COUNTY COUNCILS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 882, 7 December 1916, Page 9

COUNTY COUNCILS.

ELLESMERE. The monthly meeting of the Ellesmere County Council at Leeston was attended by Messrs Cunningham (chairman), T. Ai. Stephens, J. J. Stony, J. C. Free, P. J. Lemon, and James Quiglqy.

The Chief Government Electrical Engineer for Canterbury informed the council that his representative, Mr Davis, would meet the council to go fully into matters connected with the supply of electricity to residents of the county.

Mr J; E. Temple, electrical engineer, who recently prepared a report for the council, also wrote, stating that he would be willing to meet the Southbridge Town Board to explain various points in his report. The clerk was instructed to reply suggesting that both gentlemen should meet the council and the town board on December 21.

The Springs County Council protested against the Ellesmere Council's contractor taking shingle from the Springs side of the Selwyn River, contrary to a long standing agreement between the two bodies. The clerk was directed to explain that it was intended to ask for permission, but that the matter had been overlooked.

In response to a request from Sir James Wilson, president of the Council of Agriculture, for a list of what the council considered the six worst noxious weeds in the county, the following list was drawn up:—Calif ornian thistle, wild turnip, wil-d oats, blackberry, fat lien, and English twitch. The council, however, expressed a wish that the eradication of weeds, with the exception of Californian thistle and blackberry, should not be made compulsory. In view of the department's decision to fix a speed limit for motor vehicles crossing combined road and railway bridges, the District Engineer of Kailways asked if the council had any bylaws; governing the speed of motor vehicles. The clerk was instructed to reply in the negative. Mr J. W. K. Lawrence made application on behalf of himself and several other Ghristchureh gentlemen, asking permission lo fence their hut site on the council's reserve at the Rakaia mouth. The matter was left in the hands of Messrs Stony and Free to inspect and report. The clerk reported that on receipt of a letter from the Public Health Inspector regarding a bad smell in Doyleston, he. had given 48 hours' notice for the nuisance to he abated. An improvement had been effected, but he was not yet satisfied. The council approved of the clerk's action, and instructed him to take further steps to have the nuisance effectively dealt with.

An application for a water-race extension from Messrs A. C. Greenwood and A. J. Inwood was referred to the Soutlibridge riding members.

Dr Withers interviewed the council, and urged that motor culverts should be constructed over a number of races on the Southbridge-Dunsandel Road. lie also stated that considerable dissatisfaction existed with regard to the reply given by the Minister of Public Works to the council's application for the extension of the electrical line, to the Ellcsmero County, in view of the fact that the Christchurch City Council was asking authority to borrow £(50,000 for extending its scheme. The chairman replied that the council had already decided to put in culverts over the Dunsandel Road, but had been making inquiries with a view to the most suitable type of pipes for the purpose. A number of Hi-inch concrete pipes, cut in two, had been procured, and a trial would be made as soon as possible. With regard to the electrical scheme, he understood that the difficulty at present was that the Lake Coleridge plant was working up to its full capacity, and that the department could not supply further current until fresh machinery arrived. However, matters would be fully discussed when the Government engineer visited the district.

In response to a petition signed by several ratepayers, it was decided io make an extension of channelling on Station Street, Leeston. The tender of Mr P. B. Clausen was accepted for the supply of dog collars, and it was decided to invite tenders for the sinking of several wells for lire purposes.

Mr J. Cunningham was nnanimouslv re-elected chairman.