COUNTY COUNCILS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18970, 7 April 1927, Page 15

COUNTY COUNCILS.

MOUNT HERBERT. The monthly meeting of the Mount Herbert County Council was held in the Council Chambers, Purau. Present: Councillors 0. I. BicUfield (chairman), J. A. Gellety, E. M. Coop, Geo. Steele, Keg. Gebbie, and R. J. Candy. Cr. E. Vv\ Coop moved: "That the present main county road be abolished." Alter some discussion, the motion was approred. The chairman of the Main Highways Board wrote urging tha Council to exercise every care to keep straying cattle off the roads, especially at night time. The Council fully concurred with the request, and resolved to take proceedings against persons allowing their stock to wander. Tho Council decided to re-grade the lower portion of the Purau Hill and metal it. A reply was received from the Marine Department, Wellington, concerning the removal of shells from tho beaches under the Council's control. The clerk was instructed to communicate with the Minister for Justice for authority to take proceedings against the offenders. The financial statement showed a debit balance at the bank amounting to £209 10s lid. EYRE. The monthly meeting of tho tyre County Council was attended by Crs. R. 0. Dison (in the chair), C. E. Baynon, J. Cowens, H. E. Evans, J. W. Frizzell, and Jas. Wright. It was decided to ask British Pavements, Ltd., to make a bitumen approach to tho north side of the Empiro bridge. The Engineer was appointed motor inspector for the county, and was instructed to take proceedings against any person driving in the county who had not taken out a motordriver's license by tho end of April. Monday, April 18th, was decided npon as the date for a conference with the Kaiapoi Borough Council in regard to the handing over to the Borough of an area of the County adjacent thereto. Tbe Engineer having reported that the Main road from Wetheral to Ohoka was badly cut up by traction-engine traffic, it was decided to lay a coat of screened shingle from end to end. The clerk reported that rates to the amount of £330 were outstanding, and it was decided to enforce the penalty, and take proceedings against any defaulters at the end of the month.

Mr Evans was appointed delegate to a meeting concerning the allocation of heavy traffic fees. Various communications being received concerning the formation of the North Canterbury Electric Power Board, the Returning Officer was authorised to take the necessary steps to prepare a roll for the olection of two candidates. The Public Works Electrical Department instructed the Council to reconstruct certain lines in the County, as being of inefficient design and construction. The Council decided to make an emphatic protest against being saddled with the cost of the work, which had been done by the Department when they were acting as advisers and constructors to the County. The Council considered that the Department should remedy its own errors. A copy was received from the Waimairi County Council of a record of the traffic in Marshland and the Main North road for a week. It was shown that the average traffic per day was 1580 motor vehicles, of when the Council's share was only 8 per cent., while Kangiora County's share was 4 per cent., Rnngiors Borough's 4 per cent., Kaiapoi Boroughs 13 per cent.; "Waimairi County's 22 per cent., and Ohristchurch.City Council 40 per cent. Op these figures, councillors thonght that the charge against the Council of one-quarter of the cost of repairs to the Empire Bridge was grossly unfair. The clerk reported that the cash balance at the end of the financial year was £IOB4, v.-i.'h an additional, credit of £3BO yet to '-•(. "j hi."

Engineer reported on the serious nature of the washouts on the Main North road through the breach of the • bank near Mr James Wright's property. As the River Trust's operations had stopped, the flow of water through the breach, it was decided to commence repairing the damage.