COUNTY COUNCILS.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19724, 14 September 1929, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCILS.

RANGIORA. The monthly meeting of the Eanglora County Council wai held yesterday. Present: Messrs W. Btalker (chairman), H. Tallott. M. | C Ormandy, A- Mcintosh, J. Brosnen, J. M. Joungi »nd G. K. Orysell. The foreman, in his monthly report, stated that drama in the Bouthbrook dletrict off the main road had been cleaned, and floodwater courses around Fernside school attended to and pipes were renewed on Camaide road, and outlets cleaned to the Cam. During the flood half of the Mo. 4 drain culvert fell in owing to scouring, and the walls of the parapet had to be strengthened to prevent farther 'scouring; the cost of the repairs wag about £3O. Three pipes were also put in at Borland's corner. On the Oxford road, 57ft of 18in pipes were put in at the junction of Mount Thomas road; this also required a lot of filling, as there was a distinct hollow. Both shingle contractors were making good progress, and should be finished before next meeting. The financial statement showed receipts £135 lis lid, payments t'1164 2s lid, bank debit balance £2lll 6s 3d. The chairman reported that in conjunction with Cr. Crysell he had attended the Canterbury Progress League's meeting regarding grants to highways, when it was decided to send a deputation to Wellington. Mr James Miles wrote applying to have 30 chains of road from his boundary to Mr H. Miles's place shing'ed. It was resolved to have the road patched. A circular letter was received from the secretary of the New Zealand Counties' Association asking the support of the Council in opposing a suggestion to create a H.ghways Board for the South Island, which was not desirable in the opinion of the Counties' Eexcutive, as no benefit would accrue to the South Island. It was decided to support the resolution. The Chief Postmaster, Christcburch, wrote in reference to the opening of the new Post Office, at the Cust, stating that it was not possible at present for the PostmasterGeneral to say definitely whether he will be able officially to open the building. The building in any case wilt not be finished before November "4th. Permission was given Mr J. W. Tait to plough his road frontage to destroy gorse. A request from Mr H. J. Moyna to have a drain passing through Mr F. G. Barker'! 'property cleaned, was left in the hands of the foreman. It was deeided to write to Mrs 0. O'Loughfin, Bennetts, to clear gorse on the boundary road between her property and Barker's, as the Council contemplate making improvements to the road. Mr H Harris, engineer to the Waimakariri Trust, and Mr J. H. Blackwell waited on the Council in reference to McOrath's bridge over the main drain. The Trust was prepared to pay 50-50 of the cost providing the Council would pay the other half, the bridge to be a 9ft tender bridge and double the length of the present bridge. , The offer was .agreed to. the Waimakariri River Trust to carry out the work. The de- : putation also brought up the question of the cleaning of the Cam river. ' On the motion of the chairman, seconded by Or. Orm«ndy, it was resolved that the County Council is prepared to contribute £2OO towards the coat of cleaning the Cam river provided the Church Trustees contribute £l5O, | and the River Trust £2OO. The Trust to carry out the work, and to arrange for a Government subsidy. MALVERN. At the last meeting of the Malvern County Council Cr. Wright presided. Members welcomed Cr. GHlanders, who had returned from a health trip to Australia. The tender of Mr Deed was accepted for grubbing broom on the frontages of the Pine Lands on the Aylesbury-Burnham road, and that of G. H. Pegley for four shingling contracts at 3s per yard all round. ! The Selwyn County Council expressed apprehension at the spread of noxious weeds, especially Californian thistle, and as the menace appeared to be unchecked, they suggested a conference of local bodies with a view to obtaining control in some form of this danger to farm lands. A conference was favoured, provided the delegates referred the matter back to their respective Councils before any definite step was taken. Kirweei residents complained of stray _ stock, particularly .at nights, and two of the Council's employees were told off to gain information necessary to take further proceedings. [ The Selwyn Plantation Board wrote offers jag <to contribute £B6 , toward* tho cost 61.' repairing the damage done to Burdon'a roadInstructions were given to thank them for the amount, and at the same time to ask them again to con-.der the matter, as the tuuder which had been accepted for the repair work was £l6O. The New Zealand Counties' Association forwarded their opinion that the formation of aHighways Board for the South Island wa« neither necessary nor des.rabie. It was decided to reply that for the time being the Malvern County Counoil was quite satmfled with the Main Highways Board in its present form. A tender was reeelved for carting from the crusher by motor-lorry, and after comparing prices it was seen that except for long distances, the hotse and cart method was more economical. , . A committee was appointed to deal witn water-race tenders which will be called for during the month, end the alternation, of the main races will be made to fit in with the installation of several lines of pipes which the engineer has in hand. A. discussion took place with regard W water charges, and particularly with reference to the Coalgate eyatem which becomes mora unsatisfactory as time goes on, and the opinion was expressed that the race li unneeessary. It was resolved to obtain legal advice on the subject, and go further into the matter at the October meeting. The East Malverp Library section was trans-. t erred to Mr A. T. Hawkins, the amount received thereto* being paid Into the Library Fund.

The recent gale blew down about one hundred trees In the plantation leased by Mr J. D. Anderson, near Hawkins, and the question of cutting: them into firewood or milling them was left with the engineer to decide after inspection. The Malvern Power Board asked the Council to endeavour to collect from the High' ways Board the eost of removing an electric ! light pole at the Intersection of the Tolegraph road and the Darfleld-Arundel highway. The engineer reported that pipes had been put in on Hughes', Hollands', Storey's, and Adams's roads, and that Mills, Bridge, and Selwyri Valley roads had been attended to during the month. The reserve at Kimberley had been planted and arrangements had been made to have the frontage ploughed. Considerable inconvenience had been caused by blocked pipes in the water-race systems. Patching is being carried out on Tramway, Auehenfiower, Kimberley, Telegraph, and Bealay roads, and on all tha main highways. EYRB. nil monthly meeting of the »yre County . Council waa attended by Messrs B. I. Evana (la tha chair). B. A. Bennett, J. Cowans, Jfc. 0. Dixon, 3. W. Frissell, and t. h. Pun,' nam. The offer of Mr N. Pidler to clear goraa on tbe Reserve at Swannanoa. fell all trees, and generally clean up ready for planting, was accepted. Tha application of the Clarkville Ball Committee for a light at the school corner' waa postponed pending the completion of tha reticulation of the county. Tha request of tha Oxford branoh of the Farmers' Union to have a bridge erected over the watercourse erosaing the North Eyre road near Bennetts was i referred to the Bangiora County Council in regard to that Council paying a quarter share, aa it would be on a boundary road, and cna on which the Highways Board might contribute a half share of the total cost. It was decided to grant the Kaiapoi branch of the W.B.A. a donation of *1 Is. In answer to the application of tha Bangiora County Council to have Dixon's ford placed in repair to save unnnecessary traffic on that Council's roads when oarting waa made to tha Forestry Raserve at Eyreweu, the Council decided to reply that repaira were useless at present owing t» the continuous flow in tha river Eyra and tha sofa nature of the shingle. The Education Board having agreed to purchase the half-chain width along the frontage of the Two Chain road at Swannanoa, and a? all the other landowners along that road had previously agreed to purchase the .atrip . along their frontages, it was decided to proceed with the project of narrowing the road to a one-chain width. It was decided to reduce the annU g grant to the Progress Leaeue from £2B to £2O, and to support the League in its endeavonr to induce the Minister for Finance to continue the grants of £35.000. and £200.000 to the Main Highways Board. Th» Council decided not to support the executive of tha Counties' Association ia their endeavonr to Ret the Prime Minister to alter his decision to appoint a Souttt Island Highways Board. The application of Messrs Wright Bros, Barnard, and Penwall to . hava improvements made to ohe road feadine to tn * ,r properties near the mouth of the Waimakariri was agreed to. ' . Mr H. A. Bennett was appointed as tne Council's representative on the Progress Lessiie. The question of a bridge across the river Eyre at Wolff's foTd was a<?aln postponed owing to the absence of a full Council »»•» the matter came up for discussion, members havine had to leive on River Trust business. It was decided to write off any arreara •i rates owing by tha WaunakaijrLJava^

Trust on portions of land acguirsd lot ***** diversion or improvement work. The clerk reported that all outstanding rates for the previous year had been coiIseted bsfors the current rats demands naa been sent out. It was decided not to take over the new bridge and approaches at the Eyre river diversion across the South Byre road until the approaches had been fenced and ail wing walls erected. . „,„ ' In order to assist the Walmakariri » IT » r Trust in making a diversion of oo " ier ( J creek, near Springbank, the Council offers* to make a contribution of £l3O. _ The engineer reported all roads in « lr, y good <wd#r, !n spite of ths many sp«"» « wst weather, but asksd for further snmgling in several places, and supplied, as reported elsewhere, figures showing the cost to the county through the great increase ol