MACKENZIE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 170576, 6 August 1921, Page 3

MACKENZIE COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The Mackenzie County Council nice yesterday. X’resent; .Messrs it. AlucUunakl (chairman), C- J. Talbot, <J. McGregor J. Aioifott, A. Hope, 11. Irving, J. Murray and AV. Black. CHAILIMAN’S STATEMENT. The chairman stated that the debit balance at the bank was £2OOO, and the pay-sheet was £I3OO. This county was in the same boat as others, as the Levels County had an overdraft ol' £OOOO, and Geraldine £3OOO. The rates would be coming in directly, and afford relief. Since last meeting he and the secretary had been to Wellington. The mam purpose of the visit was to interview tho Public Trustee regarding the terms of the electric power loan. It was a long and somewhat stormy meeting. The Trustee would not look at the solicitors’ opinion on the subject, but the moral argument finally affected him, and he agreed to grant £2OOO at of per cent, but insisted on o$ for the other £0000: No amount of correspondence would have effected anything. They also saw the secretary for Public Works, and asked for authority to expend the grant at Tekapo. He seemed to be favourable to the request, i but the authority had not yet come Ito hand. The also saw the Secretary for Alines about a grant for the Albury Coalpit lioad, and be seemed to think it a reasonable request. Mr Green, Inspector of Mines, had seen the road and he also thought a grant should be made. They also interviewed the Un-der-Secretary for Lands about properly vesting the' plantation reserves, and about supervision fees for Government planting. These reserves were vested m tho Council in a manner, but there was nothing to prevent sav, the Eorestry Department taking them and the royalty revenue resulting from the Council’s planting. The plantations would 'be of great value years hence. They also saw the Valuer-General, who stated that the Assessment Court for this comity wduld sit in August. They also saw Air Shrinipton, Chief Electrician, and offered him some larch poles to experiment with as poles. Air Shrinipton said lie would try them, and if they were found to he • suitable larch poles would bo useful for local people, enabling them to get poles .more quickly. Air Berrv was also seen and he said lie had not yet been able to get pipes for the power scheme. Regarding other matters the chairman said that rate notices had been sent out, except about 100 held over in cases in which objections had been lodged. Air Talbot moved a vote of thanks: to the chairman and secretary for the good work done bv them at A\ dington. Thev had saved £5 a year tor 36 vears.'so that the trip was worth: while making for that alone.

ENGINEER’S REPORT. In the Albury Riding repairs have been done on Chamberlain road and Mackenzie Pass road, and -concrete pipe culvert put in at A'. Howes' nomestead. Piles were driven lor a stock bridge over the Tengawai River on tho Duck Gully road. The roads in the vicinity arc Doing put in repair throughout l . In the Tekapo Riding, in accordance with the Council’s decision, the light gang was disbanded, on I.6th July, op to that date work was done in shingling the Richmond road, and surfacing road at Burke’s Pass. The main gang was occupied during the month, in mailing deviation of road at Cowan’s Hill. TJie formation of the upper portion has been done, and shingling is going on. The- weather has been exceptionally good so far for work in this riding. In the Opuha Riding the gaitg has been employed in repairing the Alliuidale road, and has also done work in the Fail'll© Riding’ m repairing mam road, etc.

I In tile Faii-lie Hiding the gang lias been occupied wholly in forming tho new road on Lambrook Settlement-, the formation through the swamp is now completed and tlio remaining work should be completed during the present month. The bilverstrea-m road is getting potlioled in a number of places, ana requires the usual overhaul. The road from, Clayton road to the Ashwick Flat plantation is in a. bad state, and should be put in repair. Benbow’s mill has cut approximately 70,000 sq. ft. of timber in the Asliwick Flat plantation, and Theft and Allan's mill is now at work in cutting timber and firewood. The report- was adopted. CORRESPONDENCE. The Department of Internal Affairs advised that tile- Asliwick Flat War Memorial had been placed under the control of the Council. Donald Ross, Burke’s Pass, asked for repairs to the- road up Lockhart’s Creek, and for the ditch to be cleaned out a.t his house. Tho Defence Department, advising having forwarded to Fail-lie a- capLurcd German 7.7 c.m. field gun. The Department of Lands, forwarded a Gazette notice cancelling the vesting of plantation reserve 2;J29 in the Council. .Steps would be taken to vest reserve -104-1 in the. Council in lieu thereof.

The S.C. Development League asked for a donation lo flic funds, and for the appointment of a delegate. Alter some discussion it was agreed to vote £lO to the League (a minority proposing £ls), and Mr Murray was appointed delegate. Mr Cook,was appointed the Council's representative for the Fail-lie Technical Classes. * The Commissioner of Crown Lands wrote re road applied for to the Lambrook coal mine that he was having a report- obtained from the Inspector of Mines.Mr Banks stated that the Inspector desired to have sonic bores put down to test- the held. Tho Commissioner of Crown Lands approved of proposals for the expenditure of balance of grant for Mackenzie run roads. Mrs Calder, .Sherwood Downs, asked for a reduction of rent during her occupancy of cottage on gravel reserve 1681. as tin- fence was useless.—A reduction from I<is to 8s per week.

An a.ppl icu lion for a wa tor-race, by Mr Curtis, Ash.wiok Flat, was favourably ■received.

The poundkeepor reported that,he had impounded I’d horses and 23 cattle. A petition signed hv 30 residents asked that- a road he opened across K'versley station to givo better access to many of the householders.—Air Jlanks staff'd that the railway engineer approved of the proposal, with a condition made on behalf of the Council, but at present the matter was hung up at Wellington.

RATE OF i.VJKHCST. I he Bank of New Zealand wrote- that tlie increased rate of 7V per cent., on overdrafts would operate as from August I. The .New Zealand Counties Association a rote asking the Council to forward any remits noL later than August !•>’. also l he names of delegates appointed to attend th<-> eonferciiee of County Councils proposed to he held on September '2B. Tin' Ashburton County Council asked for support to its resolution protesting against the high rate of interest, now-f-urrent in the. Dominion, which is causing stagnation instead of progress. These letters led to a discussion on the subject- of interest. The chairman said that a Comity Council ought to I r allowed an overdraft on easier terms than a trading concern, as there was no risk of loss, and other members agreed 'vit.lt this} A banker had. stated that

the increase in interest was not due to shortage of money., but to check speculation. This reason could not apply to a County Council. Mr Talbot said that with the rates now ruling in the Old Country, where the Government was issuing loans at 6 per cent, and over, they could not expect cheap money here. The Council decided to send a remit asking the Counties Conference to make representations to the banks that local bodies should be allowed overdrafts at a lower rate than business concerns. The chairman was unanimously appointed to represent the Council at the conference.

FAIRLIE ELECTRIC SUPPLY. The following correspondence was read on this subject:— The Commissioner of Crown Lands, Christchurch, advised that it will be necessary to have a special Act passed to enable the Council to acquire a portion of the Faii-lie Domain for a powerhouse site. The Public Trust Office advised having paid to the Council’s credit the sum of £2OOO (less charges, being the first instalment of the Fairlie hydroelectric loan, interest at 5-i- per cent.: and fouwarded six debentures of £IOOO each for signature at oj per cent, each, to take the place of those originally issued at of per cent. The latter would be destroyed in the presence of an officer of the Audit Department, The Public Works Department advised that the license for the Fairlie hydro-electric scheme will be issued at an early date. The minimum rental of £lO per annum could not be reduced, and the provision of a maximum-demand indicating watt- meter could not be waived. Bare wires would he allowed on certain streets; but in the opinion of the Telegraph Department, with the Tapid increase of telephone circuits iu Fairlie, it would be more economical to provide insulated wires at once. The clerk stated that the Council had paid £I2OO on shipping documents for machines, therefore these must be on the water. Mr Berry had been delayed in ordering wire, waiting for a license to use bare wires, which he considered were not more dangerous than insulated wires when the installation became weakened. He (Mr Banks) had taken the levels for the enlargement of the race, in readiness for putting the work in hand in the spring. In reply to Mr Hope, Mr Banks said there would not he power enough to think of supplying any to Kimbell. The total available was only 40 kilowatts. Accounts were passed for payment. It was agreed that as a result of the train cut the day of meeting be altered to that on .which the double service is run. The Council then rose,