County Council

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume XXIV, Issue 426, 16 March 1921, Page 3

County Council

ELLESMERE.

The Ellesmere County Council met at Leeston on Monday. Present—Crs. J. Cunningham (chairman), John Heslop, W. 0. Rennie, John Nixon, J. C. Free and J. P. ,McEvedy. The clerk to the Ellesmere Drainage Board wrote claiming £74 8k 9d for repairs to the Ellesmere outlet culvert—The clerk to obtain particulars. Mr G. S. Manson wrote that he would complete the clearing- of gorse at Hall's pit reserve, leased by him, within a week. .Mr A. John asked the council to meet him in the matter of the channel iii front of the Dunsandel School, owing to the increased cost of cement.—rlt was decided to meet. Mr John in regard to the increased cost of cement, his price having- been given in July, 1919, when cement was much cheaper. The Selwyn County Council asked the council to join. as a party to appear before tkej commission set up to report oil the allocation rff cost of maintenance of the North Canterbury Hospital Board's institutions. Crs. Eennie and Nixon" moved that the council obtain a legal opin ion as to the extent o£ its liability in regard to the hospital and charitable aid levies. Crs. Free and Heslop moved an amendment that the council's representative on the Hospital Board be asked for the information; The motion was carried. A proposal was made at the previous meeting1 by the watei^ works caretaker that in order to make available for the use of Messrs J. McCartin, O 'Boyle and other ratepayers near Leeston -an increased supply of race water," an old. race be opened up through Mr W. Nixon's land. Mr Nixon waited upon the council on Monday, in connexion with the matterIt was .no advantage ..to him to have the old race opened up, but if the council opened up the race he would raise no objection, and would undertake to clear the gorse and keep the gorse cleared once j the race Wets opened, but the council would have to keep the 7 race cleaned. This was considered a satisfactory arrangement. ' The waterworks caretaker's report was considered and adopted. The report stated that the supply of water to.the races had been < satisfactory. !Mr C. M. Pilkington asked for permissioin to alter a line of race through his land,' on Inwood's road. '-■•-.- This'was referred to the waterworks committee, with power to Replying to a letter from the council, the Board of Trade advised that the charges for cement wea»e reasonable. Mr W. F. Parkinson, as a member of the Ellesmere I/icensirig Committee, in answer to the council's suggestions that the meeting place of the Licensing Committee should be Leeston, stated that • he was not in favour of the suggested change. He could not see that the change would be more convenient or that it would effect/ much saving in 'expenses. Moreover, the committee had .an excellent clerk at kittle River. Mr Joseph Heslop applied to1 have a_ drain on his frontage at Pitcairns'' cleaned. He wasvprepared to do the work at 4s per chain. Mr Ileslop pays half the cost.—-Left with' the chairman, with power to act. The Defence Department had ■forwarded -two captured German machine guns, but there were no stands or tripods. The clerk was instructed to write for the tripods. The Audit Office forwarded the half-yearly balance sheet duly certified as correct. Mr W. J. McEvedy acknowledged a'letter from the council expressing appreciation of his services as a member of the council. Mrs O'Rourke interviewed the councillors in reference to the channelling of the race in Station street fronting- her placexancr the houses of several o;ther residents. A contract for thisVork had been let a long time ago, but there was still no sign of a start being- made with the channelling^ vln the meantime the race was in a dirty and unhealthy condition, and in the interests of public health the council should see that the channel was put in at once. The councillors inspected the race and • saw for themselves that the work should be carried out as soon as possible. It was recognised that the levels should be laichso that the wateV could flow from one end of Station Street to the other. On the motion of Crs. Rennie and Nixon, it was decided to have the channelling carried out immediately in accordance with the levels laid by the engineer. The pay sheet amounted to £749 Is 6d. The present bank debit was £69 7s 9d and,the amount of rates to come in £106. Cr. Free mentioned the need for finger posts at Bishop's corner — Automobile Association to be asked for sign post. Cr. Free said that Vi few chains of road by Mr R. Allen's required ■ forming-. He suggested letting the pound section at Leeston for two years. The road leading to the anglers' huts at Rakaia mouth

badly required grading. A- good deal of shingling was required to be done in Southbridge riding, but Or. McEvedy and himself would prepare a list of the most urgent works before next meeting. Cr. McEvedy brought up the matter of a culvert on Adams's, road.—To be gone into at next meeting-. . , Cr: Heslop mentioned the following works:— Completion of widening of road at Selwyn railway crossing; Washbpurne 's road, on which new shingle had been laid, was very rough, and needed blinding' and otherwise improving. Certain works in Killin/ny were left in the hands of Cr. Nixon and the engineer. Cr. Nixon asked that, a drain by Mr McNair's place in Woodville street be cleaned the full, length.—Agreed to. Cr. Rennie asked that the Leeston street lamps be lit regularly— Tenders for a lamp lighter to be called and the lamp at Mr Neave.'s corner to be fitted up for acetylene. A bridge on Graham's road was not in good repair.—Engineer to inspect md report. These matters were all noted for early attention. It was decided to build a. washhouse for the waterworks care- • taker, 14 by 12 feet, with concrete floor, and tubs set in.