SELWYN COUNTY COUNCIL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXV, Issue 7792, 24 February 1886, Page 6

SELWYN COUNTY COUNCIL.

An ordinary meeting of the Selwyn County Council was held at 10.30 a.m. yesterday ; present Messrs D. M'Millan (Chairman), J. D. Enys, W. Dunlop, F; Jones, H. W. Peryman, J. Eennie, E. Westenra and T. H. Anson. CHAIEMAN’S STATEMENT.

The Chairman, ia his statement of business, said that since last meeting the following correspondence had been received:—Letter from the Treasury, advising the payment of .£2265 7s 6d to the County fund on account of subsidy; telegram from the Colonial Secretary, in reply to a communication from the Council, stating that steps were being taken to prevent the importation of fruit infected with the Codlin Moth, but that he could not prohibit the importation of fruit from all infected places ; letter from the Commissioner of State Forests, stating that he was prepared to vest in the Council the Plantation Eeserves in the County, as requested, and that the necessary steps were being taken accordingly ; circular from the Wairarapa Bast County Council, requesting the Council’s consideration to a proposed scheme of Local Government and finance j letter from the Lake Coleridge Eoad Board, declining te contribute the proportion of the expenditure on Hospitals and Charitable Aid chargeable to their district ; from the Halswell Eoad Board, asking for a grant of .£IOO for drainage works. TheEoads Diversion Committee had prepared a report on the subject of drainage into the river Styx. The works authorised at last meeting to open up the road to the Browning’s Pass reefs had been put in hand. The Inspector of Slaughter-houses had submitted his monthly report, and two applications for licenses. Letters had been received from the Eakaia Eoad Board and Mr Fountain, relative to water supply on Sir J. Hall’s property, and from Messrs Nixon and Lawrence relative to extending the Hororata race along the Selwyn and Bealeyroad. The Ellesmere Eoad Board recommended striking a special rate to meet the expenditure on races in the district. The caretaker had written relative to the supervision of the existing races and their extension. The overseer of the Malvern, Greendale and Waireka races had prepared his monthly report, as had the caretaker of the Waimakariri race. An application had been received for the appointment of fordsman at Dobbin’s Ford. Temporary arrangements only were made last month, and Mr Eennie undertook to make enquiries into the matter. LOCAL GOVERNMENT. The Chairman said that as soon as the subsidy was paid in, the County had contributed its share to charitable aid and hospitals. The Government were taking all the steps they could to prevent the importation of the Codlin Moth. The Council would be pleased to know that a certain amount of revenue would be yielded from the plantation reserves, and would be available for expenditure ia improvements. The circular on Local Government from the Wairarapa County Council was a long one. The views expressed by the circular, he considered, were not at all adapted to the circumstances of this part of the Colony. It was decided that the Council should form itself into a Committee to consider the circular, and also that received from the Waikato County Council re Charitable Aid, to report at a future time. CHARITABLE AID. It was decided to inform the Lake Coleridge Eoad Board that unless the amount due from their district for Charitable Aid purposes were paid, the Council would be obliged to levy a rate on the district immediately. HALSWELL DRAINAGE. On the motion of Mr Peryman, it was agreed to grant a sum of .£SO to the Halswell road district for drainage works. THE RIVER STYX. The Eoads Diversion Committee recommended that a special grant of J 025 should be voted to the Avon Eoad Board towards the extra expense of clearing the Styx, and that one-third of such expense should be charged to the Eiccarton District, and twothirds to the Avon District. The report was adopted. WATER RACES. It was decided to appoint an assistant inspector of the Hororata and Ellesmere water races, and to ask Mr K. Wilson to recommend some one for the appointment. Messrs Nixon and Lawrence wrote, offering to do the ploughing gratuitously in connection with the extension of the Hororata race along the Selwyn and Bealey road. The letters were referred to Mr Wilson for his report. A letter was read from the Eakaia Eoad Board, stating that the question of a deficiency in the water-race accounts would be considered at their next meeting. The Board also wished to know if any portion of Sir John Hall’s property was liable to be rated for water-race purposes. Sir John Hall’s manager wrote stating that that gentleman had constructed several miles of race, and had made other provision for water supply, and was therefore independent of the Council’s races. The two letters were referred to a Committee of the whole Council for tion. It was agreed to give the Water Eace Committee power to employ the Council’s solicitor in cases brought against persons taking water from the races, the overseer of the Malvern race having alluded in his report to the difficulties attending prosecutions of this nature. dobbin’s ford. It was decided to appoint Mr G. Bennetts to the position of fordsman at Dobbin’s Ford. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to JE2834 12s 6d were passed for payment, and the Council adjourned.