COUNTY AFFAIRS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 21, 4 November 1938, Page 6

COUNTY AFFAIRS

REPORTS TO THE COUNCIL. WATER SUPPLY AND HIGHWAYS. ACTIVITIES FOR THE MONTH. , The Ashburton County Council met this morning when there wore presentMessrs H. .J. Cvothers (chairman), S. p Taylor, F. Frampton, J. Carr, W. G. Gallagher, H. C. B. With ell, A. N. Grigg, J. Lowery, J. Lambic. C. A. Campion, .T. Moore, J. Bland. The report of the conference of the Mount Tlutt and South Rnkaia Road Boards on the question of amalgamation with the County Council was discussed in camera. The Engineer's Report.

The. County Engineer (Mr H. A. Vezey) presented a comprehensive re port, on work carried out by his department during the last month : —- Water Supply Asliburton-Rakaia: North-westerly winds and rain on October 9 caused a sudden rise in the level of the North Branch of the Ashburton River. The procuring of a supply at the Methven auxiliary intake was made difficult, and constant attention was required for a week afterwards. A great deal of inconvenience was suffered by occupiers owing to intermittent supplies from this source and on account of the faulty distribution caused by junction and race blockages. Races from the North Branch have been carrying a tremendous amount of silt which will eventually .settle in the small distributing races. The present location of the lead-in race to the Auxiliary intake is still insecure, and the supply is by no means permanent. McFarlane’s intake on the same river has required attention on account of tho change in water level. Pudding Hill water has'supplied the Rakaia. district fairly well, although at times it has been light. On account of the intermittent supplies from the Methven Auxiliary intake, tho Chertsey-Rakaia district has been only moderately served. There have been light freshes in the Rakaia River, but the intake has not been disturbed. The lower end of the Acton Main has been cleaned, and is carrying a full flow. The Sea-field Irrigation Farm is receiving a supply. Tho°Acton Sub-Main to the Doric district is receiving a thorough overhaul. The Mill Creek and Winchmoro Main have been well supplied from the North Branch, which with the exception of a fresh on October 10 has remained fairly steady. Some fairly repair work has been carried out at the Mill intake, which is , again secure. Spring water is dropping in the Wakanui district, and an increased supply has been turned on to the Mill Creek. The Fairfield Works race has been cleaned from Lauriston Road to Fairfield, The AVakanui Main has also been overhauled. A Plentiful Supply. « Ashburton- Rangitata The ' Lagmhor Creek supply has been increased slightly. A plentiful supply has been obtained from the South Ashburton intake. Willow branches completely blocked the headworks during tho gale on October 9, hut no damage was caused, and the supply was restored immediately. Both Hinds Gorge intakes have been cleaned. The Terraco race has been cleaned, also some low places along tho Main race. Both these races are carrying a good supply. The Limestone supply has been satisfactory. The Mt. Somers supply has been good, with ample water at the intake. The cleaning of the Winslow-Valetta Sub-Main lias been completed from the Valeria Road to the Cavendish gates. The Klondyko. Main continues to deliver a fully supplv of water for the Ruapuna district. The Rangitata and Lismore districts have been fully supplied by the Cracroft Main. The annual cleaning of the Lismore Sub-Main is almost completed. (Spring water is still flowing in the Coldstream and Lowclift'c districts. Waterton, Ashton 'arid Wheatstone districts also have a surplus of -spring water. Main Highways.—There has been a decided decrease in the flow of spring water which has been damaging the Hinds end of this highway. With a further improvement the whole of the road surface will soon he open to traffic. Grading and patching has been' carried out during the month. New Bridge Constructed. The side bridge over the South Ashburton Main race on Moorliouse Road has been replaced with, a bridge of concrete and timber in the micldlo of the road. A side bridge on McCormick’s 'Road lias been replaced with a double culvert in the middle of the road. Ashburton - Wakanui (Beach Road) —Last year a section of this highway two miles in length, between the Borough boundary and Gluestein’s Road, was reconstructed and shingled, to Main Highways Board standard. With the temporary hold-up in the Council’s paving programme it is suggested that this length could he sealed this 1 summer. The work is estimated to cost £I6OO, and! provision has been made for the expenditure in the Main Highways estimates hut not in the Council estimates. However, a sum of £SOO was provided for the erection of the new bridge at Rakaia Gorge, and, as this amount will not be necessary this financial year, it could lie utilised to defray the Council’s share of the Beach Road sealing. Spring-burn Tramway Reserve —The riding members (Messrs -1. Moore and A. N. Grigg) have made an inspection of this reserve, and found that in the case of only one lessee was 1 the area being kept free of gorse .and broom. Inquiries wore made as to the possibility of further leases lining taken up, but without any encouraging results. Most of the ratepayers voiced, their strong disapproval of the area, being planted on account ot the resultant shading of ilk* road. Mr Grigg suggested that the Springburn Tramway Reserve he cleared villi the help of bulldozers. The area could then lie more easily ploughed. The matter wax left in the hands of the Riding members. Mr Moore suggested that the inspector should apply mechanical gorse-eut-ters to keep down tho scrub in reserves in the County where young trees had been planted.

Air Wit-hell, supporting Air Aloore, said that the extent of the gorse in the plantations was very great—that could be seen at this time of the year when tho gorse was in bloom. He said that four men had previously been empolyedi in keeping the scrub down, and they were still needed. It was decided to have the reserves attended to The reports were adopted. The survey on the Rangitata Diversion Race was being accelerated, and it was hoped to have it- completed in the near future, stated a letter from the Public Works Department. In view of the possibility of ite being necessary to. divert the Dry Gully Creek, it- would he advisable for rin County to posttho commencement of«the erection of the bridge on the Alethven-Mount-Hntt Road. Air Campion said it was only the wise thing to do to postpone it. Railway Crossing to Close.

The New Zealand Railways Department wrote that an inspection iiad been carried out of the level crossing at Ashburflon opposite the Canterbury Roller Flour At i I Is. It- was considered, continued the letter, that the crossing could be closed without undue interference with traffic. “It is the policy of the Department to, as far as possible, limit the number of level crossings over the railway line, and if any crossings can he closed without inconvenience being caused to the general public, it is in tho. public interest that such crossings should bo eliminated,” it. concluded. Air Frampton, moving that the Council fall in with the wishes of the Railway Department in the closing of the crossing, said that as far as he could see, no inconvenience would be caused. The proprietors of the mill, it was pointed out, were quite willing for the crossing to bo closed. Representatives of the Cemetery Board wished to confer with delegates from the Council upon the question of placing the finances 1 of" the Cemetery acco.unt on a sounder footing, stated a letter from the Borough Council. At the present time the revenue received was only sufficient to pay the, w r ages of the sexton and casual labour, at odd times. Alaintenanc-e costs were increasing each year as further grounds were required for burials. Each time any new ground was taken in, paths were required to be made and, maintained. “It- is the desire of the Board to build up a reserve to enable necessary works to be carried out, which at the present time, owing to the state of the finances it is impossible to do,” concluded tho letter. Air Frampton said that the Council might clear away the gorse on the now piece of ground that lias been transferred to the Borough Council. It was agreed to meet a deputation from the Cemetery Board to discuss the matter. Drainage Scheme Needed. An inspection of the area enclosed by the Main South Road, the sea, the Ashburton River and Coldstream Road with a view to estimating the cost of preparing preliminary plans and estimates for a comprehensive drainage scheme were carried out. recently, stated Air H. G . Royds, registered surveyor, in a letter. The area was roughly 117 squarfe miles or 7509 acres and for estimating purposes should be divided into three blocks —Longbeaeh, Lowcliffe, and the afea between Hinds and Lowcliffe—it Mias continued, ’me investigation would have to extend a considerable distance inland from the Alain Road in order to establish the drainage areas of water-courses entering the district from outside. An outline of the necessary work was given.

Air Taylor said that lie thought the best thing to do would be to call a meeting of the ratepayers in the- district to discuss the proposed scheme, so that, their views on the matter might be ascertained

Mr Gallagher supported this proposal and said that there was an urgent need for such a scheme in the district.

Messrs Frampton and Taylor suggested that the Council take complete control of the draining of properties in the County. Air Withell said that there was only about one-third of the County which was really troubled with flood water, and the Council could hardly lie committed to take over thje complete control of drainage. The chairman said that the districts which were endangered by the floods should receive ■every consideration from the Council. Air Grigg said that there had been an abnormal rainfall this year and the trouble was consequently much greater than usual.

The matter was left oyer for further consideration.

The National Insurance Company of New Zealand wrote that any liability which existed, on the Council in the matter of rural mail boxes Mias covered under the ordinary public risk policy. Permission was given the Hinds Service Strive to instal two extra petrol primps.

A request for a grant from the Ashburton Technical High School was deferred.

Mr Taylor said that if amalgamation of the Technical and High Schools took place, no grant Mould be necessary.

Mr Lowery will report on the finances of the School Board at tne next meeting.

That the branch supported the Council in continuing its contribution to the Canterbury Progress League, if the Council itself felt that the League was serving a good purpose; stated a letter from the Alethven branch of* the Farmers’ Union.

It .was decided to make a grant of £l2O to the League this year.