WAIHEMO COUNTY COUNCIL

Otago Witness, Issue 3384, 22 January 1919, Page 17

WAIHEMO COUNTY COUNCIL

The monthly meeting of the Waihemo County Council, held on Saturday, at Palmerston, was attended by the chairman (Mr Geo Clark), and Crs J. Chapman, T. M'Lay, R. Matheson, A. Aitchison J. O'Connell, H. O'Neill, and J. S. Miller. Mr A. M'Laren waited, on the council to complain about the state of the Goodwood road, which he said was so overgrown with broom as to constitute a serious publio nuisance. He pointed out that it was hardly fair that a few ratepayers should be forced to clear weeds from the roadlme, and yet not be allowed to cut the valuable cocksfoot grass, the whole of which' was generally taken by an outsider who had paid £2 or £3 for the privilege. Cocksfoot seed was worth up to Is 4d a pound, and if the council could get the value of what grew along the road in question it would enable them to put the road in good order without expense.—The clerk was instructed to serve notice on the ratepayers concerned, and the chairman explained that tenders had already been received for the cutting of the cocksfoot. The Clerk was instructed to write to the secretary of the Otago Hospital and Charitable Aid Board,' protesting against the inadequate amount of the allowance made to an aged Chinaman, a resident in the county. , ... Colonel J. Cowie Nichols wrote inquiring if the council would join other local bodies in Otago in a scheme whereby it was proposed to plant single trees one mile apart along the main roads, in memory of soldiers who had fallen at the front. —It was deoided to let the matter stand over pending communication with the Palmerston Borough Council. Letters were received from the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board detailing the Government's intentions regarding expenses incurred during the influenza epidemic. The Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. G. W. Russell) wrote intimating that each local body would be free to make its own arrangements regarding peace celebrations. Advice would be given later concerning the form of celebration to be adopted by the Government. —The letter was received, and it was decided to work in conjunction with the local borough council in the matter.

Mr Geo. Goodwin was granted permission to erect gates on the roadline through his property at Goodwood, subject to the usual conditions. The Clerk of the Lake County Council requested the Waihemo Council to cooperate, in combating the Irea pest by subsidising, to the extent of 3s per head, the Lake County Council's grant of 2s, and the Kea Club's grant of ss, for the destruction of the birds.—Agreed to. The Hon. Secretary of the Royal Horticultural Society's War Horticultural Relief Fund sought the council's assistance in raising £25.000 in New Zealand for the fund. It was explained in the circular that the society wished to raise £1,000,000 in the British Empire as a straight-out gift to enable immediate assistance —in the way of expert advice, and gifts of trees, implements, eta —to be given to the ruined orchard and garden industries in Belgium. France, Serbia, Rumania, Poland, and Italy.—The proposal met with no sympathy, the communication being merely received. The usual weekly hall-holiday (Wednesday) was declared for the next year. The dog tax was fixed at the same rate as in previous years— 7s 6d and 2s 6d f The Finance Oommitee reported that re-

ceipts amounted to £331 10s 9d and expenditure to £266 13s 5d. —Adopted. The inspector's report on the road work done in the various ridings was adopted.