SELWYN COUNTY COUNCIL.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10863, 12 January 1901, Page 3

SELWYN COUNTY COUNCIL.

A meeting of the Selwyn County Council v;as held on-Wednesday. Present—-Messrs H. Westenra W. Dunlop, J. Beanie. J. G. Murray, J- Wolfe, G. Witty, J. Sough, and G. H."M-Hame.-A letter was .received from the Commissioner of Crown Lands, stating that complaints had been received from settlers, of the flooding of their lands, through the fact that the Council .had not- cleaned out the lower portions of the Hals well river. He urged on the Council the desirability of having the whole of the river cleared. * The County solicitor wrote on the same question, saying that as far as legal obligation extended, a liability attached to both the Selwyn County and the Akaroa County Councils, to clean the portion of the river within their boundaries. It was resolved to write again to the Akaroa County Council on the subject. A letter was received from Mr T. Quealy, reporting satisfactory progress with respect to the river Halswell cleaning contracts, and recommending progress payment on the first of these of £25. It was resolved to advance the amount. Ths Rakaia Road Board wrote, applying for the usual bonus of £10 for expenditure on the suppression of the small birds' nuisance. The letter was received- The same Board wrote, stating that the Hororata bridge was now unsafe for traffic, and required immediate repairs. The estimated cost was £170_, and it was requested, that the Council should either undertake the work, or authorise the Board to do so, and charge a fair proportion of the cost to both the Rakaia and the Lake Coleridge Road Boards. These bodies had agreed, when the bridge was built, that both of them ought to contribute towards its repairs, as it served the traffic of both districts. The Council decided to defer consideration of the matter until they should have received an answer to a letter sent by them on the subject, to the Coleridge Road Board. A number of circulars were received respecting communication between Christchurch and West-land. A number of communications were received from various boards concerned, with regard to the erection of a new structure, in place of White's "bridge. The Council were of opinion that a thoroughly durable bridge should be erected. Mr Dunlop proposed, and Mr McHaffie seconded, that the engineer be asked to form an estimate of the cost of building an iron structure, and that inquiries should be instituted with regard to raising a loan. In answer to a request from the Heathcote Road Board, the Council decided to grant that body £100 for the keeping of roads. A letter was received from the Commissioner of Crown 'Lands, stating that the Rakaia Road Board had submitted to the Land Board's consideration the desiraibility of utilising for planting purposes the old unused railway reserve -between Bankside and Rakaia. He asked whether, if the Land Board should approve of its being handed over for plantation purposes, the Council would) undertake to have it planted i-mme- ! dfiately, and to secure access through such I plantation to landowners desiring it. I A letter was received from the Halswell Road Board, enclosing another from the Minister for Public Works, with respect to the Board's heavy traffic by-laws, and asking that the Council should support the Board in upholding that these should be retained in their entirety. It was decided to uphold the Board, as, requested. Mr G. Glassy, jun., was appointed caretaker of the water-race at Rakaia. Arrangements for renting fresh offices for the Council in the Exhibition Buildings were left to the chairman. The usual reports were read and adopted with regard to water-races and plantations, j