WAIKOUAITI COUNTY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20906, 21 December 1929, Page 3

WAIKOUAITI COUNTY.

MONTHLY COUNCIL MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Waikouaiti County Council was held yesterday, and was attended •by Crs E. Lalcy (in the chair), P. Briscoe, G. Gilmore, H. S. Box. J. Preston, C. T. M'Callura. CORRESPONDENCE. Advice was received from the board’s representative, No. 16 District Highways Council, that the Main Highways Board proposed making a tour of the southern portion of the South Island some time during January, and would be pleased to meet representatives of the council.—lt was decided that as many councillors as could find it convenient should meet the board.

A letter was received from the Commissioner of Transport, asking the council to forward any suggestions for amendment or curtailment to the motor vehicle regulations, which practical experience might have shown to be desirable. The writer explained that it was proposed tc call a small representative conference of local bodies and other interested parties os soon as possible for the purpose of reviewing the regulations, and that any suggestions received would bo submitted to the conference.—Received.

Dr R. R. J. Fitzgerald wrote drawing attention to the erosion that was taking place on the waterfront of bis property at Karitane, and suggesting that the councillors should make an early inspection of the locality.—Received, A communication was received from the Purakanui Amenities Societies suggesting that the road near the local cemetery be repaired before Christmas. The writer also pointed out that the people of the district had been very much troubled of late by several young men who appeared to take a delight in destroying posts, signs, etc., with pea rifles, especially in and around Osborne Township. Perhaps the council might be able to erect a sign prohibiting the use of rifles in the township.—lt was decided that the road mentioned should be attended to as soon as possible, and that the society be written to pointing out that the complaint in regard to pea rifles was a matter for tho police. Advice was received from the Dunedin manager of the New Zealand Express Company that his company intended to claim against the county for loss of time and expense incurred through one of its lorries becoming stuck in the ford on the Waikouaiti River, where the driver of the lorry was directed to cross by an employee of the council during the time the Waikouaiti bridge was closed to traffic.— Received.

A request -was received from Mr W Doivnie (Double Hill) that a further section of the road adjacent to hia property be* metalled.—Received,

A letter, was received from the Otago Motor Club, asking if the council could come to some; arrangement with the owner of the property at Hayward’s Point whereby the gate on the road lino to the Spit could be dong awoy with. — The clerk was instructed to communicate with the owner of the gate, refer the matter to him, and report at the next meeting. The clerk of the Taierj County Council wrote intimatihg that his council would attend to the maintenance of the portion of Duncdin-Middlemarch main highway which was the boundary between Taiori and Waifcouaiti Councils. —Received, INSPECTOR’S REPORT. The inspector (Mr T. Lang) reported as follows on the work done in the various ridings during the month;— Hawksbury Riding.—An under-runner on Quarry road which broke through has been filled in and metalled. The now metal on Stony Peak road requires grading in and blinding, and. the lower end of Mount Watkins roa’d also requires grading. The contractor intends to commence the metalling of Nenthorn road immediately after the holidays. Merton Tliding.—The lower end of Stornoway, street, Karitane, across the flat, has been .raised for a distance of seven chains. The clay for the work has been got by widening the cutting at the upper end of the road. The road is now nearly ready for the metal, which the crusher will probably commence to crush immediately after the holidays. The ditch on Hill road at Warrington has been deepened, and several of the culverts at the crossings lowered. The metal has been raked in on Pryde’s road, and a culvert on Fullar's road has been repaired. A commencement has been made in quarrying the stone for metalling Round Hill road. Blueskin Riding.—The maintenance metal has been spread on Stevenson’s road at Double Hill, and partly blinded. Two hundred and ten yards of metal were crushed on the Waitati-Port Chalmers road, when the jaw-stock of the crusher broke. A new one is being made, and the crusher should again be in working order within a day or two. The metal has all been carted out and spread on the road, and stone is now being quarried and carted to the crusher, to be ready when it starts again. The footpath at Purakanui has been surfaced, and scrub cleared from Station road. Wafer tables have been cleaned out on Lower Harbour road, and metal quarried and broken to fill ruts in the road. Tho pipe culverts are now being put in. North-East Valley Riding.—The abutment of the bridge on Reservoir road has been rebuilt with concrete and' stone, and the scrub cleared from the bed of the creek above the bridge. The remainder of the metal has been spread on Reservoir road, and water tables cleaned out.on this road. j Main Highways. Duncdin-Christ-ehurch highway: The work of redecking the Waikouaiti River bridge is now finished, and other repairs are being made to the bridge. The bridge is now being tarred and sanded. The contract for maintenance gravel between Waikouaiti and Palmerston is now completed, 693 yards of Shag River gravel having been put on the road. The road has been graded during the last few days.

Evansdale to Merton (via Seacliff) highway: The recently metalled portion of this road from Merton station to Deep Creek requires grading, and will probably be done before the holidays. The remainder of the road to Evansdale requires about 500 yards of metal. Surfacing work has been done near Omirai. Dunedin to Waitati (via Leitb Valley) highway: A portion of this road, about a mile above the top ford, has been .gravelled, and water tables cleaned out above Fergusson’s Creek bridge. The report was adopted.