COUNTY COUNCILS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19156, 12 November 1927, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCILS.

1 EYRE. The monthly, meeting of the Eyre County Council whs ittcnded by Crs. R. 0. Dixon (in the chair), C. K. Baynon, John Cowcns, and J. W. Frizzcll. The Tauranga County Council wrote that in reply to their suggestion that the Jlain Highways should pay the full cost of mam highways, leaving to tho: counties only the secondary roads, ya counties favoured tho idea, seven counties were unfavourable, thirteen wero indifferent, while six counties suggested other alternatives. _A tender received for the formation of Dixon's road deviation being considered too high, it'was decided to carry on the work by day labour. An emphatic protest was received from | Messrs Wright, Bros., J. \V. Barnard, and 3. W. Jury in regard to tho delay on the part of tho Council or of ,the Waimakariri River Trust in renewing the flood gate at the •outlet of Greig's road drain, as owing to the absence of this.cvory flood in tho Waimakariri backed up the. drain and flooded their paddocks and.a portion of the road. It was decided to approach tho River Trust in the matter. The approval of the Auditor-General W3S received to tho balance-sheet for the preceding year with the exception of a payment mado after he had refused rcnomination, to tho late chairman for his past three years' services, such payment for back services being declared illegal. Tho Auditor-General asked tho Council what steps it proposed to take to recover the amount. Three tenders being received for shingling Kennedy's road, that of Mr A. Hide was accepted. It was decided to call for tenders for tho purchase of 320 cords of firewood. Tho'last flood in the Waimakiriri having again washed out a big hole in the road at Coutts Islapd, near the monument, the previous filling of winch had cost £45, it was decided to ask the Waimakariri River Tru6t to refund that amount and pay the cost of the new damage. The engineer reported having repaired the damage to the roads on Coutts Island caused by the lato flood, and that tlio main highways were keeping in fair order, though an "improvement might be made by heavier grading in places. A favourable report being given on the trial made with tha four-bladed grader, it was decided to give a further trial on the Main North road at the same time as. an ordinary ono-blade grader was working, so that councillors could better decide upon the comparative merits of the two machines. MALVERN. At the last meeting of the Malvern County Council, those presont weTe: Crs. Wright (chairman), Chamberlain, Pearson, Culleu, Murckison, and Hawke. Apologies for absence were received from Ors. Gillanders and Adams. A resolution of sympathy with Cr. Gillanders in his serious illness was passed, and. pleasure was expressed on hearing the report that he was making satisfactory progress. The question of the proposed amalgamation with tho fcjolwyn County Council was further discussed, but no finality could bo arrived at until after tho meeting of tho Selwyu County Council. It was considered that tho time bad arrived to make application to the Sclwyo Plantations Board for a grant towards the upkeep of the roads, as no rates are paid by them, and maintenance as a result of their trnftic is considerable. Arrangements were made for a trial ot the horse drag for cleaning the raaia race between Waddington and Annat. The footpaths and some of the streets in the Darfield township have been formed and shingled, costing considerably over one hundred pounds, with the still unfinished. Members are considering a more equitable way of dealing.with township improvements. As the Coalgate water-race account is in debt to the extent of £619, and is becoming worse yearly, Cr. Murchisort gave notice of motion'tbat a scparute rate be struck ovor the Coalgate wnter-race district. The engineer reported that the crusher was working on the West Coast road, and patching had been proceeding on the Greendale-Burn-ham. road, and oil the races on this road had been piped. Grading and patching had been done on the main highways, Adams rood. Sheffield. Painter's Toad, Homebush, Tramwav, and Selwyn-Waimakariri roads. Mr \V. Watson' 6 application for a 60ft plank for a footbridge ovor the Hawkins at the Roccombe crossing, was granted. He also reported that some of the farmers' races had not received the attention which was necessary, and he was instructed to have the work done by tho Council's workmen. , The water-race report stated that a fresn had occurred in the Kowai river, but no damage had been done to the intakes, and the recently-erected groynes had not been affected.