COUNTY COUNCILS.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15486, 13 January 1916, Page 5

COUNTY COUNCILS.

ELLESMERE.

• The EUesmere County Council met at Leeston on Monday. Present: Councillors J. Cunningham (chairman), T. A. Stephens, J. Storry. J. C. Free, F. J. Lemon, and J. Loclihead. Mrs R. L. Cant and Mr A. Maopo gave notice of their intention to close a drainage easement at Taumutu, Messrs H. E. Fincham and F. Schnelle interviewed the Council on the same subject, and stated that their properties would be flooded if an outlet was not -provided for the -water. It was left to the Southbridge Riding members to inspect and present a report at next meeting, j The District Health informed

. the Council that an inspector would be sent to Leeston to examine certain premises the sanitary arrangements were unsatisfactory. A letter from the Red Cross branch of the St. John Ambulance Association, asking the Council to consider the claims of the Red Cross when striking rates for the Patriotic Fund was received and held over for consideration. The chairman presented a report concerning the Queen Election to be held in North Canterbury shortly. With regard to the quota of £5500 EHesmere had un- j dertaken to raise for the Patriotic i Fund, he pointed out that a resolution | had been carried at a meeting of ratepayers urging the Council to raise the money by increasing the rates, sums collected in the meantime in other ways to go towards reducing the amount to be levied by way of rates. He considered it would be a. better plan to make a straight-oat donation to be collected by rating, and to raise the balance by other means. Cr. Stephens accordingly gave notice to move at next meeting that the Council make a grant of £4500 to the Patriotic Fund. Ho stated that the county would not then be limiting itself to a quota of £5500. A proposal to obtain an independent report as to the advisability of distributing electricity through the county, from Lake Coleridge, was held over, members being of the opinion that nothing should be done until after the war. The dog registration fees were fixed the same as last year, and it was decided to continue purchasing email birds' heads at 3d per dozen