SOUTH OTAGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20705, 1 May 1929, Page 14

SOUTH OTAGO

CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL. (From Our Own Correspondent.) BALCLUTHA, April 30. The monthly meeting of the Olutba County Council was attended by Crs W. J. M’Konzie (chairman). D. R. Jack. Robert M'lndoe, W, S. Thomson, A. T. Harris, Thomas Maginness, J, R. Wilson. Joseph Mosley, and George Hay, ' ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer (Mr G. S. Gould) reported:— Olutha Riding.—The surfacemen have been' chiefly employed in ;repair work on the Dunedin-Invercaigill main highway, and, on the Knihiku-Waiwcra road. A 121 n pipe culvert was installed .on the Wniwera Station road, - , Clydevalo Riding.—About 120 yards of gravel have been used in repair work on Benney’s road, and this road is now in fair order. Similar work is also being carried out on Lambourne' landing road. Clinton Riding.—The surfacemen have been wholly employed in putting in culverts, grading, and generally re-forming the Clinton-Owaka road, and will now be engaged in metalling work- on Morris’s road, Kalwera. ‘ Gatlins. Riding.—Metalling contracts on Catherwood road have been commenced. The unmetalled portion of Hunt’s road, about 30 chains, is now being completed with the assistance of free labour by the adjacent farmers, and it is expected this road will be metalled throughout within u few days. Glenkenich Riding.—Good progress is being made with the new Pomnbnka River brjdgc at Kelso, and it is expected the bridge will be opened for traffic about the end of May. MacLemian Biding,—The repair work on Houipapa-Tawnnni road has been continued, and this road is now in fair order to 'Tawnnui railway station. It is expected the. work _ will be completed to Goodsir’s corner in about three weeks" time. General ’ road maintenance work has been carried out-and a small bridge at Pukiikauiti is being reconstructed. Pomahaka Biding.™ Good progress is being made with the gravelling contract on Waipahi-Pomuhaka Downs road, and the metalling contract on Diver’s road lias been completed. The Small concrete bridge on Clinton-Clydevnle road baa been completed, ami the bridge on M’Laughl ill’s road bus been reconstructed. Richardson Riding.—The' repair work in the Kaihiku and Wniwera districts has now been completed.- Further work on Neil's road and Anderson’s road will be carried out when the road roller is available. The surfacemen are now engaged in repair work on the main highway at Waitcpeka, and will next be' employed in metalling portions of Hillfoot road, Toiro Repairs to bridge near Kaihiku Church will be commenced this week, ‘ South Molyneux.—Metalling woik is in hand on Puerna Valley road, and it is expected the 15 chains at Apple Cross homestead will be completed this week. Extensive gravelling work is now being carried out on Otanomomo Settlement road. Waipahi Riding.—Portions of BagrieV road and Deep Creek road have been prepared for metalling, and the necessary rock is now being quarried to complete these works. The road roller has been employed in scarifying, grading, a;.d rolling about four miles of M’Nab-Eclievale highway, and is now engaged on similar work on Pomabaka-Comcal Hills road, nnd will next be employed on the DunedinInvercargill highway near Artburton. Cr Jack moved that the engineer have further gravelling carried out on the main highway in Clutlia Riding.—This' was agreed to, and the report was adopted. FINANCIAL. The receipts for the four weeks ended April 27 amounted to £4058 7s 9d mid the expenditure to £5229 15s.—-The Finance Committee’s report was adopted and the pay sheet passed for payment. TENDERS • The following tenders were opened and dealt with:—Contract No. 071, metalline "20 chains, Barr’s road, Gatlins. Tenders were received from C. Ashmore and A. E CENTRAL OTAGO ADVERTISEMENTS.

Eason, and these were left to Cr Maginness and the engineer to deal with. No. 986, metalling 37.50 chains of Newhaven road: James M’Donald, 5s 0d a cubic yard.' D. J. Murphy, 7s Bd.—Left to ,Cr M’Ginness and the engineer.—No. 989, metalling seven chains on Big Mill road: A. E. Eason, 6s a yard.—Held over.—No. 990, metalling 5.50 chains. Terrace street, Owaka: A. E. Eason, 6s 0d per yard.— Held over. CORRESPONDENCE. W. Roy, secretary South Otago Hospital Board, advised that the board bad decided to levy the same amount as last year on the local bodies, and unless there was some alteration in the values the county’s proportion would be the same (£5280). Received. The Public Works Department forwarded authorities for the following works: —Catherwood road, £SO (£1 for £1); Centre road, Stuart’s to Joe’s Saddle, £240 10s Cd (free); Barr’s road. £IOO (free). —Received. Thomas M. Ball (district engineer of the Public Works Department) wrote asking if the council’s willingness to find its quota for the _ erection of the new Balclutha traffic bridge was to be accepted as an intimation that the other local bodies would contribute. If not, he would be, glad if the council would approach the other loci: 1 bodies and let him know their decision. —It was agreed, on the motion 4 of Gr Maginuess, that a. conference of delegates from tl.. three local bodies concerned be held at an early date. 1 P. Morey, district railway engineer, Invercargill, wrote forwarding a copy of the amended restrictions on motor traffic at railway crossings, which would come into force on June 1, and asking the council to have the requisite two signs erected at each crossing,—Cr Wilson said that the Government should pay for these signs and not the council. —-It was decided that if the Government provided the material the council would erect the signs. John L. M’Culloch (Kuhuika) wrote drawing attention to three blocks in the river below the ford.—-Cr Wilson moved that the attention of the Public Works Department, the Laud Board, and the member for the districts be drawn to the matter, with a view to providing a remedy.—Carried. . L. Falconer (Purckireki) wrote asking that a further 31 chains of metalling be done on the top end of Farquhar’s road. The settlers interested would contribute £24 and would undertake to put a coating of metal eight fqet wide by 6 inches deep at £2 5g per chain.—Cr Maginuess, moved that the council contribute £ for £ up to £24.—Agreed to. Joseph Hall (Kahuika) wrote stating that the Kahuika School rood was in a deplorable state and asking that it be put in good repair before the winter.— Cr Wilson moved that the road be attended to. —Agreed to. James S. Miller (Wharetoa) wrote asking to have six chains of road gravelled between the Wharetoa School and his residence, and offering to spread the gravel free of cost.—Cr Mosley moved that the work ho carried out.—Carried. Alexander Forsyth (Owaka Valley) wrote drawing attention to the bad state of the bridge across the Owaka River leading to sections 29 and 44. and also stating that the road required repairing. —Engifieer-to Inspect the bridge and have the work carried out. Alexander Carruthera (Taumatu) wrote asking that eight or nine chains of clay road leading to his place be gravelled and offering to do .the work on day wages and give every fourth day free.—Offer accepted, * P, P. Watkins (Waipahi) wrote enclosing a petition signed by 21 ratepayers of the Waipahi and Pomahaka Ridings to have the road between Wairuna bridge and Mr Clare’s farm gravelled, and stating tlint the petitioners would be willing to provide four teams, and also ■ have the road properly graced.—Left to Crs M Indoe and Gumming and the engineer, R. Berney (secretary of the Hhiahina School Committee) wrote forwarding a request, from the committee to have the road leading to the school attended to.— Cr Maginuess moved that the committee be given a grant of £lO, on condition it carried out the work-—-Agreed to. MAIN HIGHWAY CRITICISED. Thomas M, Ball (chairman of the District Highways Council) wrote on the subject of the main highway between Balclutha and.Waipahi, He stated that if the council did not take steps to improve the condition of the road the Highways Board would have to take the road over and charge the council with its share of th; upkeep.—Gr Hay said it would take eight years to gravel the road at the present rate of. progress. Only five or six miles had men gravelled out of' the 3(5 between Balclutha and Waipahi. He would 1 move that the Main Highways Board be communicated with and asked to'send an engineer to inspect this road. —The engineer said he did not see why the board should not grant a subsidy of £3 for £1 in place of £2 for £1 for this road.—Cr Maginnoss drew a comparison between the road mid the Gatlins branch railway, where, he said, locomotives could not pull the trains up some of the grades owing to bad engineering. After further discussion it was decided that Mr Ball be asked to meet the council at the next meeting and discuss the matter. DRAG-LINE EXCAVATOR. The engineer furnished a report on the drag-lino excavator, showing that in the first nine months the cost of working had been excessive, and that the causes were avoidable, and had since been rectified. Under present conditions, he added, a fair profit could bo shown for the same output and in future the cost of operating would be considerably lower. —Crs Harris, Hay, and Maginncss said the position was very satisfactory,, and the engineer was to be congratulated. GENERAL. Cr Hay moved that the council protest against the rate of interest being paid to the banks by local bodies.—lt was agreed to send a remit on the subject to the next Counties’ Conference. The chairman was granted an honorarium of £SO (the same his predecessor). It was decided to erect 12 electric street lights in Owaka township, the location of the lights to be loft in the bonds of Cr Maginness and the engineer... Cr Wilson moved that application be made that the Bnlelntha-Papatowai subsidiary highway be extended to the Waipati Stream boundary; a distance of 10 miles.—Agreed to; and also that application be made to have the following declared- secondary highways;—Kelso-Mait-land. first-10 miles of the Clinton-Owaka and Rom ah apa-Port Molynenx road. VALEDICTORY. The retiring chairman (Mr W. J. M’Kenzie) thanked the council and staff for their kindness towards him during his term of office. PRESENTATION TO COUNCILLOR. The chairman, in presenting Cr Mosley with q fountain pen, as a token of appreciation from the council, eulogised the recipient’s services. Cr Mosley, ho said, had always been ready to give them the benefit of his wide, experience of local body work, and he personally was sorry that he was not offering hiraSelf for reelection.—Other councillors endorsed the chairman’s remarks, and Cr Mosley, in returning thanks, spoke of probems which he considered were confronting New Zealand local bodies, and expressed the view that mergers might result.