TUAPEKA COUNTY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23939, 14 October 1939, Page 2

TUAPEKA COUNTY

MONTHLY MEETING OF COUNCIL The monthly meeting of the Tuapeka County Council was held yesterday, the chair being occupied by Cr E. H. Murney. Others present were: Crs J. Bennetts, W. Cameron, R. G. Cotton, J. George, R. C. Hall, D. McLennan, J. D. Revie, and R. S. Thompson. Finance Receipts for the month totalled £2824 IDs 3d, and expenditure amounted to £1554 15s 2d, accounts for that amount being passed for payment. The credit balance at the bank was reported to be £2OBO lis 3d.

Highway Grants The board's representative, No. 17 District Highways Council (Mr P. Keller), advised that the following amounts had been provided for in the main highways estimates for 1939-40, the subsidy in each case being £3 for £l:—Rae's JunctionMcNab, £1510; Edievale-Rae's Junction (improvements to corners), £150; Bal-clutha-Lawrence, £1122; Balclutha-Law-rance (Faulkner Valley bridge, raising and rsdecking), £210: Willowbank-Matheson's corner, £930; Willowbank-Matheson's corner-Heriot (sealing), £356; Tapanui F.ailway Station highway, £173; RoxburghMiller's Flat, £575; Roxburgh Railway Station highway (sealing), £9OO, WaipahiPomahaka, £278; Miller's Flat Railway station, £151; Kelso-Tapanui, £353. Slaughterhouse Creek

The board's representative, No. 17 District Highways Council (Mr P. Keller) advised that a grant of £250 on a £ for £ subsidy basis had been made by the Main Highways Board for the repair of flood damage at Slaughterhouse Creek, the grant being approved subject to the council accepting responsibility for future maintenance.

Cr Bennetts reiterated his willingness to guarantee the maintenance of the channel, but the chairman stated that under no conditions could he see why the council should accept responsibility even with Cr Bennetts's guarantee. Cr Revie added that the council should accept no responsibility unless the Public Works Department made a very much larger culvert under the highway. A motion was finally passed that the engineer call tenders for the construction of the channel at Slaughterhouse Creek as a purely county job to be financed with the £3OO allocated to the work earlier in the year. Tenders should be closed in three weeks' time, and would be considered by the chairman, the member for the riding and the engineer. No grant from the Main Highways Board, with its accompanying condition would therefore be required. It was also resolved, however, that the Public Works Department be asked to provide an adequate outlet for water and boulders under the main highway. Correspondence The Department of Labour wrote urging the council to assist in diverting Schemes No 4b and No. 13 labour to farm work.— On the motion of Cr Thompson, it was decided to suggest to the department that .farmers should be allowed to engage the men at daily wages as well as under the contract system. The Department of Labour wrote complaining of the employment of No. 13 scheme labour on works unauthorised by the department. There was a further complaint that some private work forCr Thompson had been done at Wetherstones by scheme No. 13 labour.—Correspondence between Cr Thompson and the department and the council and the department was read, the department's final communication stating that it was satisfied that the complaint had no foundation, and regretting'the necessity for the investigation.

The board's representative, No. 17 District Highways Council (Mr P. Keller), wrote stating that the Main Highways Board would not subsidise the cost of constructing footpaths unless the surfacing of the footpaths was of as high a standard as the adjoining highway. The council wished to construct a gravelled path at Waltahuna with the aid of a subsidy, but as the highway would be sealed in a few years' time he would not be prepared to recommend a grant unless the council gave an undertaking to seal the path when an up-to-date paving was applied to the road.—Received, it being decided to proceed no further in the matter.

Mr R. Walls (Dunedln) asked permission to lay water pipes under the road by his property at Teviot.—Agreed to, subject to the work being carried out to the satisfaction of the engineer. W. J. Manuel (Coal Creek) wrote objecting to the council's intention of diverting water from a gully on Mr R. Tamblyns property into his water race.—lt was that the parties concerned meet the chairman, the member for the riding, and the engineer to decide what action should be taken. Tenders Accepted The Disabled Soldiers' Products tender f or the supply of 1500 dog collars for £sl lis 7d was accepted. ,= Th L of f; S. Hanger of £541 15s 4d for the work on the Fruitburn bridge was accepted, as was the tender of the Alexandra Carrying Company of £B3 12s 6d for the creek diversion and bridge approaches/ Engineer's Report The engineer (Mr E. G. Finlayson) submitted the following report:— Waitahuna Riding.—Maintenance gravel has been put out on Greenfield, Webster's, Clarks Flat, Mount Stuart, Poison's and Lockhart's roads. . Gabriel's Riding.—lmprovement work has been done on Bowbell road, Craig Flat road, and at Wetherstones. Waipori Riding.—Snow clearing occupied a few days at the beginning of the month, and general maintenance work was 'done on the Lawrence and Outram roads. Brown's Riding.—The Balclutha-Law-rence highway was graded and surfaced, and general maintenance was done on Crowley's Gully road, Reserve road, Breakneck road, McTavish's 'road, and at Koninl. Teviot Riding.—Two weak places on the Craig Flat road were made up with stone walling. The Roxburgh-Miller's Flat highway was graded throughout, and general maintenance work was done on hill roads.

Benger Riding.—Flood protection work was done on the Coal Creek Church ditch, at Slaughterhouse Creek, and in the Coal Creek flat. Beaumont Riding.—General maintenance work on the roads damaged during the snow was carried out on the Moa FlatDunrobin roads and at Wilden, bringing In gravel displaced and gravel from dumps Springs at Edievale were piped, and a culvert was lifted on the Rae's Junction-McNab highway, which was graded Crookston Riding.—Patching work has been done on Moncur's road. Shanks's road, Dunrobin road, and Roxburgh street, Heriot. The Rae's JunctionMcNab highway was graded, and the crown at Crookston was reduced. Tapanui Riding.—General surfacing as done on Bush road, Birch road, and also at Kelso, and formation and gravelling work was done on the stock Inspector's road. The Rankleburn road was graded, and general maintenance was done on the highways, all of which were graded during the month. The report was adopted.