YEAR’S WORK REVIEWED.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18584, 3 June 1930, Page 2

YEAR’S WORK REVIEWED.

GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL. STATUTORY ANNUAL MEETING. Prior to the Council’s ordinary meeting, the statutory annual meeting of the Geraldine County Council was held ii oeraidinc yesterday. Present:— Messrs K. Mackenzie, F. R. Fla-man, A. Bain, J. C. South, C. Ley and Ross Brodie. Chairman’s Review. In reviewing the work of the year, the chairman (Mr K. Mackenzie), made i short summary relating to the operations of the Council, which he said would be of interest to their county ratepayers. Apart from the ordinary programme ol’ construction and maintenance of their many road and river works, their district, in common with those of other local bodies in Canterbury, had experienced exceptional flood conditions during the year, entailing a great deal of additional work and making unusual inroads on the maintenance funds of the Council. In former times a similar crisis could be met, in some measure at ieast, by carrying forward contingent flood liabilities and other extraordinary expenditure over a period of years, and finally extinguishing them by annual instalments until they were wiped out, without creating serious disorder to the years maintenance operations of the local body. Under the provisions of the Counties Act, 1920. however, this was precluded, and revenue and other expenditure had to be adjusted so as to balance at the close of each annual financial period, also liquidating all

antecedent liabilities. The Government. however, realised that exceptional conditions rendered special treat* ment necessary, and extended generous assistance by subsidising the costs of reinstating flood damages, but for which the district would have been placed in a critical financial situation, and unable to adequately restore many of its most important works through lack of funds to carry on with. Much of the Main Highways disasters had been treated under conditions of maintenance by the Main Highways Board, and received a £2 for £1 subsidy towards repairing them. In other cases. £1 for £1 subsidies had been granted where heavy loss was sustained on the county roads and river works. Bv these means it had been possible to have ;• great many of the works' reconditioned during the financial year. It would be gratifying to all to know that despite this heavv additional drain on its resources. the financial year had closed in the countv with a small balance on the right side of the ledger. Continuing, the chairman said that

Murine ( : be nasfc year there had beer no increase in the mileages of the Main and Secondary Highways with; this county, which total to 4S,‘ irile r of the former and 221 of the latter For the conduct of its business with 1 .■ the year, the Council had held twelve ordinary monthly meetings and deah with 157 applications from ratepayer' lor snecial works. Twenty-one contrac had been let in this neriod of an aggregate value of £7590 7s 7d. of which amount £3559 11s was for bitumen suifacing five and a half miles of the north end of the main Dunedin-Christ-church highway, the subsidy towards which from the Main Highways Board was £3 for £l. Of its road work this was perhaps the most noteworthy undertaking of the year, and in price compared favourably with that performed under previous contracts. The completion of this length gave a sealed surface throughout the county on the Main North Highway. Another worx of considerable magnitude, the outcome of last July's floods, had beer the reinstating of the stop-bank and construction of necessary protective works to confine the Opihi river si Arowhernia. These works which came within the jurisdiction of the County Council were duly completed at the close of the year at a cost of £2311 la 4d. the Main Highways Boards contribution. on a | aintenancc basis, being £2 for £l, and the adjoining Levels County Council sharing the balance equally with the Geraldine County. The reinstatment of the washed out roadway would be a duty devolving on the neighbouring Council, and would no doubt, be undertaken in the near future. In the coming year’s programme, the reconstruction of three bridges in permanent materials would form an important item in their expenditure, end the restitution of the damaged Temuka river bridge had already been let at a cost of £499, and should be restored and strengthened for all highway requirements, within a month or so. It was not contemplated at present to do further bitumen surfacing j on the county highways, although perhaps, under more favourable financial conditions, at a later date, it might be possible to do so on the main road, Packhams to Orari, an approximate length of three miles to the Orari Railway Station. Under the Government scheme of unemployment relief, considerable lengths of back roads were constructed and others improved by reducing the grades and widening and flattening sharp curves. These improvements had been made out of the consolidated funds without direct cosi to their ratepayers, and except for this, would not possibly have been done except in the very remote future. In view of the extensive length of sealed surfacing it would be necessary to acquire some additional maintenance plant, and this could be obtained under the hire purchase system ci bo Main Highways Board. The amount involved was however, a small matter, and would be dealt with by the Council in its maintenance appropriations in the current year.

The chairman went on to say that under the Council’s planting scheme twenty-six acres of new work performed besides replacing failures of the previous year. Lack of funds might necessitate holding this in abeyance for a year, but if it were possible the good work would be continued and as much planting as possible would be done each year. Many of their leased reserves were deteriorating rapidly and entailed periodical expenditure to chec.i overgrowing of every description of noxious weeds. Mr Mackenzie thanked the engineer (Mr C. E. Bremner). for the great amount of work he had put in during the last twelve months, which had been rendered necessary through the succession cf floods, also to the two foremen and the outside staff. He also thanked the county clerk (Mr A A Rea date) and the staff, remarking that the office work was not getting any less. He trusted that in these difficult times they would one and all continue to carry on the work cheerfully and to the best of their ability. Statement of Balances. The chairman then submitted the following digest of the Council’s receipts and expenditure during the twelve months under review:—The total receipts in the general account, including rates, subsidy, heavy traffic fees .etc., totalled £20,220 2s 4d: expenditure ,£12,220 0s lid, leaving a balance transferred to the Riding Accounts of £BOOO 4s sd. Election of Chairman. Mr Mackenzie then vacated the chair for the election of chairman. Councillor J. C. South moved that Mr Mackenzie be re-elected to the position. As a new member, the speaker could realise the good work the chairman was doing, the amount of which the average person had no idea. Mr Mackenzie was the right man in the right place, for he was both capable and willing. Councillor Ley and Mr J. M. H. Tripp endorsed these remarks. Councillor Fiatman , : aid that he had

much pleasure in supporting Mr Mackenzie’s nomination, for they had the right man in the right place. The motion was carried un'animous-

u in returning thanks for his re-elect-ion. Mr Mackenzie said that the work of the Council was interesting because it was in his own district, and if anyone could do anything for their own district ,he thought that it was their duty to do so. With the sympathetic support of the Council, they could be able to carry on as in the past, working together for the good oi the Council and the ratepayers. (Applause) Messrs A. Bain and Ross Brodm were elected members of the Timaru High School Board. Estimates Considered. The following estimates for administration and general expenditure for the coming year were unanimously agreed to: —Salaries, £1052; chairman's honorarium, £7O: travelling expenses. £100: motor car, £7O: printing, advertising and stationery, £7O; office expenses, £100; Hospital Board. £3173: Harbour Board. £1826: audit, £2O; valuation. £45: small birds destruction. £150; reserves account,! £200; buildings account, £300: dog j registration. £7O: legal, £35: library grants £33; Temuka ' and Geraldine rest rooms, £2O; grants to Technical School, £10; Peel Forest Board, £10: insurance. ' £150; rates, Temuka and.) Geraldine Borough. £B4: rents, £9. j health inspector, £45; railage, carting and other plant charges, £200: Rangitata traffic and stock bridges. £3;.; Counties Association. £5; bank in- | terest, £150: chcoue books etc., £ls, aj total of £3049. The estimated income for the period ; was:—rates. £15000: subsidy. £2330: rents, £400: licenses, £1500: firewood! and sundries. £2OO. a total of £19,430. j The estimated expenditure for the period was:—Road maintenance and | public works. £3049: administration, and general, £8194; credit balance for, contingencies, £6lO. New Plant Required. It was decided that application be; made to the Main Highways Board to i procure on the Board's hire payment! system, two tar boilers and an addit- j ional motor-lorry.