COUNTY COUNCIL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8304, 24 November 1915, Page 4

COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETWC.

The monthly meeting of the Ashbuitton County Council was held to-day. Present: Messrs C. J. Harper (chairman), G. Murdoch, W. T. Lill, ADrummond. C. Reid, J> Cairns, \V. Morgan, I.!. J. Harrison, and T. b. J. Doliertv. . , The water ranger's diaries and monthly reports were laid on the table for the information of the Council. ■ ■ , . The Chairniim's report on the business'transacted by him since the last meeting ur.s read'and adopted.

Engineer's Report

Ashburton-ttaknia 'Water Supply.--Since the council last met on the oth inst tin' supplies from Pudding Hill . dam and' the Auxiliary Channel have boon regular and amplo ior all the distiibuting i"ifi lh "'llicil receive their supplies from .those sources. Ihere was a heavy flood in North Ashburton , River and Pudding Hill stream on the 9th, but no damage was done to the Head Works, beyond some slight blockage with debris at the intake sluicegates, which did not affect-.the supply In the lower district, the. temporary dam at the lower intake near Acton, where the water is , diverted'from the mam stream, .was washed out, and which was restored immediately tbo river had receded sufficiently to admit oi' the work being; done The supply from the Winehmore. intake has been*" of an .intermittent nature during the past week, but the . river has now • receded to about its. normal level,- mid the supply will be , more regular. The prevalence, of north-west winds has been the cause ol blocking the, distributing races at various points and also at pipe culverts,, which are now becoming numerous, otherwise the supply throughout this district lias been satisfactory.. Ashburton-Raugitata. Water' Supply. —The- intake in the South Branch of , the Ashburton got silted up during the recent Hood,, and which has tem-' porarily been removed, but the channel will require to be extended in to the main stream a further distance of about one chain, when the river recede* to its normal condition. The , Hinds Gorge and Limestone Creek arc now providing sufficient water for all the, races connected. During the height of the recent flood, tho Rangitata River was lapping the top of the stone groins on the up-stream side of the Cracroft intako sluicegate, or about six feet above normal level; but the works withstood the test with efficiency.

The Craeroft ,Mnin Race is on the , point of completion, and I expect it will bo taki'ii off the contractor's hands in a, few dsiys. Water has boon led through from the Rangitata to the Hinds River, near to the Hackthorne . Road, where any surplus water can be disposed of.' The erection of tlie steel flurinng over'the'South "Branch of -the Hinds River is progressing satisfactorily. In discussing the "Engineer's report .tho chairman stated that the more pipe crossings the more trouble they wore lilcely to have through blockage after nor'-west winds. He favoured the open crossings.—Cr. Harrison said that'even open crossings were liahlo{to blockage after a heavy wind. —Cr. I Doherty said that by putting in pipe 1 , j fi;lverts they were doing away witli ' 'I maintenance at crossings, and that was Ia- point in favour of the pipes.—Cr. iLill said the pipes Were" a great con(veniencc' to all classes of traffic. —Cr. ! Cairns said the only drawback he could j see was that- people were asking for ' i too many pipes over ever little bit. of* : a race. —Tho Chairman said that al- ! though the pipes would do away with. maintenance at fords, still they would always have to keep'the inlets and outlets to pipes clear of • vegetation. At present it was the Road Board's duty to look after this. —Tho Engineer j explained that the Boards were rei sponsiblo to • keep ' these crossings 1 clean, and if tho Council put in a Mh pipe, it would still be the duty of tk» Road Boards to keep the remaining portions of, tho crossings clean. —The Chairman said that it should be made conditional that when the Council sup- ' plied 20 ft of pipes at crossings, the ; liability ceased as 'far as maintenance | was concerned, and the obligation to > keep the other portion clean remained with the Road Boards.—Notice of mo■j tion was given for -next,, meeting. " That it be clearly understood that where pipes are pnt in tho remainder of the crossing will have to be kept clean by the Road Boards. The' Engineer's'- report- was then adopted. ; -;;;..'~A'. 'Reserve Inspector's Report. (1). Tho larch .trees have boon trimmed. pn'part" of res. 2573, at Anama, 2], acres, and tho gorse has been grubbed , throughout the plantation and the pine trees along the windward side are j boing topped: The young trees planted i along the division fence of this plantation to kill gofsc aro not doing well. (2). Fallen trees have been cleared from along the division fence of j)t, U.S. 36148, and tho occupier is repairing tho fence; also a. few more trees ■ were blown down recently on Res. 1782, near Winsloiv, on to tho adjoining road, i Those have been cleared away. (3). Tho pino trees on part Res. 2779, Westerfield, aro now beyond injury from stock, and this part of the reserve (about 7 acres) could be let for grazing shcop. (4). There seems to be a great deal of misconception with regard to the number of rabbits .in tho County plantations. There is no" doubt but that the rabbits aro increasing throughout the County, 1 but it is in no way caused by • the plantations. Tho plantations are mostly isolated clumps of trees. There is nothing in them to attract or feed i rabbits, aml'ihoro are- very few of them in which there are rabbits, and these have boon poisrined regularly for a number of years past. But the supply is. kept up IVoni adjoining farms, where [rpbbits abound in the gorse fences, and' thtf' occupiers carry out no systematic scheme to keep the pest down.' If all fanners took equal stops with the i Council to keen tho rabbits down the j nuisance would soon abate. ] may , j remind you, sir. that tho Council not [ only poisons hind in its own occupation , '■ , but distributes poison free of cost l<> ! occupiers of County lands who require and apply for it. I also send out a notice to that el feet to every occupier • I who I know has rabbits about the pro- ! perty of the County. Tlie ChnfrniMii stated that he had instructed tlie ln.-,poi-,tor to work "m ; conjunction with the Government Inspector in regard to keeping down the rabbit post. Good, results had follow- ' oil. However, there were- settlers in the 'Valetta district who wore not as|sisiing to keep down tho post.— Cr. Murdoch said that the plantations and river bods were the home of the mb- ■ bits, as well as gorse fojpces.—The ! Chairman said that they should use, :

plenty, of poison. They were doing the best they could to eradicate the pest. — Cr. Lill said that in the Westerfield district rabbits were increasing. When i next poisoning season came round, they J should organise a vigorous campaign ' Tfitgainst the rabbit. 1 The report was then adopted. Correspondence. A letter was received from the Secretary of the Ashljurton Agricultural aiid Pastoral ; Association, conveying resolution passed at the last meeting, " That the County Council be , asked to take" vigorous steps to ensure the "* complete suppression of rabbits within the County, and that special attention l>tv .given to the • County, plantations and river beds, which had become j breeding grounds for the pests. —It was decided to reply that the Council will do everything possible to accede to the request. Mr Geo. W. Leadley, Allenton, wrote complaining of being fined ! for allowing a water race to overflow. Ho pointed out that the volume of water was too.great for the width of the race, and before taking proceedings against him the Engineer should have ascertained the reason of the overflow. He also asked the Council to refund the amount of the line and costs, namely, £2 Bs.—The Engineer reported that Mr Leadley had received a notice accompanied by a memorandum draw- - irig his; attention to this particular race, but no steps were -■ taken ; Ho remedy its condition until after a summons was issued.—lt was decided to send a copy of the Engineer's report to Mr Leadley. J. Blackburn, Dromore, wrote ask- ; ing for a remission of rates, and stated that he was unable to work, and had a family of five to maintain. —It was decided to agree to the request. H. Cullen, Ashburton, / asked for d transfer of lease of reserve 32653 and 3»J44 to Messrs Lamb and Sharplin.— nequest acceded to. A letter was received from the Sel-

wyn County Council re Colgate-Lake Cjoleridge Road, stating that the Grjovemment had been asked for assist-"■Hfffe-to repair the road, but up to the present no reply had been received. — Received. Mr W. E. Horrell made an application for a 'grant'for''work done at Lagmhoil Creek.—lt was decided to pay half the cost of work, subject to the Engineer's approval. Mr J. Stringfellow, Tinwald, wrote asking for a transfer of lea.se of reserve 1769 to Mr A. Ramsay.—Granted.

A circular was received from Mount Herbert County Council stating "that under thfe present system of voluntary contribution to patriotic funds large sums had already been subscribed, but, Unfortunately, many who ,were able to contribute had done but little or nothing in that direction." The Council was of the opinion that all local bodies should be empowered to strike a 'patriotic Fund Rato."

The. Chairman stated that at the ■end .Qf. the financial year -they, could .consider .this-.question*-: There was .no .doubt if the war >, continued -after.' \Marchv3l, it •would be necessary to ■ strike a/higher rate: above the ordinary rate. „: '■ "■ -\ ,■ ' ', ";. :; " •;" .;■ A letter was received from' -the"' North. Canterbury Education Board pointing out that although the school ■ sites-.at Willowby and AVjinchmore have! been occupied by schools for . a long time, yet the lands had not been formally vested in the .Board. The! Council was asked to facilitate as far j as possible the steps necessary to ob- j tain transfers—The .Chairman stated i that the',, matter would .receive , attention. ■ ' ' ' ■ ;" . •■>,'-•,: •-. ■" .■■■'. General. : Jfco&ounts amounting to £GB9 18s licj were passed for payment. j,Jw> w-as decided to discontinue purQuaking birds' heads at the end ni present month, also that the Chairman have power to procure, poisoned wheat, j It was decided to hold the next; meeting of the Council on December '21.