COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIII, 24 May 1922, Page 8

COUNTY COUNCIL.

TO-DAY’S MEETING

The usual monthly meeting of the Waimate County Council was held to-day. Present: Messrs T. L. Hart (Chairman), H. B. S. Johnstone, A. Garland, W. Lindsay, J. Drinnan, J. Bitchener, M.P., H. M. Whatman, and Pringle. Chairman’s Statement.

The accounts for the year ending 31st March last have now been audited and the balance-sheet will be laid on the table to-day for your inspection. The balance-sheet shows that taking the accounts as a whole when the rates are all collected the County will be approximately £lOOO in a beter position this year than in 1921. The balance-sheet also discloses the fact that this County has no antecedent liability to carry forward. There is a considerable amount of rates still outstanding and it will be necessary for us to take energetic steps to have them all collected before the new rate notices for this year are sent out. Owing to an alteration in the Local Bodies Finance Act it will be necesary for this Council to strike its rates not later than the first of August. The Arbitration Court has now made a pronouncemen in regard to the bonus to workmen and reduced the bonus by 5s a week. It will b e necessary to give each workman notice on Monday, 29th May. There is a considerable amount of business to come before you to-day as the annual meeting now takes place in May instead of November as formerly. Statement of Accounts.

General Account: Dr Balance April Ist 1922, £6693 3s Bd. Accounts paid April 19th £1224 7s 6d. Receipts: Rates £4504 8s sd; sundries £l9B 14s 7d; total £4703 3s. Dr. blaance 24th May, 1922, £3214 8s 2d. Waihao Water Race Account. — Dr Balance April Ist, 1922, £316 10s 8d; acounts paid April 19th, £7O Is 3. Receipts, £253 13s 10; dr. balance Mav 24th, 1922, £132 18s Id—£3B6 Ils lid.

Accounts presented for payment—■ General £1548 7s 6d, Water Race Account £42 0s 8d; total £1590 8s 2d.. Th e report was approved; and it was agreed to reduce the wages of the Council’s employees according to the Arbitration Court award at the date mentioned. Engineer’s Report. The Engineer, Mr S. R. Wright, reported as follows:-— Upper Pareora Riding.—Contract 926 (Seyb Bros, metalling) i s well forward. The metal will all be delivered by this time and the majority of the stones broken, arrangements were made with Seyb Bros to lengthen the approaches to Millar’s Flat Bridge, which was authorised some time ago. Th e earth work has been completed and the fencing will be done during the coming month. The footplank asked for on Patterson’s Crossmg has been put in position. Some protective work is required at Holme Station bridge, where the stream is cutting into the south approach. This work will be put in hand a ®. S °™ aS sufflcient wire is available. The roadman has been engaged spreading metal for the contractor Lower Pareora.— The Council Noi teams have been engaged in finishing the protective works above Brass’l s bridge and metal patching on Scott s, Brassil’s and Pareora River roads, also Pleasant Valley road, they are now patching the Pareora r’ver road from Pleasant Valley to th e Mam South Road. Th e roadman has been assisting at the protective ■works planting willow s and general road work.

Otaio—The Council No. 1 teams are still m this riding and during the month have finished shouldering O’Leary’s road and metal patched a section of Springbank and Woolshed Gully goads and are now engaged in re-forming and metalling Thompson’s road. The work of cutting out the tree stumps in the Creek reserve at Esk Valley is well forward. The roadman has been engaged in raking in metal, and cleaning drainage outlets. Makikihi. —The culvert to give access to the memorial hall has not yet been put in, but will be done as soon as posible. The estimated cost of this work is £25 10s. The chimney of the roadman’s cottage has been repaired The roadman has been engaged in general road work during the month. Deep Creek. —Work in this riding has consisted of general repairs by the roadman.

Waihao Riding.—A start has been made to rebuild the wall on the Meyers Pass road. This will take another day’s work. The wind screen at Douglas cottage has been erected and the chimney and copper have been repaired. A groyne has been lengthened in the Waihao River below the main bridge so as to regulate the flow of water in both channels. This was necessary owing to damage by the last flood causing all

the water to go down the Southern stream. When last inspected the choked water course responsible for the impounding of water on the Cock and Hen road had not been cleaned out, notwithstanding the promise of the property owners to carry out this work some time ago. The workman’s cottage at Waihaorunga has been completed, and the final payment is on the pay sheet to-day. Hakataramea Riding. —The loose stone wall put up to prevent the Hakataramea River near the Haka Downs Station has not proved sufficient. The late flood having gone well over the top. This place will require two or three strong groynes to properly turn the stream. The roadmen have been engaged in metal patching on Cairn’s Road, Milne’s and Corrigal’s and the Hakataramea Valley Road. General.—Th e gorse at the angle near the Horse Shoe Bend has been grubbed. The bridgemen have been engaged erecting the explosive magazine. Meyer’s Pass Road wall, Waihao protective works, windscreen at Douglas settlement cottage, and cutting willows at Esk Valley. It is proposed to shift them to Holme station bridge, where some re-deck-ing is required. (The rejected planks wil be used for posts to fence Millar’s Flat bridge approaches';. The report was adopted and it was resolved that the loose stone near th e Haka. Downs station should be inspected by th eengineer for a report.

The rangers’ reports concerning straying horses and cattle found in the various ridings were as follows: Makakihi: 12 horses, 29 cattle; Deep Creek, 12 horses, 82 cattle; Waihao, 35 horses, 67 cattle. The total fees collected amounted to £l2 3s. The reports wer e received. Correspondence.

The secretary of the Wainono Drainage Board wrote stating that the action taken by the Board in res- . peet of cleaning the Hook Swamp Road drain would be heard at the Waimate Court on May 16 The letter was received. 1 The clerk of the Mackenzie County Council wrote thanking the Council for the increase from £5O to £75 granted toward the cost of the dev- 1 iation of the Cave Hill Road. Receiv-

P. O’Connell wrote requesting an extension of time to cut gorse. —Two weeks was granted. The secretary of the Timaru High School Board wrote re election of a representative to the Board by the Council. On the motion of Crs. Whatman and Garland it was resolved that Mr Bitchener be re-elected as the Council’s representative.

Mr Bitchener briefly returned thanks for his election. Slaughter-house licenses were granted to A. Jones and Co., Tangney Bros., D. J. Lundon and J. O’Brien. The St. Andrews Memorial Committee wrote requesting the Council to make a grant toward the formation of a path and kerbing about th e St. Andrews memorial. After some discussion, it was resolved that £35 be granted for the purpose. A notification was received from the Health Department stating that carpet beating was an offensive trade within the meaning of the Health Act.. Corespondence was also received re order of appeals.—Received.

The Under-Secretary, of the Public Works Department wrote stating that in the event of the Council applying for provision to be made on the estimates for road or bridge works, applications should be forwarded not later than June 15th. —Agreed to. The clerk of the Pahiatua County Council forwarded the following resolution: “That all local bodies throughout the Dominion be asked to approach the Government re-

questing it to apportion a part of loan being raised on London market for payment of local bodies’ antecedent liabilities.”

The resolution was discussed, but the Council decided that it should be merely received.

Permission was granted to Mr P. Elworthy to place piping under the Gordon Valley Road, subject to usual conditions.

Mr F. D. Martin, Otaio, wrote requesting the Council to hav e the road shingled for a distance of ten chains leading to his property.—Declined. Permission was granted to G. Adams (Oamaru) to lay a 9-ineh

pipe across the road opposite his property at Hakataramea. the N.2. Counties’ Association, which Correspondence was received from was. held over till the next meeting. The secretary of the Waihao Water Race Committee wrote stating that at the recent meeting of the Committee it was decided that Messrs Stokes and Barnett b e appointed to meet the Council re the revision of contracts for the cleaning of the water races. It was resolved that tenders should be called for next meeting. The secretary of the South Canterbury Hospital Board forwarded a list showing the Government valuation of the Board’s district, and the levies thereon.

The Clerk mentioned that the levy for the current year was £5977, that for the previous year being £8307. A resolution was received from the Timaru Borough Council re the present “undemocratic” method of constituting the power board, by securing the consent of only 25 per cent, of the ratepayers.

Cr. Whatman remarked that the present system was certainly undemocratic. The Provisional Power Board had just as great a power as any Board. He moved that the resolution be endorsed. Cr. Lindsay seconded. Cr. Garland said they had already gone to a lot of expense in the matter. They must have the. Power Board first to make inquiries before going to the ratepayers.

Cr. Drinnan concurred. Cr. Johnstone said they would already have to appeal to the ratepayers twice, before the scheme was carried out. He thought it unnecessary to have yet another poll. The motion was put to the meeting and lost, only three supporting it.

It was finally resolved that the resolution should be merely “received.” Election of Chairman. The Chairman said that as they had come to the end of their financial year he wished to thank members of the Council for their assistance during his term of office. He could not wish for better feeling than that which existed between them. He greatly appreciated the assistance they had given him. They had always managed to settle their differences amicably and he was sure that every member had done his best for the County. Mr Hart then vacated the chair. Mr Bitchener said he had great pleasure in proposing that Mr Hart be re-elected chairman. They had a lot of difficulties at thp present juncture and they could not a?ford to lose his valuable services. He had a sound knowledge of his work and at the present time they needed his guiding hand. Although Mr Hart had not much time at his disposal he lioped he would accept the chair for onther year. He felt sur e that he would have the hearty co-operation of the Council. Cr. Garland said he had great pleasure in seconding the motion. He also paid a tribute to Mr Hart’s services. The motion was carried unanimously. Mr Hart expressed thanks to’ the Council for again placing him in the chair, and sid that as in the past, he would always endeavour to do his best for the County. The Manager of the Union Bank of Australia wrote re aplieation for overdraft.

The Chirman said that the present overdraft was £1974. Had all the rates been collected it would have been approximately £lOOO. The legal limit of the overdraft was £15,000. On the motion of Crs. Bitchener and Drinnan, it was resolved to make application to the Bank for the CounfiVooo ° n overdraft to be fixed at

It wa s resolved that the Council meet on sth June to consider the esr timates for the ensuing year.