COUNTY COUNCILS

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19287, 17 April 1928, Page 12

COUNTY COUNCILS

WAIMAIRI. The monthly meeting of the TVaimairi County Council was held last night, there being present: Cr*. J. Cleland (chairman), V/ P. Spencer, C E. Cross, H. Patterson, ft' T* Mulcock, T. 0. Newnham, K. Kitson, G. Shipley, TV'. J. Walter, and E. TV. On the recommendation of the TVorks Committee, it was decided to have a county inspection on a dato to be arranged, also that the riding members go through their districts with the foreman for the purpose of deciding on the work to be undertaken It was resolved that the collection of rubbish be undertaken at the east end of May's road area on the first Monday of each month. In reply to the Tramway Board s request that the Eiccarton road be repaired, the report stated that the portion referred to was to be reconstructed in bitumen shortly. The City Council advised that it had accepted a tender for a hot mile pavement on the North Park road for £3504, with a three years' maintenance guarantee. The proportions payable were: City 54 per cent., TVairaairi County 27 per cent., and Riecarton borough 19 per cent. It was decided to approve of the work being carried out. The Waimairi Beach Surf Club was granted the use of a piece of land on the foresbore, ten chains north of Beach road, subject to the right of the Council to control the' foreshore.

The committee reported that with Mr TVitte, they had viewed' the site of the proposed bridge over the Styx, which he asked permission to construct. The committee viewed tho proposal favourably, subjeot to the bridge being constructed on specifiationa approved by Mr Freeman, and being of sufficient clearance above high-water level and tho cost being wholly borne by Mr TVitte. i The Electricity Committee's report stated that an additional lamp would be placed at the corner of Norton's road, provided the Paparua County Council paid half the cost. The offer of Mr J. Smith to cut willows from the river Styx for £8 10s .was left to the River Styx Committee. Mrß Fleming wrote objecting to tho establishment of a coal yard in Idris road, claiming it to be a residential area. The question was held over until tho next meeting of the council tho site to be inspected in the meantime. A letter was received from the Paparua County Council asking the Council to agree to pave the Yaldhurst road as far as Hawthornden road. On the motion of Cr. Nownham, it was decided to reply that as Boon as the North road was finished, the Council would concentrate on the Yaldhurst load.

The Auditor-General wrote in connexion ■with the River road loan, approving of the payment of the annual charges out of the general account. Mr Talbot, of the Main Highways Board, wrote suggesting that discussion regarding the New Brighton road be deferred until the arrival of the BoaTd in Christchurch, about the end of the month. It was decided to ask the Highways BoaTd for a full report in connexion with the tenders received for the work on the North road. Messrs P Graham and Son wrote asking for permission to close _ the North road durine the progress of their contract. It was left" to the Works Committee to confer with the Highways Board and the contractors in regard to the matter. It was decided to proceed with the tarscaling of Holmwood road at the coßt of £7OO. ~ An invitation was extended to the Council to attend the jubilee of the City of Christchurch.

MOUNT HERBERT. The monthly meeting of the Mount Herbert County Council was held on Friday iu the Council Chambers, Purau. Those present were: Crs. J. A. Gellety (chairman), C. I. Richfield, E. W. Gray, E. W. Coop, R. A. Anderson, Geo. Steele, Reg. Gebbie, and R. J. Candy. A circular letter from the Minister for Public Works urged all local bodies to exercise more care when issuing motor-drivers' licenses, as many licenses were issued to incompetent drivers. The Counoil approved of the letter, and resolved to exercise every cace in the future. Tho Director of Town Planning wrote giving particulars of the proposed system of' rdtation to be adopted for tho particulars to be shown on tho town planning maps.— Approved. The Public Works Department wrote forwarding the amendments to the Motor Lorries Act, 1927. The Conservator of Forests wrote stating that an officer of the Department was always roady : lo give any advice to local bodies or private planters regarding treeplanting. The Mayor'of Ohristchurch (Mr J. K. AToher) wrote . inviting the councillors to attend the forthcoming diamond jubilee colebrations on May 26th, and following days. The councillors resolved to attend on the opening day. ' The treasurer .of tho Christchurch City Council forwarded a cheque for £lB5 0s Id for motor fees' for the past year.

Mr W. H. Benson applied for permission to erect a motor garage by the roadside. Permission was granted subject to the usual terms and conditions.

'An application was received for the erection of a factory on the half-chain road leading down to the beach from the upper road. Ab Mr Cholmondeley had erected an obstruction across the road, it was stated it would be necessary to have the obstruction removed. The matter was left in the hands of the riding member's to inspect, and, if dangerous, to have the obstruction removed without delay. The road foreman reported, that the steamroller and. scarifier were making satisfactory progress on the Lyttelton Main road. Metalling and rolling were being done as the work proceeded. The stone-crushor would be conveyed to Purau by the end of the week. An account amounting to £290 5s 7d was passed for payment.

CHEVIOT. The Cheviot County Council held its monthly meeting on Saturday, when there were present: Councillors J. .H. L. Hiatt (chairman), G-. L. Rutherford, D. McLaren, A McGiffert, and Thos. Stevenson. The clerk reported that receipts for the year ending March 3lat, 1928, amounted to £10,956 2s 7d, and expenditure to £9395 16a lid, which left a credit balance of £1560 6s 8d The amount of general rates to be collected wag £5937 5s lid, of whioh £5904 10s 9d was collected, leaving outstanding £32 15s 2d. ' ' • The Mayor of Christchurch (Mi J. K. Archer) wrote giving, a cordial invitation to the councillors to be present at the diamond jubilee celebrations. < The invitation was accepted with pleasure. An enquiry was received from the Canterbury Automobile Association regarding the desirability of finishing the road formation via the Blythe valley, in case of anything happening to the Hurnnui bridge, which would cause a lockage of traffic on the main road. The clerk was direoted to reply that the Council had already considered the matter, and was in favour of the road formation being finished. . The engineer reported that he had inspected certain screening plants at work, and submitted plans for a portable screening and elevating plant. After a good deal of discussion, the engineer was instructed to arrange for the construction of the same. The monthly road report was read and adopted, and in order to consider ft number of suggested improvements on roading matters the Council resolved to make a tour of inspection on April 26th and 27th. Accountß amounting to £829 Is 8d were passed for payment.

EYRE. The monthly meeting of the Eyre County Council was attended by Messrs R. O. Dixon (in the chair), I. Cowcns, H. E. Evans, and J. W. Frizzell. Offers of bhiegum planks for bridge decking being received at 18s each, the Council decided to continue the importation of Australian brushbox at 26s as being a better gtatc(J thst tne -\Vaimakariri River Trust was proposing to spend £250 in raisins the Skew bridge across the Flaxton ■ m |in drain, and it was considered best to eet the approval first of the Main Highways Board regarding a contribution on a three- ' to-one basis for a concrete bridge, the cost of which might be tartly met by tho River Trust's £250, and the balance shared by the Rangiora County Council. Thp -iueeestion was made that, now all banking tfthe Eyre river at West Eyreton . was completed, the Council should decide upon the site of the much-debated bridge but the question was postponed till the full C The n cnai™an e was appointed the Council's delegates to the conference called by the Canterbury Progress League regarding a roads policy for Canterbury. The Cnrstchurch City Council forwarded „htmiV for £165, being the Council's share 2f the heavy traffic license fees for the last been reached in ".,.,!,. roa( i devation from the Middle T r Tnd road to the G°rder bridge, the Engin*«.lnstructed to prepare plans specificaeer »■" , ..#i ma t». an d on receipt of noS ita approva b/the Highways Board, ti carry out the work of formation, metalling' ,»nfvc'rT'&ns proffered rates after the E lmp P osi"on of the penalty, the clerk was

instructed to enforce the payment of the penalty in all cases.

Arrangements were made to sell all the standing trees remaining in the Boyd road reserve on the basis of 5s per cord, conditions being that all wood be removed, and the whole plantation cleaned up, and all rubbish burnt before June 30th, after which date the Council purposed' to replant the reserve.

The clerk was instructed to serve notice on ratepayers (about twenty in number) that all rates unpaid (some £150) would be sued lor if not received by April 30th. The clerk reported that amonnts totalling £4200 had come in during March; that the cash credit balance at the end of the year would be £1200; and a further amount of £4OO was due for rates, rent, firewood, etc. Deducting therefrom £3OO for the month's account, and £SOO or £6OO due to the North Canterbury Electric Power Board, the Council would have remaining £7OO to £BOO with which to commence the new year. The Engineer reported on work done on the main highways with the scraper, which he said was of too light a nature. Nearly all the roads in the County were going back by comparison with those in adjoining counties, which were advancing in standthrough the use of a heavier grader; He again. advocated the purchase of the fourblade grader which had given such excellent results on trial.

ASHLEY.At the Ashley County Council meeting at Loburn there were present: Messrs J P M O'Halloran . (chairman), Ensor. Fitsgib'bon! Hutchison, McCracken, and Pulley. The question of the drainage of the Reserve road locality was left to the chairman and Mr McCracken to attend to. The chairman reported conferring with the Oxford Council with rerard to the joint purchase of a grader. The Councils were agreed as to the Lees Valley road. In reference to a letter from the Health Department with regard to conveniences at the Ashley Traffic bridge, it was arranged that Mr Hutchison and the clerk should ascertain whether the picnic resort came within the jurisdiction "of the Council. Mr D. R. Hutchiso- was appointed district representntive on the Power Board It was decided to renew the surface of the Ashley Traffic bridee. and tn <-or.«iH, ccm . tribnting bodies as to the advisability of tar-sealing the Riverbed road. It was decided to make an inspection o£ parts of the county on the 23rd inst.