WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL

Hokitika Guardian, 12 October 1927, Page 4

WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11th. The Council met at 2 p.m. Present: Messrs J. A. Murdoch (County Chairman), J. Donovan, E. A. Wells, W. Senile, W. H. Chinn, L. H. Morel, W. Jeffries and T. R. Chesterman. A'n apology was made for the absence of Mr Ward. The minutes were confirmed and outward correspondence approved. MOTION OF SYMPATHY. The Chairman said he was sorry to have to refer to the very regrettable demise of the daughter of Councilloi Ward, which they all deeply regretted. He moved that the Council place on record its deep sympathy with Cr. Ward and his family in their sad bereavement, and that a letter he forwarded to Cr. Ward conveying tindeep sympathy of the Council. The Council passed the motion, standing in silence. The Chairman then moved that the Council adjourn for a few minutes as a mark of respect. Agreed to and the Council adjourned. IXWART) CORRESPONDENCE.

On resuming tho Council dealt with business as follows: From Treasury. notifying accrued revenue to the credit of the County Fnml Account.—Received. From Mines Department-, referring to application of O’Kane and Cox for a subsidy, advising report is being obtained and same will receive consideration. —Received. From Highways Council, informing Council that the Board cannot recommend Kokatahi road for declaration as a Main Highway.—Received. From same, re request for footpath to Westland Hospital, advising Board has no authority to spend any money on making footpaths, and owing to the electric wire posts, it is not possible to widen the road.—Received, t From Minister of Public Works, acknowledging letter re desirability of opening up a stock route between Little Wataroa and Little Wanganui Rivers, advising a report is being furnished when same will be considered. Received. From same, regarding Taipo track advising request will receive every consideration when' Supplementary Esti mates are being made.—Received. From Commissioner of State For ests, regarding resolutions with re ference to timber royalties from Mid land Railway Mining Reserve, nn< stating tbe Department’s views on tin legal position.—Received. The Chaii man stated that in reply lo that lettc the Council had sent a im-morimdun To this a further reply had been r> ceived. The matter is referred to i the Chairman’s report and he nske that this correspondence he considere with the report. Agreed to.

From Rangitikei County Engineer, with regard to Noxious Woods eradication, and asking particulars of location of weeds in the County, the data I icing required for a special map which was being prepared.—Received. From W. T. Cropp, Koitcrangi, applying for assistance in extending present drain fronting section, a further eleven chains. —Received. From I*. Douglas, Waitaha, asking to erect suspension bridge over Big Waitaha River, opposite end of Douglas Road, and stating willingness to pay £2OO if bridge is erected.—Received. It was resolved to apply for a subsidy of £ for £.

From A. 0. Scott, Karnngarua. asking for assistance from Council towards putting in a protection wall in Karnngarua river before the summer Hoods commence, for protection ol public road.—Received; Overseer -Millnor to report. From J. J. Mulvaney, Mahitahi, advising Council of intention of putting amount of rates into track which requires repairing.—Received ; no action taken. From W. R. Nolan, Okuru, notifying £(5 is required for repairs to Waiatoto river track, leading to Eggeling Bros, homestead.—Received and approved.

From Overseer Millncr, advising that owing to heavy timber traffic damaging several roads in Koiterangi district, it would be advisable to take crushing plant to Koiterangi for the purpose of crushing low grade limestone for the roads in question.—Receivcd.

From same, reporting having inspected drainage asked for by AVaitalia Dairy Coy., advising cost of same would he £ls 12s, including cutting of drain and sawn timber; also reporting completion of McArthur road formation the specified distance of 42 chains 40 links; also contract for 650 links of side drain which was let as an extra to contract.—Received. From Prime Minister noting representations regarding increased duty on dredging machinery, which had been referred to the .Minister of .Lands. — Received. From T. E. Y. Seddon, M.P., forwarding letter from Minister of Public AYorks regarding work for unemployed at relief rates on Dorothy Falls track. —Received. The unities of five applicants for work had been sent on to Grey mouth. From same forwarding copy of Noxious AVeeds Amendment Act.—Received. From Commissioner of Lands submitting lease for area at AVaiatotoArawata for use) of ferryman, with conditions.—Received.

From Bailor County Council enquiring conditions under which overdraft was obtained at the reduced rate of oj,- per cent.—Received. From AVaimea County Council to same effect.—Received. From Texas Coy, Wellington branch,l asking permission to demonstrate hyj means of hot plate test, a comparison of motor oils.—Received. j From Waitaha Dairy Ltd asking! Council to vary proposals for drainage, I and lay pipes across road from the J company’s drain.-—Received; request acceded to. j From Overseer Millncr reporting on road works at Totara and Kokatahi, including Cropp drain to cost £l6. j Received; work agreed to. | From same giving particulars ofi works performed for past month.—Received. From Koiterangi Timber Ltd asking permission to place loading hank for logs oh roadside near AY. Ritchie’s, Koiterangi.—Received ; referred to Overseer for report. From N. Harris and others, Ivoiterangi. asking that the side of Kokatahibridge be protected with wire netting for the safety of young children cross-j ing when passing motor and lorry! traffic.—Received; Overseer to report.) From AY. Havill, Koiterangi, calling) attention to road to old ford, which with the bridges and culverts required attention.—Received; no action. From Brown and Nilsson Koiterangi, reporting as to transport of timbery over County roads.—Received.

Fi-om N. Friend, Okarito, reporting completion of Okarito cemetery fence, aitd rendering account.—Received; Ovt’fseer to. report. From A. R.. Eleoek on hehalf of W. Jobson asking transfer of base to AY. Gardiner.—Received and agreed to. From Okuru Advisory Board in reference to division of ferry reserve area at AYaiatoto.—Received. Notice to be given to A. Cowan of suggestion for sub-division of reserve; and.as to when a boat was to be provided for the ferry. I

From 1. ulson ana otners nxiuug iui . repairs to Browning’s Pass track.— i Received; referred to Overseer to en- 1 quire and if repairs can be carried out i by regular staff, to be done. DEPUTATION. _Mr W. Died rich waited on the Council to ask that an extension be made, - and that the work be commenced at tbe other end to that where work was at present proposed. thereby giving biin access through Diedricli road. It was resolved to make an application to the Government for a grant on the supplementary estimates. FINANCE COMMITTEE’S REPORT. Your Committee has the honor to report that the accounts presented for the month of September have been carefully examined, and beg to recommend that the amount as approved, totalling £1,5(50 3s Id, be passed for payment.—Received. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT. Gentlemen, —I have the honour to report- that the Public Works Departs meat was communicated with regarding widening portion of the main highway from the town boundary to the Westland Hospital for the safety of pedestrian traffic. Unfortunately an unfavourable reply has been received. 1 have had the matter looked into and . it appears it is possible without engineering difficulty to carry out the, widening of the road. The necessity for the work is obvious to anyone watching the fast motor traffic ton-, stoutly on the road. There is both J danger and discomfort to pedestrians at present and 1 feel the matter should he ( urged again upon the attention of the Department. ! Representations were made to the lion. Minister in Charge of State For- ( ests regarding loss of revenue arising from the repeal of existing law affect-J ing timber on Midland Railway rations. The reply from the Department elicited information to the effect that the revenue so hypothicated from the Westland County amounted to the large sum of £47,53(5. This material sum should not he lost without an ell'ort to recover the right to the amount, and if found necessary the Council should sanction the presentation of a legal claim against the Crown for the recovery of sums accruing from time to time from the reservations. | The heavy timber traffic continues to do extensive damage to the County roads, and the Council must lace the position if it is to keep faith with the ratepayers and not increase the rates or the indebtedness unduly. Under I the arrangements with the millers and , carriers a charge of IUI per 1000 ieet of timber-per mile is made, but in the |. |last six months only £lo" has been recovered from those seriously injuring Hie roads. This amount is not only inn adequate, but much time is lost in col,l leeting it. The Council should ask the ) Public Works Committee to go into Ibis I,base of the heavy traffic, and

lake »tcps to restrict it, if those responsible lor the road damage will not meet their obligations more equitably and readily. Overloading and las! travelling are indulged in. causing the excessive damage which it is impossible to meet without increasing the rates on the ratepayers. The new rates have been coming in fairly well. Seventy per cent of the mining rate has been paid already, aml about thirty-five per cent of the general rates. The ratepayers should make it a point for prompt payment if the Council is expected to carry on without increasing the rates. The

limit of the overdraft for the Council should not exceed £3,000. If the ratepayers paid rates promptly the Council would he able to carry on within the limit and effect a general saving. Regarding heavy traffic I might mention that the Highways Department has declined again to declare Kolcatahi mad a main highway, without disclosing any reason. A further appeal has been made because this road carries so much national traffic. Some six lorries are plying on the road and the timber is carried for export by rail. The heavy traffic is essentially national in character, and so regarded should ensure the road being subsidised as a main highway.

A strong protest was made in conjunction with other local bodies in respect to the proposed high customs tariff suggested for dredging plant and material. Alining machinery is to ho brought in free from Britain and 20 per cent from other countries. But dredging machinery is expressly excluded and brought in under another

heading at 20 per cent from Britain and -10 per cent from other countries, With this peculiar result:— Assume A and 11 have acquired areas of gold-hearing country. A decides to Work his with elevators. B decides to work with a dredge. Under the new bill if the machinery cannot he made in Now Zealand they are placed on an equal basis and may import free. But assume the material can be made in New Zealand and importers decide for economical rensosn to call for tenders from New Zealand, Glasgow and New York. They decide to reject the New Zealand tenders as being too high or for some other legitimate reason. It is at once seen that A is entitled under the new tariff to accept a Glasgow tender free of duty or to accept a New •York tender and pay 20 per cent. While B with his dredge if lie accepts a Glasgow tender must pay 20 per cent Customs duty and if lie accepts a NeW York tender must- pay 4.0 per cent. Rightly or Wrongly holders oT Towgradc country are all turning towards dredges as the only means of winning the gold at a reasonable profit. Then, why should they he placed in a worse position than if they adopted other means? In other words, why should the Customs duty -he used to direct a method of operation contrary to the

i views of the owner of the property? Surely all mining companies should ho ' placed on exactly the same basis and ! if one lias to pay a particular duty his rival in the field Should pay the same duty. | It is realised that the Controller’s objection to tlie inclusion of the dredges with mining machinery is that these particular appliances may bo used for other purposes. It is suggested that there are so few of them (and likely to be so feW) that no difficulty would be experienced in compelling the importer to use a gold-saving dredge for tio other purpose than the object for which it was imported. I have also urged that special consideration should he given to companies when capital is found entirely out of the Dominion. In my opinion the Government would be Well advised to admit free of duty entirely, machinery that cannot be made in New Zealand, and the cost whereof is borne entirety' by tlie investments of outside capital. I have received from Mr T. ft. Y. Seddon. Who lias been keeping in touch with me on this subject very carefully a telegram to the effect that after several interviews with tlie Hoh. Downie Stewart, Arinister of Customs, and Mr Craig. Controller of Customs,

be now thinks that arrangements for importation of dredging iiidcliinferF Will be satisfactory. 1 expect in the course of a few days to hear from the member for the district fuller particulars of the proposed arrangements, and I will keep members fully advised df any change that may be effected. —Received. It Was resolved to make renewed application for the widening of the Araliura road. Dealing with the Forestry, question the Chairnt&fi ssid thfit iff,.the. course! of his letter to the Council the Min-'l

ister of Forestry bad made several j inaccurate statements. The Council bad taken tlio opportunity of drawing, these inaccuracies under the notice of the Minister, showing where they were incorrect, and now the Minister had replied in terms that were simply an evasion of the points at issue. It was not right or proper that the Minister should publish broadcast statements that were not correct—-to use the least expressive term. From their own statments this Council was going to be the loser of £47,000, by the action taken to confiscate revenue. 'Hie Government had laid it done that the Council was entitled to specific monies but these were being whittled away. He thought the time had come for the Council to take definite action for the recovery of the monies that had been definitely promised by former Governments. It was his deliberate opinion that the Department was not spending the moneys as well as the Council had done, and it was time action "ns taken. The imposition of a duty of 40 per cent on dredging machinery was particularly a hit against Westland, where there was practically the possibility of a new and more up-to-date dredge for the district.- Now the proposed new duty was going to cause a complete stoppage to the proposal. Mr Seddon had given every possible assistance in the matter,to place their protests before the Government. lie would ask for the support and approval of members for the action he (the ( liairmani had taken in these matters since last meeting.

Air defines said the Council was indebted to the Chairinan for his action in connection with the Forestry and Customs duty matters. He had pleasure in moving:—

“ That the Council approves the action of the Chairman in the representations made opposing an increase of Customs duty on dredging machinery, and resolves to urge the Government to place dredging plant and material on the same looting as all other mining plant and machinery, and further to support this request the Chairman lie empowered when in Wellington to give evidence before the Mines Committee on the urgency in the interests of the development of gold (hedging in the Dominion of assisting deeding operations to the iullest as a means to assist valuable production and the creation of lucrative means of employment.'’

Air Sea rle seconded the motion which was supported hv Messrs Chinn Wells, and Sea rle and agreed to.

Oil All- Jell l ies suggestion it was resolved to telegraph the resolution to the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance. On the motion of Messrs W T ells and (•carle, the Chairman was authorised to take the necessary steps, during his approaching visit to Wellington for the pushing ol ilii' claims ot the ( ouncil to :i definite issue. The Chairman expressed liis appreciation of the support gievn by t>Council on what was a matter of vf ry extreme importance to the whole district. OHDKR PAPKB. The Chairman moved: “ That the accounts presented for the month of September, 1927, as revised and recommended for payment by the Finance Committee, amounting to .tloSd Us 1(1, lie passed for payment.” Seconded by Air Wells and carried. > Chairman moved: “Tha. pursuant to the provisions of the regulations as to the use ot motor lurries, John Joseph Bernhard he appointed an inspector under the said regulations for the district of the County of Westland.” Seconded by Mr Wells and carried. The Council adjourned at 4.10 p.m..

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