WAIHEMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20337, 20 February 1928, Page 14

WAIHEMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. Tim monthly meeting of the Waihemo County Council was held at Palmerston on Saturday, there being present: Crs H O’Neill (chairman), W. Ritchie. G. Ross, H. S. Sl.ieat, M. J. M‘Cable, J. Chapman, G. Clark, R. L. Smith, and J. O’Connell.

INSPECTOR’S REPORT.

Following are the principal items in the inspector’s report: Bushey Riding.—Mr Chalmers had asked that about five chains of a road near his fence he widened. There was a slip near there, and it was always on tlie move, with the result that th e road was narrowed. About 3ft would give ample room and would also giv© room for a water table. Mr Chalmers would cart the necessary stone required for soft portions of the road. — Adopted, th© work to he carried out. Goodwood Riding.—A good job had been made of the work on Wright’s road. —Adopted. Meadowbank Riding.—The main highway was in very fair order, but would want the grader run over it again shortly. Gravel was to be graded in on Hughes and other roads as soon as the team was available. Some maintenance gravel would be put down as authorised. —Adopted. Blue Mountain Riding.—The bridge at M'Lew’s was finished and approaches completed. Limekiln road required maintenance gravel in places.—Adopted. Dunback Riding.—General surfacing work, grading in gravel, etc., had been carried out in the riding.—Adopted. Green Valley Riding.—Work had been started on M'Bride’s Hill, some extra maintenance gravel would be required there and on other portions of the main highway.—Adopted. Macraes Riding.—The bridge on Butter and Egg road and approaches had been completed, the job being satisfactory.—Adopted. CORRESPONDENCE. . Mr W. G. Pearce (District Highways Council) wrote stating that the North Otago Automobile Association had met th e Highways Board, and had asked that the erection of a new bridge at Bushey Creek be proceeded with, the present bridge being stated to be considerably below flood level, while the approaches lay at a sharp angle. The approximate estimated cost of a proposed new bridge would be £3700. Th e Highways Board had decided that the board would contribute on the basis of £3 for £1 towards the cost. He asked for an approximate date on which the council would be able to put the work in hand.—The Chairman said that not one of the ratepayers was interested in this. If the work was proceeded with they would have to strike at least a rate over the whole of the county.—lt was decided to reply that the council did not see any necessity for the bridge at the present time, and did not propose to go any further with the mattter. Mr J. R, Marks (chairman of the District Highways Council) forwarded a circular received from the'Highways Board showing the proposed allocation of revenue derived from the netrol tax the chief clauses being that 8 per cent, would he paid direct from the Consolidated Fund to the cities and larger boroughs on a population basis, and the balance as follows: —24 per cent, towards maintenance of the main highways, 25 per cent, on a suggested total of 500 miles of additional main highways, 12 per cent, for sinking fund and interest to pay off loans raised under the Main Highways Act in about 15 years, 4 per cent, to small boroughs, and 25 per cent, on main highways adjacent to the larger centres of population.—Received Mr J. R. Marks also forwarded a copy of a circular received from the Main Highways Board in connection with the width of minor structures on the mam highways. This set out that it had often been the' custom* to make the width of roadway the same as for large bridges, namely, 12ft for one-lane traffic, and 18ft for two-lane traffic. In many cases it was undesirable in the interests of safety to curtail the width of small structures. In designing and approving of such minor structures, up to 12ft-span, a width if structure should be nrovided equivalent to tlie trafficable width of the adjacent formation.—Received. Tlie Mayor of Wellington wrote soliciting the council’s co-operation in raising funds for the dependents of Lieutenant J. R. Moncrieff and Captain G. Hood, who had lost their lives in attempting a flivbt across the Tasman Sea.—Received Messrs Hcffernan Bros, wrote forwarding a cheque for £l2 10s. their contribution towards the cost of erecting a bridge over Butter and Egg Road Creek,—Received. Mrs A nnie Fraser. Macraes, wrote complaining of wandering cattle, and stating (hat live head of cattle had been put into her property in the township and the date bad been broken.—The attention of the ranger to bo drawn to the matter. GENERAL. Accounts amounting to £741 were passed for payment. An application by Messrs Oliver Fraser and William M'Leod for a slaughtering license, to apply to section 80, block X, Moeraki. came before the meeting, and it was decided to refuse it. The tender of Mr R. Hewitt, at 3s per yard, for the breaking of 200vds of rock for Macraes road was accepted.