would be over' dry spurs, and could be done fairly cheaply, and would not require metalling. The land actually required for the road through Mr M'Donall’s would be . acres, and about 25 acres, of his section would be cut off. This road would largely take the place of the roads A and B, relieving the county of expenditure on those to that: extent. The cost of .formation in the first place would be £3OO.- If the settlers concerned could make satisfactory arrangements with Mr M’Donall and Mr Houliston' to obtain this necessary land the conference had no hesitation in recommending this proposal. The portion of road running through Mr M’Donall’s section, might be used for exchange purposes, and the fencing should be ' provided by the three settlers who are seeking to benefit by the new road.—Adopted. ROAD AT RATANUI. The committee appointed to meet Mr Goss at Ratanui in connection with damage done to road reported that, after discussion, it was agreed that the • whole matter be deferred for a month; in the meantime Mr Goss to proceed' to effect repairs to the portion of the road used by him in transporting timber to Catlins River railway siding; the metal for same to be taken from Jenk’s quarry; all metal to he broken to 2£in gauge; the repairs to be carried out to the satisfaction of the engineer. —Report adopted. WANDERING CATTLE. A. C. Forquhar, Owaka, wrote drawing attention to the nuisance of cattle and horses wandering on the Owaka to Pouhawea road. Stock were continually allowed to wander at largo on this road to the detriment of fences and the danger to traffic generally, and writer asked council to take immediate steps to have the nuisance remedied.—Cr Maginness moved that the engineer attend to the matter. —Seconded by Cr Lawson and carried. Or North said it was a crying need all over the county to have a ranger. A number of people made a practice of grazing their stock on the county roads. He would move that the services of a ranger for the whole county be procured.—Cr Maginness said this question should bo a county matter,- and not a riding matter. If one man were appointed to do the whole of the' ranging and dog tax collecting it would bo far tnore effective than having rangers in each riding.—Or Harris said it was quite impossible for one man to do the lot, and with this view Cr MTntyro agreed.—Cr Lawson supported the motion. —Or Maginness; One man does it in Bruce, and it is very satisfactory, also in Tuapclca.—Cr MTntyre moved as an amendment that Glonkcnich and Waipabi Ridings be excluded.—Cr Maginness said the council should go back to the road board system, as at present each member looked after his own riding, and did not look at matters from a county point of view.—The motion was lost, only three voting for it. GENERAL. t Mr Thos. Guyatt was appointed dog tax collector for Richardson and C kit ha Ridings. Or Maginness moved that notice boards requesting motorists to reduce speed to 15 miles an hour bo placed at the three roads leading into Owaka township.— Agreed to. In special meeting the council decided unanimously to adhere to Wednesday os the statutory half-holiday in the county. SURPRISE VISITS! The wise housewife is never perturbed when the unexpected guest drops in. The cupboard may bo practically bare, but o pleasing repost is quickly prepared with cold meat and Beaver Worcestershire Sauce. This delightful relish may bo relied on to add enjoyment to oven .the plainest fare, and it is equally useful for flavouring soups, curries, and gravies. None btat the choicest fruits and spices are used in Beaver Worcestershire Sauce. Order from your grocer. Manufacturers; THE EMPIRE MANUFACTURING COMPANY (LTD.). Wellington.—Advt. A sure and pleasant specific for removing Worms in WADE’S WORM FIGS.Advt

TAXATION OF INCOMES. , ,TO THE; EDITOR. Sib, —The extract from an article by (Professor Stephen Leacock which you published in your leading oohimns on Saturday does not seem .to• do justice to him, _ and decidedly clashes with many of his published statements. The idea that a man shbhld be taxed on his expenditure is absurd when, applied to those who cannot get enough money to buy bare necessaries. The- man who was half-starved would bo still further starved so that the man who'spent only one ten thousandth part .of .his income .e*»i!d accumulate more capital for productive purposes. This seems poor logic when we consider the vast- manufacturing plants in the different countries of the world which .are idle or turning out a mere fraction of their productive capacity. The truth is that there is plenty of capital available for the manufacture of any utility which can be proved to be profitable to manufacture, and in quantities more than sufficient for present consumption. . - ' The following-are'extracts from Professor Stephen Leacock’s work, “Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice” (page 18): — Hero is tho paradox. If the ability, to produce goods to meet human wants has multiplied so that each man accomplishes almost thirty or forty times what . 'he did before ,(one hundred and fifty years ago), then the world ought to be about thirty or forty times better off. But it is not.. Or else, as the other possible alternative, the working hours of the eWorld should have been cut down to about one in thirty of what they wore before. But they are not. How, then, are wo to explain this extraordinary discrepancy between human power and re- ' suiting hfiman happiness? ; . . The more we look at our mechanism of production the more perplexing it seems. Mankind viewed in the mass would be seen to produce a certain amount of absolutely necessary things, such as food, and then to stop. In spite of the fact that there was not food enough to go round and that large numbers must die of starvation or perish slowly from undernutrition] the production of food would stop at some point a good deal short of universal satisfaction. So, too, with the production of clothing, shelter, and other necessary things; never enough would seem to.be produced, and this apparently not by accident or miscalculation, but as if some peculiar social law wore at work adjusting production to the point where there is just not enough ana leaving it there. Thus among the huge mass of accumulated commodities the simplest wants would go unsatisfied. Half-fed men would dig for diamonds, and men sheltered by a crazy roof erect the marble walls of palaces. The observer might well remain perplexed at the pathetic discord between human work and human wants. Something he would feel assured must be at fault either with the_ social "instincts of man or with.the social order under which ho lives. And herein, lies_ tho supreme problem that faces us in this opening century. The period of five years of war has shown it to us in a clearer light than fifty years of peace. War is destruction —the annihilation of human life, the destruction of things made with generations of labour. In the great war just over, some seven million fives were sacrificed, eight million tons of shipping were sunk beneath the sea, some fifty |uillion adult males were drawn from productive labour to the linos of battle, behind them uncounted millions laboured day and night making tho weapons of destruction. One might well have thought that such a gigantic misdirection of human energy would have brought the industrial world to a standstill within a year. • Great as is- the destruction of war, not even five yeans of it has broken the productive machine. And the reason is now plain enongh.Peace peace under the old conditions of industry—is infinitely wasteful of human energy. Not more than one adult worker in ten—-so a loading American economist has declared—is employed on necessary things. Tho other nine perform superfluous services. These extracts show that Professor Leacock does not consider that the world is short of necessary capital when there is a real prospect of handsome dividends —I am, etc., A. E. [There is no inconsistency between tho quotations made by our correspondent and tho views expressed only a few weeks ago by Professor Leacock on the effect of the taxation of incomes on the productive capacity of the world. —Ed. OD.T.]