WALLACE COUNTY COUNCIL

Western Star, 29 March 1940, Page 3

WALLACE COUNTY COUNCIL

Over a centinty of pioneer work and three-quarters of! a century of develop*' ment of the t AVestem District has surely shown $o the most adamant what has been (done through clearing I the bush to prepare the land, through making roads to \ get to the clearing, and the building &"<! upkeep oi bridges to take full" advantage of the roads. There are already magnificent twochain roads to cope £vith stor-k, built in the Central planned through the foresight of thf early surveyors. The Western District is being so fortunate; in fact *we Still need a swing road at an improvement on a cai* /"track between Blackmount and ''--The Homer Tunnel is not being built exclusively for a few motor tourists to go gallivanting to Big Bay or any other bay, but that the pastoral produce of the district shall have fuller development. It is eminently suitable for such development. Factories do not nourish among mountains, but sheep do, providing raw material for the w T ool weavers, a.nd in the valleys, cattle, raw material for the-dairy, factories. Arising out of this the debate on the County bridges by the Wallace County Council- is a matter of eminent concern to all residents in this district. Riverton has a beautiful bridge. Experience has shown two small improvements in its original construction would have been an advantage. A slightly wider, footpath,. and •at the south end a wider run-way to the Aparima road because of the jutting cliff at the Memorial. ' But; these t»»e minor matters. Ifi is; a, bridge,- riot the. ford of seventy years ago, and a well- j designed symmetrical bridge at that. j Has the Wallace County Council been I «\« thoughtful of its bridges, and does ] it intend-to be? The debate at a re. - eent meeting provided some reflections that,are, to say the least, disturbing. "Nearly all were bxult of red pine. perhaps, poles of totara, and their life was only about ten years." "32 bridges in Orepuki," "15'similar j 'ii the Waiau Riding." The letter from the Minister of Public Works is particularly trenchant, while on the other hand Cr. Horrell's illuminating figures of the Waiau lands indicate what needs to be. done; to oush things ahead with road development.

After the Easter holidays a reminder ~f the debate becomes even more illuminating.

At its ' recent meeting the Wallace County Council adopted the following motion moved by Or. Horrell: "That all bridges over 20 feet span be charged on the General Account.as provided in ■Section 131 of the Act, Section D, as , (he Council shall determine from time I fo time." ' * ■ - .

In regard to tins a letter from tW Auditor-General was also read : —E. G. Collins, " Auditor-General, Wellington., advised the office raised no objections to the Council exercising its own dis-. ".r-'Mon to determine whether the cost of constructing or maintaining bridges seceding 20 feet span shall be charged jvarainst the General Account or the «impropriate Riding Account; Cr. Ilorrell said that in reference'to bridges certain Ridings had to bear •y:ry heavy maintenance ■ and replacement costs, and it was 'laid down in (lie Act thai-power was given l for all' ratepayers to bear a share; this alone showed justification for the motion. He cs'limited thr>re were 12 bridges in"Crepuki Biding over 20 feet spaiir- Three were on the Main Highway. It was now/ ir'-cessary -to i*eplace some of them and the regulations demanded concrete bridges, which must be wider to cater for the traffic offering. Many others were not suitable to carry, the traffic asked of them. Nearly .all were built of 1 red pine, with perhaps poles of totaora, and their life was only about ten years. The policy of building in red pine was absurd, and the concrete ] bridge policy on Main Highways was justified, while they should also' be wider to eliminate danger. Such work meant expense, and particular Ridings caimoti bear the cost. The Waiau Riding had about lo similar bridges, including two big. ones over the \Waiau River. The one at Tuatapere was of hard timber, but the one ab Clifden of totara girders, and they were not good enough 7 . It was generally recognised as a danger to take heavy loads . over this bridge, and reconstruction and widening was needeel very, shortly. In Wairaki Riding it was the same, except thait in many instances the need was more urgent. The Council could riot further adopt a policy of holding back, they were already in conflict with the Minister of Public Works and would become so with the public. Holding to Riding was not progressive and a definite bridge policy must be adopted. In Wairaki on the ClifdenBlackmount road only a small proportion of the ratepayers were interested, the Waiau Riding ratepayers being equally interested, and yet' at present " the latter did not have to pay a share, while it was needed also that through traffic should bear a share of bridge costs instead of leaving the whole to ratepayers alongside.

Cr. Siis' seconded and endorsed the references made. The upkeep and reconstruction work was first a national duty, then a provincial and last of all a local one, a-nd the responsibilit.v for major jobs should be the cost of ail. Cr. Hopcroft said the Riverton bridge cost was apportioned by a commission, the three Ridings adjacent paying si greater share, but the whole County contributed a share. A bridge building scheme shoidd be on the same liasis. Cr. Hopcroft said in regard to the Thornbury bridge only Pourakino and Waimatuku Ridings paid. Cr. Sim admitted that for the Wairaki bridge, Waiau Riding only contributed one-eighth to Wairaki's seveneighths, and this was not fair. Cr. McGregor said the Council would have to agree to some bridge scheme or come up against the Department. The Council had never neglected the bridges in the Wairaki Riding, they were just done from old age and be-, cause thej'- were not built in hardwood timber. The excessive carting of the Southland Electric Power Board had i created damage, while alt- present the Power Supply was tracking Oreti River gravel to Tuatapere and carting it to Monowai

Interjection: "What! with good gravel at Clifden bridge?" The chairman said even nearer, at Wairaki River, if they used a crusher the gravel was equal to the best. Such action was simply "red-hot." Cr. Sim said the holding up of the Wairaki bridges had also been due to a possible deviation of the road. Cr. Roy said he had no objection tc the motion, but there should be an understanding as to what Ridings should pay to such a bridge-buildinr I fund, otherwise it was possible that all rates would be needed and nothing left . fpr road maintenance. If they knew these' costs, a separate rate could be struck for the purpose. Cr. Horrell agreed with this vievi and felt the Council simply could n'o+ carry out the work on rates at presen' collected. Perhaps if a Riding ii ' "hicb the bridge was being built paid ono-quarter and-the County the re ""■fining three-quarters it would b< fair. ! j Cr. Sim disagreed with this am» ■-'.•■< iined a bigger share of the' moloi '■'■x nation should be secured for bridges Cr. Hopcroft agreed and said surel- i -Vuthland and Wallace Counties woul- j '"fca better share once the Milford I Sound tunnel road was finished as ir ■'.he Public Works Estimates something \ like £300,000 was debited to Southland , 'province, whereas only about £37,00' •iime to the Counties, the'Yjgst >sed on the Public Works. • • « The motion was amended as given !\hove, put to the meeting and carried unanimously. Hon.'R. Sem'ple, Minister of Public \Yorks, Wellington, advised the matter of the bridges on' "the Clifden-Black-mount road had bean looked into. Tin evidence was that the poor conditior' oi" the bridges was due tolack of maintenance and extensive were l cessary, probably in most cases rebuilding„ There was no justification for free grants' and the most the writer' could suggest was that the Council con ii'der forming a reconstruction policy of a definite -nature extending -over •several years, and then the most urg ©lit' items could be brought forw irdeach year for consideration in the an mal estimates for the usurl subsidies towards cost of renewing bri<"! / >s. —Re c-ived. This matter was referred tc th.e chairman and Councillors Horrell and Sim to discuss with tho Minister mi his visit to Southland.

Cr. Horrell said there were 40,001 acres of Native land near the Coast road, Waiau. There was enough royalty coming off the area to road it several times over, but the bush wa? beiug .felled, the land left to grow scrub and waste, and no roads being built. This is a public shame and in the interests of the natives themselves some thing should he done to have roads made and the area opened up. —It -a« agreed to write the Minister of Internal Affairs on the matter; that tht matter be the subject of a remit t< the County Conference; that the fcatiou to the Ministers of Public Wo.-'ks and Mines during their visit to Southland present the facts and also that the Waiau Progressive League be requested to co-operate.

At the meeting on March 20, the following further development, is. the matter of bridges was dealt with: - The chairman reported meeting the secretary of the Minister, of Public Works in Christchurch recently \i\ reference to the bridges in the Wairaki Riding to find an application for erection in discarded railway hardwood would be considered, —In making an application for £3 to £1 subsidy on bridges on Clifden-Mauapouri road the Council would point out that this road would probably bo a main highway when the Ho,m.ev Tunnel is completed and connection with Southland, is made. Further, that heavy loads are being transported to, Mono-

wai for public works. The Council also decided that the Engineer supply a list for a bridge re-' m >wal programme that the Council may undertake over a number of years. ■fame to be submitted to the Minister ; f Public Works on his visit to South- j land. Mr H. W. Spear, Colac Bay, 'dren ittention to the unsafe condition of tlw hraka bridge, / while the ramp ovei P:;arseyVcrossing between Tihaka ant v lf»o Bay required some railing pro- ' ction on the beach side as severa.! motorists had had narrow escapes from ippiug overHhe bank, the spoil hav- | : ng become very soft within two feet of j outer edge.—The matter of thf j •-.-ssing has been attended to. Re- i • !vcd- that application be made to tin ! ' i.in Highways Board for a. new; j bridge over the Oraka Creek at Colacl I Vlso that the 'H .asked to agree to a deviation of | ''-.present road, the cost of form | to be a charge on the Main ! Highways Board, the Wallace Count- \ - •, bear its share of the cost- of gravelling. ;.'.'._ In speaking on the matter of makin; i !' the heavy machinery belonging to the Government to bring in bush and, Cr Sim reported having arrangec a. public meeting at Tuatapere for ,28th j March, when the Public Works Engin- j eer, Mr W. B. Pearce. would detail the \ costs. Judging by the resiiHs on the! West Coast,, it would cost approximate-! ly £5 per acre to clear heavy ;'stumpf;! and logs, build up into _ windrows £ •hf.ins apart and level off and disc.: -vnd about 30/- to £2 an acre extra t< make the land a proper seed-bed. Ar area of about 800 acres com pactly situated) was required anr Tforts were being made to secure f demonstration. Councillors thought tlvl. tV, and methods of financing th< make it beyond the mean ;!' farmei-s. Cr. HoiTell said h* would try to arrange a similar meeting .at-Colac to ti*y and secure infatmatior for such a seh.eme--.to drain the 200! odd acres available in that area. Per-

serially he thought the figures quota? ■•hove as beyond the means of most fanners, but -that such a scheme wa;i National undertaking and would bo !!.n economic-proposition for the country, whereas present tenants or owners '•ould not- possibly bear the cost with out considerable'help from the Government. This area had the railway anr 1 reading facilities through, it, some oi it was quite good land if drained anr* from a National point of view was a sound, investment.