COUNTRY NEWS

Southland Times, Issue 19171, 15 February 1924, Page 7

COUNTRY NEWS

MATAURA BOROUGH COUNCIL. (From our Correspondent). The monthly meeting of the Mat aura thorough Council was held on Tuesday when there were present His Worship the Mayor (Mr C. D. McConnell) and Councillors W. P. Thorn, J. W. Aitken, T. F. Quilter, J. Park, J. Ingram, P. Curtin and J. L. Mitchell. correspondence. Hon. W. F. Massey, Minister of Finance, acknowledged receipt of the Council’s communication forwarding for publication in the Gazette copy of declaration maxing special rate for the payment of the interest and sinking fund of the water works loan. The writer stated that he was arranging for the matter to have early Departmental attention. —Received. The Mines Department wrote regarding Maim Road, stating that in view of the large quantity of coal carted over the above road the road has been cut up considerably. With the object of assisting the Borough the Minister has authorised the payment of a subsidy of £lOO (£ for £) for effecting the required repairs. Before expenditure of the amount is incurred it will be necessary for the Borough to submit its proposals to the Inspector of Mines, Dunedin, for his approval and to advise the office of the acceptance of the subsidy.—The Council decided to accept the subsidy. The Minister of Health forwarded Gazette • extract of the registration of eating houses applied to all districts excepting the City of Auckland.—The letter was referred to the Sanitary Committee. W. F. de Roo. Inspector of Health, wrote informing the Council that he would be absent on holiday leave until February 18. During his period of absence aay urgent work would be undertaken by inspector Terry of Invercargill.—Received. The Southland League wrote soliciting the CoumaTs annual donation towards the League’s funds.—lt was resolved that the usual donation of £2O be made. The Southland League advised that the third quarterly meeting of the League would be held in the Council Chambers, Winton on Friday, February 15. Any remits the Council wishes to bring before the meeting should be forwarded as soon as possible.— Received. The Mataura Kilties’ Pipe Band and the Mat aura Town Band both applied for the usual annual subsidy towards the bands' funds.—lt was resolved that the usual subsidy of £8 be granted to each band. Miss A. G. Adam, secret ary Mat aura Tennis Club, wrote thanking the Council or granting the extra ground for the purpose if laying another court. —Received. Jas. Reid, secretary Mataura Athletic Society marie application for the use of the Recreation Grounds and for permission to charge for admission tG the sports to be held on March 5. —The request was granted on the usual conditions. J. G. Sutherland forwarded plan of subdivision of part of his property known as Te Re Re for the Council’s approval.— It was resolved tha r the plan be approved of subject to the Borough solicitors opinion. D. Sinclair, Waimumu Road, complained that he was paying a sanitation rate but did not benefit from the sendee. He requested the Council to delete the rate or else give him the benefit of the service.— Referred to the Sanitation Committee. J. L. Mitchell, secretary Mataura Lodge No. 40, requested the Council to carry out its previous promise to ashphalt the footpath in front of the Oddfellows’ Hall and have the work completed before the winter. -—lt was decided that the foreman of works prepare estimates of the cost of the work in concrete and ashphalt. REPORTS. The Finance and Lighting Committee recommended: That Mr M. Monaghan's and the School Committee’s applications for light be granted; that Messrs Sutherland and B. Clearwater’s applications for a rebate of sanitary rate be declined as the Council has no authority to grant the request; that the matter of street lights at Bridge and Durham streets, and njeter rent, are underconsideration; that the proportion of sal- > aries be adjusted in the various accounts as follows—house-lighting £25, street lighting £l5, sanitation £l5, cemetery £lo.—The report was adopted. The Sanitation Committee recommended that separate tenders be called for the ’ease of lots 1,2 and 3 of the Sanitary Farm, conditions of lease to be prepared for the next meeting.—Approved. The Health Inspector’s report of inspections made within the Borough for the month of January was received. The Borough Ranger reported that be had impounded 26 head of cattle during ! December and that 29 head of cattle had been released on the way to the pound. During January he impounded one cow and released 18 head of cattle on the way to the pound.—Received. GENERAL. It was decided that a 10 per cent, penalty be added to all rates outstanding after the due date for the payment thereof. A few other minor matters were dealt with, and accounts amounting to £360/19/2 were passed for payment. OTAUTAU NOTES. (From our Correspondent.) In connection with the Main Highways proposals, the Wallace County Council has applied to have the following roads controlled by the Main Highways Board, viz., Wannatuku to Riverton, 8 miles; Otautau to Riverton, 14 miles; Otautau to Tuatapere (via Cameron's road), 20 miles; Otautau to Invercargill (Yellow Bluff road), 10 miles; Otautau, Drummond and Winton, 5 miles; Invercargill-Nightcaps-Ohai road, via Oreri to Wrey’s Bush, 15 miles; Dipton to Castlerock (Invercargill-Te Anau road), 10 miles; Lumsden Bridge to Mararoa Bridge (Lumsden-Te Anau road), 32 miles; a total of 114 miles. A large amount of local interest centres around the school picnic, which is to be held at Orepuki on Friday. Arrangements have been made for the special train to leave Otautau at 8.45 aun. The fares are fixed at 3/3 for adults, children 1/6, and senior scholars and teachers 2/-. But it also is stipulated that each adult must purchase a child’s ticket. The energetic school committee are doing all in their power to make the outing successful, and it is said that the Orepuki Progressive League is I also interesting itself for the convenience i of the visitors. At the statutory meeting of the Otau- ! tau River Board held last week, Mr T. J. j Walker was elected chairman for the en- , suing twelve months. The result of the election of members j for the following three years, as notified ’ by the clerk, were as follows:—No. 1 sub- I division, Messrs John Muir, John Smith, I and H. C. Pullar; No. 2 sub-division, j Messrs R. Scatter, M. C. Mclvor, and T. J. I Walker. It is noteworthy that Mr R. Scatter is the only present member who has previously held office. He first took his seat as a member of the Board in November, 1912, and has consistently held office since that time. The engineer of the Wallace County Council wrote stating that the Council had no use for the bridge beams offered by the Board, and it was resolved that they be put up for sale by auction. The cost of Callender’s bridge was reported as £374. Officers were appointed to sign cheques on behalf of the Board, and Messrs Muir, ; Smith and Pullar were set up as a sub- ' committee to report upon the flood-gate for Beggs’ Creek, and also upon the break I in the bank of the Aparima at Hogg’s corner. Accounts for £65 2/3 were passed for I payment. WAIKAKA. (From Our Correspondent J A very heavy thunderstorm passed over this pain of the country on Wednesday afternoon. The electricity and explosive

claps, were extremely vehement. There was not much wind but as the storm clouds swept around the horizon and the rain began to fall there were felt in places extremely strong gusts. The rain was very heavy and I believe was fairly general over a good part of the Mataura basin. It will do a large amount of good to the late turnip and grass but is too late to do any good to the cereal crops. Cutting oats is now more or less general. The crop is short and the oats light in sample. They have ripened much too rapl idly to be well filled. The recently experii enced dry spell has done its work fairly I general in drying and shrivelling the counI try pasture and crops up. A good many i settlers are or were getting pretty short of , water so the late rains are everywhere . welcome. GORE. (From Our Correspondent.) MAGISTRATE’S COURT. | At A sitting of the Gore Magistrate's Court on Monday, Mr H. J. Dixon, S.M., gave judgment for plaintiff by default in the following cases:—J. C. McKenzie v. John Hurlay, £27 16/-, costs £3 13/-; Murray and Robertson v. F. Morgan, £4 10/3, costs £1 3/6; Murray and Robertson v. M. Skeech, £6 15/10, costs 15/6. The maintenance order against Henry Sherborne in favour of Mabel Sherborne was cancelled, and the arrears remitted, by consent. An application by J. R. Lee for the rehearing of the order on a judgment summons in favour of Grace, "Windle, Blyth and Co., was granted, the order for the payment of £32 8/- being suspended in the meantime. Ln the judgment summons case, G. Small (Mr Poppelwell) v. J. Scott (Mr Dolamore), the Magistrate refused to make an order in resj>ect to the judgment for £35 6/3 obtained by the former. In the case Hunter and Etheridge Ltd. (Mr Poppelwell) v. E. H. White, an order was made for payment of the amount, £2 6/11, by instalments of 5/- per month. Thos. Kincaid was ordered to pay to W. L. Milne the amount of £36 14/10, plus solicitor’s fee of 31/6, forthwith, in default 37 days’ imprisonment in the Invercargill Prison.