CLUTHA COUNTY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22999, 30 September 1936, Page 3

CLUTHA COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL The monthly meeting of the Clutha County Council was held-at Balclutha yesterday, when there were present Crs H. A. Brough (in the chair), T. Maginness, D. R. Jack, J. Gumming, A. V. King, A. T. Harris, R. Brown, W. J. M’Kenzie. A. MTntosh and W. S. Thomson. FINANCE Accounts amounting to £2103 0s 4d were passed for payment. Receipts for the same period amounted to £4662 16s 3d. GRAVEL WORKINGS Mr P. Robertson, dragline operator, reported that the output of gravel from September 1 to 28 was 2727 yards made up as follows:—Railway, 2050 yards; county, 419 yards: private. 88 yards: in bin, 170 yards. CORRESPONDENCE

The commissioner of Crown lands wrote asking whether gravel had been taken from Section 5, Block 111, Woodland S.D., or whether the section was likely to be required for such purpose, as inquiries concerning its sale or lease had been received. —Received. The acting postmaster, Balclutha, wrote advising that he had been instructed by the Labour Department to request that the No. 5 Scheme labour employed by the council supplying gravel to the Railways Department be withdrawn immediately.—The letter was received, and it was decided that, in future, extra labour should be engaged when necessary. Mr T. M. Ball, board’s representative, No. 17 District Highways Council, wrote asking the council to supply the usual details for the annual road estimates.—Received.

Mr T. M. Ball wrote advising. that an application had been made for an amount to be placed on the supplementary estimates for the work on Regan’s road.—Received. The assistant district public Trustee wrote stating that there was no objection to the council removing gravel from the estate property of J. B. Logan, Kelso, but suggested that a proper gate should be put in the fence cutting.— Cr M’Kenzie stated that the request would be granted. The Minister of Public Works (Mr R. Semple) wrote asking if the council was prepared to provide the remaining 60 per cent; of the cost to local bodies of the Clydevale bridge, as the Bruce County Council had signified that it would be responsible for 40 per cent. If the offer was accepted tenders would be called.—The clerk reported that the offer had been accepted. The Minister of Public Works wrote advising that repairs to the Puerua lock would cost approximately £IOO, and bridge repairs £4OO. The Highways Board would subsidise the bridge repairs on £3 for £1 basis, and the Public Works Department would repair the lock on condition that the council assumed future responsibility.—The offer was accepted. The acting secretary, Otago Expansion League, wrote asking tbe council to make a donation to its funds.—Received. '' The secretary, Otanomomo River Board, wrote forwarding a statement of drainage repair work done by the board and asking for assistance in bearing the cost of the work.—lt was decided to bear half the cost of the work on drains. The Director-general of tbe Post and Telegraph Department wrote asking if the council would again assist in the annual health stamp appeal and suggesting that permission be given for the holding of a street day.—lt was decided to purchase £5 worth of stamps. The secretary, Balclutha Pipe Band, wrote forwarding an invitation to council members to be present at the annual meeting on October 3.—Received. Mrs Annie Evans. Ngapara, wrote asking the council to attend to the road leading to her property at Pounawea and offering a donation towards the cost—The matter was held over in the meantime.

The secretary of the Taha' branch of the New Zealand Farm. Union wrote drawing the council’s attention to the dangerous corners on the OwakaPurekireki road. —It was decided to attend to the matter. , , Mr J. J. Walter, solicitor, Balclutha. wrote forwarding for the council’s approval a plan of subdivision of part section 2. block LXXIII, Clutha Survey District, which the owner, Mrs Ann Watt, proposed to sell.—The plan was approved. . Messrs Stewart and Kelly, solicitors, Balclutha, wrote applying for exemption from the provisions of the Act for a road between the properties of Mr John Forbes and Mr G. E. Somerville, Waitepeka.—The matter was held over till next meeting. Mr J J. Campbell, Glenomaru, wrote asking for rotten rock metalling to be done on portion of the road leading to his property.—lt was decided to reply that there were no funds available for the work.

Mr T. M'Hugh, Romahapa, wrote complaining of the state of the Clone road, South Molyneux, and asking that it be put in a safe condition—The matter was left to the member for the riding and the engineer. Mr W. Fletcher and ratepayers _in the Waitepeka district wrote asking the council to clean out the Puruhoua and Waitepeka Streams.—The request was referred to the Unemployment Board.

Mr R. S. Sime and other Port Molyneux residents wrote petitioning the council to renew three wooden culverts on the road from Mr O. Tilson’s by concrete pipes, as the crossings were not in a safe cohdition.—The member for the riding and the engineer were instructed to prepare a report for the next meeting. Mr R. R. Grigor. solicitor, Balclutha, wrote asking the council to look into the matter of the drainage of Tosh’s Creek at Mr S. T. Soper’s* property at the Rosebank end of Charlotte street. —The engineer was instructed to take the levels and report to the next meeting. Mr R. R. Grigor also wrote on behalf of Mrs Mary Adams. Gatlins, giving one month’s notice of the termination of the agreement with the council concerning the quarrying of rock on her property.—The matter was left to the member for the riding. OWAKA REST HOUSE

A deputation waited on the council on behalf of the Chalmers Memorial Rest House Committee asking that the council give a donation annually in the way of a rebate on rates—Cr Maginness stated that this had been done in previous years, but the application had lapsed in recent years, \ The matter was one for an annual application. —Crs Maginness and MTntosh were requested to make further inquiries about the position. GENERAL

Mr P. A. Watt, Warepa, waited on the council asking that an access road be formed to his pfoperty, Some years ago a grant of £2OO was made by the Government and he had offered a further £SO, but the grant had been allowed to lapse.—Cr Thomson said that it was a considerable time since the matter had been before the council, as it had not been brought before him.—On his motion it was decided to ask for a Government grant on the Supplementary Estimates. Mr J. G. Kelly, representing Mr N. Gunn, and Mr J. T. Walter, on behalf of the estate of James Beatty, Waitepeka, waited on the council to discuss what action it proposed to take in connection with the closing of a road through Beatty’s property.—Mr Walter stated that the matter would be an expensive one if undertaken at present. A difficulty had arisen concerning the titles of the estate, and when this was settled the problem would be considerably simplified.—After Mr Kelly had outlined the legal alternatives. the council decided to hold the matter in abeyance. ENGINEER’S REPORT The county engineer (Mr B. T. W. Owen) submitted the following report on the work of the month:— MAIN HIGHWAYS Dunedin-Invercargill. The whole distance of the Clutha County section, 36| miles, has been graded once, and 88 cubic yards gravel and 150 cubicyards of scoria rock metal were placed on the necessary surface places of the Balclutha-Clinton section. On this section four miles of grass road shoulders were cut off by the grader and removed by manual labour. The highway is in very fair travelling condition throughout.

Balclutha-Papatowai.—This highway has been graded once from Balclutha to Ratanui, and it is in very fair order. The section from the Puerau bridge to Romahapa, a distance of three miles and a-half, received concentrated road maintenance attention from the power grader and men. The grass shoulders were removed, water tables and culverts cleaned out, and then the rpad surface regraded. The widening improvements at the Waitepeka and Puerua bends have been completed, and the widening of the bend at the junction of the Port Molyneux highway is now in progress. When the opportunity presents, gravel is being forwarded and spread on the base sections of this highway. Two concrete pipe culverts were placed on the Maclennan Riding section. The following main highways have been graded during the month: —Bal-clutha-Kaka Point, Owaka-Purekireki and the council’s section of the Wai-pahi-Tapanui and the Gore-Tapanui highways. RIDINGS s Clutha.—Maintenance repairs were done on Cockburn, Clifton, and Kai hiku-Waiwera roads. Clinton. —Road surface maintenance repairs were done on the Cap road and on the Clinton-Wyndham road. Clydevale.—The scarifying and regrading of the rough surface sections of the Clinton-Clydevale road by the engine was commenced on September 14 and completed on September 26 Also road maintenance work was done on Pannett, Wharetoa, Camp Hill, and Macfarlane’s roads. . Gatlins. —In addition to the highway work, road maintenance work was done with the power grader on Friend’s, Blower’s, Ibbotson’s, and the Morris Saddle roads. Water tabling work was done on Hanning's road. Additional to last month, 114 cubic yards of rock materials were obtained and used on the repairs of the approaches to the Hina Hina bridge. Glenkenich. Road maintenance work was done on Maclntyre’s, Gar den Valley and the Kelso-Waikoikoi roads, also on the regrading of Tweedie’s Ford road surface. Maclennan.—Road maintenance repairs were carried out on Harrington’s road and Tahakopa Valley road. Also 166 cubic yards of broken rock metal were quarried and used for repairs on the Houipapa-Tawanui section of the Catlins Valley road. The scrub growth on the Tautuku Beach road was cut back off the road alignment. Pomahaka.—Road maintenance repairs were done on the Clinton-Clyde-vale road. Pomahaka River road, and the Wairuna siding road. The regrading and repairs to the Old School road, Wairuna, was done by the power grader and staff. Richardson. Surface maintenance repairs were done on the Warepa-Wai-wera road, otherwise the riding men were engaged on the main highway. South Molyneux.—Road surface maintenance repairs were carried out on the Ahuriri-Waiwera road, and a culvert repaired on Morrison’s road. Quarrying work is in progress for road metal to repair Sandy Bay and Cannibal Bay roads. The grass shoulders of the Paretai centre road were cut off with the power grader, removed by manual labour, and the road surface regraded throughout its length of two miles and a-half. The Paretai road to the ferry was regraded. Waipahi Surface maintenance work was done on Webb’s, Conical Hill, Pomahaka Downs, and the Waipahi Station roads. The power grader has regraded Shennon’s, Brown's, Wattie, Heffernan’s, Glenshee and the Cemetery Hill roads. , COUNTY BRIDGES The repairs and improvements to the Back Creek road bridge, on the Tahakopa Valley road, have been completed. The replacements of deck planks and repairs to the Fleming River bridge, on the Papatowai-Chas-lands main highway have also been completed. SURVEYS A bridge site survey was made of the Waikoikoi Stream, Glenshee road, Waipahi, also a survey and plan of the proposed deviation of the Puruhua Stream, at the concrete culvert Waitepeka. The bridge plans and specifications of the Kaihiku Stream, Clifton, Waikoikoi Stream, Waipahi, and the Catlins River. Tawanui, are now ready for the council’s and the Public Works Department’s approval to call for tenders. The report was adopted.