WAIKOUAITI COUNTY COUNCIL

Otago Witness, Issue 3698, 27 January 1925, Page 22

WAIKOUAITI COUNTY COUNCIL

The monthly meeting of the Waikouaiti County Council, held on the 19th, was attended by Mr E. Laley (chairman), and Crs Briscoe, Box, Gilmore, Preston, and Heckler. Accounts amounting to £414 14s 5d were passed for payment. Mr A. Harvie, Xenthorn, Moonlight, wrote drawing the council's attention to the condition of the Zig-zag road, and stating that nothing had buen done since he last wrote. The read would never be satisfactory till it was taken down the valley to meet the road to the Hammock runs.—The letter was received. and the county clerk was instructed to write stating that the matter was receiving attention. Mr H. Powell, Merton, wrote asking permission to erect a fence on a small part of the road-line on Pullar’s read, so that he could then remove gorse.—The letter was received, and the inspector was asked to submit a report to the next meeting. It vas decided that an additional charge of 10 per cent, be added to all rate 3 unpaid after February 28 On the motion of Crs Heckler and Bri3coe it was decided that any person found depositing rubbick in the mouths of culverts or on the road-lines within the county be prosecuted, and that steps be taken to ascertain the names of persons depositing rubbish at Warrington at places other than in the authorised tips It was decided that all those- who had erected buildings within the county without obtaining building permits be written to, pointing out that they were liable to a penalty up to £5, and that if the fees for building permits were not paid within one week proceedings would be taken. On the nm.tion of Crs Preston and Gilmore the county clerk was instructed to write to the District Engineer, Public Works Department, Dunedin, in connection with the council’s application to the Main Highways Board for a road-making plant, pointing out that it was over four months since the application was made, and that the council was surprised that a reply had cot been received before now. The Public Works Department, Wellington, wrote forwarding a copy of the proposed regulations as to the use of motor lorries m accoidance with the provisions of the Public Works Amendment Act, 1924.—Cr Preston moved, and Cr Briscoe seconded, that “This council is in favour of the pioposals embodied in the proposed regulations for motor lorries, excepting where they apply to lorries owned by farmers and used for carting their own produce to the railways, when the council considered that licenses should be issued and the amount of the fees fixed by the local bodies concerned.’’—The motion was carried. Cr Heckler moved, and Cr Briscoe seconded —“That this council is in favour of the amalgamation of the Waihemo and Waikouaiti Counties, and that Cr Preston bo empowered to wait on the Waihemo County Council with that end in view.’’—The motion was carried unanimously, the chairman and several councillors expressing the opinion that amalgamation was in the best interests of both counties, although there was much to be done before that object could bo achieved. Cr Preston’s appearance before the Waihemo County Council would be only a preliminary step. Authority was given to the county clerk, under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1924, to issue licenses to applicants who satisfied him of their ability to drive.

The Inspector reported that during the month potholes had been filled in on the Main road between Waikouaiti and Flag Swamp in the Hawksbury Riding. About 10 chains of Galbraith’s road had been gravelled. Repairs had been effected on two bridges on the Flag Swamp road and to a culvert on Macaulay's road. Rotten rods: was being quarried and broken for the Quarry road. Rut 3 had been filled in on Mount Watkin’s road and on Reffernan’e road, at Macraes Fiat, but nothing had been done yet on the Nenthorn roads, and it would be necessary to send men from Waikouaiti with a team as soon as they could be spared. In the Merton Riding 190 tons of metal bad been spread and partly blinded on the road from Merton to Karitane, on the MertonPuketeraki road, and on the road, and 77 tons of metal had also been carted out for the Mam road, between the bridge and the Merton Dairy Factory. Ihe remainder of M’Grath’e road tad been graded, and portions of Porteous road, Cuthill s road, and the Warrington-Evansdale road had been surfaced. In connection with fencing on road-lines without permission, the only cases that the inspector found were Mr R. Dodds who had erected four chains of fencing on Pullar’s road, and Mr H. Powell, who had erected about nine chains on the same road In the Blueskm Riding potholes had been filled in on the Main road between Waitati and Mount Cargill, and gravel had been spread on the lower end of Wakan road, and on the road past the show grounds. Most of the Quarry road had been suriaCed » and the fords cleaned out. Abou; eeven chains of the stonewall had been finished on the Lower Harbour contract. W atertables had been cleaned out and 24 yards 01 gravel spread on the Lower Harbour road. The washout on the Deborah Bay road hart been filled in, and a retaining wall built to protect the road. Metal had been carted from the creek and broken on tins Toad to fill in ruts In the North East Valley Riding no work had been carried out during the month, with the exception of the Mam road. About 30 vards of metal had been carted out and blinded with clay and chips from the quarry, and ditches had been cleaned out and loose metal raked in and blinded. The report was adopted, and it was decided to send a team and two men to Nenthorn as soon as convenient.