COUNTY COUNCIL.

Western Star, 27 May 1938, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCIL.

STATUTORY MEETING. The statutory meeting of the Wallace County Council was> held at Otautau on Wednesday and was attended by Crs W. B. Hopcroft, W. J. A. McGregor, P. Teviotdale, H. J. Pinckney, A. Gould, D. D. Macdonald, B. C. Horrell, A. Roy and E.- K. Sim. Cr W. B. Hopcroft was elected chairman.

The question of the chairman's honor- ! ai'ium was discussed. A motion was put forward that it be the same as previous years, viz. £IOO. Cr Horrell moved an amendment that the sum be reduced to £SO. This waa seconded by Cr Sim, who stated that he was in favour of one rate for the whore of the County. He did not favour different rates for each riding. Cr McGregor said the chairman was responsible for looking after the affairs of the Council. Cr Roy said that the work of Councillors was not a paying proposition. By the time a member got round his riding he was 1 out of pocket. He was not in favour'of cutting down the chairman's honorarium. Cr Gould also took this view. Cr Horrell said that since he had been a member the chairman had not been in his district. He was in favour of paying a salary to the chairman when the ridings were abolished. . The amendment was lost and the amotion carried. r'Dr Hopcroft thanked Councillors for the honour conferred on him. The honorarium had been a bugbear, but as chairman he was ready to assist any Councillor. He took the opportunity of welcoming the old and new members. Cr ivloGregor and himself were the only members left of the old council. Cr McGregor was appointed chairman of the Finance Committee. Main Highways Board representative— Cr W. B. Hopcroft.

In acknowledging the honour Cr Hopcroft said that Cr Linscott had earned the position since the Board was constituted, and he only hoped that he would do as well as his predecessor. Cr McGregor drew attention to the long service carried out by Cr s Linscott and Smith on the Coimcil,* and it was decided to record a minute of appreciation for their services. ORDINARY MEETING. • ' —~~ The following business was transacted at the ordinary meeting:— Resident Engineer, Public Workg, Department, wrote stating that Mr A. S. Rqece, Pahia, had made application to the Hon. Minister for a road to give access to a landing used for fishing. He had inspected the locality and estimated the cost at £lB5. Be desired to know if the Council supported the request;— No fundg available. Jno Te Au, Tuatapere, asked permission to build a launch slipway at Honetu Point, Colac Bay.—To be informed' that he would have to comply with the Tramways Act. . L. H. Dutton, Colac Bay, drew attention to the bad state of th e Colac BayRiverton road.—The Council would attend to work when new grader, was purchased.

Jno Crawford, Secretary, • Riverton Progressive League, wrote thanking the Council for completing the gravelling of the Round Hill deviation, and also the reconstruction of railway crossing at Tih aka.—Received. N. Wilson, Round Hill, drew attention to the bad state of the road from Ward's to Buchanan's mill. A letter was also received from Wm. Cleaver in regard to this road.—To b© attended to. Mr W. Pearce wrote jstating that 52 chains of the Riverton-Longwood highway was very narrow, and required widening. The land adjoining the Riverton Borough would require to be purchased, and fences put back. The estimated cost of the land was £3976, and he asked if the Council was prepared to find one-fourth of the cost.—Council could not see its way to contribute towards widening. Cr Hopcroft said he understood the land, was offered free of cost some years ago. Jno Crawford, Secretary, Riverton Progressive League, wrote re ta<r sealing or oiling of Riyerton-Invercargill highway. The Secretary of the Automobile Association; Invercargill, also wrote about the tar sealing of this road. Cr Pinckney moved that Engineer inspect and report at th next meeting.—Carried..

J. C. Kane, Secretary Scotts Gap School Committee, wrote asking that tire culvert south of the school be lowered. —Left to Member and Engineer. Messrs A. Chisholm and Son, Otautau, asked that the road entering their property be gravelled. They also asked permission tp plough roadline. — GrantedMcKenzie Bros.',- Otahuti, drew attention to dangerous culvert on road adjoining their property, and also asked permission to plough roadline. —To be attended to. ' ' D. O'Brien and 33 others, Clifden, forwarded petition drawing attention to the dangerous state of the ClifdenOrawiaj road.—Left to Member and Engineer.. Mrs ■ L. G. Butterfield, Tuatapere, wrote objecting to the golf building being placed on her side of the road, and asked that the club house be shifted to give her a clear frontage.—Left to Memoer and Engineer, R. Muldrew, Secretary School Committee, Tuatapere, asked that footpath bo extended along the front of school grounds.—Left to Member and Engineer,

Mr W. Pearce, Highways Board, wrote stating tlvat the Highways Board had authorised improvements for relief of unemployed miners from Birchwood as follows:' (1) Otautau-Nightcaps main highway, improvements to crossings at a .est of £3OO, including £IBO for 'gravelling; (2) Winton-Ohai main highway, improvements at 'estimated cost of £llOO, including £2OO for gravelling. Tlie Department- desired to know if the Council would contribute towards cost of gravelling.—Council cannot sec its way to contribute. Or Horrell said the Council should be. consulted before work was carried out in the County. Cr McGregor said the work was not required in the meantime. Messrs Tulloch, Cringle, Johnstone, and W. J. Newton were appointed trustees of the Wreys Bush Cemetery Trust caused by deaths of Messrs Stroud and J. G. Johnston. W. Munro, Dunearn, wrote (stating that there was a wash-out on the road iienr his property, and asked that repjiis b e effected. —Member and Engineer to inspect, C. Clarke, South Hillend, drew atto-n----tiuii to state of culverts adjoining his property. —Member and Engineer to inspect . A Gerrard and Son, Dipton, drew attention to impassable state of road near Castle Downs, and asked that it he attended to.—Decided to apply for Govsrnmeufe gxwft.

ENGINEER'S REPORT. . [ I The engineer (Mr J. G. C. Baker) | submitted the following report: "Since J last meeting the weather has continued I mild and dry and no difficulty lias been , experienced in keeping road surfaces up to their usual condition. Centre road, the newly-metalled by-pass road in the | Pourakino riding has, despite the diy j weather, been damaged here and there by heavy traffic. The road is now being repaired, but will 'require careful watching and attention throughout the winter and spring to keep it open and fit for light traffic. A small bridge on Hamilton's Dip road in the Waimatuku riding has become unsafe, and is now being strengthened and redecked. The passage of a traction, engine on May 14 caused the complete collapse of a small bridge adjoining Gibson's old place on the Scotts Gap-Feldwick road. The crossing is being renewed with 3ft 6in diameter concrete pipes. Regarding Mr G. James's, request for a small culvert across the full width of the Otautau - Wreys Bush road opposite his new house, Cr Gould inspected and decided that the culvert be put in. Mr James will assist with the work and will supply all the pipe® except those under the metalled portion of the rpad. The main Papatotara road, which has been, very rough for some time, now has had the upper thi-ee miles of its surface partially reconstructed. This has afforded considerable improvement for motor and other traffic. In connection Avith Curtin Bros.' request for river bank protection on the -west side of the Aparima ■river at the Wreys Bush bridge. Cr Macdonald inspected and decided before doing anything to seek the assistance of the Main Highways representative in the matter. Regarding the letters from •Messrs H. McKenzie and Sons and the Public Works Department indicating that a vote of £2OO was available for improvements on the Mt. Nicholas access road, an inspection of this road was made and the improvement work has been laid off and specifications sent to the department. The section of the road to be improved is between Mararoa and Mararoa homesteads and then on to the new bridge over the Oreti river. Regarding the application at the March ■ meeting from Messrs Heenan Bros, and Dwyer asking that 14 chains of . Short road between Sections 6 and 9, Beaumont Estate, be made, it Avas found on inspection' that the properties concerned already had metalled road access along their northern boundaries and there-fore . the request was not granted.'■'