QUEENSTOWN

Southland Times, Issue 23407, 14 January 1938, Page 3

QUEENSTOWN

GOLDFIELDS REVENUE OPPOSITION TO DEDUCTION Replying to a request that he should see the Minister of Mines (the Hon. P. C. Webb) to get him to abandon the clause authorizing the 10 per cent, reduction of all goldfields revenue collected, Mr W. A. Bodkin, M.P., advised a meeting of the Lake County Council that he had interviewed the Minister but the Government was determined to retain the clause and he was afraid that it would be placed on the Statute Book. However, he would do his best when the Bill came before the House of Representatives. It was decided to thank Mr Bodkin for his efforts on the council’s behalf. There were present: The chairman (Mr L. Lee) and Crs W. S. Reid, G. Reid, D. Cockbum, Gordon and C. Lewis. The chief electrical engineer of the Public Works Department (Mr F. T. M. Kissel) wrote asking the council to cooperate in having a detailed survey made of the whole postion of the electrical supply service in rural areas. The clerk was instructed to supply particulars of the whole county. It was decided to take up as many grants as possible for’ the metalling of settlement roads. The resident engineer of the department at Alexandra advised that reconstruction work was now proceeding on the Milton-Queenstown state highway from Cromwell towards Queenstown and that the approaches to the Lower Shotover bridge would be considered in due course. The Main Highways Board acknowledged the request that consideration be given to the possibility of the council being given the work of maintenance on the recently declared state highways in the Lake county and advising that consideration was being given to the request. ■ In answer to a request by the council that an inspection be made of portion of the Glenorchy commonage, which, it was considered, might be suitable for an aerodrome, the Aviation Department wrote advising that a licensed public aerodrome had been available at Glenorchy since September 1937, and was listed in the New Zealand Air Pilot as on Mr A. Barr’s property, approximately eight miles north-east of Glenorchy. The controlling authority was the Southland Aero Club.

It was decided to hold over the letter for further inquiries. The chairman reported that he had discussed the suggested town planning scheme for Pembroke with the town planning officer (Mr J. W. Manson), and that a plan was being prepared. The secretary of the New Zealand County Councils’ Industrial Union of Employers advised the council that the new union would watch the interests of all county councils in all industrial disputes. The town clerk of Queenstown advised that the Southland Progress League intended to hold a meeting of the executive in Queenstown on February 26 and that the borough was prepared to co-operate with the County Council.

A. and W. Hamilton, Invercargill, asked that the bridge over the Routeburn river leading to the Sylvan lake be repaired, as it had been washed away with the recent floods. The council decided to contribute to the necessary repairs on condition that the owner of the bridge contributed his share of the cost of repairs. It was decided to make representations to the Public Works Department about a dangerous corner on the Kingston road near the roadman’s hut. It was decided to declare ragwort a noxious weed. It was also decided to make representation about noxious weeds on Crown lands.

It was decided to construct a bridge over Scotts Creek, Garston, at an estimated cost of £BO. The chairman presented the council with about 16 old photographs of local interest, and it was decided that these be framed and hung in the council chambers. PERSONAL Dr and Mrs E. N. Merrington are visiting Queenstown. Miss M. Harris, Invercargill, is the guest of Mrs W. Hales. Professor and Mrs G. E. Thompson are visitors to Queenstown.