COUNTY COUNCILS.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17632, 8 December 1922, Page 15

COUNTY COUNCILS.

♦ ! SELWYN. The monthly meeting of ths Ashley County council waa held on Monday. There were present—Crs. F. J. Anarew ichairman), J. Hociridge, T. E. Pearson, W. Swme, B. ■U. Izard, a. Hight, T. Skevington, and N. rL loWn ' of absence was grunted Hall. Tie engineer reported that a concrete culfert had been put in on High Peak road; repairs carried cut to the Rakaia Gorge road, bcott's, and Kiley's cuttings, and Steele's road ford over the Hororata river. Pipes had been renewed on Doyle's road, new | planks put in ■Cordy's road bridge across the I -Hororata river, and metal repairs made to West Boundary road, Cordy s road, and Duna-indel .township roads. The clearing of obstructions in Ithe Hororata river had been commenced in the special rating area. Iwo meetings of the Electric Powtr Board Provisional Committee had been attended, and the special rating area had been defined. The petition for signature by ratepayers is being prepared, and will he taken in hand by the organiser of the Canterbury Progress League, who intends oalHng meetings and illustrating the uses of eleotrio power by means of lantern pictures. Ths organisers of the Canterbury Progress League wrote drawing attention to the operations of the Canterbury District Railway Committed, and suggested that if any improvements were required to be brought into existence if particulars of same were sent to the League they would be brought before the committee. The Medical Officer of Health wrote regarding the services of an Inspector of Health stating, that the increase of charges would be 25 per cent, on last year's contributions. This was agreed to. _ . The Minister, of Internal Affairs and Minister of Public "Works wrote acknowledging the receipt of copies of the heavy and motor lorry traffic, and motor traitic by-law 3. The Ellesmere' County Council forwarded a detailed statement, of the expenditure of the Ellesmere Licensing Committee. The secretary of the New Zealand Society of Engineers wrote.asking that every assistance be given, fto the county . engineer to attend the annual conference. It was decided to call tenders for the right, to cut cocksfoot seed on the roads. As the next ordinary meeting day falls on the first day of January it was decided to hold the meeting on Thursday, December 28th. It was decided to call the attention of the pclice to the practice of a steam lorry proprietor hauling in the district on Sundays. Ie was reported that some of the vraterraces have not been cleaned and it was decided to give the owner fourteen days notice to clean them. KAEKOTJRA. The monthly meeting of the KaikouTa County Council was • held on Tuesday. Present—Crs. James Boyd (chairman), D. Boyd. G. Smith, C. Nilsen, E. "Workman, C. Panned P. Curran, P. Acton-Adams, end v. Eaton. . , „ , Captain Mundy, A.D.C.,. on behalf of her Excellency Viscountess Jellicoe, forwarded the following letter:—"l am requested by her Excellency to write and thank you and the people of Kaikoura for the hospitality shc-wr during what her Excellency considered wa* a visit all too short to your picturesque town. Her Excellency deeply appreciated the warmth of the welcome accorded to her an* wishes to express her gratitude for all the trouble which was teken to nuke.her■ etaso thoroughly enjoyable.- Her Excellency 'ooks forward, with keen anticipation for another visit to Kaikoura, and trusts that next time circumstances will permit of a lontrer .tn in y«nr most delightful district. Councillor* expressed their appreciation ci Lady Jellicoe's acknowledgment. In reoly to the Council's communication in ■ reference to the secondary c.«* *t the District HiiWW H,o nirecto- of Kduefltion wrote:—l have to point out that the average attendance of the secondary department of the Kaikoura Dis■\h School f»r the past ten years W .. follow? :-19i2, 17: 1913, 16; 1914, 18. 1915 V 12; 1916, 9! 1917, "18; 1918, .9; 1919, 14- 1920, 8; 1921, 9; 1922 • (three quarters),Jß. I have to point out that as far back ao 1906 the weakness of this department m numbeis had to be taken into consideration It was then stated that 21 children wouW be in attendance, but this was never realised. Again, in 1916, it was stated that there would be a large increase in attendance, but the «wgni increase was only temporary. In August, 19"0 over 17 pupils wexo promised by tne School Committee, but in the following year the average attendance was 9. In June, 1921, a further promise of increased attendance was made, but the attendance fell to its lowest point in 1922. On each of the «*■"•" mentioned the Department and the Council of Education took a very lenient view of the position, on account of the isolation of the district, but as the attendance grew worse and worse every year tne continuance of the secondary department could no longer 'be justified, hence the modified arrangement approved by the Council o Education whicu has now to be brought into operation I ,£e to point out that the headmaster should have no difficulty in teaching the smal additional ■ number, of children. This ha* been dine in the past in very many cases with success. If the ™™«« to such an extent as to tax seriously the time "and attention of the head teacher applicatjon could be made for the re-establishment of the secondary department. v Cr Nilsen explained exhaustively the position, and added that twenty pupils had now qua'ified for the secondary department. He emphasised the point of isolation, on which ground the class should be retained. There Would be 25 pupils attending the secondary course'in the New Year. , «-!_.-*"" A number of East End residents forwarded? a petition complaining of the_ practice of dumping the nightstylin the vicinity ol the batbin? sheds, which created a nuisance to the residents. ..... After discussion, the chairman and town councillors were 1 appointed to select able site for the disposal of the nightaml. Begarding tie Black Miller Creek it was decided to request the Sawmill Company to provide a box drain to overcome the sawdust nuisance in the creek. ' • /■ In respect to the Blue Duck bridge, the i Council was advised that the shingle nuisance would be abated immediately. I The secretary of the South Marlborough 'Progress League forwarded a suggestion reearding: harbour improvements. Or. ActonAdams moved that the Government fie ap--1 proved with regard to a sum for-harbour improvement.. Cr, Nilsen eeconded the motion, which ww earned The chairman moved that a vote of thanks ! K 0 horded Mr and Mrs W. B, Bullen lot I \L manner ™ which they had entertained the-Sime Minister. The motion was earned ! "ihetiSct Telegraph Engineer wrote atat'«„t that he had noticed that' wi-low trees W beVn Placed under the Department's C near the -Kahutara and Kowhai rivers, ■ H Paired to know if the Council underTla that iV would be held responsible for stood that it w tre{jß theyio'not*id«. with the telegraph Ttptnhone lines. The letter was received. a B was P Sed to call applications for the poritSn of whaTfinger, closing on December s resolved that notice be given to the iLTof a * property at East find to cut Wk the hedgTSauging the footpath b The AdvSry Committee advised that the ±:„„ in connexion with the ?Sn^seS 6 howed a deficiency of £4O i 5 ii. month of November, but that it was fOI 'KC would be an improvement to the month of December. T Thl D ™ain Board granted the Kaikoura TtacirX Club permission to mak? a charge to the South Bay Domain for the Boxing Day meeting