COUNTY COUNCILS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19153, 9 November 1927, Page 9

COUNTY COUNCILS.

SELWYN. Tie Selwyn County Council's monthly meeting was held on Monday last. Present. Crs. F. J. Andrews (in the chair), T. E. Pearson, W. Gilmour, \V. Stone, T. D. Jarman, G. Hight, W. Inch, and N. Brown. Tho engineer reported that the Highway Board roads had been graded twice during the month. Four miles o£ patching on the Dunsandel road had been completed. Ine grading and forming of the Kakaia Bridge road was finished, and the teams were now working on Coleridge and Harper Eiver roads. The contract for metalling Terrace road was uearing completion. It was suggested that the main highway from Fairfield bridge to Glentunnel bridge be graded and metalled. It was resolved that this work be put in hand as soon as the teams are available. The Canterbury Progress League wrote offering to give any assistance that may be required in the preparation of a statement for submission to the ratepayers regarding the proposed amalgamation of counties, ana forwarding census of recent traffic tallies. The Malvern County Council wrote advising that it was not prepared to agree to the proposals regarding the amalgamation oi counties. . , An application was received from ratepayers, asking that a footbridge be erected on Derrett's road. The matter was referred to the engineer for a report. , , The plans for the Dunsandel Hall and Library were approved. It was reported that a full supply of water had been maintained during the past month, and 170 feet of new fluming had been put 111 on the Downs race. It was resolved that ratepayers failing to clean races be reported to the Council.

ELLESMERE. The monthly meeting of the Ellestnere County Council was held at Leeston on Monday, when there were present: Crs. J. Cunningham (chairman), John Heslop, A. Quigley, A. Anderson, and J. P. Mchvedy. The chairman ■welcomed Cr. Anderson, was present for the first time at an ordinary meeting. . Messrs Breading and Shellock, shingling contractors, applied for an extra 6d a cubic vard for all shingle delivered over 800 cubic yards. The request was granted. The Canterbury Progress League forwarded a report on the traffic census taken by the League. It was agreed that a letter should be sent to the League expressing the view that the taking of the census was a wise step, and that if the figures were properly dissected, they would give a clear indication of the class of road required and place the onus of upkeep in the right quarter. An application from Mr T. D. Barker for additional frontage to his hut site at the Kakaia mouth was referred to the engineer. Messrs Buckenham. Dawson, andißich interviewed the Council in regard to a bridge or culvert on Sanderson's road. The bottom of the bridge was two feet higher than the bottom of the drain. The bottom of the culvert was five feet wide, and it was suggested that the Council should take out three feet from the bottom so as to allow the. water to get away. The members of the deputation undertook to deepen the ditch if necessary. Authority was given the engineer to lower the bottom of the culvert, on condition that the members of the deputation carried out any deepening that might be necessary. A statement of the financial position showed that the expenditure to date wa3 as follows: —Irwell ridin? £543 3s 4d. Leeston riding £893 19s lOd. Southbridge riding £1035 os Id, county fund £4650 Is sd, Se.wyn bridge and main highways £BB3 Is 4d, n-aterworks £373 Is 4d. Taumutu special drainage area £97 3s 9d, total expenditure £8478 16s sd. Authority was given the clerk to sue for overdue rates. The waterworks caretaker reported that there had been two freshes in the Kakaia river during October. No change had been made at the headworks, and the '? of water to the races was satisfactory. There had been a fair response to the notices to elean races, tfut there were some def»«l ter . s - He had met the Seliryii county caretaker in

regard to insufficient supply from the headworks, and the supply had since improved. Levels had been taken for certain race alterations, including one to serve Mr A. Carroll s land from a race on Mr H. Galpin s land. The report was odopted and the caretaker was instructed to make an inspection of races with a view to compiling a list of landowners who had failed to clean them properly. It was agreed that occupiers of land front* ing the? Oakleigh road should be given notice to appear before the Council at its next meeting to show cause why they should not be called upon to clear gorse. The engineer was instructed to have a notice erected at Gilbert's pit warning persons not to dump tins and other rubbish. The engineer's report, setting out the work done during the month, was adopted. A number of ratepayers in the Southbridge riding petitioned the Council, drawing attention to the danger to which the riding was subject from grass fires which originated on the Kakaia riverbed and plains during the dry season, and were a menace to the cropping area. They requested the Council to take steps to plough fire-breaks at suitable places. The North Kakaia River Board wrote inviting the Council to meet the Board on Monday next to discuss fire protection measures. The chairman said he considered that the Council should go into the proposal fully and do what it could to help with any feasible scheme to give the settlers protection. If an experiment this year proved successful _ there would probably be no great difficulty in arranging for finance for protective work in future years. It was decided to suggest November 15th i>"; a suitable date for a conference with the River Board. A deputation from tho Leeston class of I the Workers' Educational Association ; reI quested a crant towards tho Association's funds. A sum of £5 was voted.