WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL

Hokitika Guardian, 17 August 1927, Page 4

WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL

TUESDAY, AUGUST Hi.

Ibe Council sat at 2 p.m. Present: Messrs J. A. Murdoch (Chairman). B. Ward. W. H. Chinn, W. Scarlc, E. A. Wells, ,J. Donovan. Apology was made for the absence oi Messrs Jeffries, Morel and Chestor-

I he minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.'

1 he outward correspondence was ap-

proved. Mr R. UT.il ev waited on the Council with regard to heavy traffic on Camelback Road, and stating i.lie heavy traffic fee would lie paid that day. and attention could be given to the upkeep el the road. The offer was accepted subject to the Overseer being satisfied with tne work done, and no objection or complaint made by the residents

IXWARD COR EESl>().\ DENC E. From Treasury, notifying accrued revenue to the credit of the County Fund Account.—Received. From Receiver of Land Revenue, advising amount of thirds and halves being lodged to County Fund credit.— Received.

From Public Works Engineer, advising visit to Wellington when matter of Richardson Road will be taken up.- Received as satisfactory.

From same, advising satisfaction with Duck Creek bridge proposals, hutapproval could not be given tii‘l estimates wore approved.—Received. Regret was expressed at the enforced delay.

From same, forwarding copy of letter rc annual review of Main Highways, regretting Kokatahi road could not bo taken in as part of main highway.—Received with regret, and turther application to be made. From Minister of Public Works, notifying Department was unable to provide a. Government grant for Rig Wanganui track.--Received, and reply to be sent that the report covered the

wrong track. From Public Works Department, advising inability to state how long Kunieri river bridge would be oil) sod. — Received. Satisfaction was expressed

at the arrangements for traffic. From Mines Department, advising grant- m reference to deviation of Soddon Terrace road has been cancelled: and that mailer of granting subsidy to Rinat United Sluicing Coy. will be further dealt with on receipt of report from Inspector ot Mines.—Received. From Department of Labour, enquiring regarding unemployment in tho district.—Received and discussed at some length as reported elsewhere. From X.Z. Railways, Christchurch, forwarding proposed alterations in present time-table.-—Received and reply

of objection sent approved. From County Clerk, Wniineu. forwarding copy ot resolution of the Council to amend Section ,40 of .the Counties’ A<t, lf)20. and asking for Council’s assistance in the matter. Receiv-

ed : no action. From Humphreys Sawmill Co.v.. applying for cancellation of payment of rates on mill abandoned.—-Received

and agreed to. From D ..E Agncw. Aralntra, advi

ing cannot accept terms with regard to removal of Timber from Hungerford’s Bridge. Received, and to reply the terms could not be alien'd. From Overseer MiliTier, reporting on -Mr Agnew’s offer to purchase spans of Htmgerford Bridge.—Received. From Farmers’ Union, Kokatahi, asking if Council could improve Walt road which is in a bad state; also that tenders be called for extension of Station Road to give a settler access

to Ills property.—Received, repairs to Wall road were in hand, and the extension of Station Road awaited a grant which had been applied for. From Lime Coy., Ross, applying for assistance to road to Lime Kiln at Ross.—Received and resolved to support.

From Joseph Manera. Kakapotalii, asking for crates for protection work it Waitahn.—Received and agreed to. From T. H. Jopson, Waitahn. drawrig Council’s attention to tho tilling in >f the ford on the road on Waitaha Reach, advising that a trestle bridge would lie more satisfactory.—Received and Overseer’s reply to lie conveyed to Mr Jopson. From 11. If. Busch, Maintain, asking for grant towards road leading to building site.—Received and to state tbe grant bad been applied for. but no payment could be made for previous work.

From X. Randall, thanking Council for leave extended.—Received. From O. .T. Thomson, Mntainui. applying for transfer of slaußhter-liou.se license from R. Williams.—Received and recommended. From W. R. Nolan, Okuru, reporting an works in southern district.—Received and supplies ordered. From Bank of Non; Zealand, reporting purchase of gold for period.— Received. From National Bank of New Zealand with regard to same.—Received. From British Imperial Oil Coy., forwarding hire agreement with regard to Shell pump.—Received and no action taken. From Overseer .Millnor, reporting that Keenan’s lorry carting sawn tiim her from mill in Education Endowment, to Honitika and using Municipal road which is only a -1-ton load ; arrangements made with Roadman Nolan to take over all County tools and plant.— Received. From same, reporting that Tnglis and Fahey have kept Awatuna and Oillams’ Cully' Road in order during the past six months in lieu of payment of lorry license for heavy traffic; advising to extend maintenance contract for period of six months, including renewal of defective culvert near mill.—Received and agreed to for six months.

From some, report ins on complaint from A. Webb and W. Gumming regarding work.— Received, ami Overseer’s action in tbe matter approved.. From Health Department, slating owing to tlie number of surviving trustees for Stafford Cemetery falling below tbe statutory number it was proposed to vest the Cemetery in tbe Council, and enquiring for an expression of opinion.—Received and proposal agreed to. tbe Chairman remarking tiie Council should take the matter up as one of duty. From Lands and Survey Department forwarding copy of Gazette notice declaring road closed Rloek !\ . Mahinapua S.T).—Received. From G. D. Wilson. Kapitea, asking for the completion of Knniara June tion-Kapitea road which requires metalling.—Received and supported, copy of letter to he sent to Mr Seddon, M.P.

From li. Keeuan, Woodstock, slating in connection with the use of Upper Municipal road, metalling was necessary.—Received and referred to the Overseer. From E. F. Wail, Koiiorangi. drawing attention to the necessity of a culvert on the approach to liis property. Received and referred to the Overseer to report. From J. Donovan, on behalf of Mrs Patrick and family, thanking Council for letter of sympathy in recent berea vmcn t.—Reoei red. From Hokitika Branch. Automobile Association, thapking Council for use of Chambers for meetings.—Received. From Roadmen Bernhard and Dale, reporting pounding of wandering stock. —Received. From O. Amberger. Koiternngi. com-

plaining of gate on B. Moynihan’s pro—Received and to ho advised permission for tho gate was granted in 1020.

From Henry Hcveldt, Mntninui, reporting tho impassable state of track to Perth run.—-Received, and Council in view of ai'l the circumstances was unable to act.

From Overseer Millner, replying to complaints regarding tbe construction of crossing at Little Waitahn, stating that the work had been wilfully interfered with and damaged and stating repairs were in hand at a cost of .£(> IDs.—Received. Mr Jopson to he advised.

From same stating repairs to Big Waitaba ford from Wright’s would cost £ls; repairs to No. 2 Harris Creek bridge, damaged hv heavy traffic. £25; deepening drain. South Hokitika. £7 10s.—Received. The two latter works were agreed to. It was resolved to ask Mr Wright for a subsidy. It was resolved to notify G. Ban.sgrove to tease carting rill conditions by millers arc filled and license fee paid.

Front t). ('. Streeter, complaining of state of Dawson road. Kokatahi. and complimenting Council on excellent widening work at Upper Kokatahi. —Received and referred to the Oversee r.

Front D. Demiehy. Matainui. ' telegram asking Cr. Donovan’s notices of nmljon regarding new road be deferred till tlie setifers express their views. Received; to be considered later. From R. Paganini. AVailio Gorge. asking approach to his new residence. Received and referred to the Highwavs Board.

REPORTS. FIN AXI E COM .WITTE E’S R EPOKT. Sir and Gentlemen.—Your Committee begs to report that the account-' presented for the month of July, 1927. have been examined carefully, am: begs to recommend that the amount its approved, totalling £1357 7s 3d. be passed for payment. The Treasurer has expressed satisfaction with the response so far to the appeal to the ratepayers for prompt payment of rates in order to ensure a necessary reduction ol bank overdraft. It is hoped this month’s receipts will assist also in a material help in the direction desired, and the ratepayers generally are requested to respond to the best of their ability in the manner indicated in order to ease the financial burden.

Wit 1 1 regard to the negotiations in reference to tho interest on hank overdraft it is regretted the hanking authorities returned a negative answer to the propositi’ put forward, with the admission tluii the arrangements made by tbe associated hanks would not permit of the proposal being carried into effect. This seemed most extraordinary as the County Fund Account is absolutely secured tinder the statute ami :* loss on tin- account could not possibly occur to the bank. A.- Chairman I desire to say seemed very strange to me that banking facilities may still be granted to customers other than local bodies, irrespective of such customers’ financial ,standing, when the same facilities arc being denied local bodies such as a County Council, where the limit of borrowing by overdraft is fixed by slatutc. In the cinninsir.nees a proposal was next suggested to the Audit Office for approval whereby the matter as desired by the Council’ could be given effect to. The Audit- Office has reviewed tbe matter, and lias approved of the scheme put forward under the terms of the Counties’ Act, and the matter has been le-submitted to tho Council’s bankers and again referred to Wellington. A further report on the nint-

er nil! Is, made next meeting,

J. A. MURDOCH. Chairman

—R oeei veil. Tbe Chairman in enlarging on the report said lie had hopes n: r. favourable issue in the present, ease, in which event there would he financial gain to the Council.

ORDER PAPER. 1 The Chairman moved: ••That 1 the accounts presented for the month ' of July, 1927, as revised and recom- * mended for payment by the Finance 1 Committee, amounting to £1357 7s .‘3d, he passed for payment.” Cr Ward ' seconded. Carried. 1 Cr. Donovan moved: “That Overseer Milliter he instructed to effect urgent and necessary repairs to ' Rotokino road, near Mt. Hercules, at a cost not exceeding €10.” Cr. Searle seconded. Carried. Cr. Donovan moved: “That the Council affirm the necessity of opening a route for stock traffic between the Lower Watarou and Little Wanganui rivers connecting with the Wataroa Flat roads . and Petersen’s Extension road, the route to follow the recently surveyed line along the | Hat country behind the Saltwater Lagoon.” Cr. Donovan moved : “ That to provide funds for the commencement of the above undertaking, the Council recommend the transfer of the votes proposed for Wataroa- stock track, £]so. and Waitnngi south hank extension (new vote) £250 to the work, and that an additional vote of £JSO lie applied for on the Supplementary Public Works Estimates, to be applied also to tbe opening of ilio stock route in question.” [Note: The opening of the proposed route would he a great boon to drovers and settlers generally, affording a more direct road for driving stock to markets clear of all motor traffic on the main highway, greatly shortening the length of the drive and providing I better grazing facilities and camping conditions in the long distance from Wataroa to Evans Creek.] In connection with the foregoing the telegram from Mr Dennehv suggesting the motions he postponed to give the settlers time to express an opinion, was considered also. The Chairman suggested the. adjournment of the motions accordingly. Mr Searle eoncured. Mr Chinn also agreed, pointing out that there was a desire in the district to see Waitnngi south hank road extended. and it would he well to hear the views of the more southern drovers of stock, as to whether the suggested route would he any convenience to them. Mr Donovan consented to the adjournment, hut pointed out Waitnngi road referred to had been carried to a utility point serving the settlers affected. Rotli motions were adjourned accordingly. On the motion of Cr. Donovan, the Overseer was authorised to have any necessary road work in the Wataroa district attended to hv casual labour. The Council rose at 3.45 p.m.