ASHBURTON COUNTY COUNCIL

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXV, Issue 7825, 3 April 1886, Page 6

ASHBURTON COUNTY COUNCIL

The usual monthly meeting of the Ashburton County Council was held on Jb riday; present-Messrs W. C. Walker, M.H.E. Fohairman), E. G. Wright, D. M'Lean, G. W. Leadley. E. S. Coster.

chairman's statement. The Chairman made his usual statement summarising the business to be brought before the Council at this meeting.

engineer’s report. The Engineer’s report was read as follows —Blackford- Eedcliffe road: The contractor has again resumed work on this road and is making fair progress with the earthwork. The contract for the Midge on the Blade Mountain track is in progress, and will, I expect, be finished in a few days. Ashburton Gorge road: As requested by the Council, I shall prepare plans and specifications for a section near btour river and will call for tenders for next meeting of the Council.—l have made a careful examination of the impassable section of the road abutting on the river along the base of Sandy’s Knob, and have prepa.red a separate report, which, I understand, has to be presented to the Mount Somers Eoad Board. — South Eoad: I have had the sites of defective culverts at Tinwald made good. —North Ashburton Bridge, at Digby’s: I have arranged for tho fencing, ■which, win, he completed in a few days.—Bulwark, Wakanni: The small piece of additional tascine work ordered by the Eiver Committee is almost complete.—Ashburton - Eangitata Water Supply : The extension of E race at Coldstream has been completed, and tenders are called for to-day for branch race near Ealing.—l'have arranged the details for the construction of branch race for rural sections 8191, 8192, &c., near Tinwald, and the work may be commenced on the signature of deed of agreement with the ilon John M'Lean.—The ford at Ashton has been adjusted to suit tho water-race previously passing through a Eoad Board culvert, which, through decay, has recently had to be lifted.—The Maintenance Contractor, during the month, has made a considerable improvement on a few miles of the races, but a great deal will require to be done, during his extended term of three months, to render the system of races under his charge really efficient. —Wakanui Fiat Water Supply: A good supply has been available for this district for the last three weeks, but the races are now in such a foul state that considerable overflow and waste_ is taking place both on roads and in fields. I wfMild beg to suggest that these races be tli© first to be shut oft for the half-yearly cleaning, say during this month ; and the overhaul of the general system on the Plains could follow in May, if the Council should to decide. Hitherto many occupiers have complained that they have not received long enough notice, and have not been allowed time enough to overhaul their raci’s propc-rly. While it would not be advisable to shut the races any longer at the time of the summer cleaning, for the winter one the period might, I think, be extended two days with, manifosw advantage, thus allowing five days for purposes of thorough overhaul. When the halfyearly cleaning takes place, I expect the E 9 race can be supplied throughout,- but to provide for the contingency of another dry season, the proposed auxiliary supply from the Eakaia Eiver, or some other, will be indispensable. Further plies ; In accordance with the Council’s request, to report on a scheme which would provide a largely increased supply for that portion of the Ashbnrton-Eakaia Plains represented in a general way by the Upper Ashburton and Wakanui Eoad Districts, I have carefully examined, with this view, the question of a connection between the south branch and the north branch of the A -hburton Eiver. A very favourable route f.r effecting this object is along the ve.-y capacious gully or natural watereouvse, originating in the Alford property, and terminating in the North Ashburton river bed, opposite rural section 21942. It would connect with the South Ashburton a s .or t distance bel ow the point where Taylor s stream joins that river; and the cost of work which would be necessary for a flow of 35,000 gallons a minute would, in my onhiion, not exceed £4OO, including the of bridge of 15ft span for Forks road, in lieu of present 2ft culvert. To that sum would probably have to be added the cost or several crossings for sheep, and some fencing also, as without these, I believe, lii” proprietors would object to any large tmuplv being conveyed by that route. The <'i-:h«ork would almost entirely be con».o the first mile adjoining the inlet, ts’.vr r.hc remaining four miles scarcely anyf; :n -t would require to be done. An r’■■..-native scheme would consist in con- /■ p.g the water-course just described wi n the Alford creek, which is supplied ■ft -xn Taylor’s stream, above Buccleugh ■. -■sing, and enlarging Alford creek all wav down. This, however, would be a r- ,r ( . expensive scheme than the other, and h-wldes, the minimum supply from Taylor’s s'. - <am would not be sufficient for the re-’-c<i purpose. By adopting the first .n nlso, the present supply in the upper v e-tion of the creek could be utilised . :,';y for purposes of water supply or •merwiee, as occasion might arise. The ■; ■ ■ - other point almost from which a supple- ; ritarv supply could be obtained isatapoint half a-mile north of Green’s crossing.

■!. ‘ i; bng into the north branch near Winch-T'-’s crossing. There the river is narr '7V3fc if for fluming purposes; but the ■- ver encroachments in both rivers in that ; ■■-.’a-lity are such as would render the works ’. r r*v ri-ky. The works of connecting the ■ ■ ~-o r3 simply T estimate at .£750, exclusive ‘ .<1 compensation and accommodation - r V-,. The fluming of the north branch iiu h would be hardly feasible) I estimate . ■ S'.’ iOO. For purposes of increased sup- ■- /, h main, containing 15,000 gallons a nute, could be then led out below Winchre, end a corresponding quantity would mtable for supply of Wakanui Creek • ifield district, which supply could 1 V;. ot up, even with a recurrence of d;ought such as was experienced this year. ■ I': ,,ve not had time to revise fully the ■.] scheme, but hope to do so this and more especially with relation tin' questions brought up by the Irriga- • ■ c Committee. Ashburton Traffic ’ - .-(Ve : All the works being satisfactorily ■ -.uoieted, the bridge, as you are aware, 'opened for public traffic on Tuesday The question of fencing railway re- ■ at approaches, which was postponed • last meeting, will fall to he considered .-•.I ’.y. It seems more necessary at the r irt.li approach than at the other, as at the ..-u;er a wide space, leading to the river,is I -ft open. CHARITABLE AID. The Chairman suggested that this was Hus best time to deal with the charitable utl question. He took exception to the h ,iur at which the United Board met, , bich- practically prevented the County inbers from attending, with the hope of ; king part in the business. Mr Wright was of opinion that the Cl; mutable Aid Board ought to be divided. TK war not advisable io have the large County of Ashburton tacked on to North Canterbury. The Board was altogether ■ ■ i cumbrous a machine. He rather took ■ . cption to the system of rating, which, b “ felt, would he more Just if worked on a P 'eolation basis. It had been contended by' those representing large cities that ponlation tended to those cities. He did not deny that, but Ashburton was also g • ting to be a large town, and no small p-.rtion of the ne’er-do-well population drifted towards it. Besides, they had a peripatetic army who came into the country every summer ostensibly to look for work, but they only made these Journeys—well, for the sake of their health. This army yas a costly one to the farmers, and a gentleman had told him that he had annually to bear expenses in feeding, &c..

that army not far short of <£loo. . Ho himself had quite as large an expenditure in supporting those peripatetics, and the time had come, in their own interest, that the farmers of Ashburton should demand a separation from the Board of North Canterbury. By such a separation the legitimate share of the burden of charitable aid that ought to be borne by the County would be borne, as well as the burden c£ relieving the floating population. But at present they were asked to pay mote than their share. He would move—“ That application be made to the Government to amend the Hospitals and Charitable Aid Act of 1885, so as to provide for the separation of the County of Ashburton for charitable aid purposes from the remainder of the North Canterbury charitable aid district ; inasmuch as the present connection is found, by the experience of the last six months, to be unfairly oppressive to the County, and also because this County is practically precluded from taking part in the conduct of the business of the United Board.”

Mr E. S. Coster seconded. Mr M'Lean was quite with Mr Wright’s proposals. He believed it cost the estate he represented quite £l5O a year in the relief of travellers of the ki&d Mr Wright referred to. Mr Leadley was also in favour of Mr Wright’s proposal. The Chairman spoke very _ strongly against the existing state of affairs in connection with the United Board. He did not wish to say one word against any action of the United Board, but he desired to point out that owing to the difficulty the country members had in attending its meetings, they were virtually outside of it altogether. He regretted the disturbance that had arisen in connection with the Orphanage question, for the reason that, though, from beginning to end of it, the Ashburton members could not possibly have had anything to do with it, yet, as they belonged to the United Board, they could not avoid being, in a sense, involved in it. The affair was to be regretted because it was certain to entail in the public mind a loss of confidence in the Board. He referred to the subject, not with the object of expressing disapproval of what the Board had done, but simply to point out the false position in which country members were placed with reference to actions of grave responsibility. , Mr Wright would add that though, certainly, a number of the poorer population gravitated to the towns for work, yet a large number of the more wealthy people also gravitated towards the towns for the sake of better education for their children, and increased facilities for social intercourse and recreation, so that while we lost the very poor, we also lost the wealthy, and the towns received both. The motion was carried. IRRIGATION. The question of auxiliary supplies to water-races was referred to the Irrigation Committee, and consideration of the Engineer’s report on the same was postponed until the Irrigation Committee had reported. RACE CLEANING. Mr Leadley’s motion was carried —“ That the half-yearly cleaning of water-races take place in the first week in May, and the last week in September.” It was also decided not to shut off the water during the progress of the cleaning. At the same time discretion was given to the Engineer to shut off the water for the purpose of cleaning the main channels, provided, always, that a week’s notice he given of his intention to shut off the water. MAIN ROAD. The Committee appointed to consider the question of a main road through the Tinwald Town' District, reported that the Council’s solicitor had been consulted on the matter of liability, which, in his opinion, seemed involved in some uncertainty. The Committee recommended a further postponement of the question which, meanwhile, should be referred to the Attorney-General, at the same time asking for a more accurate definition of the road in question than was given by the County map previously submitted to the Survey Office. The Engineer had been instructed to render safe all dangerous places on the road without prejudice to the points involved, copies of the Committee’s report to be sent to the Tinwald Town Board. • The report was adopted. WAKANUI MILL. The Committee appointed to deal with Mr Protheroe’s application for a supply of water for Wakanui flour mill, reported. They recommended allowing Mr Protheroe to dam up the water in the small creek flowing past the intake of the Wakanui mill race, and to make use of the water in the said creek, or branch of the river, for driving the Wakanui mill, provided that no works shall be undertaken by Mr Protheroe to increase the volume of water in the said creek without written authority from the Council; neither should the Council be held pledged in any way to maintain the supply now flawing, nor be barred, if need be, from shutting off the supply entirely. A petition from 20 farmers in the district prayed that no water be allowed to be taken from the river. The report of the Committee was adopted, and copies of it ordered to be sent to the petitioners. ACCOUNTS. The usual accounts were passed for payment. CHARITABLE AID FUNDS. The sum of £836 los, the amount of the County’s contribution to charitable aid, was passed. FORDS. The Engineer was instructed to see to the condition of certain fords in the Eangitata district, as to which the Eoad Board wrote. BOUNDABT EOAD. It was decided to ask the Coldstream and Eangitata Eoad Boards to attend the Council’s meeting on 17th April, with a view to settling the question of control of, and liability for, that portion of the Mam South road hounding the Coldstream district. DEPUTATION. Mr Corbett attended, and complained to the Council that the intended race for the Wakanui Mill would seriously injure his property. It was decided that Mr Leadley and the Engineer visit the creek, inspect and report at next meeting. AMUBI COUNTY COUNCIL. The Amuri County Council wrote asking for the services of the Engineer in the matter of water supply. The Clerk was instructed to reply that Mr Baxter could not be spared until the end of the month. SLAUGHTER-HOUSES. Several slaughter-house licenses were granted. DOGS. It was decided to prosecute the owners of all dogs unregistered after April 17. HOLIDAYS. The usual Easter holidays having been fixed, the Council adjourned. The food of Burmese peasants includes almost all kinds of reptiles, the grub of a ball-rolling beetle, a kind of ant which constructs nests of leaves in treetops (eaten in curries), and hill rats. The last-named exist in such hordes that their consumption is almost a necessity to prevent the rats from eating the Burmese. An extensive strike among the cab drivers of Naples lately occurred, and caused much inconvenience. Acts of violence against the drivers of the few vehicles who ventured out were of daily occurrence. For the convenience of strangers arriving at Naples the authorities provided ten carriages at the station, which were strongly guarded by 1 police.