WAIMEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13771, 7 May 1915, Page 3

WAIMEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING.

The monthly meeting of the Waimpa County Council was held yesterday. Present: Crs. H. Everett (chairman), P. Best, A. Drummond, T. Hewetson, G. Maemahon, J. Corder, and.H. Tunuicliffe. FINANCE. The bank pass book showed the following balances:—

Accounts were passed for payment as follows:—Hospital and charitable aid, £308; Government grants, £280 19s 9d;--general account, £875 2s sd. Total, £1464 Is 2d.

On the motion of the chairman it was resolved that a finance committee of the whole Council be set up to consider the finances of the county.

TEE ENGINEER'S. REPORT

The County Engineer (Mr. G!" S. AYhiteside) reported, inter alia, as follows :—Maitai riding: A start had been made with metal crushing at Mackay's Bluff, and tenders had been called for carting. A further section of the "Wakapuaka. road had been protected with concrete. The metalling of the Rocks road had been completed. The wooden bridge at Stoke was still fit to carry traffic, but would require to be watched.—Wai-iti riding: The new concrete bridge at White's corner, Pigeon _ Valley, was completed. The expenditure of tho'Wairoa Govpg grant was suspended owing to the inability to procure the services of a competent concrete worker to build a concrete retaining wall. Various other works had been attended to.—Motupiko riding: He was of opinion that a bridge should be constructed at Brandy creek at an early date. The grant of £300 was being expended on Rainy river road. Metal patching had been done in Clark Valley. Several of the culverts on the Glenhopo road were decayed and required renewing.—Wangapeka l'uJWl:: Grants in the Sherry district were being expended. The Graham river bridge required repairing.—Motueka riding: The chairman, Cr. Hewetson and himself inspected the quarry on -fursthouse's estate, and had considered the question of getting metal from Jackett's Island. The committee were of opinion that alternative tenders should be called for the delivery of, say, 500 cubic yards of gravel from Hursthous&'is quarry and Jackett's Island. The culvert by Balck's, on the main road, should be renewed in con-1 crete. A new house was being erectd on the Takaka hill for the roadman. —Moutere riding: The approaches to i o new concrete bridge in Rosedale! had been filled in. Drummond's bridge' had been completed, and the approaches would be filled in in due course. Some metal patching. had been done on the western. side of the j Moutere hills, and this road was in fair j order, having "set" with the recent i rains. The work of improving corners | of the Moutere hills and tho block cutiiig was being qj^ried out. A new bridge was required at Cresswell's. The Tasman syndicate had agreed to the further expenditure of £17 10s on Perman's culvert. The gravelling of Ocean beach road was completed. He recommended the Council to sign the deeds dedicating Manoy's arid Tasman syndicate's roads. " Arising out of the report the matter j '.f repairing Wairoa Gorge road was ■ left in the hands of the Engineer; and the appointment of another lamplighter [ at Wakefield was left with Cr. Tunnicliffe and the Engineer to deal with. On the motion of Cr. Macmahon it was resolved that the bridge over j Brandy creek, Dovedale, be proceeded i with. *

In reply to Cr. Colder, the Engineer said he estimated - the cost o| the bridge and approaches would be £170, an increase of £30 on his original estimate owing to the- increase in priccw of mateval and horse hire. The Engineer read a telegram from fche borough clerk, Motueka, stating that the Council would not dispose of gravel from Hursthouse's quarry. The chairman said there were hundreds of thousands of yards of gravel in the quarry, sufficient to gravel two counties, and leave enough to gravel the borough for another hundred years to come.

On the chairman's motion it was resolved to pub in a new culvert at Balck's creek, on the Moutero side of the Motueka borough. A concrete culvert had been put in at Mapua. The report was adopted.

\IIANGER'S REPORT

The Riwaka ranger (Mr. N. Duncan) reported that the main roads were clear of stock. He had ordered the driver of a heavy waggon to stop carting '.' excessive loads over 7 the Riwaka bridge

CORRESPONDENCE

The Valuation Department wrote in reference to the complaint of Mr. W. Douglas, Wakefi»_'icij of the disparity of values of properties comprising the Arthur Estate, that it was hopcil to resume the re-valuation of the county at an early date. Mr. W. Scott, Tahunanui, accepted the Council's offer to lease reserve.

Messrs. Adams and Harley forwarded a legal opinion regarding Stoke cemetery, to tne euect that there was no way of handing over the control to another set of trustees except by order of i-he Governor in Council.

Mr. M. Cole, Waketield, applied for five years' lease of reserve adjoining his property at a yearly rental of £2.— Resolved that Mr. Cole be offered the right to decupy the iaiul from year to year at the rent mentioned. Mr. -T. McCarthy, jun., wrote in reference to boundary between Blanche b's and Tadinor gravel reserve. From Mr; It. A. Button, regarding approach to his property, Wakefield.—■ Left to Cr. Tmmiciiffe, with power to Mr. R. Ellis, Brightwater,. asked permission to extend electric cables to Stoke, and possibly to Tahunft.—Permission granted on previous conditions, the Engineer to approve the positions of the poles. Mr. Joseph Eves, Wakefield, asked that repairs be made to road leading to his property.—Granted, work to be proceeded with when tho writer has paid his contribution. Mr. J. W. • Hagen, poundkeeper, Spring; Grove, forwarded list of poundage': fees (128 6cl) obtained during the month. —It was resolved that the poundkeeper be instructed to take legal.proceedings for recovery of fees in a certain case. .

'Mr. "W. B. North, hon/ secretary to the Motnpiko branch of the Farmers' Union, asked for culvert to be put ■in at Korere bridge.—To be attended to/ ■ ■

■'Mr..' A. Ham-on, Stanley Brook; applied for permission, to erect a gate on by-road running through his property. Messrs W. H. and :.C. F. Fenemore

wrote objecting to the erection of such gate.—Consideration deferred for a month. ; - Mr. E. Heine, Wakefield, applied for the isole right of use of road leading to his property.—Resolved that a legal opinion be obtained as to the •position. Mr. J. C. Fowler, county overseer, applied for two weeks' * holiday.— Granted. The Southland County Council forwarded a resolution to the effect that tho only equitable way of taxing motors was by taxing tyres; and that tho Government should collect such tax and distribute it pro rata between local bodies, a larger proportion to be paid to county councils and road boards than to borough councils.—Endorsed. Messrs, Adams and Harley, on behalf of Mr. Godfrey Harley, asked that a correct plan be made\ of Harley's road, Lower Moutere.—Resolved that survey be made and road legalised/ Mrs. A. M. Bisley asked the Council to remove stones placed by Council's workmen on Golden Downs road.—The overseer to inspect and report. Mr. H. Dodson, Atawhai, wrote in reference to rent of gravel reserve on his property.—Resolved to inform the writer that the lease lapsed in 1911 The hon. secretary of the Stoke Progressive Association asked if the Council would have five or more lights in- ■ stalled in Stoke when the electric light was extended.—Deferred for consideration pending receipt of'further irformatnn. Twenty-two' residents and landown-" ers, Ruby Bay, petitioned the Council to form road through Ruby Bay to Manila.--Resolved that the petitioners be informed that as the nuuter is iii the hands of the Minister, the Council ieclines to take action. Mr H. Muncly, Lower Moutere, drew attention to t.he state of the cemetery road. --Referred to the chairman and Cr. Ilewttsou, with tower to act. The Minister of Finance forwarded resolutions passed at-a conference of patriotic associations and St. John Ambulance Association held in Wellington in reference to the relief of poor in Great Britain and Belgium, recommending that the Government mak-5 a 'g,rain; of £50{>0 per month and subsidise" ail voluntary subscriptions £ for £ not exceeding £5000 per month. Tho chairman suggested thai; a cen- ■ ferenoe of local bodies should be. hold, in order to see that the. requirements ■ were carried out. A rate of one-eighth i of a penny-in the £ or less would not be Uiit, and would do incalculable good to the poor on the other side of ! the world. He moved, "That this Council expresses its willingness to ■ contribute towards the object mention- : cd." The hope was expressed that. ; other local bodies would act in the . same way. <= , J Seconded by Cr. Corder, and ear- t ried. In the event of the conference being held, the chairman was appointed to represent tlie Council. GENERAL. The matter of levying the rate for the currenti year was deferred until ' next meeting. Resolved that the chairman and Cr. Corel*-r lepresent tb.3 Council at the conference called by the Echication Boar: 1, to consider the matter of con- - tribu^ing funds towards the Technical . School, - i On thfe motion of Cr. TunniclilTe, it was resolved to communicate with tlie * Department regarding royalties on ' timber obtained from Trass's Valley, j On the motion of Ur. Tunnicliffe the l question of shifting back certain fences in Wakefield township was left to ihe Engineer TII3 Council then, rose.

General account Land fund thirds. & s. d. 4501 9 6 2 13 7 Cr. Interest Rocks road loan Interest Ngatimoti bridge Interest Baton bridge Interest Sherry bridge Interest - Peninsula bridge Interest Stoke waterworks reserve Contractors' deposits 158 15 11 17 16 8 6 14 7 5 11 6 60 17 10 64 12 6 19 7 0