WAIMATE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 19093, 27 January 1932, Page 11

WAIMATE.

WHEAT DUTIES. Mr J. Bitchener, M.P.. has handed the following reply to Mr H. M. Whatman to a communication forwarded on behalf of the Waimate Wheatgrowers Committee to the Prime Minister:— “I am in receipt of your letter of the 15th cppy. o£ resolution passed at a recent meeting of the executive of the Waimate Wheat - growers Committee requesting that the present sliding seale of duties on wheat and flour be reinstated as from Ist March next. I note the request contained in the resolution, and shall be glad to arrange for it to receive the careful consideration of the Government. G„ W. Forbes.” COUNTY COUNCIL. A meeting of the Waimate County Council was hSlcl yesterday morning. Present: Mr J. Bitchener, M.P. (chairman), Councillors A. S. Elworthy, H. Max Whatman,. Dr. P. R. Woodhouse, J. J. Dickson; W. Lindsay, N. A. Rattray, and A. N. Hayes. Motions of Sympathy: Prior to the business of the meeting, the chairman asked Councillor Hayes to move that a motion of sympathy be passed with the relatives of the late Mr T. A. Munro, of Kurow. who had died suddenly the previous day, and who at the time of his death was a member of the Waitaki County Council, the North Otago Power Board, and the Oamaru Harbour Board. It was also decided, on the motion of Councillor Hayes, that the clerk convey to the widow and family of the late Mr W. Gardener, Oamaru, the Council’s deepest sympathy in their recent bereavement. A further motion of sympathy was extended to Mr J. Reid, Council foreman, on the recent death of his mother. Chairman’s Statement. Mr Bitchener, in his statement, said that nothing of special importance to the Council had occurred since last meeting. The financial statement would be placed before them, and there would also be discussed the important question of the 10 per cent, penalty on rates, which had probably best be taken in committee. The Council had been fortunate in being able to keep their staff fully engaged on work which in some £gises was not paid for out of County, funds. It w<Mild be necessary for members to look carefully Into affairs in order to continue the work of the Council for the coming year, as the most rigid economy would have to be practised if they were to carry on as successfully as in the past. In reference to finance, there was an amount in dispute of about £2OO of Government subsidy which the clerk was confident would eventually be obtained. Finance: Councillor Rattray submitted the following statement:—The debit balance at the Bank in January, 1932, was £3286 2s lid, and accounts presented that day totalled £3402 6s sd. Receipts since last meeting amount to £3410 15s Id, as follows:—General rates £lO5 8s 9d, hospital rates £45 13s lid, harbour rates £8 0s Bd, license fees £l9 11s, refund Unemployment Board £526 9s 3d, dog registration £l2 12s 6d, 12H; per cent, subsidy on rates £2689 17s 9d, sundry £3 Is 3d; total £3410 15s Id. Congratulations. Councillor Hayes remarked that since last meeting Mr H. B. S. Johnstone, an ex-member of the Council, had been appointed a member of the Transport Board. The choice was undoubtedly a wise one, and the speaker moved that a letter of congratulation be sent to Mr Johnstone.

The motion was seconded by the chairman, and carried.

Engineer’s Report. The County Engineer (Mr W. P. Black) reported on the progress of Works throughout the County for the month of January. Upper Pareora Riding.—Authority having been received from the Public Works Department for the erection of a light bridge at Pratt’s Crossing, the bridge staff was now cutting and fitting us> : the necessary trusses in the county yard prior to erection at an early - Lower Pareora Riding.—lt would be advantageous to utilise the St. Andrews uhemployed-labour to clear out lupins in the channel below Brassell’s Bridge. This growth was becoming a menace in this riverbed. Councillor Dickson remarked that the work at Brassell’s Bridge was urgently necessary. Otaio Riding.—A culvert was broken on the Horse Shoe Bend Road and would be'renewed immediately. Un-. employed laboufj. had been utilised to clean out storm Writer drains on Woolshed Gully Road. Deep- Creek has been re-erected on the fi\lng between the railway. lines at Sttidholme station. The drought wa.- detrimental to the condition 6T 'the-yoac! in this Ridifig, arid treneraliy throughout the. County. ’ .Sji: Waihao Riding:—lt would be necessary to carry out repairs to the motor bridge at Morven Park. ; A small plank bridge at Redelifj-had received attention. Unemployed • labour was engaged on widening and banking corners on the Deviation Road. A small bridge culvert above Mr Harrison’s entrance was dangerously situated, and should be removed and two pipe culverts installed,. The, estimated cost of pipes was £4O. The Main Highways Board had advised that it was unable to grant the subsidy for the proposed tar-sealing of the Station Peak Road. Hakata,j;amea Riding,—The : formation and metalling of a further section of 80 chains of the Te Jtka Road had been completed by Council's staff. The work carried a Government subsidy The grader made a splendid job of this formation at a very low cost. Some girders were now on the site of the new Waitaki Bridge above the Hydro. General.—The preparation of the

sub-grade of the Waimate-Deep Creek corner section of the Main Highway was under way. The crusher had been set up in the Waimate Gorge and good quality metal is being run out. A timber culvert had been renewed on the Waikao Forks Highway and fencing at the Forks Bridge would be attended to a■: an early date. In answer to Councillor Lindsay the engineer said it was difficult to say how long the work of sealing the Wai- l mate Deep Creek highway would take, but about three months was the estimated time. The report was adopted. Lower Waihao Water Race. The secretary of the Lower Waihao Water Race Committee (Mr J- K Blair) reported that a good supply of water had been maintained in all the races with the exception of one where the junction had been interfered with on several occasions. Farmers had expressed appreciation of the plentiful supply of water during the drought conditions. —The report was adopted, and accounts amounting to £2O were passed for payment. Correspondence. The area Traffic Inspector (Mr W. R. Ashwell) forwarded a report of work done during the month. Ho had found several licenses necessary to be taken out, otherwise action would have to be taken. In regard to noisy motor cycles which pass through the boroughs at all hours of the night, an example would have to be made if the nuisance were not abated. Fifty-two head of cattle and about 150 sheep had been removed from the main highways, and proceedings had ..been taken against one man for not being in possession of a driver’s license. The report suggested that the Inspector’s work would be facilitated by the installation of a telephone at his residence. The mileage travelled during the month was 2,049 miles. Councillor Woodhouse remarked that a derelict car had been in various parts of the County during the past few weeks, and perhaps the Inspector might take steps to have it removed from the roads.

The chairman pointed out that as the vehicle was not on a main highway it was beyond the jurisdiction of the Inspector, and it was ultimately resolved to write to the owners of the abandoned car asking that the vehicle be removed from the public road. The County Ranger reported that 10 head of cattle had been impounded and 2 horses and 75 head of cattle released from the pound during the month.

The Inspector of Health (Mr J. Menzies) reported as follows:—lnfectious diseases, nil; sanitary inspections: Habitations 2, food-sellers premises 3, nuisances 1.

The secretary of the Waimate Unemployment Committee (Mr B. S. Runciman) wrote stating that an application had been received for labour to improve the cemetery grounds at Glenavy, and it had been decided to ack for the County Council to supervise the work to be done. It was possible that there may be some registered unemployed in the vicinity of Glenavy who could be put on the job, otherwise it was suggested that the Council gang might give it attention when in the vicinity. A request had also been received from eight farmers in the Arno district asking that the drain running through the Gorge should be cleared under No. 5 Scheme.

A further matter referred to was that a deputation of relief workers had pointed out the difficulty of reaching work situated at considerable distances from their homes, and it was asked that as far as possible men should be placed on jobs as near as possible to their place of residence. In regard to the drain at Amo, the chairman stated that several attempts had been made in the past to make arrangements for its permanent maintenance but nothing had been arrived at. It was work which might with advantage be done by unemployed labour, but the difficulty in the matter was in regard to transport. Councillor Lindsay said there was a matter of principle involved, as many drains had to his knowledge been cleared in various parts of the County, and he would like to see this job done if it could possibly be managed. He would, sugges't that the engineer be instructed to go into the matter and supply a report for next meeting. Councillor Whatman said that it would be a benefit to have the work done, as water coming down in flood time was a source of danger, and also damaged the roads. Councillor Lindsay then put his suggestion in the form of a motion, and it was carried. It was resolved that the engineer be instructed to do his best in regard to placing men on jobs as convenient as possible to their homes. The chairman said that he understood the remaining work suggested in the letters had already been sanctioned. Mi' F. Langbein, district Highways Council, wrote in reference to the suggestion from the Council for the sealing of 80 chains of the Waihao DownsHakataramea highway, that it was decided that no action be taken at present.—Received. ■Mr Malcolm Fraser, Unemployment Commissioner, wrote giving particulars of conditions in reference to garden plots to be in future submitted to applicants for relief work, and suggested the growing of vegetables by workers as a means of relieving the Unemployment funds by the exercise of selfhelp. A tentative questionnaire form was enclosed which might be placed before applicants for work, which would require to be checked by officials of the Council. The chairman said they had an excellent committee ’in Waimate supervising these matters, and he thought the matter could be most successfully dealt with by that committee. —It was decided to refer the matter to the Local Unemployment Committee, and to instruct the County Clerk to cooperate in any way possible with their executive. Mr Jas. Page, Otaio, wrote asking if the Council property at Tavistock were available for lease for a term. Councillor Whatman said that he was of opinion that the applicant was at present paying half too much for the land.

Councillor Lindsay said that he would not say half too much, but he

thought he was entitled to a 10 per cent, reduction. On the motion of the chairman, it was resolved to grant a- lease of the Council’s portion of the property at £5 per annum, in place of £6 as previously, and that the lease of the property owned by the Church Property Trustees adjoining be granted for the two years unexpired portion on the same terms as last year. The District Highways Council advised that funds could not be provided for the re-construction of Cooney's Bridge this year, but that the matter should be again brought up when next, year’s County estimates were being considered. A petition signed by 18 ratepayers .was received asking that a drain at Morven be widened and deepened to prevent flooding in the township and damage to properties.—The engineer was instructed to report. General Business. Thursday was fixed as the halfholiday for the ensuing year. It was agreed to enforce the 10 per cent, penalty on rates as in previous years. In regard to the sealing of a portion

of the Waihao Downs-Hakafcaramea highways, Councillor Hayes said that he was very disappointed at the refusal of the Highways Board to entertain the proposal, and he would like the Engineer to give an indication as to whether the work could be carried out under any of the unemployment schemes, seeing that the Waihao Riding was prepared to spend a certaiff amount of money on the job. The chairman said that the attitude of the Board was in the first place that they were not in favour of doing short stretches of sealing here and there, and secondly they did not consider that the highway in question would carry anything like its present traffic after the completion of the hydro works at Kurow. Councillor Whatman said that when the proposal was submitted to the Board it was considered as an experiment in one sense, but also as a valuable work both as far as the Board and the Council were concerned. The speaker had hoped to meet his fellow riding member, Councillor Sinclair, at the meeting, but in his absence he would ask that the matter be held in abeyance till next meeting. This course was agreed to. i

, I The chairman said that the Coun- f ; cil*s plant had been established in the | Gorge and a particularly g6od grade i of metal w j as being placed on the roads i as a result, at very low cost. He would j i like any members interested to pay a ; ; visit of inspection to the plant that j r afternoon. —Several members accepted the invitation. I Councillor Dickson inquired if the j Council purchased birds’ heads and 1 , eggs, and if it was doing anything this year in regard to the small birds’ nuisance. The chairman replied that the only action taken by the Council in the matter in the past was the supplying of poisoned grain to all purchasers at oost price; and on the suggestion of Councillor Hayes it was decided that the matter opened up a big question, which was better left in the hands of the Fanners’ Union and similar organisations Accounts amounting to £3,402 6s 5d were passed for payment.