WAIMATE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19835, 26 June 1934, Page 3

WAIMATE

MEETING OF COUNTY COUNCIL ESTIMATES APPROVED The monthly meeting of the Waimate County Council was held yesterday. Present: The County chairman (Mr H. B. S. Johnstone), Crs. A. S. Elworthy, H. M. Whatman, Hon. J, Bitchener, J. J. Dickson, W. Lindsay, N. A. Rattray and A. Hayes. Chairman’s Statement. Mr Johnstone stated that since last meeting the timber for the Holme Station bridge had come to hand, and the re-erection of the structure would be proceeded with immediately. Approval had been granted for the sealing work on the Main South Road from Tawai to Glenavy, and the Council would soon commence the preparatory work of levelling and grading the stretch. The new Woolshed Gully bridge was nearing completion and would be ready for traffic when the approaches were put in order, which work would probably occupy a week or two.

Finance. The chairman of the Finance Committee (Cr. W. Lindsay), reported a debit balance at the Bank of £B9B/6/1, with £6OOO on fixed deposit. The balance at the Bank in June, 1933 was credit £394/18/1. Accounts presented totalled £1857/3/2. The receipts since last meeting were £875/2/6. In the Lower Waihao Water Race Account there was a credit balance of £395/16/-. Correspondence. The Department of Health forwarded Gazette notice appointing the Council trustees of the Waimate Public Cemetery. The Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. J. A. Young), wrote stating that it had been decided to observe the first Wednesday in August each year as Arbor Day, and asking that officials should be granted facilities to attend any local celebrations. The Geraldine County Council wrote stating that it had been unanimously decided to approve the Timaru Harbour Board’s action in not making a special levy to raise £ISOO to supplement the funds of the Timaru Relief Society. The Timaru Harbour Board wrote advising that the amount of contributions towards providing interest on the Harbour Loans had been fixed at l-16d in the £. The following applications for slaughter-house licenses were granted: E. D. Hoskin, St. Andrews; G. D. Craig, Makikihi; R. McC. Sharp, Leonard Bros,, and Lyall and O’Brien, Waimate; Martin C. Murphy, Morven. Mr R. Fenwick wrote stating that the bridge near his property at St. Andrews required attention.—Engineer to report. The Levels County Council wrote asking the County’s decision in regard to the purchase of small birds’ heads and eggs, and the sale of poisoned grain, with a view to a uniform policy being adopted throughout the counties.—lt was resolved to reply stating that the Council did not see its way to alter the present policy of selling poisoned grain and not purchasing heads or eggs. Cr. Hayes asked that his objection to the destruction of bird life by any means should be recorded. The Waimate Domain Board wrote asking the Council to contribute towards the maintenance of Knottingly Park, and suggested an amount of £27 equal to the subsidy paid by the Borough. Cr. Lindsay said it seemed a “Little Jack Homer” policy was being carried out by the Borough Council, which seemed to be making quite a little revenue out rf its reserves. If it would hand the ■'.aterworks at Kelcy’s Bush, which wrj in the County, over, there would be no objection to making a donation to Knottingly Park. He did not know how much was being made by the borough from its reserves, but it must be getting a fine revenue from the water, some of which was sold to county ratepayers. The chairman said they were quite in the dark as to the whole position as they had no balance-sheet submitted with the letter. It was pointed out that Knottingly Park was under the Domains Board, and Kelcy’s Bush was controlled by the Borough Council. Cr. Hayes said that speaking for Hakataramea riding he did not think his ratepayers would wish him to vote money towards the Park. After a short discussion, Cr. Rattray moved, and Cr. Elworthy seconded, that a reply be sent stating that the Council could not see its way clear to make a donation. Mr C. Gray, secretary Mackenzie R.S.A., wrote thanking the Council for its past generous help, and stating that £lO had again been voted to the Council, subject to the usual subsidy, towards providing suitable work to returned soldiers. It was decided to send a letter of thanks for the donation and to carry out the same arrangement for work as last year. A petition signed by 12 ratepayers was received asking that the northern portion of Hook Swamp Road should be shingled, as it is impassable in wet weather. The engineer advised that £2OO had been placed upon the estimates and subsidy had been applied for. The Crown Tenants’ Association wrote pointing out the serious nature of the proposal to abandon South Canterbury’s principal wool sale. The chairman said he thought the subject matter of the letter was along the right lines, and he would move that this Council is In sympathy with the views expressed, and would send a representative to any conference held to deal with the question. Cr. Whatman seconded the motion. Cy. Hashes said that every ratepayer in the whole of the Harbour Board district would be affected if the sale were to lapse. Cr. Lindsay spoke strongly in favour of the views expressed in the letter. The motion was carried and the chairman and Cr. Elworthy were appointed to represent the Council at any conference held. General Business. Cr. A. S. Elworthy said it would greatly facilitate the work of repairing the Holme Station bridge if it were closed to traffic with the exception of allowing the mailman over at 9.30 until the job is completed.—lt was resolved to instruct the engineer to take the necessary steps to close the bridge. Mr H. H. Meredith, Amo, was appointed to fill the vacancy as the Council’s representative on the Oamaru Harbour Board, caused by the death of Mr H. Ruddenklau. Cr. Rattray said that the question of abolishing separate riding accounts was under consideration, and he would move that contingent local bodies working under the new system should be written to asking for their views as to the best method of working. Cr. Hayes, in seconding the motion, said that he would move that individual members of the Waitaki, Mackenzie and Geraldine County Councils, to-

gether with their respective county clerks, be written to, in order to obtain as wide a range of opinions as possible. Cr. Bitchener said that the abolition of separate riding accounts was rapidly gaining popularity, and he personally was in favour of the new system. Cr. Lindsay said that if individual members were written to, the Councils as bodies should also be communicated with. After a short discussion it was decided that the three Councils should be written to, but that no individual letters be sent. The Estimates. The Council then sat to consider the estimates for the year, the chairman reading over the various items and separate accounts, the totals of which were as follows:—•

Resolutions striking the following rates were carried: Upper Pareora riding 2d in the £; Lower Pareora riding 2d in the £; Otaio 7-10 d in the £; Deep Creek riding 2d in the £; Waihao riding 2d in the £; Hakataramea riding 3-5 d in the £; Makikihi 7-10 d in the £; Lower Waihao water race £d in the £; South Canterbury Board levy 9-40 d in the £; Timaru Harbour Board levy l-10d in the £. Cr. Hayes remarked that he hoped the Government would soon be in a position not to require the Main Highway Board's funds. They should not be required to concentrate much longer as a Council on collecting the last penny of their rates. He hoped that in the near future the financial position of the country would permit the Government to increase the rate subsidy of 12 b per cent, received some years ago to 50 per cent. Cr. Lindsay said that it should be forcibly pointed out to the Government that many of their ratepayers went without necessities in order to scrape up sufficient to meet their rates. It might be necessary to use strong force to see that the money in taxation allocated to the Highways Board should be expended on the purpose for which it was raised. Cr. Whatman said that at the last Countys’ Conference the matter had been fully discussed, and most of the North Island delegates were very strongly in favour of derating. The chairman said that he was in accord with the views put forward by Cr Hayes, that the Government should be approached in an endeavour to have a portion of any funds taken from the Main Highways Account handed back to the County Councils to be used for the general upkeep of the roads, and thus relieve the heavily burdened ratepayers. Cr. Bitchener said that now the estimates had been passed he would like to see the engineer instructed to make arrangements for proceeding with as much of the work as possible in the immediate future, in order to provide work and help to relieve distress over the winter. Tenders could be called for many of the jobs right away as the work had to be done, and he felt that it was their duty, especially at this time of the year, to place as many men in jobs as their finances would permit. The chairman concurred with Cr. Bitchener’s view and the engineer was instructed accordingly. Cr. Whatman said it was regretted that the Council was not yet in a sufficiently good financial position to permit it to restore the 10 per cent, cuts to the staff, but it was earnestly hoped that next year it would be able to favourably consider the matter.

Riding. Improved Value Pro Rata Share of Gen. Ac’nt, Upper Pareora .. 452.861 £ 1790 Lower Pareora .. 356,240 1406 Otaio .. .. 2027 Makikihi .. 395.350 1561 Deep Creek .. .. 666,753 3634 Waihao .. .. . 1,356,295 5357 Hakataramea .. 310,075 1225 Totals .. 4,050,734 16,000