COUNTY COUNCILS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16398, 18 December 1918, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCILS.

HEATHCOTE.

Tho' annual mcctinsr of the Healhcote County Council was held last night. Present, —Messrs C. Flavcll, G, H. Burton, O. M. Hall, W. W. Scarfo. E. E. I'attcn/ and A. H. Adaroe. On Mr Burton's motion, a. hearty yoto or thanks was passed to tho ictiriuj chairman, Mr C. Flavcll. ' Mr C. Flavcll was proposed ak chairman by Mr Burton. ' ' ' In eounexion v*rth the election, Mr Hall said ho understood that, .in view of past happenings, it had been decided that-tho chairman should only hold officb for °no vear. Under t!ie<so circumstances ho felt obliged to diescr.t to Mr Flavell's election, and would proposo thai Mr Burton be chair-, mail. .

Mr Burton ssid he had docidcd that ti would rot etand icr the . office.

Mr Flavcll was re-elcctcd chairman, Mr Hall dissenting. •

A. general dipcnssioii took plneo on suggested improvements ill tho machinery of the Council. Mr Burton mentioned tho matter of. rc-organising committee work, .v;> :is to facilitate the work of the Council; he also referred to' the need for a. more'ripid coflection of rates and taxes and the. rfevision of. tho by-laws. Tho chairman 'mentioned > few! dettfj!A regarding re-organisaltibti in-tjio Council's staff, which would-need tho attention ot tho Council in the ftiturt. , '

It was decided to setup three committees of the whole Council, i.e., JAnance Committee (Mr Buxton chairman). Works Committee (Mr Hall- chairman), and By-laws Committee (Mr Flavell chairman).

Mr Hall moved;—" That an overseer-inspec-tor be engages at a salary- to bo fixed."

The. motion was seconded by Mr Burton and'carried.

It was decided to procure another 5 kilowatt transformer for Bromley, and to aßk Hie Public Works Department ■to report on the cause of the' Bexley transformer burning out. - ' '

With regard to the request to form' Kearney's load, it was" decided to-'inform 1-bo ratepayers that tho Council would consider tho proposition provided the ratepayers in thr? district petitioned for the raising of a special loan for the purpose.

In connexion with the heavy traffic Liyljiw, the clerk was i'.utrcctcd to take the necessary steps to prosecute all owners of heavy traffic vehicles who had been duly served with a notice of the expiration of their license.

HALS WELL. At the annual mealing of the Halswell County Council Mr If, M. Motion withdrew hi 3 nomination, and Mr G; T. ilulcock wa3 elected chairman for the ensuing year. A voto of thanks to the retiring chairman was carried unanimously. Jlr Jehu Murphy interviewed the Council and complained of the uuisance caused by stray cati'o on the roads. After discussion, in which it was agreed that wandering cattle w-ero becoming an aksoluto nuisancc ia the county,' it wis rosoh'cd to tako proceedings against ail owners of such etoek. It wa3 resolved that y, special meeting be held to discuss the matter ot clectrio power for the district as eoon as Mr Lawrence Birks was able to attend and advise the Council. • The tender of Dennia Murphy at 2s lid per cubic yard for shingling Anderson's road was accepted. It was decided that part of Sparksroad bo shingled if suitable arrangements could bo iflade. - The Rev. M'r Oldham - wrote expressing thanks for the assistance rendered by helpers during the recent influenza epidemic. It wae resolved that Mather's road footpath be chipped and coated with spent oxide as soon. a£ posfiiblo. The petition for the extension of the Cashmere drainage -was roceived, and authority given to proceed with the work. It was reported that many fences in -ho district were overgrowing, and it was decided to notify owners to cut them back. The Alexandra Borough Council wrote ask- | wg t-ho support of the Council in preventing I consumptive patients from being sent to I country districts. It -was resolved that. the matter bo held over. The -STew Zealand Society of Civil Engineers wrote requesting the attendance 0 i ,1.0 county engineer at the.annual conference at Aucitland. Tho engineer stated thr.t it would not bo possible for him to attend the conference this year. The Hospital and Charitable Aid Boardwrote asking for particulars and returns oi the influenza epidemic, and the dors- stated that ho had tho matter in hand, and :ho returns -would be forwarded as soon as a meeting of the per3on6 who assisted "could .be arranged. SELWYX. At the monthly meeting o: the Eeliyn County Council there -were present—'Mr K. "Wilson (chairman) and Crs. J. Hockridge, G. Hall, K. ; Hutchison, TV. A. Fairwcather, G. Hight, and T. J. Andrew. A motion of sympathy and condolence was passed to Cr. Stone in the dea'ih of his -wife. The Hospital Board -wrote regarding the influenza epidemic, and asked to ba supplied -with accounts as eoon as possible. A voto of thanks was passed to all those who so nobly volunteered their services in combating the epidemic,, and a vote of sympathy to.those who had lost relatives* It was decided to inform the -Elleeraere County Council that blockages, and silt in the water-races on the east side of the railway were causing the races to overflow, and prevented the free flow of the water. It was decided that the Chief Postmaster at Christchurch be -writen to regarding tho Hororata mail service.

In order to conserve coal during this winter, churches in. various places in Canada of . tho same ,or of different denominations are arranging to hold combined services, and in some instances to use one another's buildings if not uniting in the services. Where churches are not doing this voluntarily, the Fuel Controller may likely take steps to compel some &ucli action.