WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL

Hokitika Guardian, 11 October 1921, Page 4

WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL

COUNTY CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. The following report from Mr IF Ward, County Chairman, was read at to-dav sitting of the Westland County Council: Gentlemen,—.l have the honor to report that, attended by the Clerk, I was present at the Conference of the New Zealand Counties Association at WeJlngton on September 28-21). The Conference was presided over very ably !>v Mr J’resident dull, and was very numerously attended by delegates of Councils from Auckland to the Hlufl. The proceedings of tin' Conference weie of great interest to local body members, and the deliberations were an earnest of the manner in which the representatives of the people on local government attempt to discharge their duties. The opening address ot the I’resident reviewed the position very concisely, and led up to tlm discussion which ultimately took place as regalds the arterial roads (pn-slion in relation to which the Government propose to bring down a special measure at Hupresent session of Parliament. lie lion. .Minister of Public Works attended the Conference in person, and addressed tile delegates on the principles of the proposed hill which is not yet ready for circulation. The Govern- ) iu*nt nMM.swn* pro pm-us to ilvliim cortu in roads from the north to the south of

each Island, as main highways. These loads will I,C in the first division and will be under the control of a special Roajxl of Hoards for each Island to direst jvml control tlio improvement or contraction of the roads which arc intended to he so conditioned as to meet of fast motor traffic travelling up and down New Zealand. The Government will find the money for the works by special taxation and votes. As Councillors are aware in the preliminary information given as to the selection of the proposed highways for special treatment, the road set apart in this .County ranges only I’rowr the Tcremakti u to Hokitika Representations for cogent reasons have lseen made already urging that the main highway so proposed should extend to Hnast Pass taking in the long range of Crown lands stretching to the far south. Hut the Conference as a whole did not favor tin- Ministerial road proposals There was a division of opinion as to “main roads” and it was contended that each County should define it- own main roads —as carrying the bulk of local industrial traffic and I"- given finance to improve and coiist.rucl the niwsl urgently required roads. In other words there was the feeling that utility roads for the principal local traffic should have first consideration before roads intended mainly for swill traffic which 'in due course would become pleasure roads.

The whole siiliiti l was fully disrinseil ami ultimately relegated to a Committee tu lii inn down a report with sue-

gcstiuns to review tin* Itighway |iropo|ius:ils of tlio (iovernnient mill pul forward till' view of til'' County Councils with regard to nil nitcrnativc proposal. This report was ill due course adojitdl. It proposed that the rate subsidy increased I > Id - in the C on tin*' amount collecLctl, irrespective of any ratine; linit. and that the siib-dy so paid he expended hy the local iKidii’s on roads in the respective! Counties approved by the Hoard or Hoards to. he set up. in improving or constructing main roads tvithn the varous districts.

W'itli regard to the .taxation proposals under the (hivirimient measure, the Conference favored the tyre tax only and not a motor tax for vehicles. I heso deliberations were ultmately placed liefore Ministers, and the whole subject is to lie H'vicwed by Cabinet when tli,. l’rime Minister attends, and the Hovci miicnt measure will then be finally fashioned. The action of the Minister of Flihlie Works will therefore lead u]' to a definite course of action whereby something practical should result in reference to ways and means for the purpose of improving more and more the highways of the country. At the Coiifei cure a large agenda paper was disposed o. Various motions dealing with many phases of local goveiinmciit were considered and dealt w ith in a< ciirdaiici' with the w ishes of the majority. Tlie remits scat, forward hy this Council were favorably dealt w ith atid go hellin' the I hiVciTluieiit for It mi I consideration. With the representative of flu* Urey County Council I had the privilege of nominating Hon I W. M. Melntyie. M.b.C. (Chairman of ; the Fuller County Council) to the I Counties’ Fxeeutivi'. and Mr Mclntyre was duly elected. While in Wellington Air Soddon eoiirti'oiislv arranged an interview with the Hon. Minister of Public Works regarding leca! matters. Hons. (Irimiiiiuid and Michel were present and supported the representations made, which dealt with the following matters: I. Knkatahi Fridge Repairs. Supported application of Council already sent in for ti pi aii I nf CAOO. L- for £1 to continue the repairs to Kokatalii Fridge, the important connecting link between Knkatahi and Koiterangi districts. If. Waihu Fridge Construction Proposals. I'rgeil the Council’s recent offer of £3,000. bong £1 for £2, providing Department proceed with work within a reasonable time from date. 3. Harris Creek Fridge, Christchurch Koad. Invited a favorable reply to request- for £IOO grant for work to afford access to Soldier settlers. •1.-—Aralmra Fiver .Protection, adjacent to Findley’s. Frged necessary grant in this matter as protection of road and approach to Malfroy’s Bridge. 5. Ilruec Fay Landing. Crged speedy iindertukng of this long-deferred wot k. Slippery Face Deviation. Requested authority to proceed with this urgently required work. 7.- Specially urged the expenditure of deferred Parliamentary votes as follows : -liladicrs .Bond extension. C’JTO. to give access to settlers who are milk suppliers. Divans road £2OO to give access to soldier settlors who are dairying. Kojisttolii Rond Drainage. £2OO, higlu ly desirable work to he done in approaching dry season.

|,;i fontaine road, £2OO. To servo j settlors who iiro dairying. McArthur Hoad, £I.OO. Of great importance to district settlers. i Peterson Hoad. £,“.00. shot My rcquir- ; ed to carry on work at present being , done , l,;v .Cuuiufl’h hrvn expenditure. Hoad will give diroot access to factory i fur several milk suppliers. White Hold, .£OOO, authui isation of vote to recoil]) County expenditure lor work urgently carried out. TOIjHIIST I)KI'AItT.MK.\T VOTES. Lake Knnieri £3OO Work urgently required to rope with river erosion and widening of road at dangerous points. Jit Tuhiia track and road. Authorise LICK) out of .Clop vote to give necessary access for coining season. B.—-The innttei of extending arterial highway from Hokitika to Jinn si I'nis was also pressed. The Mon. Minister recognised the importance of many of the matters referred to. hut indicated that the whole position was governed by finance. I Where the people were prepared to , help, the assistance offered was some i indication of the importance of the > works, and the matters would he r-- ‘ viewed, and the host possible done for • the district. Air Coates stated ho ■ would endeavour to do the host lie could I to keep the works in hand for bridging • the south rivers. An important interview was held fll- - so with the (General Manager of New , Zealand Hailways. Jlr Scddnn kindly f- arran'diig a suitable hour and swp.pmtrl

ing the requests made. fhese included a reference to skid and siding accommodation for loading Undid at Kumma Junction and Hokitika. The former matter the CteiH-ral Malinger agreed to adjust in accordance with the requests of this Coiim i! and for the lie)" being that arrangement should be satisfactory. AVitii regard to the position at Hokitika a large matter of exueiidit u-e is involved. The (iencral Alanagiq explained that the definite site fur the enlarged station mid yards at Hokitika has lirst to he lived. The proposals for this include closing part ol Staflord Street between the Central Hotel and the Convent grounds, and laying down a series of lirnnehlines to accommodate tli? standing waggons and carriages which will increase greatly in number with the opening of through Fast and West Coast traffic. .It is proposed to ask til,' consent of the Hokitika Borough .Council to this work, which involves a reorganisation of the station yard, and which if approved will not necessitate the removal of the home station outside the Borough of Hokitika. If th** suggested scheme is assented to hy the local body the work of extending the branch line, up Hibson Quay wiil be proceeded with in acini danee w'ifcb proposals from the Railway Department which have been eotiiminiieateil in writing to Aiessrs Stuart and Chapman. The HVncral Alnnnger expressed the opinion that the Department wished to anti iiiat" the in. reused volume of traffic via .Arthurs Pass tuntii'l. and hoped In have everything in rll ii ui ii": order by the time ih<‘ traffic was possible two years lienee, which Afr ,AfcVilly fixed as the probable time.

Oil the questnn of possible railway "cut'' in Westland trains the Heneral Afanager indicated to Al l Kiddon that though the matter had been consul qa L it was not proposed at present to make any change, and if anything were i'ontemidated tlie Afeniber for Westland would lie notified in advance.

I desire to appreciate the assistance given by AD' Seddoii during niy visit t-i Wellington, and to state that his 'help and influence in regard to the deputations were invaluable. T also wish to thank, Hons. Alieltel and Hrimn'ond for the ready manner in which they cooperated in regard to the public business ] had in hand. fn the earlier portion of this report a reference has been made to the question of main roads within the County. The Treasurer in his monthly statement of Riding Accounts refers to the heavy expenditure of late on the roads of the district caused liy traffic which is :d>tmrmal to the ordnaiy settlement traffic. The volume of the expenditure has quite disorganised the Riding expenditure; particularly in the Centra! Riding. The average available for tli,, Xortliern Riding is £-l(i. hut the actual expenditure has been £(su per month. In the Central £B7 was available, but the expenditure has reached £IOO. In the Southern Riding where £IOB was available £l()fi has been spent. Out of an allocation nf £2,900 for the year less than £7OO remains, and there are still six months expenditure to he provided for. Already the Central Rilling is £i:l:l til debit. It will thus he seen that the Riding Accounts will lie seriously disorganised for the year.

The Treasurer suggests that the Council should if if so agrees take advantage of .Section 131 (cl of the Counties Act hv declaring such roads within the County as the Conne.il may deem expedient to he main roads. The advantage of this is that such roads will he maintainable out of general revenue and not out of the allocation of Ridings. This course will reduce the sum available for allocation for Killings. but as the principal siiurcei for expenditure on the roads will he spread over the resources of the whole County and not he a special charge against the Hiding allocation. Tlie roads may he so declared hy special order, which special order may he revoked hy subsequent special order. This course would relieve the stringency in regard to the Riding Accounts, and consequent nf any legislation arising nut' of the proposal by the Coiintics’ Conference affecting main mads within a County, the specific designation of such roads might he of advantage. if not. a necessity, should the rate subsidy lie increasd with the object uf expending the accruing sum oil tlie principal utility ruwds of the ( oiint y The following list of roads to be declared main rumls within the County has been drawn tip for the consideration of iiii'llilk'l's : 1. Teremakaii Bridge to Kum.iiu Beach Fond. 2. Awaliiun Road. 3. Aralmra Valley K«ad. Amh'iru Fridge to Humphreys. I. Kan i(‘ri Lake Fond. A. Kokat 1 1 1 i Road to (iridium's coi - ner. thence across the Koknlnhi Bridge to Cropp's Road. t» A rtfciirsiowii Road. 7. Fiintnpu Road. S. Totara Road. 11. Waitalm Settlement Road. 111. -•Wanganui Flat Road. 11. Wataron Flat Road. 12. - Oknrito Road. 1,1. Turnbull Roacf.

On tin l -ith. inst n visit was iiniil in company with tin- members for tlio Riding. to the Koitorimgi district. Jinx road was first inspected in connection with the drain work and track metalline; proposed by Mr llavill. This was approved and the assistance a- ked for is recommended. Tlie protection at Doughboy Creek on Doughboy road was next inspected, and appears to he a holding and useful work. Some attention is necessary to the district road at the junction of Ne'son and Whitcomb,' roads regarding improved drainage where flood waters overflow the roadway.. The protection of the end of Kelly’s road. Kokatnhi Kiver wa.s looked at. but the work is beyond the means of the Council, and it is regretted a favourable report cannot lie made. Ihe kukat’hi re-ad under motor lorry traffic is badly worn in nhi'-os and with j continued wet weather wi ! l c.c-t ipite co t oi hand. The Overseer reports Kanieri l.ake road is falling into a similar condition. Definite stc* s must Im* Diken ;it once to den) with the traffic. Tin* motor lorry proprietors have .boon ! invited t;j :? 11oikJ to-dav\s mooting to ‘ ili'soiiss tin* matt*: from various points o! view. It is imnox-sil.lo for tin* Counoil s l iiirks 1■; stand the present strain of expense nndor tin* existing system of read repairs :md I will ; s!; members to gin* t l >c position their serious consideration with the 01-ix; t of adopting a more economical system recce: ccline 11 ad 'e! its iit localities where l of into the outlay has loan so heave, T have, plrascr.. in ;,, tin ; f H ( - 11 ii- :I that tile result of the voting fee’ the Kal: a ]--'tah! bridge loan mas fn\durable to the Counc-d's scheme. The loan was carried by 87 votes for. to dc votes against, and the necessary dc- la ■•ation lies been made aecordin;; to the piovisons ef tli,. Act. Tenders elos-ng on tlm Ifltli inst have l,c- n called fo- the work, and will be .!.- -c’t with that day by the Town membei-s. It is linfcd the. fridge win Ik- available for traffic cni-lv in the new year.