CLUTHA COUNTY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22099, 1 November 1933, Page 11

CLUTHA COUNTY

\ MONTHLY COUNCIL MEETING

The monthly meeting of the Clutha County Council, held at Balclutha yesterday, was attended by Crs Thomson (chairman), King, Brown, Harris, Brough, Maginness, Wilson, M'Kenzie, Jack, Cummillg’ CORRESPONDENCE.

H. Ash wrote applying for 300 or 400 yards of gravel from the council’s hopper and asking if the council would reduce the price.—It was decided to offer the gravel to the writer at Is 9d per cubic yard. W. J. Harrington (Ratanui) made application to have from 12 to 15 chains of clay road leading to his property metalled before winter.—Attended to.

James Murray, on behalf of C. F. Sargeant (Kaka Point), stated that the fence had not been removed from the road in front of D. Sinclair’s property. The council was given 21 days to remove the fence.—The engineer stated that a portion of the road was used as a garden, and the gardener had blocked the small portion of the road remaining with a chain. —It was decided to inform the owner of the garden that if he continued to obstruct the road the whole fence round his garden would be removed. The clerk of the Waitemata County Council wrote asking for the Clutha Council’s donation of £5 towards the “fighting fund ’’ in the power poles appeal case. It was stated that the cost to the Waitemata Council was £3OO. —It was decided to pay the amount, as previously agreed. D. S. Mackenzie, on behalf of the South Otago Flour Mills, drew attention to the unsatisfactory state of the road from the Ruriwao siding to the main road. The company would assist with the cartage of gravel.—lt was decided to carry out the necessary repairs. The Mackenzie County Council notified that the conference of South Island county council delegates would be held at Christchurch on November 9. The Clutha Council was asked to forward any matters which it desired to have discussed. —Cr Maginness said he thought the Clutha Council should be represented at the conference. —It was decided that the chairman should represent the council and that if he was not free to get away that the deputy chairman (Cr Jack) should go. The Bruce County Council stated that it had agreed to pay its share of the lighting of the Balclutha traffic bridge in terms of the commission’s finding.—Received. The county ranger wrote suggesting that a pound should be established at Owaka. —Left to Crs Brough, Wilson, and the engineer to go into the matter and report to the next meeting. The acting town clerk, Dunedin, wrote stating that it was proposed to make a charge of 2 per cent, for collecting heavy traffic fees. The charge precious to June, 1932, had been 5 per cent., but during the 12 months ended last June the City Council had collected the fees without charge. Allowing for the modified conditions under which the distribution was now being made, 2 per cent, was considered a reasonable charge.—A letter was received from the Waitaki County Council asking what action the Clutha Council had decided to take in connection with the matter. —It was decided to support the Waitaki Council in its offer to collect the fees at a lower rate. J. G. O. Judd (Clinton) applied for permission to erect a gate on his boundary fence where it had been intercepted by the newly-formed Clinton-Wyndham road. —Held over to allow the member for the riding concerned to report to the next meeting. , .. Three applications for building permits in the township of Waipahi were granted. The Clinton Town Board asked if the council would allow its ranger to act in the whole of the board’s district.—lt was decided to give the ra’nger permission to act as suggested. FINANCE. The financial statement showed receipts amounting to £7086 3s 4d and expenditure totalling £3492 6s 7d. The clerk reported that a debit balance of £1024 in the general account had been reduced to £IOO, and that amount would probably be wiped off by the receipts which came in that day. Cr Cummings said the rates had come in better than had been anticipated. , Cr M'Kenzie commented that the position was more encouraging than for a long time. RANGER’S REPORT. The county ranger reported having found 70 head of cattle and four horses wandering on the roads. The report was adopted. TAR-SEALING' OF ROADS.

The engineer submitted a report on the matter of tar-sealing certain roads within the county. The length of the proposed work was about one mile, made up as follows: —Owaka township, 45 chains; Clinton, 20 chains; Rosebank, 15 chains. The total cost would be £660, and the width of the sealing would be 18 * e< Cr Jack said that if any tar-sealing was to be done the portion from the Balclutha Borough boundary to the foot ot the hill should take precedence. _ The chairman commented that there was more necessary work to bo done within the county. Cr Maginness said that with the subsidy the cost to the council would be only £2OO. The work would be a great saving to the council, and he moved that it should be carried out Ho understood that money was available for county conncila to carry out special works, and .lie thought they should make early application to participate in this amount. After some discussion it was decided to make application to the Highways Board to carry out the work on the understanding that the lengths for the Rosebank and Clinton sections should be extended by five chains each. ENGINEER'S REPORT.

The county engineer submitted the following report upon the state of works in the county:—

Main Highways.—Himedin-Invercnrgill: This road is in reasonably good order at present, but requires resurfacing with gravel in parte, more particularly between Waiwera and Waipahi, and 1 propose to carry out this work towards the end ot next month, when the county lorries will be available. Balclutha-Papatowai: From Balclutha to Owaka the surface is m fair order, but requires gravel surfacing in parts, more particularly on Tunnel Hill, and in the vicinity of Owaka. From Owaka to Papatowai the surface is also in fair order, but requires repairs, in parts, and I have arranged to commence this work some time next week. OwakaPurekireki: Tin's road is in fair order, but also requires gravelling in parts, and I hope to have the work completed previous to the holidays. Balclutha-Kaka Point: Two county lorries arc at present employed in resurfacing with grave] in parts, and on completion of the work in about two weeks’ time this road should be in first-class order. The material for the railing approaches to the Puerua River bridge are to hand. WaiweraClydevnle: This road has been repaired, and is now in fair order, but further gravel surfacing work will be undertaken when the county lorries are again avail-

able. General: All other highways have been graded and lightly maintained, and are at present in fair order.

Clutha Riding.—General maintenance work has been carried out on Te Heuke and Soper’s roads, and Rosebank streets, and similar work is at present in hand on Four Mile Creek road.

Clinton Riding.—The surfacemen have been wholly employed in metalling Clin-ton-Wyndham road, with the assistance of relief workers, and have completed about 15 chains of mile two. The relief workers have been reduced to two, but there js every prospect of the number being increased to hve within the next few days.

Clydevale Riding.—Good progress is nowbeing made with the gravelling contract oh Powell’s road, and about 50 chains have been completed. Repairs have been made to Lambourne landing road and Lam-bourue-Waiwera road. Materials for caulking and generally overhauling the Clydevale punt have been purchased, ancl I hope to commence the work early next week.

Catlins Riding.—Metalling and general maintenance work has been carried out on Hunt’s, Newhaven, Bryant’s, and Ibbotson's roads. Repairs to landing bridge, Newhaven road, are at present in hand. The work of concreting footpaths in Owaka township has been continued, and the metalling work on Houipapa settlement road is also in progress. Glenkenich Riding.—Gravelling and general repair work has been carried out on Eoi-Maitland,_ Kelso-Koi, Merino Downs, Seddon Hill, Falconer’s, Middle roads and others.

Maclennan Riding.—The widening of Joe’s Saddle road has been continued, and about 60 chains have been completed to date. Repairs have also been made to Ratanui-Tahakopa Beach, Purakanui, and Tautuku Beach roads. Pomahaka Riding.—The surfacemen been chiefly engaged on main highways, and in extensive repairs to the Wai-pahi-Pomahaka Downs road. Light maintenance work was also carried out on the Clinton-Taumata road.

Richardson Riding.—Repairs have been made to Hillfoot road, and various roads in the Waiwera district, including Robertson’s, Williamson’s, and Middle roads. South Molyneux Riding.—About 400 cubic yards of metal have been quarried for repairs to roads in the Otekura district, and repairs made to Havard’s, Kaka Point to Nuggets, Karere Creek, .Shuttleworth’s, Heap’s, Puerua Valley, Glenotnaru School, and Lighthouse roads. Waipahi Riding.—General maintenance work has been carried out on Arthurton landslip, Waipahi-Pomahaka Downs, Cemetery Hill, Glenshee, M'Beath’s, Dyne’s, Conical Hills School, and other roads. The report was adopted.