MACKENZIE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVIII, Issue 16884, 4 August 1919, Page 3

MACKENZIE COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING.

The monthly meeting of the Mackenzie Oounty Council was' held at Fairlia on Friday last. Present—Messrs E. Macdonald (chairman), R. H. Leitch, B, Irving, W. Tas. Smith., J. McLean! Geo Murray, R. J. McGregor and W. Black.

The chairman extended .to Mr McGregor the ■sympathy of the Couneilon the death of his father, and the Council passed the nioffion by silent rote, which Mr McGregor acknowledged

CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT. The chairman stajfced that, the debit balance at the Bank that day was £BO7 nt-lF %£2 pa £ sheet increase that by £6BB. Rates were now due and[were beginning to come in, so the position would soon improve, in company with Mr Banks he had attended the conference of, South Canterbury Local Bodies in connection with increases to pay of workmen, and the tone of the conference had been decidedly agamst further increases. On the appointed days the Fairlie Peace Committee had very creditably carried out! the Peace celebrations in'the manner prescribed. The planting of the Avenue to commemoraite Peace was proceeding, three miles of road having already been done. .Donations (including £IOO from Mrs Grant, EUougMon Grange), now totalled £242, and with other sums pre*. ' mised it locked as if it would be possible to connect wirth the start made from Rocky Cutting. In order to facilitate representation at the Counties Conference it would be necessarv to hold | be next meeting ou tbo 29fU August, instead iof sth September. th>. conference ineetin e being en September 3rd. , ENGINEER'S- REPORT.

The Engineer (Mr R. L. Banks), reported as follows: — Albury Riding.—ln this Riding suriaeing -and repairmg work has been done on Rutherford Road. Bla'inslie Road, Fraser Road, and Coal Pit Road. Iu is proposed t 0 expend the Government grant of £SO for the last named read, while the teams are on the spolb. This road, although having a good surface in dry weather, is very weak in places.

Opuha Riding—Repairing and sfiingling has been done on Cattle Valley Road, and similar work is in hand on Gudex's Road. I propose opening up the new road through the RaSnoHff Education Reserve, while the gang is in the locality. There is a Government grant of £IOO available, for this work. New Boards have been fixed to a finger post near Raincliif, giving directions and mileages. '

Fairlie Riding.—ln the FaSrlie Riding the roads in the Winsoombe district have been, repaired. Further work is required on Rudd's and Side tradfc, but it will have to stand over until in a dry state. Work on streets and footpaths in the Fairlie township is in hand and poon promised formation works will be carriedl out.

Tdkapo Riding.—ln this Riding sn'o<w ploughing occupied the gangs until the 13th inst., the following roads having been cleared: — Main Road. Burke's Pass to Irishman Creek, Lake Tekano to Lilybank, and Braemar Roa-d as far as .Guide Hill. Work was afterwards reserved in shingling the road near Cowan's Hill.

Peace Ave/rae. —The work of plamting trees is progressing favourably, but at nrosent tljere are no available. Holes for the posts are being sunk: 120 trees have been fenced a.nd planted.

.Ashwick F'iiit Plantation.—-Cutting: of timber and firewood in tho Council's ■plantation at Ashwick Flat has been commenced. - '

Decisions on the Engine<€Ss report were: —Allan McLe™ park to- be, trimmed up in the middle of September. Notice hoards*. eaiWtioning drovers of shee"< ngniupr Tutu to be--erected on the Bwke's Roarl.,Ca,ces for tr'ees in the Pence Avenue to be made with four posts -in nnin+ert nut ibnt'str.av c itock particularly .min-ht cause' damage that would d"lav tlie Tow+h mf the trees For veays. Tt was also decided 'to a.=k the imT»p r to keep this'road clear of stray stock. ,•■_"' ~\ ■- '

' ' CO.P.B.F^PONDKN'C'R. Messrs u-Vskin Bros., applied for permission to 'plough a. strip of Rocky Gully road to keep flown the gorse.—Left in the hands of the Engineer.

Mr' Victor Casey,, Chamberlain, applied for protective works and a bridge at the creek crossing near his stable.— Messrs Irving and Smith to inspect and report.

Mr Thomas Davis, poundkeeper, AlIrary, stated that he would have to give up hip position! unless he was allowed f ome small remuneration.—Resignation accepted; applications to bo called for position. Mr R. Allan Grant Strath conau, Pairlic, asking to be allowed to plant an avenue of Lombardy poplars along Rudd's Road.—Permission granted. Mr Grant' to be ithanked for the good work he !■■•■ doing. The Commissioner el" Crown Lands, ChrM-church. forwarded a schedule *.linwiiru the several reserves furnishing for planlii''? p-ii-mbpo. The total ••nn";i! rental was S'IQT Ifi- 2d, j>md the ' otal :imbrmf<: oT accrued rents .C 1256 "I - lid. There was tciie -cloubt. however at t» the acriied amount being sivii'n.ib'e for 'the .Counci ''s 'planting.— The chairman 10 °>ideavou'- to obtain J he id rued rents for plan ting' when in \Vc>llmptori. The, Secrel arr. General ' Post Office, "rote iliit it is rerr ro ttpd that a telephone office si.t. Irishman's Creek eani«r be a,s the prospective business does not warrant it. Mr Robert Eraser njid Mr Michael "•™" lw annlied .for bridges over the i reeks on TiYaspr Road. Chamberlain rointtinrr out that at certain times of 'hr venj- thev are daUEornus to traffic —"MVjfsr:- Tj-vinrr a ,nd to inspect v itli the Engineer %ind report.

WAGES. The question nT wanes wa? discus&ed in committee, arid on resuming it was resolved that no inr-rense he made except, to drivers in the lower rid'mss, mlio'c wages were increased hv Gd per (lav. to bring them into line with the adjoining .South 4 Canterbury Locaf Bodies.