SOUTHLAND COUNTY

Southland Times, Issue 20615, 13 October 1928, Page 5

SOUTHLAND COUNTY

MONTHLY MEETING OF COUNCIL. The monthly meeting of the Southland County Council was held yesterday when the chairman, Mr L. A. Niederer, presided over a full attendance of members, Messrs E. Bowmar, C. Robertson, F. Trapski, T. Golden, J. McNeill, G. Wraytt, W. M. Norman and R. Baird being present. Correspondence. A letter was received from the board’s representative on the District Highways Council advising that at a meeting of the board held on September 25, the following roads were recommended to the Minister of Public Works to be declared additional main highways: Woodlands-Morton Mains road 6] miles. Dacre-Gorge Road 5{ miles. Bay Road 21 miles. Dunn Road 2 miles. Waimatuku Road 4} miles. Hundred Line Road 7 miles. Limehills-Centre Bush Road 5 miles. Riversdale-Nine Mile Road 7 miles. On the motion of Councillor Robertson, seconded by Councillor Wraytt, it was resolved: “That this council thanks the Highways Board for additional highways already granted and would request that the whole of the mileage applied for be granted with an additional 2} miles on the Waipounamu road being the connecting link between the two main highways which are cross routes.” The details of the financing of the Inver-cargill-Riverton Main Highway were given in a letter from the Council’s representative on the District Highways Board. The letter stated: “It has been decided to declare as a main highway the Invercargill-River-ton main highway through Riverton Borough. The declaration is to include the Aparima bridge and the board will pay a subsidy of £2 for £1 on expenditure up to £lO,OOO and £3 for £1 on expenditure in excess of this amount.” The letter was received. M. Hamilton, Waimatuku, wrote drawing the attention of the council to the necessity of having gravel put on the new piece of formation leading from the old Waimatuku stream to his property.—The clerk was instructed to write regretting that it was not possible to do any gravelling on that road this year. The council would apply for a Government grant for the road next year. J. W. Gunn, Winton, wrote drawing attention to the state of the road leading into his property, Section 2, Block 111, Winton Hundred. A culvert was required and the road needed levelling.—Referred to member for riding and engineer for consideration. Herman Nortman drew attention to the boggy state of a portion of the Lora Gorge road, at the top end of the gorge opposite Mr Gill’s hut.—Referred to member for riding and engineer for consideration. Annie Payne, Femhills, drew attention to the bad state of the road leading to Section 2, Block 111, Fern Hills.—Referred to mem- . her for riding and engineer for inspection. The secretary of the Riversdale Hall Committee wrote asking the Southland County Council (who held the lease) to assist them in their request to the Defence Department to have the piles of the Drill Hall replaced.—The clerk w-as instructed to write to the Defence Department asking them to carry out the necessary repairs. E. Cockburn wrote tendering his resignation of the position of surfaceman in the Waikaia Riding, to take effect if possible at the beginning of December.—The resignation was accepted, leave of absence on full pay granted from December 1 to December 31, Mr Cockburn to be asked to keep the soldiers’ monument and surroundings in repair, remuneration to be left in the hands of the member for the riding and the engineer. A complaint was received from William Allan, West Gore, concerning the continual presence of cattle on Frank street. —A copy of the letter was to be sent to the ranger. D. and J. Robertson, Kaiwera, wrote complaining of the state of the road known as Gardiner’s road—Referred to member for riding and engineer. The medical officer of health (Dr. F. S. Maclean) Dunedin, wrote with reference to the Dipton Cemetery that necessary improvements appeared to have been done. The cemetery had again been inspected on September 28 and the inspector reported that the gates were broken down and in a dilapidated condition, a few of the graves were badly disfigured by rabbits and there had been evidence of a fire having occurred in one portion of the reserve. The writer asked for the co-operation of the council in having the necessary improvements effected.—Copy of letter to be forwarded to cemetery trustees.

A further letter in connection with the Wallacetown cemeteries was received from Dr. Maclean, who stated that the inspector’s report showed that the condition of these cemeteries was now very satisfactory. The writer suggested that monumental contractors should be compelled to clean up their refuse and stack their materials in approved sites. Possibly they might be asked to make a small deposit of say £1 before commencing any work in the cemetery, the amount to be refunded provided no unsightly litter remained after the work was completed.—Copy of letter to be forwarded to cemetery trustees.

The secretary of the Woodlands branch of the Farmers’ Union wrote as under:—-“I have been instructed to draw the attention of your council to that part of the Rimu —Woodlands road between Burt’s and Stewart’s properties where steady river erosion is going on; also to McCallum’s road, Long Bush, where the same conditions exist. In both instances the danger point to the travelling public has been reached and we respectfully ask that the matter have immediate attention and steps be taken towards improvement.—Referred to member for the riding and engineer who will visit the locality and report. On behalf of the residents of the East Road district, near Eastern Cemetery, Mrs F. J. Pankhurst applied for the continuation of the road to the Mission Church in Carlisle street just off East Road.—Referred to the member for the riding and engineer for consideration. A communication from the Wyndham Town Board was read to the effect that at a meeting of the board a resolution had been carried to widen the approach to the Menzies Ferry traffic bridge as on several occasions much difficulty had been experienced in getting stock across it and it had also been resolved to ask the county council to widen the approach on their side by putting w’ings to it as accidents had occurred to motorists negotiating the bridge. —Referred to engineer with instructions to have the work carried out. A donation of £l5 was received from Mr E. S. Jeff, Otaraia, towards metalling on the Mataura-Clinton road. Mr R. Hamilton, Waikawa, wrote asking the council to do 20 chains of raising and metalling on the Wallace Road.—Applicant to be advised that £5O additional money had according to newspaper report, been rated by the Public Works Department supplementary estimates and that he should appeal to the Department to have this spent. Works Authorized. The following works were authorized: — Toetoes Riding.—Wyndham-Clinton road (reforming, trimming and metalling); Klondyke Road (trimming and metalling) ; Woodslea Downs road (reforming and gravelling) ; Wyndham-Glenham, Letterbox — High, CulverT’Bend Creek (filling and gravelling). Mataura Riding (raising and delivering stone and Pukerau brusher); Shanks road (gravelling, topdressing;. Wallacetown Riding—Howell Short District Plains Road (trimming, gravelling and maintenance). Awarua Riding.—Longbush South and Woodlands roads (truck maintenance). Waihnpai Riding. —lnvercargill-Bluff roads (maintenance) ; Awarua Bay Road (maintenance) ; Oteramika district roads (maintenance); Longbush South and Woodlands district roads (truck maintenance). General. On the motion of Councillor Bowmar, seconded by Councillor Norman the follow-

ing motion was carried: “That the council hereby resolves that the parking of motor vehicles on the Invercargill—Dunedin main highway be prohibited for a distance of 20 chains south and 20 chains north of the main entrance to the Gore Racecourse.” The Town Clerk, Mat aura, wrote stating that the Mataura Council was considering the erection of a new concrete bridge across the Mataura river at Mataura to replace the present structure which was considered too narrow and dangerous for the needs of present day traffic. The writer asked to what extent the County Council would subsidize the cost of a new bridge should the Mataura Council decide to erect it. As the street leading to the bridge was part of a main highway the Highways Board had been asked for a contribution to the cost of a new structure which as far as is known at present will cost between £7OOO and £lO,OOO. —Left to the members concerned and the engineer for consideration. The following motion relative to the Waihopai River Board rates for 1928-1929 was carried: “That this council by direction of the Waihopai River Board under the provisions of Section 101 of the River Boards Act 1908 and amendments thereto and The Rating Act 1925, hereby makes and levies the following rates for the period commencing April 1, 1928, and ending March 31, 1929. —A general rate of three halfpence on the capital value of lands in class A, that is, lands receiving or likely to receive immediate or direct benefit. A general rate of halfpenny on the capital value of lands in class B, that is, lands receiving or likely to receive less direct benefit. A general rate of one-eighth of a penny on the capital value of lands in class C, that is, lands receiving or likely to receive only an indirect benefit; the above rates to be made due and payable in one sum on the first day of November, 1928, at the office of the Southland County Council, Clyde street, Invercargill. Tenders Approved. The following tenders were approved: Waihopai Riding—(Kapuka-Gorge Road district road), D. Baird, £736 9/7; Waikaia Riding: (Pyramid-Waiparu highway-Wel-ler’s Creek and Coal Creek culverts and Staunton’s cutting), J. Matheson, £46 14/8; Wallacetown Riding: ( Lorne-Castleroqk main highway, McCallum’s corner, improving bend), £3B 5/-; Toetoes Riding (Wyndham —Mokoreta and Glenham, etc., roads) W. R. Dawson, £734 7/6.