WALLACE COUNTY

Southland Times, Issue 21217, 18 October 1930, Page 9

WALLACE COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL. (From Our Correspondent.) The monthly. meeting of the Wallact County Council was hela at Otauiau yeater day, when the following were present CouncillorsF s J. Linscott (chairman), T. A Buckingham, G. Stroud, W. T. James, II E. Blatch, John Horrell, W. B. Hopcrott, W. J. A. McGregor. . A motion of sympathy with Councillor Fowle. was carried and ; the’ hope expressed that he would soon be on the road to recovery. Mr C. E. Mowers, Ruahine ,asked that something be done to the road leading to his property at Ruahine, as it was in a deplorable state. He also asked .that ’ two cutfalls be cleared out and culverts lowered to give him drainage to sections 48 .and 50. He requested tuiit. the council take some action «in connection with the straying of stock on the roads.—Left to the member and engineer, to attend to, the attention of the ranger to be drawn to wandering stock. Mr Stanley S. Mumford, Orepuki, drew attention to the state of the footbridge leading from his house to the road meeting Fortune's, as it was dangerous for foot traffic, the sides being rotted off.—Left in the hands of the member and engineer to look into. Mrs M. M. Cloughley, Riverton, submitted plans for an addition to her residence at “The Rocks” for the approval of the council.—Granted, when conditions were complied with. Mr G. E. Wohlers, Riverton, requested permission to shift a shed from the English Church corner at Thornbury to, his place at Otaitai Bush. —Granted under the usual conditions. Mr Robert Greenslade, Otautau, asked permission to plough the side of the roadline along his property to eradicate gorse. —Granted under the usual conditions. Messrs Lindsay and Dixon, Centre Bush, requested permission to shift their sawmill plant to Wairoto.—Granted under the usual conditions. Mr G. 11. Stancombc, Tuatapere, asked that the council grant him permission to take a 2Jin pipe-line under the road from the railway tanks at Tuatapere to his garage, and guaranteed to do the work to the satisfaction of the council.—Granted under the usual conditions. Messrs Erskine Bros., I’apatotara, applied for the lease of portion of the road along the south side of section IV, block 1., Altim survey district, stating that, they were prepared to pay lb/- per annum for it. —Accepted. Mr J'. G. Johnston, Nightcaps, applied for permission to plough the roadline adjoining his property, section 135, Wairio.—• Granted under the usual conditions. Mrs Mary Kelly, South Hillend, drew a,t- I tention to the very unsatisfactory condition of the creek on the road bounding her property. When there was an excess of water in the creek it flowed across the road from a ford, and practically inundated part of her property. She asked that the matter be attended to immediately.'-— Left in the hands of member and engineer to inspect. In connection with the proposed bridge at Dunrobin, Messrs W. N. Bond and J. M. Pears wrote consenting to enter into a bond for half the balance after allowing for the Government subsidy of .£250, the said balance not to exceed £3OO. This bond was given on the understanding that the estimated cost (£850) included the cost of the approaches of the bridge, and would be maintained by the council after completion. —-The/bond to be completed, after which the bridge would be gone on with. Mr A. L. Adamson, provincial secretary of the Southland branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, wrote stating that at a meeting of the executive a vote of appreciation had been passed to all local bodies and others who had assisted the union in securing a continuance of the branch line railway services’, and he had pleasure in passing on to the council the appreciation of the executive for the services rendered by its representatives. Mr W. Pearce, representative for No. 18 District Highways Council, wrote stating that it was impossible to grant the request that the requirements in respect to the size of maintenance gravel be waived for 12 months. Mr Prentice and others wrote with reference to the bridge over the Pourakino river, requesting that it either be heightened or a new bridge erected. They also asked that a portion of the roadway in the locality be raised one or two feet.—Member and engineer to inspect.

In connection with the annual review n the main highways, the following conimuni cation was forwarded from the chairman Main Highways Board: After a careful re view of the whole position the board is re commending an additional 120 miles for de ’tlaration, but of this length only 15 mile: represent new highways. The remaindei consists of connecting links which for different reasons were omitted when the previ Ous declarations were being 'made. With regard to district No. 18, the board regretted that it was unable to’ask the Minister to declare any of the roads recommended by the District Council. Mr A. Scott, engineer. Post and Telegraph Department, wrote in connection with the alteration of telegraph and telephone poles, considering it an equitable arrangement if the'council agreed to adopt a 50-50 basis of the costs involved in the change. He mentioned that twelve county councils and road boards in the North Island had agreed to this method of working.—Held over for consideration. • Mr C. Macaulay was appointed to examine applicants for motor driver's licenses in the Mararoa riding. Order Paper. Cr. James moved that the following amount be voted for expenditure in. Aparima riding: Otautau-Wreys Bush and adjoining roads, maintenance, £6O. Cr. McGregor moved that- the following' amounts be voted for expenditure in Wairaki riding: M.H. Wihton-Ohai, maintenance, £5O; M.H. Ohai-Orawia, maintenance, £3O; Wairaki Settlement road, maintenance, £4O; and Manson road, maintenance, £4O; total, £l6O.

■ r Engineer's Report. The engineer (Mr J. G. C. Baker) reported that since last meeting the weather had been dry and cold, but there had been enough rain to prevent unsurfaced roads drying sufficiently to allow uncompleted works to be gone on with. Several new grants had been laid off and proposals prepared, and as there was a.shortage of Government money he would like instructions as to -what Government grants were to be approved this year. On the 26th of last month Cr. James and the engineer met Messrs A. W. Moore arid D. Sheddan regard-, jug the proposed road closing of part of the Otautau-Nightcaps Main Highway at Waikouro, anti in connection with which the main, highways’ representative had suggested a road deviation in order to' get rid of two turns at this place. Mr Moore offered £3 per acre for the portion of the road proposed to be closed adjoining his property, and Mr Sheddan offered £2 per acre lor that adjoining his land. As regards the proposed deviation through lot 21 Mr Sheddan asked £2O per acre for the land, and | fencing extra, but at the same time stated I that he was not altogether agreeable to the I deviation, as he considered the present road | could be suitably improved by cutting off i about a quarter of an acre at an angle at | the west corner of his lot 21. Off September ■ 20 Crsi F. J. Linscott (chairman), W. J. A. j McGregor and H. F. Blatch interviewed the main highways’ representative at Invercargill'regarding increasing the year’s maintenance allocation On certain of the main highways, ‘which were now short of money for ordinary maintenance purposes, and the 1 request was being given favourable consideration.

Cr. McGregor said he considered the ratepayers should' know the position in relation to, Government grants. There had been a severe curtailment, and there was not going to be much money available for work in the county during the present year. The grants had been reduced' to £984. In supporting these remarks, Cr. Blatch said the

ratepayers would know it was not the fault of the councillors if money was not spent .in the various ridings. Cr. James recommended that the offer of Messrs Moore and Sheddan be accepted, but the work could not be gone on with as recommended by the Chief Surveyor. If the deviation at Waikouro was insisted upon the council could not do the work at the present time. The engineer's report was adopted. Contracts. The following contracts were let: — Maintenance gravelling, Otautau-Wreys Bush road and Settlement roads: Messrs Ayson and Baird. Formation to grade, culvert and gravelling, Teviotdale road: Mr Thos. White. Maintenance gravelling, Lillburn road: Mr I. Cloughley. Maintenance gravelling, M.H. Ohai-Orawia (Ohai-Rannoch section) : Mr G. Gorton. . Maintenance gravelling, M.H. WintonOhai (Nightcaps-Ohai section) : Mr G. Gorton. Maintenance gravelling, Manson road: Mr E. F. Kelly. ' Maintenance gravelling, Wairaki Settlement road: Mr E. F. Kelly. Trimming, formation and gravelling road leading to Crampton’s Run, Opio: To be readvertised. Supply of material and erection of bridge and approaches over Jacob’s river at Dunrobin: Mr D. Clark.