SOUTHLAND COUNTY

Southland Times, Issue 21095, 29 May 1930, Page 3

SOUTHLAND COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL. A special meeting of the Southland County Council was held yesterday. There were present:—Councillors F. Trapski (in 'the chair), R. Baird, W. Norman, G. Wraytt, J. McNeill, T. Golden, L. - A. Niederer, 0. Robertson and E. Bowmar. Councillor Bowmar was appointed to represent the council at the Conference of the New Zealand Counties’ Association at Wellington, on July 2, 1930. Councillor Trapski is to accompany him. The following remits were adopted to be forwarded: (1) That’ all members of the Main Highways Board be elected for a term of five years; (2) that the subsidy on rates collected be apportioned on the representative size of each county council. Correspondence. Mr W. G. Pearce, Main Highways Board representative, No. 18 District Highways Council, wrote stating that at a meeting of the No. 18 District Highways Council a resolution was passed recommending- the Southland and Wallace Counties to provide for superelevation and widening of curves on primary highways when required, as early as possible. . The council approved of the proposal to improve the curves and decided to instruct the engineer to look into the matter. Mr Pearce also wrote stating that in regard to the Invercargill-Bluff Main Highway he was in receipt of a communication from the chairman of the Main Highways Board stating that the board had given further consideration to the request of the local authorities that a subsidy be paid on the amount provided by the Government from the relief of unemployment fund as a subsidy on the money found by the local authorities for expenditure on the Inver-cargill-Bluff Main Highway. The board regretted, however, that it was unable to subsidise the amount paid over by the Government. He asked to be advised at the earliest convenience of the council of the decision to be arrived at as to the disposition of the voluntary contributions collected by the City Council and as to the acceptance or rejection by the City or County Councils of the unemployment subsidy of £1 for £1 provided by the Government.

It was decided to leave the matter in the hands of Councillor McNeill, Councillor Niederer and the engineer to act in conjunction with the Invercargill City Council and report. Mr J. S. Dick, secretary of the Southland League, wrote advising that the annual general meeting of the League would be held on June 18 at 10.45 a.m. He also advised of the annual conference of Southland members of Parliament and representatives of local bodies to be held on June 18 at 2.15 p.m. Councillors McNeill, Baird, Niederer, Trapski and Bowmar were appointed the council’s representatives at the annual meeting of the league and Councillors McNeill, Baird, Niederer, Trapski and Bowmar the representatives at the conference with members of Parliament.

Mr Dick also wrote in regard to the state of the Curio Bay end of the Haldane-Curio Bay road. The letter stated that the road was used a great deal by motorists wishing to visit Curio Bay and there w’as no doubt that more would visit the spot if there was a good road. With the conference with members of Parliament being held at an early date it was suggested by members of the executive of the league that application should be made for Government assistance in the provision of a road. —It was agreed to give the support asked for.

Mr W. G. Pearce, assistant engineer, Public Works Department, .wrote stating that he had received a letter from Mr W. A. Stout withdrawing his objection to the proposed Waikawa Estuary extension road, if the provisions for fencing were complied with. The writer asked to be advised if the council was prepared to undertake the legalisation and fencing, of the road.—No action to be taken.

Mr George Duggan, Inspector of Coal Mines, wrote in regard to the Steven Burn bridge—Argyle Coalpit road. He stated that he was instructed to advise the council that the Government was not prepared to provide a vote of £2OO, £2 for .£l, for the purpose of providing a bride over Steven Burn, but was prepared to consider the matter of granting assistance to the extent of one-third of the cost only.—Left in the hands of the engineer. Mr T. K. Fisher, Town Clerk, Mataura, wrote stating that with a view to expediting the erection of the proposed new bridge at Mataura he had been infracted by his council to ask for a reply to his letter of February 11. It was desired to put in hand the preparation of plans and specifications of the concrete bride and the Mataura Council intended to have the cost of this work included in the cost of the bridge, as preliminary expenses. It was decided that the council would pay, one-third of the local bodies’ share of a 20ft roadway bridge with the footways as suggested. Tenders. The following tenders were accepted:— 'Young and Eadie Road: Metalling—B. Burke, £4l 12/-. Timpany’s Siding to Holland’s Road: Formation, gravelling, etc.—McMillan Bros., £5l 19/-. Princess Road, Greenhills: Reforming and gravelling.—J. A. McLauchlan and Sons, £4B 15/-.

McDonald Road, Glencoe: Formation and gravelling.—Thomas Hanning, £7B 6/5. Horton Road: Formation and gravelling. —A. Challis and Sons, £BB 4/9.

Lang Road, Waimahaka: Formation and culverts.—E. J. Moylan and Sons, £2l 12/6. Lind’s Bridge to Underwood Road: Grubbing, ditching, formation, etc.—-E. J. Moylan and Sons, £lB7 8/5.

Dunn’s Road, Otatara: Cleaning and deepening ditch, etc.-—Thomas O’Dea, £4 4/-. Curran’s Ditch: Two and three-quarter miles ditch cleaning.—Aitken Bros and Maloney, £47 3/8.

Triangle Road, Springhills: Forming, culverts, etc. —R. A. Dick, £76 10/-. Dipton School Road: Filling, gravelling, etc.—M. T. Elliott, £5B 14/6. Lowther Road: Trimming and gravelling. —James Williamson, £173. Plains Station Road: Reforming and gravelling.—David Thomhs, £153 17/3. Waippunamu Road: Trimming and gravelling.—P. J. Davis, £7O 7/6. Derrett Road, Waipounamu: Trimming, and gravelling.—Lawrence Bros, £lO2 7/6. Otama Hill Road: Reforming and gravelling or metalling—Lawrence Bros!, £149 16/-. Switzers to Tapanui Road: Formation culverts, etc.—P. J. Davis, £B6 14/-. , Mataura-Wyndham, etc. Roads: Maintenance.—Robert Milne, £97 10/-.. Bauchop Road: Formation and gravelling.—F. J. Parslow, £7O. ANNUAL MEETING COUNCILLOR McNEILL ELECTED CHAIRMAN. After the ordinary meeting the annual meeting of the council was held, when a new chairman for the ensuing year was elected, Councillor James McNeill being successful. In vacating the chair Councillor Trapski’ expressed his appreciation of the cooperation afforded by councillors. In regard to the apportionment of the petrol tax he considered. that the Southland County should have a larger; proportion of the funds drawn from that source. He quoted figures showing that in No. 18 Highways District (Southland and Wallace), there were 798 miles of highways, with roads—• metal and gravel—amounting to 2526 miles, and roads formed 612 miles. The amount spent in construction was'£l2,sos, in maintenance £26,980, in Government roads maintenance £572, and in Government .roads construction £568. The amount spent in total construction was £46,874, while the total amount spent in maintenance was £80,282. The total liabilities were £70,333. In Highways District No. 3 (Bay of Plenty) there were 617 miles of highway, with roads

—metal and gravel—amounting to 403 miles and roads formed of a total mileage of 1462 miles. The'amount spent in construction was £28,288, in maintenance £39,598. The figures for Government roads maintenance was £27,868, and in Government roads construction £11,789. The total construction cost £116,817 and the total maintenance cost £111,199. The total liabilities were £248,900. In No. 1 Highways District (North of Auckland) there were 921 miles of highway, with 1432 miles of roads—metal and gravel—and 4015 J miles of roads formed. The amount spent in construction was £52,468, in maintenance £57,751, in Government roads maintenance £9793, and in Government roads construction £103,027. The total amount spent in construction was £338,179, and the total amount for maintenance was £143,879. The total liabilities were £839,562. All the figures except those for the total construction and total maintenance fvere for the period 1928-1929. The figures for total construction and total maintenance were for the period since the inception of the Main Highways Board. In Highways District No. 18 there were 2,063,153 sheep, 157,395 cattle, 16,842 acres of oats , and 1010 acres of wheat. In Highways District No. 3 there were 259,941 sheep, 145,335 cattle, 10 acres of oats and five acres of wheat. In Highways District No, 1 there were 734,989 sheep,' 343,128 cattle, seven acres of oats and one acre of wheat.

On the motion of Councillor Trapski, seconded by Councillor Niederer, Councillor McNeill was elected chairman for the ensuing year. Councillor McNeill spoke thanking councillors for the honour they had conferred on him.

Councillor Robertson said that he had joined the council in 1896. He was the only one left of those who had sat around the council table then. He joined in congratulating Councillor McNeill on his election to the chairmanship. All the other councillors joined in congratulating Councillor McNeill.

On the motion of Councillor McNeill, seconded by Councillor Niederer, a vote of appreciation to the retiring chairman was carried.

Councillor Niederer was appointed chairman of committees for the ensuing year,

The following committees were appointed: Finance committee, all elected members of the council, with Councillor Wraytt as chairman; drainage committee, Councillors Norman (chairman), McNeill, Baird and Bowmar.

Councillor Bowmar Was appointed the council’s representative on the Main Highways District Council. Annual Report.

The county clerk (Mr A. J. Service)' submitted the following annual report:— The balance-sheet of the county for the year ended March 31 has been prepared, and is now ready for audit. The total receipts amount to £130,140 9/11, the principal items being: General rates, £58,154 2/6; hospital rates, £14,086 11/10; Government grants, £9853 17/8; subsidy and rates, £2500; licenses, £5357 2/2; Main Highways Board, £21,681 9/8. The total payments amount to £129,184 8/5, the principal items being: Maintenance of roads, £48,744 5/11; construction of roads, £16,475 12/7; bridges and culverts, £2805 9/2; tools and machinery, £4150 14/8; graders, lorries, motor cars, £3141 10/-; interest and sinking fund on loans, £3775 15/6; Hospital Board contribution, £14,288; Government grants, £11,481 6/9. On total receipts, and in addition the amount of Power Board rate collected by the clerical staff, the percentage costs of administration (including salaries, advertising, stationery, printing, motors, engineering and inspection) was 5.12. The matter of relief work for the unemployed occupier! the attention of members of the council to a considerable extent last winter. An effort was made to relieve the position, and with the promise of financial assistance from the Invercargill City Council, Main Highways Board, and Government work was started on the Invercargill Bluff Main Highway. The proposal was to spend the sum of £16,000 on the Greenhills to Ocean Beach section, the revenue being derived from the following sources: —Invercargill City Council, £1000; Southland County Council, £1000; Government subsidy on both the above, £2000; Main Highways Board subsidy £3 for £l, £12,000. The work was commenced on this understanding. The expenditure to March 31 last was £5460 16/8, made up as follows:—Wages, £3394 16/3; teams, £1134 1/2; tools and materials, £727 19/10; cartage and railage, £62 13/2; gravel and timber, £65 14/1; miscellaneous, £75 12/2. The council has just received advice from the Main Highways Board that a £3 for £1 subsidy cannot be paid on the amount contributed as a Government subsidy. This means a reduction of £6OOO on the amount originally proposed to be expended on this section.

The triennial election of councillors was held in May last year. Six of the members of the previous council were returned unopposed, the remaining three seats beingcontested by election, and in each case the sitting member was successful, resulting in the council being composed of the same members as in the previous three years. The valuation of the county was on March 31 last: .Capital value, £14,487,032; unimproved value, £9,514,125. No revaluation has taken place since 1921 when eight of the ridings were re-valued. The Waikaia Riding has not been re-valued since 1914. The Government Valuation Department has stated that a revaluation of the whole county may be expected next year. The total general rates last year were £58,146 6/8 and hospital rates £14,105 4/10. Of this amount £65,877 1/11 was collected, leaving outstanding on March 31 last the sum of £6,374 9/7. The Waikiwi sanitary service contract expired in March, and tenders were called for a further three-year contract. The successful tenderer was Mr Stephen McDonald at a reduced price, consequently the council has made a uniform annual charge of £1 6/2 for nightsoil and 10/- for ashes. This is a reduction of 9/10 per household. WESTLAND COUNTY. (Per United Press Association.) Hokitika, May 28. Mr William Searle was elected county chairman of the Westland County. GREY COUNTY COUNCIL. Greymouth, May 28. Mr W. Ogilvie was elected chairman of the Grey County Council. >ASHBURTON COUNTY. Ashburton, May 28. Mr H. C. B. Withell was elected county chairman.