COUNTY COUNCIL

Southland Times, Issue 18963, 9 June 1923, Page 15 (Supplement)

COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. The Southland County Council met yesterday when there were present the chairman (Mr E. Bowmar), and Councillors T. Golden, T. Fraser, N. Neiderer, George Wraytt and F. Trapski. An apology for non-attendance was received from Councillor C. Robertson. CORRESPONDENCE. Authority of a grant from the Public Works Department for metalling and reforming a portion of Brown’s road at Pine Bush was received. The County Inspector reported that the repairs to the Gore traffic bridge had been completed and also that six chains of protective work on the Oreti river, at Dipton, had been finished. The repairs to the Wyndham Ferry bridge would be started next week. The Invercargill Chamber of Commerce wrote stating that a conference of local bodies would take place on June 14 in regard to securing an improved train service between Invercargill and the North.— The chairman and Councillor Fraser were appointed to represent the County at the conference. C. A. Thomson and others, asked that the road north of Humphries Hill, be placed in a serviceable condition.—To be informed that a Government grant had been applied for and as soon as received the matter will receive attention. A petition was received from several residents and ratepayers asking that application be made to the Government for a grant for the purpose of forming and gravelling the road from Tisbury to Awarua Bay. The Town Clerk, Invercargill, wrote with reference to the proposal to construct a bridge over the Oreti river and asked the County to consent to contribute a quarter of the cost of erection and also a similar proportion to its maintenance when completed. It is estimated that the bridge will cost about £4ooo.—Held over for further consideration.

The following letters were referred to the member for the Riding concerned and the engineer to report:—Mr James Walsh asked that a swamp on O’Brien’s road, Winton should be remedied.—Messrs Halliday’s Ltd., Mataura, advised having completed the gravelling work required on the road from Ross’s corner to their mill.—James Calder Fernhills, suggested that the water tables on Gurdler’s road should be attended to. — Jessie Nichol, of Terrace road, Mataura, called attention to the bad state of Terrace road and asked that some steps be taken to place it in a serviceable state. — The works manager of the Ocean Beach Freezing Works asked that the main road to Bluff should be improved.—J. Rae of Greenhills, asked that the road to his property be attended to. —Joseph Bell and other ratepayers at Glenham wrote agreeing to give one day’s carting if the Council would undertake certain improvements on Calder’s road.—S. J. Silke of Mataura Island, asked that steps should be taken to repair the intake on the Titiroa channel.— Messrs Carswell and Company asked that some work be done to the road along sections 25 and 26 of the Waimumu Estate. - GENERAL.

The followings works were authorised:— Waihopai Riding—gravelling, etc, Morton Mains, Woodlandes road; Awarua riding—gravelling, etc., Morton Mains, Woodlands road; Hokonui riding—formation and gravelling Pope road, Croydon; Mataura riding—maintenance, Crawford road; Waikaia riding—filling culverts, etc., Waikaka-Waikaia road, metalling and maintenance, Henderson’s road, Blackbills, metalling, etc., Otama Valley roads; Oreti riding—reforming and gravelling, Pakiwi road, filling, etc., road St Patricks-Josephville. The inspector of works was authorised to serve notices on those persons who had not taken steps to clear gorse off the County roads. It was decided that the staff should continue observing the half holiday on Saturday afternoons The Council also resolved to take steps to recover at law all overdue rates outstanding for a period of two years.

The Council decided to take no action with regard to securing stocks of poisoned grain for the destruction of small birds.

The Finance Committee recommended the payment of accounts totalling £5,310 13s Id which was confirmed.

The Treasurer reported that the following rates were outstanding for this year in the undermentioned ridings, together with the amounts for the previous year which are given in parentheses:—Waihopai £702 Os 9d (£248 3s 3d) ; Awarua £1,247 16sld (£370 13s 2d); Wallacetown £475 12s Id (£129 13s 3d); Winton £Bll 9s,ld (£382 16s 7d); Oreti £476 16s 3d (£79 10s lOd) ; Hokonui £550 9s 4d (£124 8s 8d) ; Waikaia £372 17s (£llB 4s lOd) ; Mataura £784 12s lid (£llB 19s 9d) ; Toetoes £4OB 16s 4d (£B2 9s lOd). The tender of Mr W. Pullar at £l9 was accepted for work required on Cox’s road, Tussock Creek.

The Clerk was instructed to prepare ? statement showing the estimated rates on last year’s valuation for the various ridings, together with a comparison prepared at |d above and another at l-16d below the present rates, for consideration when assessing the rates to be struck for the ensuing year at next month’s meeting.

The chairman reported that he had not heard anything further from Mr White with regard to his allegations about the County finances and he had therefore, in accordance with the County’s resolution, passed at the last meeting, instructed the solicitor to apply to the Auditor-General for a special audit.