WAIKOUAITI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3764, 4 May 1926, Page 14

WAIKOUAITI COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Waikouaiti County Council was attended on Friday by Messrs I). Gilmore (chairman), J Preston, W. Laley, A. Heckler, 11. Box, and P. Briscoe. INSPECTOR’S REPORTS. The Inspector submitted the following reports on the work in the four ridings. The reports were approved and adopted. Hawkesbury Riding —Nineteen chains of the main road between Flag Swamp and Waikouaiti have been covered with gravel from Shj.eid’s pit, and 18 chains near the bridge with Waikouaiti River gravel. The new channel has been cut for the creek at Flag Swamp, although it is not quite finished. Some of the roads at Hawkesbury Bush have been surfaced, and the suspension bridge at Eldorado has been screwed up and re-decked. North-East Valley Riding.—One hundred and fifty-nine yards of metal have been crushed and spread on Pigeon Flat road. The metal has been blinded and water tables cleaned out over the whole of the road. . The proposed new road near Pigeon Flat is 29 chains in length, and would probably cost about £IOO to form a 12ft road with culverts, but Mr Jack offers to help to do the work if it is gone on with immediately. A commencement has been made with (he formation contract on the Waitafi-Wakari road. Two hun dred feet of 6in pipes have been laid on Hall road at Sawyer’s Bay, and the ditch filled in. Blueskin Riding —The nien have been en gaged for the greater part of the month in surfacing the short road above Waitati School, as the traffic has all been diverted to that road, while a portion of the mam road has been closed for tar-sealing. Stone crushing will probably be commenced soon on the lower end of the Waitati Wakari road, as an pngine and crusher are now available, and the bin from Booth’s quarry has been taken down and re-erected near the upper ford. Repairs have been made to the walls on the Lower Harbour road, and the metal is now bping carted from the trucks at Port Chalmers for this road. About two miles of Hayward Point road requires surfacing and the loose metal raked in and blinded. Merton Riding. —Eighty-four tards of Shag River gravel have been put on the main road below the bridge and 13 chaim covered with Waikoueiti River gravel. The quarry on Kiimog Hill has been cleaned out and the material in widening a portion of the road. The slip near the quarry has also been filled in with clay i taken from a sharp bend near ifc. The road .has now been graded from Waitati to Waikouaiti. and the grader is now being used on Waikouaiti Borough streets The formation contract at- Merton station is completed, and the re=t of the road has been put in order for the gravel, and the junction of the roads has been widened The road through Cherry Farm has been .graded and gravelled. CORRESPONDENCE. The New Zealand Counties Association wrote advising of the conference to be held in Wellington in July.—-Received. Mr J. Bitchener. M.P., to be asked to represent the council. Another communication was received from the same body in respect, of empty benzine tins left on the roadside It was described as a dangerous nuisance.—The council expressed the opinion that such a practice should be condemned, and decided that any move to prevent it would receive its heartv support. The Chairman of the Highways District Council No. 16 forwarded particulars of motor vehicles registered in the various big Wavs districts.—Received. The Executive Committee of the Otago Provincial Court at the Exhibition that the balance of the amount voted for the expenses of the court be paid.— Received and resolved that the amount (£SO) be paid. _ Vouchers were received from the Public Works Department for £l2l 11s lOd and £lO4 5s 2d as subsidies on expenditure on main highways. An additional sum cf £IOO was forwarded for work on the Apes road. The Railway Department wrote asking the council to repair the track and footbridge's at the Waitati station.—The matter was left in the hands of. the inspector to interview residents using the track, and ascertain whether they wished it closed, and if not what, assistance would be given in keeping it in order. Mrs Gf Proudfoot was granted an eating bouse license for a house on Cairn Hill, Waitati. provided the conditions set down bv fhe Health Inspector were carried out. The Clerk of the Manfototo County Council wrote advising of a n’-onoced conference to be held on Anril 27. at which local bodips in No. 16 Highways District will consider allocation of heavy traffic license fees.—Derided fc instruct the secretary of the ManJototo Council that in the opinion of the Waikouaiti Council there was nothing to discuss on April ?7. and the co”nnil would not represented The Highways Council advised by letter that the Audit Department was prepared to allow money duo aa subsidies on high-

ways expenditure to be set off against local bodies bank overdrafts.—Received. The Waikouaiti Borough Council wrote asking the County Council to pay all the cost of two electric lights on the borough boundaries.—Agreed to pay half cost of two lights if one is erected on the north boundary and the other on the south. GENERAL. Accounts totalling £1023 7s lid were passed for payment. Cr Briscoe brought up the matter of horses and wandering stork in general on the county roads after dark. They were a menace to users of the road, and ne asked the council to take some steps to see that the ranger fulfilled his duties.—This was agreed to by the meeting. The council congratulated Mr W. B. Morgan on the stand he took in connection with the estimates placed before the last meeting of the Otago Hospial Board. Cr Laley reported on the meeting of local body representative the Expansion League, and tho Motor Club, which was attended by the chairman and himself.