CHAIRMAN'S REVIEW.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8305, 25 November 1915, Page 7

CHAIRMAN'S REVIEW.

PROGRESS IN ASHBURTON

COUNTY.

At the annual meeting of the Ashburton County Council yesterday the chairman (Mr C. ,J. Harper) supplied the following review- of work carried out in the County during the past year. The water' supply' throughout the County. had been well maintained, and had proved an inestimable benefit I to settlers over a long period of ex- ' eeptionally dry weather. The settlers on dry land are now in a much better position in respect to their water supply than the owners of wet or.damp land, which for some time past were in want of water for stock and household purposes owing.to,-.springs..haying dried I up. With the opening up of the Cral croft main race an abundant supply of water had been assured for the Rangitata Plains. Improvement or. en- . 1 argement to. one or tw.p nices .below.the line of this main race may shortly become necessary^ so as to meet the increased demand for water in the lower districts. There was no reason why settlers should not have all the water they required. When ,the proposed main race extending^from the 'North. :A'sh■blU^n I■!ta,:lla^la:. i ßive'r.^fs/iri^bpe^ation a plentiful kipp'ly; will be' : obtainecl oh tho.Rakai* Plains^ for _ali;tho existing races, an<s also provide- for any additional races which may be required for a number of years to come. There are 580,000 acres - watered by the County water supply, with.a network of races approximating 2000 miles, distributed over this area. It was a credit to the Council and the Engineer that the supply over the whole sysI tern was carried out with so much rejgularity and with very little friction between the owners whp are responsible for the maintenance of the distributing races, and the. Council's \ officials who .are responsible for the regularity and the upkeep of the system. , - All the County, bridges and other works are receiving [attention _ and are in a satisfactory state <M repair. . . During/th'e'ivy.eci-r permits and licenses j'had been granted as follows: —Billiard (rooms 2,.-..hnwkers. and pedlars 23, motor cars 245, motor cycles . 163, traction engines 87, .vehicles 27. Three owners had been prosecuted for failing to register their traction engines and six against motor cycle owners. Planting had"-been "carried-"out generally during--flio year -on reserves. Considering the exceptionally dry weather the trees had done well. The high wind of October last year.caused a lot of work clearing, trees from the ' roads and fenre lines- and in repairs to ( fences. During the .year ■51. acres of \ larch trees had been trimmd, and .about 6000 pine trees topped on tho windward side' of the larch plantations. About 10 miles, of fencing had been erected, and....the work necessary for the upkeep and preservation of the various recreation reserves had been j attended to.

The Council made the following grants during the year:—Belgian Relief v Fund ' £250, Ashburton Domain Board £125, Main wa ring's Road \ Bridge £50, New Zealand Hospital Ship £300, Hinds' Domain Board, No. 2, £30, half-cost of cleaning Buxterick's drain £7, and Blackford telephone sorvjpe £60. Amongst other things attended .'. to, arrangements had been made, with. certain .settlers*,,round Lagmhor Creek, to clean and- straighten the creek through their properties. A conference had been-held of members ' of the Ashburton and,Geraldine County ) Councils with other local bodies in jGeraldin© and \Ashburton Counties with regard, to the proposed light traffic bridge over the Rangitata River. Tho resignation of Mr j. Stud-holme had been accepted with regret, and Mr John Grigg had been elected in his stead. ' The Cracroft main race had been opened on May 34, 1915. Twenty feet of piping /for crossings had been granted in lieu of 10 feet, tho Council 1 reserving itself the right to sa,v on what roada the 20 feet of piping should be done. The speed limit for motors lover the AsWinrton Traffic Bridge had been increased from six to 10 miles per hour. The following votes h^d been made: Twentyman's BnVlse £500, •• Cn><-roft Water.Sunplv £SW. race from.-A.sh.bur- ; ton to Rak.aia £500.