SOUTHLAND COUNTY

Southland Times, Issue 20225, 9 July 1927, Page 9

SOUTHLAND COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL. YESTERDAY’S BUSINESS. GENERAL MATTERS DISCUSSED. The monthly meeting of the Southland County Council was held in the Council Chambers yesterday morning and afternoon. Present: Councillor T. Golden (chairman), Councillors R. Baird, W. Norman, G. Wraytt, J. McNeill, L. A. Niederer, F. Trapski, C. Robertson and E. Bowmar. CORRESPONDENCE. The Otago and Southland Sheep-owners’ Industrial Union of employers wrote suggesting that the county should subsidise the Government bonus for the destruction of keas.—To be advised that no complaints had been received from country ratepayers. The secretary of the Southland League wrote making application for the council’s contribution to the League funds for the year. The contribution last year was £lOO, but as this was not quite up to the proportion given by other local bodies on their rateable value, the executive suggested that the donation should be increased to £125. —Members expressed the opinion that expenses for the year should be kept at as low a level as possible and £75 only was allocated to the League. The County Inspector reported that the bridge gangs had been engaged on the following works during the past month: One gang in the driving of staging piles and erecting staging over Mataura river on In-vercargill-Fortrose main highway. The second gang was engaged in the boring and preparing of girders for the Iron bridge.— Received. The secretary of the Greenhills School Committee applied for 50 feet of threeinch pipes.—Referred to member for riding and engineer to report. The secretary of the Southland Motor Association wrote: “I beg to bring under your notice the matter that there exists a place of danger to motorists when proceeding towards Bluff by night. At this spot, which is opposite Mr Stephen Wilson’s farm and about half a mile from Ocean Beach the road takes a sharp turn to the right and also dips, while the fences and telegraph poles continue straight on. There have been six or seven cars over the bank at this spot, to my knowledge. I would suggest that the County Council be requested to erect a couple of posts with a white rail in such a position that the headlights of cars proceeding south would shine upon it and warn drivers of the turn.”—Referred to member for riding and engineer to report. The secretary of the Southland League wrote stating that several of their members who used the Bluff-Invercargill road complained of the straying cattle which were so often on the road.—Copy of letter to be forwarded to the ranger. W. J. Fraser, Kapuka, wrote stating that the road fronting his property had been

ploughed up and nothing further had been done for six months.—Left in the hands of the inspector. F. H. Tuffrey, Kennington, was appointed surfaceman for the Woodlands to Edendale district out of 41 applicants. The engineer recommended that a straight out Public Works Department grant of £5O be applied for for improvements to Mr T. McKenzie’s road.—Adopted. The engineer also recommended that a Government grant of £5O be applied for, for the construction of a road giving access to Mrs C. A. Campbells’ land at Campbelltown. —Adopted. J. W. Strachan drew attention to the state of the Riversdale road leading into his to member for the riding and engineer to report. W. T. Sinclair, Dipton, wrote requesting the council, if possible, to form and gravel the road leading to his property. —Left to the member for the riding and engineer to report. The National Mortgage and Agency Co. was granted permission to erect a kerbside petrol pump on the roadline fronting their premises at Balfour. BRIDGE AT MOSSBURN. The County Engineer reported: “I beg to report that Councillors Buckingham and Blatch and the engineer of Wallace County Council met Councillor Wraytt and myself at the Oreti bridge, Mossburn and the meeting went fully into the matter of apportioning the cost of the bridge and its approach roads. “As a result it appears reasonable to ask the Wallace County to contribute £670 towards the total cost of the work to date, from Gore-Te Anau main highway north to junction of Five Rivers road, a distance of some 96 chains; this cost is £3295 10/-. “This apportionment is based on the assumption that the whole of the contribution of £5OO promised by the ratepayers is paid. If it is not the Wallace County should be asked to contribute 40 per cent of the deficiency. The above refers to the construction work only. “As to further maintenance I recommend that the Wallace County be asked to agree to the following.—The road from Gore-Te Anau main highway to the south end of the approach at the south end of the bridge to be maintained wholly by the Wallace County Council, this to be first put in order by your council; the bridge and approaches to be maintained by your council, Wallace County to pay half cost of such maintenance; from the north end of thc approach at the north end of the bridge north to Five Rivers road to be maintained wholly by your council; if any damage is done by flood to the bridge or approaches, your council is to apply to the Public Works Department for assistance towards repairs to same, Wallace County Council to be, of course, credited with its share of such assistance as may be obtained.” —Received and report adopted. FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT. The finance committee reported inter alia as under:—

The chairman and clerk to interview the manager of the Bank of New Zealand and advise that it may be necessary to ask for an overdraft up to £50,000. Accounts amounting to £17,131 7/10 were passed for payment.