CLUTHA COUNTY AFFAIRS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23954, 1 November 1939, Page 13

CLUTHA COUNTY AFFAIRS

COUNCIL’S MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Clutha County Council was held at Balclutha yesterday, there being present Crs A. T. Harris (in the chair), A. V. King, W. S. Thomson. A. Mclntosh, T. Maginness, J. K. Ross, J. W. Dunn, R. Brown, and W. J. McKenzie. Finance Accounts amounting to £44SG 12s lOd were passed for payment. Farmers’ Lorries fA circular was received from the New Zealand Counties’ Association giving legal opinion regarding heavy traffic licence fees for farmers’ lorries. It was asked whether, in view of instructions given to (he department by its inspectors not to enforce the payment of heavy traffic fees in respect of farmers* .lorries, the council could refrain legally from carrying out the regulations in this behalf. The legal opinion was that whatever the attitude of the department in the matter, the council was under a legal liability to carry out the regulation in respect to heavy traffic licences, and had no power thereunder to exempt any vehicle. On further question as to the validity ot insurance covering such vehicles, the opinion was given that if the council took no steps to collect fees on such vehicles and one of them was involved in an accident, the insurance on the vehicle would not be affected in any way, as the purpose of the imposition of heavy traffic fees was to make good to the local authorities the expense incurred by (he wear on the roads caused by the heavy vehicles, and not to ensure that the vehicles were in safe condition. Reports The county engineer's report covering the maintenance and repair work carried out during the month was received and approved. , . „„ The ranger’s report was read and approved Correspondence H. Ollerenshaw (Kahuika) wrote asking that the road between the Aurora Creek and the Maclennan River bridge should be attended to. —Received, and referred to the engineer to make an inspection. , , . w .. A. Jones (Glenomaru) wrote asking that repairs should be made to the Apps bridge near his property.—-It was decided that maintenance work should be d °The Balclutha Borough Council wrote asking that a few loads of gravel should be spread on the unmetalled pait of Ryrie street, where the grader was usually parked.—Received the gravel io be spread. P Keller, the district engineer, forwarded a letter from T. J. C. Owaka. asking that work should he done on his road at Whitehead. Mr Kellei stated that an existing Government gram could be transferred to this road if the council deemed this work to be urgent. It was decided that the grant for the Cannibal Beach road should be tians£<Ne Gunn (Tolro) wrote complaining that the council had not completed the work promised on the road leading to property at Waitepeka, and asking that the remaining section of road should be properly formed and metalled. —Received. George Watson (Port Molyneux) wrote asking that the culvert at Smith s corner should be lowered or altered in some way to allow proper drainage.—lt was decided to carry out the work