MACKENZIE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIV, Issue 21062, 14 June 1938, Page 4

MACKENZIE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING

Need for More Plant USING GRANTS A suggestion that the Mackenzie County Council should investigate the possibility of obtaining more machinery to be paid for out of work on highways and grants, was discussed at the special meeting yesterday. at which the estimates were considered. Those present were: Messrs W. R. Davison (chairman), W. Scott. C. J. Talbot, J. Allan. P. Kidd, A. B. Mackenzie, George Murray, and C. V. Kirke. Mr Sott asked if working plant on highways was so profitable, what was wrong with buying more plant for that work? The engineer-clerk (Mr D. Jeune) said too much stress had been put on the taking over of the Cave-Ohau highway by the State. If the highway were taken over to-morrow, there were still many secondary highways carrying a£3 for £1 subsidy. Much more plant was required, and the present plant was not sufficient to take advantage of all the public works grants for which application had been made. The grants offered a source of revenue. Moreover, it was no use applying for grants if they were not lifted; officials in Wellington would soon decide* that the Council was merely asking for grants for the sake of asking. The secondary highways on which work could be done Included those from Cattle Valley to Skipton. Albury-Burke’s Pass, Cave-Pareora, Fairlie-Sherwood-Ash wick Monument and Middle Valley. Mr Scctt said his view was that it would pay to buy plant for highway work alone. Even if there were no guarantee as to the time the Council would have to maintain the State highway, the work, for only stx months or a year, would go a long way towards paying for the plant. The main point was that the Council’s plant had to be kept up to date. The chairman (Mr W. R. Davison) remarked that the time did not seem to be opportune for the purchase of increased plant. Mr Scott said that in his annual statement, the chairman had claimed an improvement in the Council’s finances because plant had been laid up and men put off. It would not appear that much work would be be done in ths county with that policy. Mr Talbot: “I am going to back up Mr Scott in this matter, even though I know I have my name up as a money spender.” The county was drifting into the position in which roads were deteriorating. Most of the Council’s plant had been paid for. and that meant that smaller payments would be required. In a statement, the engin-eer-clerk presented some time ago, it had been shown that there were 500 miles of side roads, and that the present plant could not maintain them efficiently. Mr P. Kidd: Has Mr Scott put forward a policy for more machinery? Mr Scott: Not at this stage. I am just raising the question. The engineer-clerk said if more plant was purchased in the current year, the payment required would only be 10 per cent, on cost. Under the Highways Board’s scheme, repayment could be made in nine instalments. The question was one, however, which he did not think could be settled at the meeting that day. Expenditure in the estimates would not be affected to any great extent, whereas revenue would be increased by highway subsidies. A survey would have to be made of the Council’s plant and the crushing unit. Special Rales Increased. It was decided to raise the Fairlie water race rate from 9-32 d in the £ to 11-32 d, to realise £l9B a year. The Ashwick water race charges were increased by 25 per cent. An increase was made in the Fairlie sanitation charges from £1 15s to £1 18s. The next bridges to be undertaken under the building programme will be those on the Rollesby road at Avalanche creek and Burke’s Pass. NATIONAL DAIRY SHOW CHEESE AWARDS By Telegraph—Press Association PALMERSTON NORTH, To-day. The following- are the cheese awards at the National Dairy Show: New Zealand Shipping Company’s Cup—Pahiatua 188.3 points 1. Champion of New Zealand—Dalefield 282.5 1. Pahiatua 282.3 2. Rongokokako 280.0 3. George Wood's Memorial—Maharahara 371.647 1. Rai Valley 369.573 2. Gold Medal, South Island factories— Rai Valley 1. Crate export cheese, any coloui(Rennet Cup)—Dalefield 95 1. Maharahara 94.5 2, Rongokokako 94 3, Pahiatua 93.5 4. Case factory cheese, any colour (J. B. Macewan special)—Rongokokako 94 1, Lower Valley 93.8 2, Featherston 93.5 3. Woodville 93 4. Case export cheese, coloured— Rongokokako 94.5 1, Pahiatua 94.3 2, Ohakune 94.0 3. Case cheese, white—Dalefield 94.5 1, Hukanui 94.3 2, Pahiatua 94 3. Tamaki 93.5 4. Case factory cheese, fully matured i any colour)—Dalefield 95 1, Maharahara 94.8 2, Pahiatua 94 3. Woodville 93.5 4. Case export cheese, white or coloured—Dalefield 95 1, Parkvale 94.5 2, Lower Valley 94 3. Case cheese (non pasteurised)— Pahiatua 94 1, Dalefield 93 2, Fetherston 92.5 3, Lower Valley 91 4. Crate cheese (Factory Managers’ Association, class)—Dalefield 95 1, Maharahara 94.5 2, Featherston 94 3, Pahiatua 93.5 4. Case medium cheese, local trade— Parkvale 95 1, Pahiatua 94.5 2, Featherston 94 3. Dalefield 93.5 4. Case of cheese, any colour (nonprize winners’ class)—Kaiparoro 94 1, Tamaki 93.5 2. Case export cheese (first asst.)— Parkvale 95 1. Dalefield 94.8 2, Maharahara 94.5 3, Pembroke 94 4. Three loaf cheese—Parkvale 95 1, Dalefield 94.8 2, Maharahara 94.5 3, Pahiatua 93.5 4. Finished rimless cheese—Lower Valley 1, Klritaki 2, Oroua Downs 3 and Tamaki 4.