TUAPEKA COUNTY COUNCIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22830, 14 March 1936, Page 9

TUAPEKA COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Tuapeka County Council was held at Lawrence yesterday when there were present the chairman (Mr W. Cameron) and Crs J. Bennetts, J. George, I. D. Revie, E. H. Murney, R. C. Hall and R. G. Cotton. FINANCE. ' The treasurer (Mr R. F. B'atchelor) reported that receipts for the month were £3302 4s 9d and expenditure was £3933 0s 7d, and there was an overdraft of £2365 19a 7(1. There was, however, ho said, main highways and Government grant moneys owing to the extent of £4070 8s Od. Moving the payment of the current accounts, Cr Murney referred to the amount of about £IOOO, the quarterly levy clue to the Otago Hospital Board. He said the time was coming when the county should consider the whole matter. The levy was constantly being increased and the'ratepayers should be made aware of the position. He felt that the council would have to consider whether or not it would remain a component part of the Otago Hospital District. Cr Revie said he was pleased that reference had been made to this matter. The levy had mounted up and, apparently, it would continue to do so until the whole position was reviewed. He was satisfied that the council was not getting full value for its money. RANGER'S REPORT. The ranger (Mr Cowie) reported that during the month he had found five head of cattle and one horse on the county roads, and had warned _ three owners for driving insufficiently lighted vehicles. An unlicensed motor cyclist had been detected but not on a county road. During the month he had registered 400 dops.—The report was adopted. CORRESPONDENCE. Mr T. M. Ball, Highways Board representative on the No. 17 District Highways Council, wrote advising that the Main Highways Board had delegated to the Tuapeka County Council the powers conferred upon the board by section 0 of the Main Highways Act, 1022, In respect of the Kelso-Tapanui main highway and the Roxburgh-Miller's Flat main highway.—Received. * The secretary of the Otago Electric Power Board wrote drawing attention to trees overhanging portions of road lines and inquired whether the council or board should serve notices on the property holders to cut back such branches or trees.—lt was decided to reply that the board could serve notice where desired. compensation was flopped in December. Witness thought that the plaintiff would be fit for his usual work in about six weeks. After counsel hud addressed the court, the president intimated that the court would adjourn to consider the matter, and would resume again later in the afternoon. After considering the case the court gave judgment for the plaintiff for £73. being the amount of compensation at £3 Is Id per week from December to date, plus £1 10s per week for the next three months. The amount; of the compensation paid to December, 1935, was deducted from the claim.

The secretary of the New Zealand Counties' Association forwarded a copy of the evidence taken at a recent conference concerning a national health insurance scheme, and asked to be advised of the council's views, both for and against a compulsory health insurance scheme.—Councillors expressed the opinion that such a scheme was necessary and it was decided to reply accordingly. The secretary of the Otago Hospital Board wrote inviting representatives of the Tuapeka County Council to be present at the official opening of the new administration block of the Dunedin Hospital on Monday, March 23.—The chairman was appointed to represent the council. Mr W. J. Manuel, Coal Creek, wrote stating that Mr M'Knight, who had received notice from the council to proceed immediately with the clearing of the watercourse through his property, had so far done nothing, and he asked that the council look into the matter.— Cr Bennetts stated that the council was responsible for seeing that the work was done, and steps had been taken to see that the matter would be cleared up. Messrs Waigth and Sons applied for the council's permission to cut through the road in front of their property for the purpose of putting a pipe line through.—TJie engineer reported that the work had been done to his satisfaction. Mr T. Omond applied for permission to replace the 4in irrigation pipe under the public road with an Bin pipe, and the lin pipe with a l?;in pipe.—Permission was granted. Mr S. Fletcher, solicitor, wrote making application on behalf of James Alexander M'Donald, farmer, who had sold part of section 128, block I, Teviot Survey District, to the Roxburgh Trotting Club, that the council declare by resolution, that the provisions of section 128 of the Public Works Act, 1928, should not apply to the unnamed road on the cast of section 128, block I, Teviot Survey District.—After the member for the riding had explained the position the necessary resolution was passed by the council. Messrs J. E. Kempthorne and J ( . M'Lcan wrote applying for the gravelling of the section of the Hukaero road between Lee's entance and the fishermen's hut, each offering to contribute £ls towards the cost.—Tt was decided to inform the applicants that the council intended to apply for a grant to do the work. UNPAID RATES. A formal resolution was passed writinn off rates unpaid for the year 19323.3? the amount being £2(12 (is lid— The clerk explained that the motion was necessary to keep the balance sheet in order and that the liability for payment still remained. FXG IN KICK'S REPORT. The county engineer (Mr F. D. Grant) reported as follows: General. —Heavy rain during the weekend caused the road to be flooded at Waitahuna to a depth of three feet for most of the day, vehicles having to be towed. This and other rains have caused considerable scouring on hill sections. The fencing of the Bae's Junction hill is in hand. The bridge over the Beaumont River near Beaumont is in bad order and requires extensive repairs. Unemployment. —The average number of relief workers working per week under the council's committee's control during the past month has been 150 men allocated approximately as follows: —Pros-

pecting for gold, 98 men; Tuapeka County road improvements, 30 men; Tapauui Borough, two men; Lawrence Borough, 14 men; Roxburgh Borough, six men. Claims. —Claims for the month of January on main highways amounting to £432 14s 2d were submitted, also unemployment weekly claims to February 29, totalling £732 3s. RIDINGS. Waitahuna. Surface repairs and grader work have been effected to main highways. The contractor for gravelling 59 chains of Waitahuna sertlementClarks Flat has completed this work, though progress has been slow. He has still Waitahuna-Waipori and another contract to do. With the settlers' assistance Davidson's road has been thoroughly graded. Waipori.— Good progress has been made by the contractors with the gravelling of three miles of the Waipori-Out-ram road, this work being now completed. Brown's. —The contractor for gravelling some 49 chains of Konini (Bellanoy's) road has completed this work. A start has been made on the gravelling of 67 chains of Reserve road. With the assistance of unemployed river diversion work in the Tuapeka Rivei opposite Clulec's to reduce road flooding is in hand. Fitzgerald's and Labes's bridges have been cleared, and good repairs effected to Evan's Flat back road. The contractor for Cockleshell road is ready to commence; his time is exceeded, but I understand that two lorries of other contractors are to assist. The Tuapeka Mouth-Lawrence highway will require some gravel repairs before the winter.

Gabriel's. —Surface and grader repairs were effected to the Brown's-Gabriel's highway and 117 cubic yards o f maintenance gravel put on near Bowlers Creek. Repairs were effected to Monro's Gully. Wethcrstones and Waipori roads. Teviot. —The erection of Cave Creek bridge is in hand and should be completed this month. A small bridge near Wingfield, on the Roxburgh-Miller's Flat highway, which had its fairly rotten decking burnt, has been redccM. Surface and grader repairs were also effected on the highway. Repairs were effected to portions of Tima Burn, Black Hill, and Horseshoe Bend roads. Benger.—Surface grader and planer repairs were effected to main highways. Further maintenance gravel is required on the Roxburgh-Vincent boundary seclion. Repair work has been carried out on the Heriot-Roxburgh road, and side roads at Ettrick have been graded. Beaumont. —Main highways have been kept: graded and f>s4 cubic yards of maintenance gravel delivered on the Rae's Junction-Island Block section by the county lorries and plant from Beaumont pit. Repairs have been effected to portions of Heriot-Roxburgh road, and attention to new gravid on top portion of Dunrobin road. The contractor for gravelling Weatherall's and the remainder of Wilden Runs road has made fair progress and is about completed.

Oookston. Maintenance gravelling with crushed Crookston gravel has been carried out on weak sections of the main highways towards Edievnlc 587

cubic yards, and Matheson's corner to Heriot, and a trial piece at Hcriot, 227 cubic yards, and surface, grader and drag repairs effected. Further rock water tabling was carried out on Spylaw Hill, 25 cubic yatds of gravel put on, and drain dug at Heriot township and Dunrobin road metal dressed up. Tapanui Surface,, grader, and drag repairs were effected to main highways, and gravel dumps replenished on the Station highway. Gravel repairs were effected to Tweedie's Ford road, 165 cubic yards being delivered. Culvert installed on Hilljack's road, repairs to Turnbull's Creek bed at Sheddan's bridge concreted and minor repairs to various roads. The report was adopted.