ASHBURTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1809, 7 April 1888, Page 2

ASHBURTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

_ 'I ha following buainesß waa transacted *ft' r we went to p;ea3 yesterday : SMALL BIRDS. Tha manager of the Ashburton Drag Of.mpany wrote, drawing attention to a new procss3 of poisoning wheat. He was m poescQsion of rnaohinery by which the - grain was thoroughly impregnated with poiaon, ao that ifc could not fall m its effect upon birds. —Latter reoeived. WAXEB, BAO£S THROUGH GROWN LANDS. [a cousequence of a motion by Mr Wright, carried at laat meeting, a return was laid on tbe table Bhowiog the amount which the Council had expended In m.-»kin£ water races through Crown lands. Mr Wright moved— " That application be made to the Government for a refand of the sum of £542 10a, expended by this Council m carrying water races through the waßte landa of the Crown, whereby tbe saleable value of the land has been largely Increased." He said that the claim waa perfectly legitimate, andvfhether the amount waa paid m one Bam or m instalments as the land waa Bold mattered vary little, bo long aa the prlnolple of the justice of the Council's claim waa reoog* nlaed.

The motion waa seoonded by Me Harper and carried, GREEKS. The Longbeaoh Road Board brought under the Council's notice the necessity of legislation regarding keeping oreeki olear for the rnn of water. J Mr Grigg explained that a number of creaks m the Longbeach district were overgrown |with wateroresß, the result being that the water was backed up, m many oaaes doing damage to the roads. The Road Board were not awara of any I legislation giving them power to compel the keopiug olear of the oreeka. The matter was deferred till next meet* A OL4BI, The Tinwald Town Board wrote, asking for a refund of a sum of 30 j, money pended m repairing foid aoroes water raoa m Thompson atreet. The JdJoglneer said that the Town Board, when forming the Btreet line, destroyed the original ford m reducing the level of the ground, and he oould not see why they should ask the Council to contribute to the remaking of It. It was decided to inform the Town Board accordingly. DRAW. The Tinwald Town Board asked the Council to widen the drain from the Great South Road to Thompson street. Referred to the Flood Water Committee. OHABMABLH AID. The United Oaarltable Aid Board re* quested a cheque for the amount of the Council's contribution, £625 3s. The Chairman u»ld the Board could not be actually m want cf the money, aa they were always m funds m consequence of their estimates being bo la r ge. He did not think it waa prudent or wiae policy to make these excessive demands on the ratepayers. He did his, beat to get the estimate reduced, and £1500 waa knocked off. Still they ought to pay the contribution now, as it was the end of the financial year.

Mr Wright thought the Council should support the Ob airman ia the protest- he recently made against the excessive levies, and m forwarding the cheque for the contribution, be thought it vroald be well to proteßt against the excessive tax made on the ratepayers. He. objected to befog associated with Ohrlatcharch In the poor* rate business, but ia the existing state of the Uw they could not help It.

Mr Harper agreed with Mr Weight, No one could help admiring the manner m which the Chairman at the rsoent meet Ing of the Board had stack up for Ashbarton.

Mr JMedlander pointed out another injustice la the banking arrangements of the Board, whereby the Ohrlstohuroh Hospital Board got its overdrafc without ohargf, because the Charitable Aid £oard s by reason of its excessive levies, was always m fundn. He moved — "That this Council objeota to the existing banklog arrangements between the North Canterbury Hospital Board, and the United Aahbnrtoa' and North Canterbury Charitable Aid Board, by which it appears that the former body Is utilising the funds belonging to tb^e latter withont paying for the use of such lands. The Council ii of opinion that this arrangement is improper and to the prejudice of part at least of the United Canterbury bodies, and con* older, that it is only fair andjeqaitablo that the North Canterbury Hospital Board should pay banking rate of Interest to the United Board."

Mr Grigg Beconded the motion whloh waa oarried,

Mr Wright moved, and Mr Harper seconded — "That thia Council protests against the exoeaafvo estimates framed by the Charitable Aid Board of Aehburtou ahd North Canterbury, whereby larger sums are demanded from the ratepayers than the expenditure requires." The motion wae oarried. FLOOD "WATER CHANNEL, A letter from the Mount Somera Road Board 7'eatorm water channel was referred to the Storm Water Committee, REOULiTION OP TRAFFIO. The solicitor wroto slating his opinion m reference to the bylaws drafted by the Counoil for the regulation of trafiia on the Aahbnrton bridge, The by-lat was approved. SLAUGHTERING LICENSE. A slaughtering license waß granted to G. Scarlett. The Council then adjourned.