CLUTHA COUNTY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24412, 25 September 1940, Page 3

CLUTHA COUNTY

COUNCIL'S MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Clutha County Council was held at Balclutha yesterday. Those present were the chairman (Mr W. S'. Thomson), Crs R. Brown, A. V. King, A. Mcintosh, T. Maginness, J. K. Ross, J. Cumming. J. W. Dunn and W. J. McKenzie. Closing of Shops A circular letter urging action by local bodies against the proposed amendment of the Shops and Offices Act, which was put forward and withdrawn during the last sitting of Parliament, was received from Mr C. A. Wilkinson, M.P. Mr Wilkinson suggested that the real object of the legislation was to close shops permanently on Saturday mornings, eventually to do away with late shopping night, and to make the Saturday halfholiday universal. Members expressed the opinion that no amendment of the present law was required. Hospital Board Loan With regard to the board's loan proposal of £SOOO for the maternity ward at Milton, the secretary of the South Otago Hospital Board wrote i requesting the council to reconsider its previous decision not to approve the proposal. He pointed out that the board had to provide for the hospital needs of the people in its district, and the Maternity Commission had recommended the building of a maternity ward at Milton. The extra cost to the council during 1941-42 would not be more than £9O, while in future years that would disappear through the board being relieved of an annual loan and interest payment of £2500. " If you don't give us the money we will put a rate on you," said Cr McKenzie, who is also a member of the Hospital Board. "That is what it will come to in the end."

Cr Maginness said he thought the council was doing what the ratepayers wanted it to do.

Cr McKenzie gave notice to move at the next meeting that the previous decision opposing the loan should be rescinded. The letter was received. Puerua Valley Road

Mr D. Finlayson (Lochindorb) waited on the council with a request for the improvement of the Puerua Valley road. For a few chains, at any rate, it was impassable in the winter, he said, and as it provided much more direct access to Balclutha than the alternative route its improvement would mean a great deal. -The request was referred to the engineer and the members for the ridings concerned for favourable consideration. Highways Subsidies

Advice was received that the following amounts had been provided for county nighways in the Main Highways Estimates for the current year, all subsidies being at the rate of £3 for £1:-Rae's JunctionMcNab, £2lO, maintenance; BalcluthaPapatowai, £1350, maintenance; Willow-bank-Matheson's corner, £lO5, maintenance; Waiwera Railway Station-Clydevale, £165, maintenance; Waipahi-Pomahaka, £135, ' maintenance; Owaka-Purekireki, £3OO, maintenance; Balclutha-Kaka Point, £525, maintenance; Balclutha-Baratha bridge, on account, £SOO, renewals; Clin-ton-Clydevale, £lO5, maintenance; Wai-kawa-Papatowai, £750, maintenance; Romahapa-Port Molyneux, £45, maintenance. Tahakopa-Wyndham Road The district engineer of the Public Works Department, Mr P. Keller, advised that it would be necessary for the council to take over maintenance and control of 7i miles of the Tahakopa-Wyndham road. —Members opposed the taking over of the road until it was completed. The chairman said it had cost £20,000 to form the road as far as it had gone, and it would probably n°ed another £20,000 or more to finish it. The county had opposed the construction of the road in the first place, and he thought it should not take it over until it was finished.—A resolution on those lines was carried. General The Lands and Survey Department, Wellington, wrote expressing the opinion that the council should go ahead with the formation of the camping ground at Kaka Point without waiting for the award of the Native Land Court, which would not sit in this district again until January.— Received. A deputation representing the Finegand freezing workers waited on the council asking for improvements to the BalcluthaFinegand road.—The chairman assured the deputation that the request would receive consideration. An appeal on behalf of the alleviation of distress in Great Britain was forwarded by the president of the New Zealand Counties' Association—lt was decided to contribute £lO. The Lands and Survey Department, Wellington, advised that the chairman and the member for the South Molyneux Riding had been appointed as additional members of the Wilsher Domain Board.—Received.

In accordance with notice, Cr Mcintosh moved that the council should dispense with the services of its employees who were eligible for social security.—This was carried.