WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL

Hokitika Guardian, 2 April 1917, Page 3

WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, April 2nd, 1917. The Council met at 11 a.m. Present :—Messrs H. Norman (County Chairman), J. A. Murdoch, J. Grimmond, A, Clifton, T.i W. Duff, S. G. Ferguson, T. W. Bruce, B. Ward and R. Wells.

The minutes of the previous meeting were- read and confirmed and outward correspondence approved. INWARD CORRESPONDENCE." From Treasury, notifying credits • to County Fund Account.—Received, From Sir John Findlay, K.C., thanking Council for congratulations upon election to the House of Representatives. —Received. From National Efficiency Board, Betting out the scope of the Board’s work, and enquiring in respect to district matters.—Received. From Internal Affairs Department, suggesting course of action to mark Anzac Day and the observances in connection therewith.—Received. From Mines Department, regretting the Minister was unable to grant £SOO to finish Adair’s road ; granting a prospecting subsidy of £125 to Batson & party for tunnelling at Lang’s Terrace; remitting rent due by C. Tate at Okarito.—Received. From Resident Engineer, notifying ' proposals for improvement of Waitaha Settlement road.—Received, From Eketahuna County Council, asking support to request to Government to erect cold storage at the four centres to enable produce to be Jt shipped all the year round.—Received. From Wataroa School Committee, asking to exchange present school .site near Purcell road for gravel reserve at Scallv road, near the factory. —Received. From Woolston Tanneries Coy., Ltd., notifying steps taken to safeguard the power line in the event of breaks, and .• stating additional precautions were being taken for/jthe public safety ; applying for leave to cross the main road at Woodstock with a tail-race fluming, to be erected to the satisfaction of the Council, which would also he indemnified against any accident which might arise.—Received ; request granted, 1 subject to an indemnity being given against any accident arising therefrom such to be approved by the County Solicitor. From Stuart & Chapman, pointing out in view of the revenue contributed to the Council from the Kokatahi sawmill, it was inequitable to ask the firm to contribute towards the cost of cutting down Morris’ hill.—Received.

The Chairman moved the work lie held over until the royalties paid in, come to hand.— Seconded by Mr Duff and carried. _ . From R. M. Baird, asking remission of rent on unworked claim. at Lang’s Terrace, the ground being unworkable owing to the want of water. —Received ; request approved, From Sprot Jeffries & Coy., referring the Council to U. H. Adamson, sub-leasee, in respect to the use of the Hari Hari saleyards as a public pound.—Received. From J. C. Hende, drawing attention to the encroachment of the Big Wanganui river on the ferry reserve, and urging steps to protect same. Received ; referred to Overseer to report. From Bruce Bay Improvement

Committee, recommending repairs to culverts, estimated to cost £ll by contract. —Received and authorised. From Okuru Improvement Committee, forwarding list of works required in the district; also notifying storm damage and the urgency of attending to the Okuru foreshore protection, where the receiving shed was undermined and had to be removed.—Received ; application to be made for flood damage grant. From Overseer Millner, reporting small stoim damage in the KanieriArahura districts; reporting on the : proposed grader and attaching repoit on small grader in use by the Public Works Department.—Received ; a grader to be procured. From Roadman Dale, reporting on works in Kokatahi, where he recommended broken metal when available ; ■ also stating that the bulk of the settlers were likely to take cream , only to the factory next season, which . would reduce the cost of road maintenance materially.—Received. , From Roadman Nolan, reporting on district works in Okarito-Okuru district, and recommending £l4 for 1 repairs to Cook’s track ; also stating i £4OO would open the Waiho-Bruce -j Bay road f.or vehicle traffic, and if ] left to the Council the labor could be ( obtained. —Received. From Mines Department, approving ' £2O being spent on turn-out, McLeod’s road. —Received.

From Resident Engineer, acknowledging report in respect to opening Wailio-South inland road for vehicle traffic ; stating it was generally known tlie Department required labor for South Westland, and not seeing further action was necessary to open communication with the District Improvement Committee ; Replying that the Little Waitaha suspension bridge was considered quite safe enough for some little time yet; replying that the whole of the money for Brandt road had been expended, and no refund was available for the Council. —Received. From Hokitika Borough Council, notifying proposed conference at the County Chambers at 4 o’clock on April 2nd, regarding commemoration of Anzac Day.—Received. From Bruce Bay Improvement Committee, reporting property of soldiei’3 on military service was not being subjected to acts of vandalism ; stating culverts authorised would " be repaired as soon as contract could be let.—Received. From Overseer Millner, reporting on district works carried out' during the month, and giving particulars of small works requiring attention.— Received. From Roadman Black, reporting on works performed, and stating an ex-, penditure of £4O was required for culverts on Mikonni track.—Received. From Roadman Nolan, reporting good progress with Okarito road; the success attending the turning of the Lower Wataroa at a cost of about £4O; small works attended to or required.—Received. AFTERNOON SITTING. The Conned resumed st 2 p.m.

From Westland brauch Canterbury • Autoraobila Association, stating that 1 they objected to proposal to tax motor tyres, especially as the rough West Coast roads cut up tyres a great deal more than on the other Coasts.—Received, From Wm McLean, Mubinapua, asking for use of road reserve to re move Public Hall there. —Received, request grauted anbjsec to approval of Roadman. F'xoaa Mitchell Bro>., Stafford, asking permission to piece larger culvert across road at Bloomer Gully.—Received, referred to Resident Eugineer for favorable consideration. From 0. ‘J. P, Sellers, forwarding prospecting license by G. W. Keller for approval of Councii.—Received;, no objection offered. From Roadman Nolan stating crate put in by Public Works Department at Te Taho is endangering settlors’ land.—Received ; referred to Resident Engineer. FINANCE COMOIITTEE’S REPORT. Your Committee have the honour to report that the accounts presented for the month of March, 1917, have been carefully examined, and bog to recommend that the amount as approved, totalling £754 4/4, be passed for payment. ORDER PAPER. The Chairman moved :—“ That the accounts for the month of March, 1917, as revised and recommended for payment by the Finance Committee, amounting to £754 4/4, be passed for payment.”—Seconded by Mr Clifton and carried. The Chairman moved :—“ That the Council now adopt the necessary motion to borrow by way of overdraft from the Bank of New Zealand, such overdraft to be eecuted by the revenue actually outstanding and payable at the 81st March, 1918.”—Seconded by Mr Bruce and carried. The Chairman moved :—“ That a statement be prepared by the Tr'aeurer for next monthly meeting, sbo ing the position of the separate riding accounts for the year ended March

31st ; the estimated f mourn’ of the revenue for the fiauncial year now entered upon ; and the proposed al ocation of such amount ovit tie Separate Ridings aa provided by the"~ Counties Act, and itj amendments.”Seconded by Mr Wtl a and carried. Mr Bruce moved that the Overseer, end mover be authoii ed to make track to limestone deposits near Bow. —Seconded by Mr Fergueou end carried. Mr Clifton moved that 50 yaids of metal be procured for Suddon Terrace. —Seconded by the Chairman aod carried. Mr Ward moved that £8 be anthorited to renew Woods Culvert, Arahura Road.—Seconded by Cbaitm&n and carried, -■ The Council then rose.