BRUCE COUNTY COUNCIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18906, 5 July 1923, Page 5

BRUCE COUNTY COUNCIL

The monthly meeting of the Bruce County Council was held in the Council Chambers, Milton, on Tuesday, and was attended by Crs M. Driver (chairman), Adam King, Jasper Clark, A. Kenton, D. Gardyne, J. AY. Sfaeat, T, Johnson, AA r . Bell, D. M’Gregor, and Thomas Scott. Votes of condolence were passed to tho relatives of the late Mr North, formerly chairman ■of the South Otago Hospital Board, and Mr Edward M. Duthie, who was an old member of the council. The New Zealand Counties’ Association forwarded notice of a conference of tho association to be held in Wellington this month, tho date to bo fixed by tho president, and requested the council to forward its remits for the conference, together with the names of its delegates.—Received; the chairman and the secretary to represent the council at tho conference. A circular letter from the AVaimea County Council (Nelson) asked the council to support a resolution passed at its meeting on May 5, urging the Government to make certain amendments in “The Main Highways Act, 1922,” in view of the fact that 90 per cent, of the damage to county roads was caused by motor traffic. —The council expressed its sympathy with the proposal, and the letter was received. Tho South Otago Hospital Board forwarded estimates of its expenditure, income, and apportionment of the estimated expenditure among the contributory local authorities for the year ending March 31, IQ 5A —npppiv^fl The Matau River Board (Balclulha) advised that at its meeting-held on June 50 it was resolved that the board, if legally possible, take over the control and administration of. the Matau drains, as at present constituted under the Matau drainage area, subject to the Bruco County Council agreeing to accept £SO per annum in liquidation of the £254 debit standing against the Matau drains in the books of the Bruco County Council; the £SO above mentioned to bo paid yearly until such time as the debit was wiped out. — Cr Ronton moved that the council agree to hand over all its liabilities to the River Board.—Carried. Tho Sir Arthur Pearson Memorial Fund for tho Blind of New Zealand forwarded an appeal for funds, stating that every district which considered their plan worthy of support had been asked to contribute a sum averaging Is per head of the population. Many districts, the letter added, had over subscribed to a generous extent.—lt was decided that the matter bo held over in the meantime. Tho Otago Motor Club wrote suggesting that the bridges at Stoney Creek bo partly painted white, as they were somewhat difficult to discern at night time when the weather was thick. —Received. A circular letter from the Department of Agriculture stated that a request had been received from the Hawke’s Bay County Council to have rooks added to the list of injurious birds under “Tho Injurious Birds Act, 1908,” and asked the council to state, before a decision in the matter was arrived at, whether it had any objection to offer to the proposal, bearing in mind that if effect were given to this request rooks would bo declared injurious birds throughout tlie South Island.—Received. Mr M. H. Cowib (Milton) wrote directing tho council’s attention to the unsatisfactory state or the culvert opposite his residence. It had been in a state of disrepair for over 15 years. —It was agreed that the same sub-committee appointed to report on the condition of_ Thomson’s bridge be asked to inspect the culvert. _ Messrs John Ellis and John Little (Kaitangata) wrote asking the council to have the road between their farms at Summerhill cleaned out. —Cr Johnson moved, and Cr Renton seconded, that the council disclaim all liability.—Gamed. The AVaihemo County Council forwarded a copy of its resolution protesting against the system adopted in elections for members of hospital and harbour boards, and asked the council’s approval for ■ same.—Cr Clark moved an amendment that the motion should apply where a town was joined on to a county.—Carried.—lt was decided to support the resolution. Mr R. Mills (Tokoiti) applied for a grant for five or six loads of gravel or screenings to repair a track near his property.—Left for two councillors to report within a month. ■ . It was decided, on the motion of Cr Clark, to increase the hospital rates . from five-sixteenths of ' a penny to seven-six-teenths of a penny. In addition, Cr Clark moved that, except for tho hospital rates, all the other rates should remain as they were .—Cr Scott contended that they should be increased on account of the extraordinary floods the district had experienced. He knew it would not be a popular move, but at the same time, he. said, necessity knew no Jaw. He moved an amendment that the rates be increased by i)d.—Cr Bell moved that the first motion be withdrawn, and as a consequence it was decided that the following increases be made in the rates for the various ridings: Waihola, Mount Stuart, gd; Kaitangata, id; Tokomairiro, id; Balmoral No. 2, A grant of £SO was made to Mr G. ■ Gray for repairing flood damage ,to a bridge at Lovell’s Flat, provided that he did the repair work to the satisfaction of the inspector. Cr Clark reported that at the County Councils’ Conference at Christchurch the Bruce County Council was congratulated on its progressive step in convening the conference relating to tho Main Highways Bill , ■ The total receipts for the month of June amounted to £2OB Ds 9d and the expenditure £826 9s. The following is the inspector s report for tho month ended June 30:—“One of the stone walls in a small bridge on Dunbar’s road, North Branch, has fallen in, and I recommend that this bridge be replaced by a concrete culvert of 42in pipes. A 9in pipe culvert across the Milton Dairy Factory road was completely blocked with silt. The pipes have been lifted and relaid. The probable cost of putting in two sots‘of temporary piles at Thomson s bridge, North Branch, is £3O. This bridge has been patched so many times to make it do another season that I am afraid to do any repairs to the decking for fear it will require a new deck throughout, and 1 am of opinion that it is false economy to try to patch the old bridge. Four new piles have been driven at Hanley bridge, and the old biidge has been put in position. One end of the bridge is on tho south hank of the river and the other end in mid-stream. The bank which formed tho approach to the old bridge has been washed away, and it would bo advisable for tho committee appointed at the last council meeting to pay another visit to the locality before anything more is done to tho bridge. Maintenance metal has been put down on tho Centre road, Inch-Cluth; tho Crescent road, Matau; and on tho Stony Crcek-Hillend road. The new Toko bridge requires 24 tons of lain metal, which will cost £ls. A 7 ery little work has been done during the month other than repairs to flood damage, which has cost £300.” The report was adopted. It was decided to appoint a committee to report on tho condition of Thomson’s bridge and Hanley’s ford.