OPOTIKI COUNTY COUNCIL

Opotiki News, Volume III, Issue 320, 8 October 1940, Page 3

OPOTIKI COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING 1 KUTARERB WHARF The usual monthly meeting of the Opotiki County Council was held on Friday last. Mr. W. A. Gault, county chairman, "presided, councillors W. A. Butler, 0. W. F'airweather, A. E. Blake, S. Maxwell, C. Black, J. McDonnell, G. S. Moody, R. A. Hedley, and the county clerk. Mr. J. T. Merry,; being also present. Omanunutu School Road. —The Director of Education wrote that he had noted the council was willing to survey and legalise the portion of road leading through the old school site, but was not willing to undertake the fencing of the roadway. The matter of fencing concerned the Native Department. —Received.

Ohiwa Waterfront Road".--The 0potiki Dairy Association referred a letter received from Mr. R. Black for sympathetic consideration. Mr. Black’s letter stated that the Minister of Public Works was quite prepared to grant financial relief provided the county council would legalise the whole of the proposed new road line. If'the Ruatuna and 0hiwa roads were connected in the manner described by Mr. Black it would, he said, be possible for the cream lorry to make a daily circuit. The chairman remarked that the council had done its best to help the two dairy farmers who had no road connection. It had purchased the. road from Mr. Reeve and had surveyed and acquired the land to connect with Mr. Batey’s property. Government assistance had been sought and declined. It was decided to "inform the Opotiki Dairy Association of the facts of the case. Duke Street Drain.—lnspector Wallwork enquired what was being done to deal with the insanitary condition of this drain.

The county engineer referred to the matter in his report and suggested that notices be served on land owners abutting the drain to clean same. —It was decided to adopt the engineer’s recommendation.

Creek Drain. —Messrs. Shalfoon Bros, complained that unless this drain was cleaned from the lvukumoa bridge to the iloodgates the work done by settlers in draincleaning higher up, would not be of much value and it was urged that notices bo served-insisting on this portion of the water course being cleared.—The county engineer was instructed to report.

Ragwort. —-The Department of Agriculture advised that £450 hacl been granted the council this season for dealing with ragwort eradication.— The engineer reported that a gang of men were employed in spraying the weed with sodium on the Otara river banks.

Kutarero Wharf—The Whakatane County Council suggested that in addit.on to the two offers received for the use of the Kutarere wharf that the Borough Counc i might be approached to financially assist, it being considered that the existence of the Kutarere wharf benefited the revenues of the borough to some extent.—lt was decided to reply that this, avenue had been explored without result.

Tuberculosis. —The Department of Health wrote that pulmonary tuberculosis had now been removed from the list of notifiable infectious diseases.

Employers’ Union.—The Secretary of the Employers’ Union intimated that the application of County Councils for exemption from the 5 per cent, cost of living bonus had been dismissed.

Bural Housing Act.—The Opotiki Branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union wrote that it was opposed to the council borrowing money under the Bural Housing Scheme for farm dwellings in view of the fact that a rate had to be struck over the whole county as security for the loans.—lt was decided to reply that the council would watch the position closely and would take steps to see that the ratepayers’ interests were safeguarded.

Four applications were received for loans under the Act and a special committee was set up to investigate the applications and report to the council.

The secretary of the Local Bodies’ Loans Board notified that the council’s application for permission to borrow £IO,OOO for housing would be placed before the Loans Board at an early date. County Boads. —The special committee appointed for the purpose of reviewing the system of county roads in its relation to riding expenditure reported that the necessity for allocating county roads maintenance over ridings had largely disappeared through the creation and functioning of State and Mam Highways and unanimously recommended that all roads previously declared main roads in the county revert

back as riding roads in the particular ridings to which they belonged. —The recommendation was approved and notice of motion was given to bring about the desired effect. Rate Collection. —The clerk reported that as the result of the rebate allowed for prompt payment of rates, £6,596 had been received of the 1940/41 rates to 30/9/40. In addition £441 of arrears of rates had been collected. As compared with a similar period during last year the collection was £1,566 better than last year. Accounts totalling £1,274 2s 3d were authorised for payment.

ENGINEER’S REPORT The county engineer, Mr. W. W. Upton, reported as follows: Mam Highways Maintenance. —1 have seen both the district engineer and the engineer of the Highways Board with reference to obtaining additional money to carry on maintenance work till 31st. March next. I have hopes that the request will be granted. Bagwort Destruction. —A sum of money has been provided by the Agricultural Department for weeds destruction. The amount is a little greater than that granted last year, but owing to extra cost of materials, and labour, not so much will be done. Duke Street Drains.—l would suggest if anything is to be done, that now the warmer weather is approaching, it might be advisable to start shortly. Works Carried Out. —The small bridge on the Waiotahi Boad near the Blue Gum Quarry lia s been repaired. Three new stringers have been put in; also several deck planks have been renewed. One 9-inch diameter concrete pipe culvert has been put in on Becve’s Boad. Gravelling repairs have been doneon the Waiotahi,- McGinley’s, Otara Biver Bank, Warrington, and several other roads. The grader and planer have worked on tiro W-aiawa, Otara, Apanui, Paerata and Crooked Boads,