COUNTY COUNCILS.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19715, 4 September 1929, Page 7

COUNTY COUNCILS.

ELLESMERE. The monthly meeting of the IHlesmew County Council was held at Leeston on Monday, when there were present: Crs. John Heslop (chairman), A. Quigley, J. Nixon, A. Anderson, and K. T. McMillan. The following property transfers werenotified:—J. 1\ Twiss to M. W. MeLachian, 100 acres; estate A. J. Batt to Mrs B. B. Batt, 2 roods; estate Win. Abbott to W. H. Abbott, 23 acres and 488 acres; D. T. Wraight to ft. Sollitt, 1 rood 36 perches; T. Beck to G. W. Coe, 2 acres. An application from Mr A. McLachlan for half the cost of cleaning 20 chains of his frontage at 3s a chain was referred to the engineer, with power to act.

The Council accepted the Highway* Sittrict Council's suggested allocation of the cost of maintenance of the Main South road. It was decided to write to the Counties' Association with reference to the Prime Minister'B proposed raid on the Highway* Fund, and to enquire why Canterbury's allocation for this year had been reduced by £96,000. The secretary of the Counties' Association sent a copy of a resolution passed by the executive, expressing disapproval of the proposal to set up a South Island Main Highways Board, and asking the Council's approval of the resolution. The Counei! did not indicate its opinion on the proposal. In response to a petition from the property owners, the Council agreed to lay channelling from Brake's store to Boggy Creek, Doyleston, the owners to pay half the coat of the work on their frontages.

Cr. Quigley pointed out th« unfairness to the Leeston riding in having to bear the cost of cleaning seven large drains, and gave notice to move at the next meeting that the following drains should be declared county drains, the cost of cleaning to be • charge upon the whole county: —Hanmer road, Boggy Creek, Doyleston main. Tramway reserve, Beetham road, Lambie's, and Ludemann's. The Ellesmere Agricultural and Pastoral Association enquired whether the Council would be prepared to sell a piece of land at the Show Ground at present held by the Association on lease. It was desired that the land should be transferred m view of the proposal to erect memorial gates. Cr. McMillan reported having interviewed the Crown Lands authorities regarding the proposal on behalf of the Council, and the engineer said he had had a Bill prepared, which had been approved by the Council s solicitors and sent to Mr D. Jones, member for the district. Mr Jones had replied that he would have the clause Included in a general Bill to be passed during the present session of Parliament. When this clause became law. the Council would have power to sell the land. _ The Council gave its approval to the proposed sale. , The waterworks caretaker reported that there had been one small fresh in the Kakaia River during the month, but it had not caused a shortage of water in the races. The supplv from the Selwyn County headworks had also been good until lately, when the cleaning of the races was commenced. He suezested that while the Selwyn racecleaning continued a supply of water should he turned into the race serving OTesmere from the Holden headworks, to provide water °The clerk reported that the credit balance was £6178 lit Id. The discount period for general rotes had ended, the total amount collected beins £4438 6s 3d. The dtaconnt allowed was £2.",3 Us lOd. and the rates stUl unpaid totalled £3133 6s 3d The total amount levied was £7805. and about 60 per cent, had been collected.