WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 July 1929, Page 3

WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

TUESDAY/ JULY 2nd

The Council met at 2..< p.m. Present: Messrs Bernard -Ward , (County Chairman), ■ !f. R. .‘Chesterman, yW. Jeffries, W. Searle, J. Donovan, E. A. Wells, M. Keenan, Al. H. Houston, J. A.,Murdoch. . ... • , The minutes were confirmed and correpondence outward- approved. INWARD CORRESPONDENCE.

, From Treasury,, notifying amount df, accrued . revenue to . credit.of-County, Fund Account.—Received. irtoni Lands and,-Survey Department,, Wellington, forwarding ’copy 7 of -.proclamation biosing road in Block XI., Waiho S.D.—Received. I Ffoni Public . Works Department, ! with .regard to signs- at -railway or i tramway crossings.—Received. From same, advising Minister decided volume of track on Lime Kiln road at . Ross does not warrant expenditure necessary to construct proposed new road for access.—Received. * I !From same, advising Lands Depart-1 ment is compiling a map for recently* . created. Transport Department, and ’ asking for Council’s co-operation in same.—Receive,d. The Clerk and Oyer r .seer are to- visit Greymouth to-(confer with the-District-Engineer. From same, regarding Station toad completion, forwarding approved and •amended estimate, subject to certain alterations, and stating authority was -for.—Received. . .. From. Highways Board, Wellington,i sympathising with Council and inhabitants in recent earthquake. From Highways Council, Greymouth, j with regard to advertising On Main and Secondary Highways.—Received. i: ...dfrom Commissioner of Transport,) Wellington 'forwarding circular with / regard to Traffic signs being erected.— j; Received: .

, •jFrom-Coirimissidner ofvCrown Lands Hokitika,. forwarding a plan showing proposed irpad from Okuru to- Jackson Bay .-//Received. .., * r , From County Chairman, Takaka and Buller, f-thanking Council for kind'expression of: sympathy in recent earthquake.—Received.

From County Chairman, Nelson/

thanking Council fas sympathising

-with County, and inhabitants of district; from the effects of the late earthquake.—Received.' ■ \ From J. O’Brien AI.P. iadviking Government suggested that to relieve distress due to earthquake -'district' committees be if owned, /and worild be glad to co j operateifsuch' committe be formed.—Received.' , .\ » \

...From barae,. with.(regard to dcput-j ajtirin /at Wellington in : reference to Okuru-Ja'cksdn. ; Bay road;- approving of the .proposal made and promising cooperation.—Received. A telegram ref ceived that day from Air O’Brien stated the. 17th. July had beori fixed for, the deputation to meet Ministers-l \ .. From Liquidator -Mt.’ Greenland’ Quartz Alining Coy.,'Wellington thanking- (Council /for- agreeing,; to .remission of rents due on properties, standing in name of Coy.-—Received. j

/From P... Douglas and others, Wap taha, requesting.; Council to provide! - a road access to properties to connect with' Waitaha ferry road, ’on south side' of 'Waitaha fiver.—Received. Mr Jef-I frie moved that ‘favorable consideraj .tion-be- given; to.the request; the Over-] jseer -'to be askeid/f6-provide an estimate of:the cost involved; in the pro,>posal.—Seconded by Mr Searle and carried. j

, ./From :J. Mn’nera, Waitaha, applying .for permission to erect temporary pre-j mises for of an Accommoda-] tion License on. road reserve above] Black George’s Creek on south side ofi main south road.—Received; no objection offered. |

From R. Ritchie, Bruce Bay, forward-] jng copy of letters - sent ’’to the Chair-) man, with regard to rates due by J.I

J. Mulvaney, Mhhitahi, asking for con-] sideration of same.—Received. Mr! Searle said he intended to give notice to rescind the resolution on the books! of, the Council: preventing the graiit-j ing of any; funfds • lor the purpose off

repairing tracks to rubs. Mr DOllO-.I van said ‘he/’had given every con-| sideration; to ‘,the 'letter. /-It raised a very grave question. It appeared a hardship' to Mulvaney, but the Coun-j cil could do;,recognise such-unauthoris-i ed expenditure. The Chairman said] if a concession was made in this case,l

a very grave i precedent would he’ made. Mr Jeffries said the. Council; had definitely decided some three years ago that no money be spent on repairing tracks to these out of the way; runs. As a blatter of fact there was only about £1 a year in rates on thisrun, while , a few years ago £lO was spent-.in repairs. A principle -was at.

stake,-and by their action tlie Council had saved, the ratepayers some hun-

dreds / of pounds. In vieiv-of Mr Mnlvariey some hardship he

would .move that two years rates on the; Abbey Rocks run lie remitted.—Seconded -bytMr.-Sriarle and carried. .

~,;From . J, : Condon, 'Mahitahi, with regard, to'grant of £‘s for repairs to road

leading to,-A: C. Scott’s residence, ad-

vising same is-.urgently reQuirrid. —Re-

ceived and grant .made. : tFrom W. ’D. 'NOlan, Gkuru, with regard to deputation to Wellington advising date, 15th .TOly, be suitable to /ettlers.—Received.

From Overseer MiUrier.’repOrting.vofi erosion at Kakapotahi Protection dur-

ing .late flood, advising;to; repair' same will cost about’£ls ;also advising open

crossing on western approach lately scoured will be temporarily repaired to

allow' traffic to cross.—Received and

work authoiased

From'R. iT.- Stewart, Okarito, thanking 'Cotincil for "attention to tracks and

suggesting- roadman ’be put in charge

of Bluff tracks \vliile 'in use, 'and offering to - contribute 'towards cost.—Received. Mr bonovan moved that the request be granted in view of ,Mr Stewart offering; £l2 towards the. work. Seconded, by iMr Jeffries and carried. 1 ■l< rqm; Foreman Reynolds reporting in Little, AVatiganui river protection

From Overseer -iVlillner stating no objection to swing jgates'. on Big Dam track; reporting on drainage One Mne road ;. stating Kanieri ' Electric Coy. proposed attention to Lake Kanieri .bridge ‘find that meantime the Company was responsible for the safety . of s the • bridge ; reporting an . extra cul-vert-and .drainage required on Station 'road; "reporting on. highway, roads and district: roads- find, operations of County Toad. .plant.—Received. V • ' - . In regard t 6 an application for a ;ftence fa .be removed from *a , rorid recserve on a section, at :,‘Ka'rringarua, it was resolved."to rtako "no action. x

Fiom E. Kirby, 'bomjriairiirig of stalie of main road to. La Fontaine bridge and.asking for attention.—Received; referred to Overseer Alillner for attention.

j From -W. J.. Giitberlet and P. H. . Martin, Chesterfield, asking for road I access to . settlers • ‘to the railway j station.—Received.. The; Clerk stated the. District Engineer -..had authorised specifications being drawn up for the . .expenditure of i£6o of .grant, to give settlers the access asked for. From D. A. Roberts, Evans Creek, -asking for a .turnout’ near Iris residence.—Received ; to be 'attended; to. V; • 'DEPUTATjmK...; • j ■Mr J. Uaiwej’ waited'on. the CounY > jcil .and ppeseirted aiiletter/from a num-' her ,of ; ratepayers. v :of j,Ai;ahura -Valley' j asking ,£or , jp’ad accessMxom Miiltowii 1 j to; Arahuifi I 'River. ;• ?Af'ter, discussion it | was . resplved/i tlmt tthe.’town-. 'inembers j confer- with.•'Airvßtßler, .as ; to the'route to bp, followed;, > before /making an application to the .Government for a ./•grant foi*i thd;'purpose.-i FINANCE COMMITTEE’S REPORT. . Your, committee has the ,liquor to report Uiat the accounts as -presented and. revised, amounting to £2084 Os od he recommended, for payment by the Council.—/Received .and adopted. OVERSEER MILLNER’S MONTHLY ■ ; REPORT. , I have . the. honquiv to • report v-upon the progress, of work during the month of June. NOR’MIiRN riding. Kumara to Kapitea .Road.—'The contractor for this work has completed the clearing arid • filling of several depressions on jtlib formation,, and lias the raising and 1 crowning .. of the old formation in hand. in - addition -'forty-twri 18-inch diariieter concrete pipes for culvert construction have been deliv-ered-on the work. I

.. . . MAINTENANCE.. ■. --i» : Font til: Terrace Track was. water-tables 7 cleaned, and defectiy® culverts attended to where necessary. ..Portions; Of On© Mile, Arahura Valley. Blue. Spur, and Arahura Road . '»were i ’ i cleared . ;pf, ? ;enqrbaching '■ and* blackberry igrp'Vth. Defective j docking aepeiVed :qn-.phe; culvert, ahd .temporary repaifs pffeOtedito ?a- brokpii lotVer- ahord bridge.,,. The necessaiy tin'ibet. for, 'renewal is/ being -procured and the-work Ayhich, is Urgent will -he attended to without delay. Portions of Arahura Valley-Road were repaired with gravel, atid.- some roadside dumps replenished for-future repairs.

CENTRAL RIDING. . Station Roadyconstruction was. completed during; last'month, has been. inspected and.,: passed,'’excellent, work having’ been performed by the contrac- . tors. , ■ ■■■ f : - ». ’ ' Municipal Creek'Bridge.—/This .work is almost complete. . A good deal of inconvenience, lias been ' experienced -in driving the abutment piles ’;and Vertica^ • 'lining of , silver pine timber. The piling • is dHven ;, an;Overage of 17. feet, v arid:the lining.ls feet in depth, at l the western, ahntmeiit end arid 12 feet in- depth at 'theyehstern abutment, and will'bejwell below.aify possible scour. /The j work throughout' is neat and' creditable and! on completion the ’bridge will. be a v'erj*. coinpnct'Structure. ' j

. ‘ v r ' v -' MAINTENANCE. Repairs were.completed to Blue Spur, .road, Hokitika-Hau’Hau, and M.illtowrV roads., Motof-WAriP holes were repaired on South Hokitika and Municipal; road. A defective box culvert on Ar- ? thnrstOwn rorid was, removed arid 10 plrided with ;8-inch diameter'’concrete pipe's. ‘Encroaching sOr'uh arid 'go'rSe growth was cleared On Blue Spur, HumHau, arid Blue • Spuritiumphreys road. A subsidence carised by WOrkecl grorind was- Repaired on tucker‘Flat'rorid. • I:fV' i -w' 'SOUTHERN RIDING. .'Rnaiapu->fahinapua . Metalling.—Tn.eienieijt went,her „ prevented a ny, progress being made with this work.-which -was advanced; only 400 ’links when occasion permitted. ..Retei^en,Road-Extension was inspec-ted-and. passed during the month, a l’aiirjy creditable job being made of the whole of the, work. - . . Okarito -Road Metalling.—This work was .completed a distance of 60 chains, wpt-weathemnterfering with rapid progress.. Three. .Mile Track Improvement.— The working -party has ,done - remark-. ably well, the amount of -work com-/

'plated, exceeding tile specified quantity oi iv'ork to bo -performed.-/ .' r - ;•

MAINTENANCE

The upper end of Waitnlia Beach road was cleared of'grass arid blackberry. The scoured crossing on the western approach to Kakapotiihi bridge and a portion of river protection were repaired with manuka scrub, wire nets, and stone, over, a .distance of. 50 lineal feet. . Evans ROad was repaired near the Main Highway with gravel to'exhaust a small vote authorised some months since. The roadman in the In ter-Wanganui District attended to repairs on Wanganui Flat, La Fontaine, and Rohertsop roads,, also to the 1 removal rif a on . Petersen 'RdadlSome slight scoufis on Detour rOiid were attended to, and the cleaning arid grading, of Wataroa Flat, Adamson hutements and Birds road completed over a distance of 10 miles. The work of grading was very-heavy, the majority of the roads .' treated , only being lightly graded some years since. ROAD ROLLER. The ■ road roller was occupied for several days rolling Blue Spur and Hokitika-Hau Hau roads. Where material wa<j available it was relied in Stafford Street, Hokitika. # ' ORDER; PAPER, The . Ghhirman mov.ed : ; u i“nat, v tb.e accounts for the month of June, 1920, sis revised and recommended‘for pay-.; ment by the . Finance ■ Committeej. amounting’ to ; £2084- 0s- f 'sd, ' be'parsed for payment.”— Seconded by .Mr .Clips- 1 termafi and carried.- ’ ' The i;,Cbb'irma’n\ Amoved ‘‘Tha,t r \tlie Criuncil make ’hhd levy pursuant to the }. provisions of Section's 48-55 of •tlie Rat-" ing Act, 1908, and its amendment s, • and sections-120-121 of j Act 1920, a Genera,Rate as follows: . (a)— Six farthings in -the 1 £ on the capital value of all rateable, property in the Northern Riding of tile County of Westland. , t v .• ••■ItiJUJ*. (n)—Six farthings in the £ on the capital value of all rateable property in the Central Riding of the County of ■Westland. (c)—Six farthings in the £ on the ‘c&pital Vtllue' ( 6f all rateable property in the- Southern Riding.of the County, of Westland J' ./ • • u Such general rate to be for the period cbftVmeiiced om-the Tst-'day of : April. 1829, and ending on the 31st day of March, 1929', rind to become due ‘and;

payable in one sum on the 23rd day of July, 1929, at the office aif'the Westland County Council,\Hokitika.” —Seconded by; Mr Searle and carried. The Chairman moved: “That the Council'-malm and levy pursuant <

the provisions of sections 45-55 of tlie

Hating Act, 1908, and its amendments, and tlie provisions of the Local Bodies’ Loans Act,. 1913, and its amendments, special rates as follow: (a)— ATpeqal .-rate of one penny and :fiyc-fourbeenTh.s of, in ..the/LC (annually recurring) for the special District affect■ilig “tfie /loan of £750 'for Petersen’s Road "Extension . v’

, (b}— A special rate of one penny arid .goyenteguirtwenty-firsts ’of a penny in the £ (annually recurring) for the special. Intei’-Wariganui -Rating District, 'effecting the- loan of £750 for Petersen’s Road. Further Extension.

. : ths of a penny in the v£ .(annually' re.curring) for the -s'liecirilUnter-Wanganui Rating District affecting the loan of £405. for La Fontaine creek clearing. , (d)—A special 'rate of six-thirtv-,seconds d( a penny in the £ (annually recurring) for the special Southern Rating District affecting the loan of £1.500 for Kakapotahi bridge erection, i Such Special 1 rates to "be for the period commenced on the Ist day of I April, 1929, ,: ;and ending on the 31st day of'March, 1930, arid to become due and payable, in one sum, on the 23rd Jul'... 1929, aL the .office of tlie Westland County:: Couricif^Hokitika.’’ SeSeai/je jarid carried. : f The Chbirfilgnv’mpyed: “That pur- 1 to the provisions of the Rating Act and ftk'rimeri'dmeftts rebate of J five per cent be allowed on..the*fore-1 going rates paid by 22nd August,' 1929 but not later, and. public notice; be given accordingly.” Seconded by Mr Jeffries arid carried., Mr Donovan -moved: “That the Chairman be authorised to 'arrange a temporary .ferry at Three Mile Creek (Okarito) for the convenience of mining parties' frir a period of six months.” Seconded by Mr Searle and carried. Mr Donovan moved: “That the subsidy to libraries vote be allocated as heretofore on receipt Of necessary •information from the Corinty district libraries for the financial year ended March 31st. last; the’total not to exceed £2-i.”—Seconded 'by .Mr Jeffries and carried. ■i Mr Keenan moved: “That the Highways Council be asked to supply •ft light on the main South toad opposite ' Lonrinont’s store at the Kanieri bridge approach. by Mr Cliesterfrian ail'd carried. ' -Mr Keenan moved: “That the 'dangerous portion of the Kanieri; tram r'nvl. opposite Mr: Newman’s residence. )'e Pen bV 'Mr ChesteraU arid carried;’'Messrs Stiiart and (Jliapman ’ tafbe risked to provide tlie riecessa'ry tiirnber.

Leave -Of absence was granted the County Clerk (Mr Evans) for two Weeks.

The Council rose at 4 p.m