WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 November 1931, Page 3

WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING. The Finance Committee of the Westland County Council met at the Chambers last evening at 7.30 o’clock. Present : -Messrs M. Keenan, County Chair(in the chair), W. Jeffries, J. A. Murdoch, *ll. Houston and T. 'R. Cheaterman. Apology was made for the absence of Mr H. Wells. The accounts for the month of October were presented, and the amount passed for payment was £1282 8s 6d. The Treasurer’s report for the month was laid on the tabte. A letter was read from the Commissioner of Unemployment regarding camps for single men, and was received.

The Health Officer at Christchurch, wrote in respect to the Okarito cemetery.

J. A. Murdoch M.C.O. forwarded a letter in respect to the condition of the Seven Mile track and the matter of repairs was referred to the Chairman and town members, the Overseer to report. The Overseer’s monthly reports in respect to district roads and secondary highways were laid on th e table.

REPORT ON SECONDARY HIGHWAYS.

I have the honour to report upon the progress of works on Secondary Highways during the month of October. > LAKE KANIERI ROAD. Lake Kanieri Road. Repairs were confined to repairing motor worn noies over a distance of six miles, 45 cubic yards of gravel being used for the purpose. Watertables were cleaned and growth cleared a distance of 18 chains, and one small point removed at the cutting beyond Kanieri River Bridge. LOWER KOKATAHI ROAD.

Lower , Kokatahi-MoArthur Road. Motor worn holes and depressions were repaired from Kanieri to McArthur Road, a distance of twelve miles, 85 cubic yards of line gravel being usecr. The Power Grader was used in resurfacing and grading ,the outer sides removing grass growth and debris from both road edges from Kanieri to McArthur- Road, a distance' of twelve, miles. A galvanised pipe 30 feet in Ifength and 2 inches in diameter, was forced under the road, at a sufficient depth to drain an accumulation of water from the upper side of the road nearby opposite the Anglican Church, Kanieri, also re-surfac-ing 30 chains with 30 cubic yards :6f'‘ gravel, UPPER KOKATAHI ROAD. Upper Kokatahi Road. Repairs were effected to motor worn holes with fine gravel- over a distance of three miles. The Power Grader was used in re-surfacing and removing the encroaching grass growth from the outer sides of the road for a distance j of three, miles. The total of gravel used in repairs amounted to 35 cubic yard's, also 33 cubic yards; used in re-surfacing. , : DETOUR ROAD.

The road surface was attended fo by repairing large holes and ruts over a distance of 2 miles, 30 cubic yards of fine gravel being used for the purpose. OVERSEER’S MONTHLY REPORT. I have the honour to report upon the progress of work during the month of October.

NORTHERN * RIDING. V

Kumara to Chesterfield. The work of metalling was continued between Acre Creek and Eapitea, and consisted of widening narrow places increasing the present height of gravel by three inches to 5 inches, for 12 | feet in width over 35 chains distance; | metalling 12 chains 12 feet in width and 12 inches in height; cleaning watertables, widening cuttings along narrow portions, and metalling 600 links of new formation near ICapitea Creek.

Mnlfroy’s Bridge repairs were consr tinned by the Bridge Foreman H. d Reynolds and consisted of the renewal of defective decking and constructing h supporting trestles mud,or the long northern abutment span. s MAINTENANCE. , Repairs were* effected to portions of Arahura Valley Road and gravel" a, dumped at roadside for future repairs. 3 Unemployed labour good \york un. . der the Public Works Officials clear- ] ing portions of the Main Highway between Stafford and Duffers Road, and i south of Arahura Railway Bridge; r cleaning watertables and widening Elo'w'ery Greek Hill''. Uninplioymnet labour was also, engaged in clearing I Two Mile, clearing and cleaning tables add repairing Blue Spur-Arahura Road. CENTRAL RIDING. MAINTENANCE. Repairs were effected to portions', of Upper Kokatahi and Koiterangi I Roads. Repairs were effected to Diedrich’s Creek Bridge some very defective timber being removed and renewed under the direction of the Bridge Foreman. Unemployed labour was usefully employed in constructing a twelve inch diameter concrete pipe culvert on Arthurstown Road; clearing and cleaning tables on Dorothy Falls [ Road; cleaning and constructing new j drains at Koiterangi; widening por- | tion-s of Blue Spur-Hokifcika-Hau Han; clearing and repairing Hau Han Road; cleaning tables Lake Kanieri Road; cleaning drains Arthurs town and South Hokitika Roads. 1 SOUTHERN RIDING, The resident Roadman attended to repairs to Petersen, Wanganui Flat, La Fontaine Road, also to corduroy, and repairing soft portions- of the lower end of Little Wanganui Track. Repairs were done by grading and repairing portion of Waitaha Settlement Road; renewing a defective culvert with 18 inch diameter pipes, and ; repairing defective covering on a culvetijt (below Waitaha; Factory, Repairs j were effected to portions of Richardsbii Road, and two 8, inch pipe cross-. , ings constructed on Loan Block Road. Unemployed labour was engaged continuing Ruatapu Road diversion.' The Treasurer'reported that in respect to the provision inserted in the Finance Bill on Saturday with regard to a subsidy for the Highways Board to assist in derating, the average rate collected for the past three years was £4653 annually. The proposed subsidy of 2s 6d in the £ woul'd give £582 to the Council as against £1,622, remitted i.n rates this year to the ratepayers by a reduction of per cent in. the amount levied.— Received.

Representations were made’ by Mr P. TL. Renton regarding the vesting of the proposed aeroplane landing at South Hokitika' in the Council, and on the motion of Mr Murdoch, seconded by Mr Houston, it was agreed to apply for the reserve to be vested in the Couno’l.

.Mr Jeffries referred as a matter of urgency to a small bridge in the Waitangi south bank road which was threatened by erosion. It was resolved to instruct the Overseer to visit at once and see that the bridge or material was secured.

Mr Houston asked -that repairs be effected to Butler’s road, Wataroa, and the matter was referred to the Overseer for the necessary’-attention. The meeting adjourned at 8.20 o’clock