SELWYN COUNTY COUNCIL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXIII, Issue 7484, 25 February 1885, Page 6

SELWYN COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of the Selwyn County Council was held at 10.30 a.m. yesterday; present—Messrs H. J. Mathias (Chairman), F. Jones, K. Westenra, D. M'Millan, J. D. Enys, W. Dunlop, and H. W. Peryman. chairman's statement. The Chairman read the following statement : The following letters have been received: From the Hon E. Richardson, thanking the Council for electing him a member of the Lyttelton Harbour Board.— From the Minister of Public Works, intimating that Government will undertake the maintenance of the Kakaia Gorge bridge, charging the cost to the Counties of Selwyn and Ashburton in equal proportions. The Minister has approved of the proposed expenditure of .£350 to improve the approaches on this side the river.—From the Board of Education, asking the Council to agree to the conversion of gravel reserve No. 1347 into a site for a school at Annat. —From the Courtenay Road Board, recommending the closing of the road through reserve 2619.—Fr0m the Avon Road Board, asking for a grant of .£l5O for maintenance of main roads. —From the Lincoln Road Board, recommending the appointment of Poundkeeper. Under the new Impounding Act the Council has no jurisdiction in the matter.—From the South Malvern Cemetery Board, recommending the appointment of trustees to fill up vacancies on the Board.—From the Clutha County Council, suggesting united action on the part of

County Councils in making recommendations to' Government as to powers to be exercised by County Councils in future. —Report from Mr Webster, on the proposed improvements in the drainage of the Halswell.—Repsrt of Inspector of Slaughter-houses. —Letter complaining of the manner, rin which Dobbin's ford is conducted.—From the Rakaia Road Board, recommending the adoption of Mr Baker's report on proposed water-race to supply the plains between the Selwyn and Hororata; also)-recommending employment of assistant caretaker for the Hororata race. —lt will be "necessary to appoint presiding officers to .take the poll in the various districts , under the Licensing Act.—The Lincoln Domain Board apply for a granj, of £2s.—The necessary notices have been given of the intention of the Council to alter the boundaries of the Heathcote riding, so as to include the Tai Tapu Road district within it.—The culvert on the Lincoln road has been finished, and a letter, has been received from Mr Torrens, claiming the materials of the old culvert. RAKAIA GORGE BRIDGE. A general opinion was expressed by the members of the Council that the Ashburton and Selwyn County Councils should have the control of the Rakaia Gorge bridge, and it was decided to communicate with the Ashburton Council, asking their opinion on the subject. A discussion took place on the question of fencing and repairing the approach to the bridge, reference being made to the damage done to Mr Philips' land at the side Of the main cutting by boulders having been thrown thereon. It appeared that certain parts of the road were dangerous, and that a waggon with eight horses had gone down one of the cuttings. The matter was finally left in the hands of the Chairman.

BPREYDON DISTRICT. The Hon Ernest Gray waited on the Council in support of a petition, presented at the last meeting of the Council, praying that a portion of the Spreydon district might be annexed to the Halswell district. A petition counter to that supported by Mr Gray had been received at the last meeting, and now a third communication was read from seven ratepayers, whose names appeared on both the former petitions, and who wished their names erased from that against the severance of the district. They alleged that some of them had signed the latter on a tion that it was similar to the first; that others had signed it only to get rid of an importunate collector of signatures, who would not be denied; and that the signatures of two others had not been attached by them or with their consent. The matter was referred to the Eoads Diversion Committee. ANN AT SCHOOL. The Council agreed to the conversion of Eeserve 1347 into a site for a school at Annat. AVON EOAD BOARD. On the motion of Mr Dunlop, seconded by Mr Jones, the sum of .£l5O was granted to the Avon Eoad Board for the maintenance of main roads and bridges. ■' SOUTH MALVERN CEMETERY. Messrs J. Langdale and T. Brown were appointed members of the South Malvern Cemetery Board. POWERS OF COUNTY COUNCILS. "With reference to the letter of the Clutha County Council, it was decided to reply that the Selwyn Council was prepared to co-operate with the County Councils of Canterbury and Otago in promoting an extension of local government. DRAINAGE OP HALSWELL. On the motion of Mr Jones, seconded by Mr Weste'nra, it was resolved —" That Mr Webster's report on the improvement of the drainage of the Halswell district be referred to the Roads Diversion Committee, with power to convene a meeting of the representatives of the various Eoad districts interested in the proposed work, and also that a copy of the Engineer's report be forwarded to the Chairman of the local meeting." DOBBIN'S FORD. A letter complaining of the conduct of the fordsman at Dobbin's Ford was referred to the Eakaia Eoad Board. WATER-RACES. Consideration of the question of a water supply to the district between the rivers Selwyn and Hororata was deferred to allow of further information being obtained on the subject. . The question of the appointment of an assistant caretaker for the Hororata waterrace was referred to the Eakaia Eoad Board, who were also asked to settle the amount of his remuneration. . Mr Westenra said that he had received a letter from Mr Cordy, who was of opinion that the charge for supplying water to leasehold tussock land was excessive. The matter was referred to the Eakaia Eoad Board, for their recommendation thereon. It was decided to request Mr E. Dobson to sink test wells hear the site for the head works of the proposed Waimakariri waterrace, in order to ascertain the probable supply of water to be obtained therefrom. CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. The Finance Committee reported that they could not recommend the Council to take any action in the matter of carrying out the provisions of the Contagious Diseases Act, and suggested that the question should be deferred, pending future legislation on the subject of local government. The report was adopted, and it was decided to send a copy to the Christchurch City Council. LICENSING ACT. The following persons were appointed' Eeturning-Officers to take the poll of ratepayers in their respective districts under the Licensing Act, 1881: —Avon, Mr-N. Ellis j Heathcote, Mr W. T. C. Mills; Lincoln, MrT. M. Martin ; Courtenay, Mr A. J. Francis; Ellesmere, Mr W. G. Lunn 3

Malvern; Mr. R. Colfchart. j; Coleridge, Mr W: Baker. LINCOLN- DOMAIN. The application of the Lineoln Domain Board for a grant of £25 was referred to the Springs Road Board. ALTERATION OF BOUNDARIES. On the motion of Mr F. Jones, seconded by Mr Peryman, a special order was made annexing the Tai Tapu- district to the Heath cote Riding.. IMPORTATION. OB VERMIN. Mr Dunlop moved,, pursuant to notice — "That this Council hears with surprise that a large number of stoats and weasels are about to be imported into this country; that this Council wishes most respectfully but firmly to protest against such destructive vermin being turned loose or allowed to stray in any part of the country ; and that the Government be asked to reconsider the proposal." ~,; The Chairman said that there was no law against the introduction of stoats and weasels, which had been brought in on account of the rabbit pest. Mr Dunlop was afraid that the remedy would be worse than the disease. There was no necessity for stoats and weasels in the Selwyn County, and he was afraid that they would attack lambing ewes and lambs if the rabbits decreased. He thought the Council ought to protest against their being allowed to come into the County. Mr Peryman seconded the motion. Mr M'Millan thought that Mr Dunlop had not iriade sufficient inquiry into the reason for the introduction of these vermin. It had been allowed that the best way to cope with the rabbit pest was to introduce the natural enemies of the rabbits. Mr Dunlop had said that there were few rabbits in the County ; but he knew that some 8000 rabbits had been killed on Sir John Hall's property in about three years. Mr Bullen, of Kaikoura, had proved that he could keep down the rabbits on his run by the use of ferrets. If the latter became a pest, it would be very easy to introduce disease among them and carry them off. The Rabbit Inspector, in his report for 1884, had said that there were waste lands, especially in the Hakateramea distriet, which could only be cleared of rabbits By the introduction of their natural enemies. No inconvenience had been felt from the presence of ferrets on Mr Bullen's run, though they had been there for many years. A Committee of the House of Representatives had reported that the introduction of ferrets had practically placed the solution of the rabbit question within reach. Professional rabbi tters were greater enemies to the ferrets than they were to the rabbits, whose extinction would deprive them of their present means of livelihood. Ruhholders, however, would'far rather have "ferrets on their property than men with guns and packs of dogs/ .' Mr Enys thought that it would-be useless to pass the motion, as the'animals were already introduced, and as ■ the Government would take no notice of it. The motion was then lost on the voices. SMALL BIRDS NUISANCE. On the motion of Mr Dunlop, consideration of the small birds nuisance was deferred.to next meeting. Mr Dunlop laid before the meeting a letter he had received from Mr J. Hinchcliff, of Chaney's Corner, who stated that an eleven acre paddock of barley, which promised a good crop, had been entirely destroyed by the birds, and that in a 20 acre paddock of barley, which promised 50 bushels to the acre, nothing had been left but the straw. The other portion of his crops, amounting to 100 acres, had suffered much less, but he estimated his total loss at over 2300 bushels. accounts. Accounts amounting to £439 2s 3d were passed for payment, and the Council adjourned at 1.15 p.m. ,