COUNTY COUNCILS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17862, 7 August 1918, Page 11

COUNTY COUNCILS.

PAPARUA. The Paparua County Council met flay; prosent—Mcmts J. Leslie (m the A. Freeman, A. E. Langdale-Hunt, J. A. Henley, T. 0. Morgan, H. Paterson, W. G. Ban drey and G. Shipley. . On the motion of the chairman, ft vote of •ympathy was passed to Mr Ry“» oa death ©i his father. , .i,. It was decided to grant the use of the Council Chambers to tho promotors of tne Copper Trail Trench Comforts Fund. J-ho District Health Officer wrote with reference to drainage matters at Upper Riccarton. lhe matter was referred to Mr Freeman and he clerk to deal with. The condition of the Main South Road was discussed, and it was decided to writ© to tho Tramway Board with regard thereto, pointing out the great fiamago done to the road by the motor The committee appointed to inspect the bridge at Halkett reported that the present structure required replacing, and the clerK was instructed to proceed with the work as Soon as the requisite timber could be pbtainoed. The clerk repeorted on the working of the district as at present constituted, and made » number of suggestions regarding the division of the county into larger ridings. The matter was discussed, and was held over for concrete proposals to be eubmitted. It was decided to call for tenders for shingling Main South Road. A third payment of £385 63 was made to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. ASHLEY. The Ashley County Council met on Thursday; present—Messrs Hugh Ensor (chan? man), Gearing, Hiatt, M’lntosh and Wilson. The Empire war resolution was put to the meeting and carried unanimously. Further cases of roadside trees overshadowing, to as to keep the road wet and frosty were notified, and requests to clear were authorised. The grading of certain roada wan agreed upon, and the clerk waa authorised to hire if the council’s grador was not available. As the last ordinary meeting had not been held, it was deemed advisable to proceed afresh with regard to the rates levy, and tho chairman gave notice to move the striking of the general rate at the next ordinary meeting on September 6. A claim for driving tees was held over, pending an explanation of tbe ciTcumatancGß undsr whioh tho stocK vtotg impounded. Tenders, two at £46 each, wore received for the firewood contract, and after consideration that of Messrs Doyle and Feather was accepted. A tender for the) ploughing contract was held over for further consideration. Tenders were authorised to be called for about 400 cubic yards of boulders for crushing. KAIKOURA. The County Counoil met on Saturday; pre-eentr-Messrs F. J. Monk (chairman), S. Andrew, James Boyd, J. Gilbert, T. Hftrle, A. J. Marshall, C. Pannoll, Renner and G. V. Smith. „ , A petition, signed by Mr F. Emms and seven others, was received asking that the bridge over the upper crossing of Harnett’s Creek, on the Kincaid-Kaiatoa Road, be proceeded with. The engineer stated that the work had been iq hand for some time, but weather condition* *nd flood had delayed matters; the wwr would be expedited ns much as possible. Mr J. Alexander was granted a month’s extension of time on his Puhi Puhi East Road contract, on which he has made good progress, but has beon hindered by slip* in the storm. The East Coast Eettlejjs’ Association wroto thanking the council for attention being given to bridge matters. A ratepayer wrote objecting to being called upon to contribute to the iqost of footpath kerbing on general grounds and ilso because, she alleged, other propertyholders were not charged. It waß stated that under tho by-laws everybody other than the writer of the letter and another ratepayer had paid their share. The Health Department forwarded a list of nine cases of diphtheria in Kaikoura County in June! The Hospital Board advised that the proposed self-contained building for ' infectioue cases at Kaikoura would cost £llOO. The board had voted £6OO for the purpose, and asked whether the council or tho district would contribute anything. It was decided that the council should supplement its vote of £l5O for water supply by £IOO for tho dual purpose. A circular from the Minister of Internal Affairs a3ked whether any monument# In honour of Frenchmen had been erected at any time in Kaikoura. As it is understood that on# was erocted many yoar3 am>, an inquiry was ordered. Tho Minister of Marine wrote stating that ho was obtaining a report on the proposal to provide slip conveniences for motor launches, for which the council asked the Minister for financial ftid.

Tho Minister of Hospitals replied regarding a request for a magisterial inquiry into certain matters, stating that the request to an application fori the appointment of a Royal Commission, which ho was not prepared to grant without further information. He re-urged going to the Canterbury Hospital Board over the matter, failing which specific allegations into which the council desired investigation should be made. The council disagreed with the Minister’s attitude, holding that tho Hospital Board could not make an investigation in tho manner a Magistrate could, but appointed the chairman and Messrs Boyd and Renner * T? m 6U hmit the allegations. lhe Waitomo County Council’s reouest for support regarding Maori representation on County Councile and payment of rates by Natives was endorsed. Road diversion near tne Big Lynton was left to the engineer as also was the improvement of the road to‘the tia!ry farmcountry on He Lynton settlement. Air W. Adair, jun., resigned office as road foreman. He was granted an extra month’s pay as an expression of appreciation of his services for several years. It was decided to ask the Postal Department to provide a letter posting-box at Cooke’s Corner. Kerbing tbe footways on tho Killarney-Torquay-Yart month Street frontages was held in abeyance to see whether tho Postal and Justice Departments would contribute to the cost. Mesdames/S. Andrew and R. T. Pope in* ferviewed the council and asked for a contribution to the Lady Liverpool Trench Comforts Fund. It was decided to giant £25. Notice, of motion to strike a rate of a farthing in the pound for patriotic purposes was Fhs bank eredit was reported as *IOO6. Accounts .amounting to £993 were passed for payment. . Th® oouncil went into committee to consider a letter from the Auditor and Control ler-General • and the audit inspector’s report on the keeping of wharf accounts. The chairman and Messrs Boyd, Marshall and ■^ ne £ appointed a committee to deal with tho matter and report at next meeting.