TUAPEKA COUNTY

Mt Benger Mail, 19 October 1938, Page 2

TUAPEKA COUNTY

MEETING OP COUNCIL The Tuapeka County Council met at Lawrence on Friday. Present: Crs I. D. Revie (chairman), W. Cameron, R. S. Thompson, D. McLennan, J. Bennetts, R. C. Hall, J. George, R. G. Cotton, the clerk (Mr R. F. Batchelor) and the engineer (Mr R. G. Drummond). Finance The treasurer (Mr R. F. Batchelor) reported that receipts for the month to-tailed £2579 18s 9d, the -accounts for payment £2782 4s 3d and the credit balance at the Bank £l3O 11s sd. Claims for main highways and Government grants amounting to £1966 3s 4d had been prepared and submitted but not yet paid. Since' the commencement of the year outstanding rates had been reduced by £633 10s 7d while £443 Os 3d of the 1938-39 rates had been collected. Tuapeka Mouth Punt Reporting on a meeting of Tuapeka and Clutha County representatives concerning the proposed erection of a bridge over the Molyneux River at Tuapeka Mouth the chairman stated that the Clutha County Council was quite prepared to negotiate but that it was advisable to get more details as to cost and to wait until the Clydevale bridge was opened before going on to deal with the Tuapeka Mouth scheme. Then the Government could be approached. The meeting was worthwhile and they “got somewhere." “A bridge is realised to be necessary and they are prepared to meet their responsibility in the .matter." Cr. George supported this view.

Cr Bennetts suggested that, if a traffic tally were to be taken at the Tuapeka Mouth punt, it should ■be done before the opening of the Clydevale bridge. The chairman stated that a tally taken on December, 1937, had resulted: Tuapeka County 43 per cent, Clutha 42 per cent, and that would be a fair test. Correspondence The district engineer (Mr P. Keller) wrote advising that, if the council would accept the responsibility of future maintenance of the spillway at Oven Creek, he would recommend to the Minister of Public Works the increase of the subsidy from £6O (£1 for £1) to £9O (£3 for £1). He could not recommend a free grant.—The offer was accepted. The clerk, Clutha County Council, wrote stating its objections to the proposed highways exchange. The Tweedie’s Ford road was not up to highway standard and the bridge would probably require replacing although it was admitted to be a more direct road.—Received.

The district engineer wrote stating that Messrs Steel and Drake had communicated with the Minister relative to the surfacing of the old Berwick-Waipori road to give the access. He would recommend a £ for £ item on next year’s estimates if application were made by the local body. The road was in Bruce County, but as Tuapeka County collected rates in this area, he suggested a contribution might be made to the cost.—lt was agreed to make a contribution towards the cost of part of the work subject to certain conditions. Mr J. P. Cutler, Waitahuna, wrote asking for gravelling to be done on the road from Mr Smith’s to his, homestead.—The matter was held over. Arising out of the report which was adopted the council accepted the reported offer of £350 for the crusher, elevating and screening plant. The engineer stated the price was a fair one, the plant was no longer much good to the county, and the Board had spent about £55 in putting the plant in order. The chairman and engineer were also empowered to dispose of the two tractors and the grader mentioned. The engineer stated that these were not used, but might be of some value to some other body. Grading Secondary Highways Cr George raised the question of the difficulty that had arisen, since the Main Highway Board took over certain roads in grading regularly the isolated roads in the far part of the county. In the fruit season the position was more serious. This applied particular’ ly to the Millers Flat-Roxburgh Station road. He was not complaining about the engineer’s work for he realised his difficulties in the matter. The matter was left to the chairman and the engineer.

The engineer suggested the old horse grader, behind the lorry, for bad portions of road when the work was urgent. Cr Thompson: Could the Main Highways Board do it? A member: The Highways grader runs much empty mileage —lO, 12, 14 miles empty lyThe chairman: “Joy-riding!” Menvbers: “Yes.” General Mr Freeman Jenner, inspector of health, Alexandra, was formal-