Lake Countuy Council Monthly Meeting

Lake County Mail, Issue 50, 19 May 1948, Page 2

Lake Countuy Council Monthly Meeting

There was a full attendance of councillors at the monthly meeting of the Lake County Council held last Thursday.

Advice had been received* from all branches of the Federated Farmers within the county that they were

unanimously in favour of any steps that may be instituted to reduce the small bird menace. The council decided that the matter should be taken up immediately and the engineer was requested to arrange for facilities for the preparation of poison wheat. The council will endeavour to purchase some two-pound bags and the wheat will be made available throughout the county in these bags and free of charge.

The council agreed to pay the cost of six lights for the lighting of Glenorchy streets. Or Bryant pointed out the vast improvement the lights had made to the township.

The manager of Earnslaw Station, Glenorchy, made application to build three cattle stops at various points across county roads. He stated that they would greatly improve the control over stock and would greatly reduce the problem of wandering stock. The council is to examine plans for the cattle stops.

Mr W. Studholme made application to have a road opened that would connect his sections to the WanakaGlendhu road. Cr Aubrey and the engineer are to investigate the matter. Cotton Bros, asked that the council undertake repairs to the road known as Dan O’ConneT road before the winter sets in. They said that, the road would be used extensively, but if repairs were not done it would be impassable because of ice. The council agreed to undertake some work on the road when the machinery is in the locality this month.

The traffic inspector for the district reported that traffic at the Wanaka and Lake Hayes Shows had been well behaved. There were 362 cars at the Wanaka Show in comparison with 400 in 1947. At the Lake Hayes Show there were 200 cars, this figure being the same as that of last year.

The inspector of health, Mr J. Brunton, advised that conditions generally throughout the county were satisfactory. The annual inspections had been made of hotels and where necessary requisitions for repairs were issued. Messrs Baggley and T. Houston met the council to ask that some consideration be given to a reduction in rates on the Lower Shotover Hall. Mr Houston said that the Hall Committee had no grounds for objection against the valuing of the hall, for it was a fair assessment. However, he said, the hall was used for the needs of the community and was never intended to be used for a device for making profit. If hall charges were raised so that rate demands could be met, then activities in the district would be hampered. The council decided that it would tackle the subject from a general point

of view so that if they could see any way- of reducing the rates then all hall committees throughout the county would receive the same benefits. Mr Houston also spoke concerning the prospects of a school bus service being extended on the Tucker Beach road. He was, however, basing his requests on information which had been given to him, but which he found, after a letter was read to him by the council to be incorrect. The council said ♦that it had been decided to improve the state of the road, but could not hope to bring it up to bus standard. The Public Works Department advised that the erection of the bridge over the Buckleburn near the mouth of the gorge has been approved providing the apportionment of the cost is in the following proportions: —Mines Department, £750; P.W. Roads account, £550; Lake County Council, £2OO. The council deferred the proposal until the engineer established the cost of making approaches if these were not included in the costs indicated.