LEVELS COUNTY COUNCIL

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19459, 6 April 1933, Page 10

LEVELS COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Levels County Council was held yesterday. Present —Messrs T. B. Garrick (chairman), R. G. Cleland. D. Grant, T. W. Brosnahan, C. E. Kerr and J. E. P. Cameron. Chairman’s Statement. The chairman, in his statement, reviewed the financial position of the county. He said that the debit balance at March 1 was £6071 13s 2d. Since the last meeting £6908 9s 2d had been received, leaving a credit at April 4 of £ll6B 5s Bd. Accounts to be passed that day, amounted to £509 15s Id, leaving a credit balance of £658 10s 7d. The chairman said that after studying economy right through they had come out on the right side, so far as expenditure was concerned. Brassell’s Bridge. Some discussion took place regarding protective work at Brassell’s Bridge, Mr Kerr stating that the matter was a serious one, which was being viewed in a light way. The position would be very serious for the Council if ever the bridge was washed away again. He did not think the Waimate County Council would go beyond their previous offer of £25. The chairman said that to do anything useful, £4OO would have to be spent at the bridge. The engineer said that the offer of the Waimate County Council of £25 was for the anchoring of willows in the gaps. After further brief discussion, it was decided to spend up to £SO on protective work. Sterndale Road. The engineer, in his report, stated that he and the chairman had inspected the Sterndale Road. It was suggested that tenders be called as soon as possible for gravelling some 70 chains of the road between the willows and Seaton’s Road. The cost of formation and pipes was £92 Bs, the work consisting of 60 chains of heavy formation and 64 of light formation and 150 lin. feet of pipes. The estimate was £9O. The report was adopted. Main South Road. Mr Kerr brought up the question of completing the unsealed portions of the Main South Road. There were three portions, Smith’s Hill, from Talbot's road to the Kingsdown School and from Brookland’s Hill to the Pareora river, the total distance being 3a miles. Mr Kerr said that the engineer had been requested to interview the engineer to the Main Mighways Board on the matter, when he was at the engineers’ conference. He asked if the engineer had seen Mr Tyndall.

The engineer stated that Mr Tyndall had not been at the conference, but he had spoken to Mr F. Langbein, district Public Works engineer, and he had asked if the Council was prepared to do the work out of revenue. He (MiBlack) had replied that he was afraid the Council could not do that. The chairman said that the Board had in hand a big bridge in the North Island, and it also had another big contract between Woodend and Amberley. Mr Kerr said that if they could get the Board to come in the Council should do the formation work first. This could be done on the same terms and under the same conditions as on other roads that had been completed. He was not in favour of doing the work out of revenue at the present time. If the payment could be spread over a period of years, it would suit the Council well.

In reply to a question by the chairman, the engineer said that the cost of formation and metalling would be roughly £l6 a chain, and the cost of sealing about £640 a mile. This was for a two-coat job. Mr Kerr said that they must have a good foundation. The success of the job depended on that. There was danger in delaying too long, because they did not know what might happen to the Highways Board. It was agreed that the engineer should again communicate with Mr Langbein on the matter. Seadcwn Water Race. Mr Grant said that he had been asked what the position was in regard to the Seadown water-race loan. He had been given to understand that the loan had matured, but interest was still being paid on it. The person who. had informed him stated that there had been no variation in the rate from the start up to the present time.

The clerk stated that no interest was being paid. The only rate being collected was for maintenance. The chairman said that the whole position depended on the cost of the headworks.