ELLESMERE COUNTY

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume LXII, Issue 17, 4 March 1941, Page 4

ELLESMERE COUNTY

MONTHLY MEETING HELD

GENERAL BUSINESS

CONSIDERED

The monthly meeting of the Ellesmere County Council was held at Leeston on Monday afternoon, at Which there were present, Crs. R. T. McMillan (chairman), W. O. Rennie, D. Marshall, A. Anderson, and J. P. McEvedy.

The engineer was instructed to put in a pipe to replace a culvert at Mr E. Martin's frontage at Killinchy instead of lowering the. culvert. Action was also decided upon to ihave the drain in Webster's road

cleaned

The New Zealand Counties Association reported that the county councils of the Dominion had contributed £870 towards it'he British relief fund.- In addition a number of county councils had paid their contributions direct to their provincial patriotic councils, making the total for New Zealand £10 short of £1000.

The National Service Department advised the council that the subsidy of £4/6/6 per week per man for the employment of relief workers had been extended for a further period of twelve weeks to the end March 29, the work to be the cleaning of Hanmer road drains.

The Minister- for Native Affairs, writing in respect of the water supply for Fisherman's Point, asked that the overflow from the well should be collected for the use of the tenant's stock.

Arising out of a complaint regarding straying dogs worrying sheep, the council decided to appoint one of its outside staff to be dog registrar.

New Zealand Counties' Association stated that 61 county councils had joined up v/ith the association's insurance scheme and that there would be several more when certain legal matters were adjusted.

The pay sheet showed that .the amount approved was £353/9/11; accounts to be passed for payment £793/2/6, .total £1146/12/5. The expenditure to the beginning of March was £14,787/9/1 less credit balance at the beginning of the financial year, £1833/17/10, a total of £12,953/11/3. The receipts for the same period amounted to £12,----630/2/10 and the dr. balance at the beginning of this month was £323/8/5.

The engineer's action in releasing members of the permanent staff to assist in harvesting work was approved.

Cr. Rennie and the chairman remarked that the action of the engineer was much appreciated by the farmers, Cr. McMillan adding that there was no reason why .the council should not co-operate with the farmers in every way possible.

Rents of hut sites at Rakaia mouth were considered. At present they were £2 per year less 20 per cent per section. It was decided to increase the rent by cutting out the 20 per cent concession.

The clerk reported that the rates were coming in well. He expected that the balance at the end of the year would be satisfactory.

The water works caretaker reported that there had been three freshes in the Rakaia river during February and the level had been high. He expected that some scooping work would be required when the level fell. High winds had caused blockages by blowing debris into the races. The supply from Selwyn County had also been affected by the high winds. The quantity in the race at Dunsandel had fallen off considerably. The long dry spell had not helped the races where they had been built in dry shingly country.

The engineer, said that he had inspected the headworks last week and while the level of the water was high, he was of the opinion that work would be needed to improve the supply when the water went down.

The clerk reported that the debit balance in the Taumutu drainage district was £690. The Southbridge members agreed to transfer £150 from riding to the Taumutu ac-

count

A recommendation was made that the council should purchase a light

truck for the water-works caretaker, it being pointed out that the caretaker used his own car and that the vehicle was not suitable for the purpose. The council agreed that enquiries should be made during the month to ascertain prices of the vehicles available, the report to be considered at the next meeting.

Engineer's Report The clerk-engineer, Mr J. McAllister, in his report stated that on account of the shortage of labour during harvesting, members of the council's staff were released to supplement the number available from scheme 13. As a result operations were restricted to the most urgent. Maintenance grading was continued in the Irwell riding and the majority of the roads received attention. Repairs to erosion on Irwell-Brook-side road were completed. The section of Lake Road south from Lower Lake road towards the lake was cleared of gorse and holes filled. Most roads in Leeston riding received maintenance grading. Drain cleaning and cleaning \ of Boggy creek were commenced. Grading of roads in Southbridge riding was continued. The cleaning of gorse from Sedgemere pit was completed, the cleaning of Taumutu creek was practically finished , and would be finished when harvesting was over. AH sections of main highways received attention from the graders and holes in the sealed surface of the main road were patched.