COUNTY COUNCILS.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15874, 13 April 1917, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCILS.

WAIJIAIEI. The monthly meeting of the 'Wairhairi County Council was held yesterday. Pre- ! sent —Mr S. A. Staples (in the chair), and Messrs W. P, Spencer, T. D. Boag, S. Bullock, F. Sisson, W. Ificholls, J. P. W. Lees, R. W. Hawk©, and G. E. Curry. j Tho engineer's report stated, inter alia, that th© weed cutter was still being worked on tile Styx, but owing to tho lownese of the liver he waa thinking of sue ponding work j for the winter. The Efficiency Board asked., for«report on works of mainteimai.ee, upkeep, and repairs, and ho*? far they could be to- . duced or postponed during the year. This matter did not affect the district materially. With regard to numerous complaints about the electric lighting, he desired to" know who they should h© referred to. He hod also re- r ceived complaints xegarding the obstruction J of Gtareet lights by treo3. i It was decided to inform the Efficiency Board that the Council only employed four men. and would curtail its work where possible. The question of the complaints about the lighting was referred to the Electricity Committee. It was dccided to instruct owners of obstruoting trees to cut them back. The chairman said that the Railway Department had decided to take a further strip . of land at Addington. This, included the ! Council's gravel pit at Middlo'ton. and prac- [ tically all tho Ghingle hearing land in that ; locality. The Council could put in a claim : for comjwnsution. It was decided to an- : point the chairman, Mr- Bullock. _ and tho engineer a sub-committee to enquire atout purchasing similar land in the v:cinity. The claim for compensation could be bas«l on the price naked. ; An application to more two houses from i tho city to Waimairi was granted condition- . ally upon the removal of all worm eaten . ■timber. It was decided to close the offio* on April 25th (Anzac Day), and to give the men a holiduy. The. Eketahuna County.Council forwarded a resolution urging that the Government should bo asked to establish cool stores in tho four centres to permit of tho regular shipment of produce all the year round. j The motion was endorsed. Tho Waipara County Council' forwarded resolutions regarding the advisability of growing foodstuffs on all email vacant areas, and the increased sowing of wheat on larger .areas, whicli were referred to th® Council's Efficiency Committee. The engineer stated that the Pub'ic Health Inspector hnd been instructing ratepayers to bring' their drains out on to the roads instead of using pits on .their own property as heretofore. This was causing a nuisance, and something would havo to be done. The chairman said the practice was contrary to tho Public Health Act. Mr Orhel, an inspector of the Department. waited on tha Council. In answer to questions he eaid he had not given anv such instructions. If the subsoil was ruitable the ratepayers were advised to drain into their own sections, and they wer". crtuinlv not advised -to drain into tho side channels unless they were concreted, and drainage would nofc constitute a nuisance. He helived that. the. Department would be willing to inspect the septic tank/} in the county. He thought the Council's by-lawn needed amendment so as to allow the Public Health Department officials to deal with the pluuibin:r in ti»w buildings. The Biccarton Borough Council wrote pointing out that the lighting of the Middje I'ark road was cut off in the oarlv hours of the morning, and that extra lights were n««>ded. The chairman said -that the was going to be altered, so as to rectify th" first part of the complaint, and with regard to the second, thp matter had better bo clcferrc-d until the Council's a-npeal with regard to the upkeep of the Park road, was decided. It was decided to reply to the Biccarton Council on thes© lines.