BRUCE COUNTY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23369, 8 December 1937, Page 17

BRUCE COUNTY

■- i ■—«0» ■— ■ ' MONTHLY MEETING OF COUNCIL The monthly meeting of Bruce County Council was held at Milton yesterday, and was attended by Crs W. J. Sheat (acting-chairman), D. McGregor, J. Boylen, J. Allison. A. King, H. M. Driver, J. Clark, V. Wilson, A. Higgs. W. Moore and A. Renton, t . The actine chairman extended a welcome back to Cr Boylen, the chairman, who had been absent from the past three meetings owing to illness—Cr Boylen briefly responded, thanking councillors for their welcome, also for the courtesies extended towards him during his illness. FINANCE The clerk (Mr V. Walker) submitted a statement on the council's finances for the period ended December 7, as follows (with figures for the corresponding period last year in parentheses) :-Balance, April 1, 1937. £3682 2s lid (£3584 14s 2d); receipts to date £10,901 lis 2d (£8259 4s 8d); expenditure to date, £18,352 13s 5d (£17.758 0s 3d); debit balance at December 7. £3768 19s 4d (£5914 Is sd). The receipts since last meeting totalled £9lO 15s 2d, and accounts totalling £2611 were presented and passed for payment. _ m ENGINEER'S REPORT The monthly report by the engineer (Mr J. H. Bateman) was as follows: Crichton Riding.—The lower end of the Lovells Flat-Kaitangata road has been graded and metal patching done on the School road. Matau Riding.—Five yards of gravel have been spread on Benhar road. The formation contract on the Lake-side-Stirling road has been completed. Inch Clutha Riding.—Six yards of gravel have been spread at "Voungs and Murray's and 43 £ yards between the Church and Anderson's, and 51

yards of rock have been placed at the riverbank at Weir's. Kaitangata Riding.—Broom has been cut on the riverbank between the Cliffs and Kerr's gate. Shoulders have been graded off on the Wangaloa road between Thomson's and Smaill Bros., and surface work has been carried out on portion of the old Coombe Hay road. . ~ Glenledi Riding.—The slip on Akatore Hill has been trimmed up, and the culvert shifted to a new position. Waihola Riding.—Metalling has been done at Blondell's and Gregorys and water-tabling done on the Hill road. Mount Stuart Riding.—Donnelly s road has been gravelled and two metalled portions of road at Table Hill to be gravelled under Government vote have been made ready for gravelling. Tokomairiro Riding.—Broom and gorse have been cut on the river bank at Salvation bridge. MAIN HIGHWAYS Clarksville to Springvale.—This highway has had the usual grading and water-tabling. Arrangements have been made for maintenance gravel between Round Hill and the work in Manuka Gorge . Balclutha to Lawrence.—l his highway has been graded twice, and watertables attended to at the lower end. Balclutha to Wangaloa.-The Bal-clutha-Kaitangata section, hasi been graded twice, and the widening and raising is about completed. On the Kaitangata-Wangaloa section, two miles at the Wangaloa end have been widened with the grader, and maintenance gravel is being spread on the Kaita"fSta'ngata to Paretai Pum.-This highway has been graded, and maintenance, gravel spread below the school Stony Creek to Hillend.-This section of highway has been graded twice and maintenance gravel spread between Bishop's and Stony OreeK Schoolhouse. „ . ... ~ c „„ Green Island to Taien Mouth.-Sur-facing has been done on this section. RANGERS REPORT The ranger (Mr J. H. Morgan) reported having found 20 head of cattle wandering on county roads during the past month. Six applicants for motor drivers' licences had passed the reauisite tests. CORRESPONDENCE The Mayor of Dunedin (the Rev. E. T Cox) wrote stating that it was suggested that £25 woSld be the Bruce County's share of the £IOOO aimed at as the Dunedin's area's contribution to the Far East Relief Fund.-The letter was received. The Commissioner of Transport wrote stating that .the police report on the recent motoring fatality on the Balclutha-Clydevale main highway at Pukeawa alleged that the presence of loose metal on the road was a main factor in causing the accident. He requested that the council should take any action necessary in the interests of "road safety—Received. An appeal from the manager of the Dunedin Children'? Rest Home for funds for Christmas cheer for the children was received.

The Balclutha Borough Council applied for permission to extend its present main drain in Lyne street across the Cemetery road, North Balclutha.— Granted. Mr J. C. Alexander wrote requesting the council to clean out that portion of Clarksville drain leading through his property. He also asked that the present 30-inch culvert on the road past his property should be replaced with 50-ihch culvert—The latter request was referred to Crs Sheat, Allison, and McGregor for attention. The matter of cleaning out the drain was referred to the committee of district ratepayers responsible. On behalf of Clutha branch of the Farmers Union. Mr James Wood, secretary, forwarded a copy of the resolution expressing appreciation of the work carried out by the council in raising the low-lying portions of the road between Balclutha and Kaitangata at the "Hermitage" and at Wallace s corner Mr F. T. M. Kissel, chief electrical engineer, forwarded a circular letter, asking for particulars relating to elec tncal supply service within rural areas in the countv.—lnformation to be supplied. * Mr P. Keller. Main Highways Board's representative on No. 17 District Highways Council, advised that the council had revoked the delegation of any of its powers to the County Council in respect to the maintenance of that portion of the Dunedin-Invercargill main {"Shway between the boundaries of the Milton and Balclutha boroughs, also the Clarksville-Springvale main highway within the Bruce Countv.Received. The district public works engineer requested the council to remove the longitudinal planking on the Taieri Mouth bridge as recommended by the council's engineer, at an estimated cost of £3o.—Agreed to. Mr S. Newburn. Kaitangata. applied for a refund of bond of £2O deposited as guarantee for repairing any damage done to the Kaitangata-Summerhill road through cartage of coal thereon. —lt was decided to retain the bond. BALCLUTHA BOROUGH The Balclutha Borough Council wrote outlining its proposals for the amalgamation of North Balclutha with the borough of Balclutha and for improvements on the Balclutha-Law-rence main highway. The council's proposals were that it would contribute £65 towards the Barnego road work in consideration of the County Council waiving the annual collection of rates due in respect of the severed portion of North Balclutha. This, the Borough Council claimed, would enable the work on Barnego road to he proceeded with, and Improvements estimated at £6OO carried out on an important road leading to the Bruce County. In taking over the North Balclutha area, the Borough Council would be sacrificing an increasing revenue for water, at present about £IOO a year, and it would be faced with additional expense for several years to make the new area conform with borough standards.

Crs King and Renton expressed strong opposition to the acceptance of the Borough Council's proposals, which they considered one-sided and whicb would penalise other county ratepayers if they were made responsible for payment of the balance (about £326) of interest and sinking fund on loans which had currencies of about six and 13 years. It was decided not to accept the proposals outlined. GENERAL It was decided to write to Mr J. Roy, M.P., asking him to use his endeavours to obtain a grant of £l5O (£2 for £1) for improvements to Summerhill road, Kaitangata Riding. The acting chairman extended seasonal greetings to his fellow-cquncillprs and the staff. These were reciprocated by Cr Driver.