COUNTY COUNCILS.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17553, 7 September 1922, Page 5

COUNTY COUNCILS.

y f T,T.TigMT!ItTL The Ellesmere County Council met at Leeston on Monday. Present—Crs. J* Cunningham (chairman), W. 0. Bennie, John Nixon, J. 0. Prw« John And J. MoEvedy. The chairman and Mr James Stony were appointed the Council's delegates to the Canterbury Progress League, and it was agreed that, if possible, all the members should attend the conference in Cdristchurch to-day on the .main highways question. * It was decided to vote £SO to the Sir Arthur Pearson Memorial Fund for the Blind. ■ ' ■ The Springs County Council and the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society wrote in inference to regulating the speed of motorboats on the Selwyn river. Members pointed out that the Springs and Elleamere County'.Councils had control of tho river and could regulate the traffic. It was decided__to join with the Springs Council in putting"up a notice board. Cr. Heslop was asked to confer with the other parties' regarding details. The Medical Officer oi Health (Christchurch) replied to the Council's protest against the charge for health inspections, to the effect that the Council's contribution was to be an amount mutually agreed upon between the Department and the Council. Tie officer added that he would visit .the district shortly to oonfer with the Council. A councillor said that the authorities in .Christchurch had made a great fuss before they would send an inspector out to Lakeside to enquire into a complaint. The matter was held in abeyance pending the visit of the Health Officer. The anomaly whereby the Ellesmere Licensing Committee meets at Little Eiver, at the extreme end of the electorate, instead of at Leeston, was mentioned. It was reported that the matter had been referred to the chairman of the Licensing Committee by the Minister of Justice. The chairman (Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.M.) had replied that he would consult the members at the September meeting as to whether it would ®"ect a saving of time and expense to meet a» Leeston. . The controversial matter of a permit lor dredging operations to be earned on at Taumutu was introduced by a letter received from the Under-Secretary of Mines, who asked what expert authority was guiding the Council in its decision to oppose the granting oi * Th™ngineer (MrAlel.. the only thing in his mind was the cbainaee. and he did not want to sot any interference with the beach on that account. _ The chairman said the Council s_ business was to conserve the interests of -the landholders, but if the syndicate properly conserved and secured those interests the objection could be removed. The Government Assayert report was that the" were only a few grains of gold per ton. This would not pay A proper guarantee was required covering the capital value of the land opposite to where the operations were to take place, such guarantee to hold good for three years •fter the operations were concluded. A -""A" petition against the permit being

granted M was submitted at the previous meeting was brought forward • by Mr G. Clephane on behalf of the landowners. It was decided to reply that the Council lodged objection to dredging operations on the recommendation of its engineer, and the personal knowledge of the councillors anu protests of landholders. _ Tbo Council was ol the opinion that any interference with the sKingle bank would ultimately lead to irf roads from the sea and damage to adjoining property, adding to the trouble the Council had alreailV experienced in drainage operations. The matter of the adjustment as between the Council and the newly constituted Leeston Town District was discussed. It was agreed that an of the assets be made, and that a legal opinion be obtained as to the procedure in adjusting accounts. i The chairman reported that the work ol erecting the county memorial had been held up owing to delay in securing the stone. He expected advice at any time that the material was ready. It was decided to investigate the prospect of using an electric motor for pumping water out of ahingle pita. I