HEATHCOTE COUNTY.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17155, 26 May 1921, Page 4

HEATHCOTE COUNTY.

ANNUAL INSPECTION. The chairman and members of the Heathcote County Council made their annual tour of inspection through the county yesterday. The roads, according to county roads standards, were found in the main to be in very good order. On ihe "Wainoni read, near Shortland street, an inspection was xaKie of] the regrading operations which are being carried out for a- distance of several chains. The new levels were reached for the footpaths and fide channels, and the road i 3 now being lowered for a distance to conform to the new levels. Theie is at present an unduly stiff slope from the road to tli3 side channel on the southern side,, and directions were accordingly given to have the slope lessened by cutting away more of the voad to the crown. The new road grading works in front, of Wainoni Park and along the river leading to Kerr's road, were al;o inspected and tlu chairman siiid the cost cf tho work had been kept well within the estimate. The party then passed through Bromley -iurl visitrd a portion of the new Mount Pleasant riding. The absence cf street lighting in McConiia< - k's Bay and on Mount pleasant settlement itself was noted, and the Mount Pleasv.it waterworks were inspected in view of :i proposal which may come forward later to supply Heathcote Valley from this source in place of the present method of procuring water from the Lvtteltou system. From Mount Pleasant the tout was continued through Heathcote, whers va-iioii3 road dumpings were noticed, to Cash mere, where the water supply was inspected.

Annual Meeting. The .annual mettir.g of the Hcathcoto Countv Council was h-;ld last night, there bci'iv"present Messrs U. E. Burton (chairman). W. W. Scarff, A. F. Smith, B. Riley, A. H. Adams, and C Fiavcli. The chairman, r;eforc vacating thi chair, said the balance-sheet for the last year showed the county to lx> in a very good financial position, there being a balance to the credit of the county fund of £-2196, less a contingent liability for other authorised rates of £l5O, leaving a nett credit of £1046. In the face cf the increased cost of labour, materials, etc., the whole of the ridings were in a much better position than they were f:,ur veurs ago. In 1917 the Avon riding had a'dibit balance of £921, which had b.-e.i reduced to £B2 at the end of the last financial year. Bromley riding now showed, a debit balance of only £llß as against £470 four years ago. Hillsborough' riding was in u good po.-.ition financially, showing a balance of £430 on the credit- side. Alter having received £l5O from the District Electric L:ght account the Heathcote Valley district was in debit to the extent of £74. The Cashmere riding, which at the end of 1920 had a debit"balance of £956 now only had a balancr of £2Ol on the debit side. Notwithstanding the lact that the ordinary supply of water for last year was not charged to the. consumers, no rate being levied, the Cashmere, water supply account showed a credit of '£4ll, The Valley water supply wae purchased from the Lyttelton Borough Council at Is 9d per 1000 gallons. The Cashmere electrical inatallittion account was in credit to the extent of £389. There was n small load of £250, the only one raised for the work, falling due in 1922, repayment of which was to be made by the installation account. After transferring £l5O to the riding account to relieve Hie general rate the Valley electric light account had, a small debit of £24. The Bromley electric light installation account, which mode several extensions during the year, still showed a credit balance of £4l. The Avonside electrical installation account, which had only about 34 consumers, had £lO9 to its credit. Any, now extensions in the district were done out of the Avonside electric lighting loan, -which was not yet exhausted. The sum of £3OOO had been borrowed from the State" Advances Department on account of the Avonside rooding loan, and a start had been made with the works. An adtance of £4OOO had also been received from the same source for Cashmere No. 6 loan, and" that amount, with the exception of £761, had been expended in electric light extensions, sewer extensions, and road formation. On the motion of the retiring chairman a. vote, of thanks was accorded the staff. On the motion of Mr FJavell, seconded by Mr Scarff, a vote of thanks was accorded the ratiring chairman with an expression of appreciation of his services to the county. The election of a new chairman was then taken.

Mr Flavell nominated Mr. Scarff. , Mr Smith nominated Mr Burton for reelection.

The voting was equal, and Mr Burton said L in the'face of that, .which amounted to a. I vote of want of confidence in him, Jie would | withdraw. It was agreed, he said, that a j I'iember should serve for two terms, but on I ■;.'accouni'of a change in 'the' Igqy his second term was cut down to six months. Mr Scarft was declared electtd.

Mr Burton then wrote out' and handed in his resignation as a Councillor, a-nd left the room.

Mr Scorff said he was verv sorry that Mi Burton had acted in that way. There wa» no feeling in the matter at all, and there was no reason why Mr Burton .should have taken offence.

Ordinary .Meeting.' An.ordinary meeting of the Council was then held, Mr W. Scarf! (chairman) presiding. It.wa3 decided to ask the Tramway Board to erect as early as. poss.ble a tram shelter ut Harrington street. A letter waa received from Mr F. J. Murray, relative to complaints made regarding the Keeping of pigis on his farm. . The Council decided to iniorm Mr Murray that he must comply with the by-laws and have the styes concreted and graded to the satisfaction of the Council's inspector.