SELWYN COUNTY COUNCIL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4861, 28 November 1883, Page 3

SELWYN COUNTY COUNCIL.

An ordinary meeting of tbe Selwyn Oounty Oounoil waa held this morning ; present— Mr H. J. Mathias (in the ohair), Messrs H. W. Peryman, W. Dunlop, D. M'Millan, F. Jones, and B. Westenra. APOLOGY. An apology for absence was made for Mr B. J. Lee and Mr Bruce. OHAIBMAN'S STATBUBNT. The Ohairman made the following statement :— Otira Toll-gate.— As agreed upon atthe last meeting, the Government were communicated with as to the removal of the toll-gate at Otira Gorge, and a reply has been received, stating that the Government is ! advised that it has no authority to direct the I removal of the gate. Beaerve 161, on the Port Hills.— The Heathcote Boad Board having nominated the Ohairman as an ex officio member of the proposed Domain Board, the whole of the namea have now been submitted to the Government for appointment, and it has been deoided to adopt the name of 'The Cashmere Hills Beoreation Beserve ' as the name of the reserve. Tai Tapu District Separation. — I have received a letter from the promoters of the movement for separation from the Akaroa Oounty, and annexation to the Selwyn Oounty, asking the Council to endeavour to postpone the proposed raising of a loan by the Akaroa Oounty until the question of separation is disposed of. Boad Diversions, Bakaia Distriot. — An application for stoppage of roads has been received from the Bakaia Boad Board, and the Standing Oommittee have prepared a report recommending the Oounoil to approve of the proposed stoppage. Applications for Grants. — The Oommittee appointed at the last meeting to oonsider applications for grants have reported on the* applications plaoed before them. The following additional applications have been sent in since last meeting, viz., Linooln Boad Board, for grant in aid of new bridge over the Halswell; and Heathcote Boad Board, for rebuilding and repairing bridges, drainage, and other works. Ihe latter application was received after the last meeting of the Oommittee, and is not inoluded in their recommendations. A deputation from the Board propose to wait on the Oouncil today. Malvern Water-race.— The oaretaker's monthly report will be laid before you. Ihe race has not yet been proclaimed under tho Act of last session. As soon as this is done steps can be taken to make a speoial order constituting tbe district, as tbere are already sufficient signatures to the petition. Hororata Water Bace.— The negotiations in reference to the land required for No. 2 race have now been completed, and the works will be commenced immediately. Inspector of

Slaughter-houses.— The monthly report of the Inipeotor will be laid before you. Lamps on Bicoarton _ Bead.— Correspondence between the Council, the Biooarton Boad Board, and the Gas Oompany on tbis subjeot will be plaoed on the table for your consideration. Dog Eegistration.— At the end of last year the Oounoil determined to try the experiment of plaoing the registration of dogs for this year in the hands of the Boad Boards, giving them half the fees. A return has been prepared showing the number of dogs registered eaoh year aince 1878. It will be for the Oounoil to deoide whether the arrangement is to be oontinued for the ensuing year. Annual Meeting.— The annual meeting of the Oounoil ia to take plaoe to-day at noon. — OTIBA TOLL OATB. Mr M'Millan pointed out that the Otira road waa a County road, and could be stopped by the OoHnoiL. Ihe Seoretary read a telegram from the Chairman of the Weatland County Oounoil (Mr M'Whirter), atating that the toll gate was within that County. Ihe Oouncil deferred aotion in the matter. OASHKBBB HILIB BXOBBATION BBSBBVB. No aotion was taken with referenoe to this subjeot. tai TAru. Ihe Oounoil resolved to defer aotion in support of the views of the memorialists from this distriot, until after the meeting of the Akarea Oonnty Oounoil. BAKAIA. Ihe recommendations of the Standing Committee as to the stoppage of certain roads within the Bakaia Boad District were approved. HBATHCOTB BOAS BOABD. Applications for grants amounting to £1600 were read from the Heathcote Boad Board, and a deputation from the Board waited en the Oouncil. Ihe deputation, consisting of Messrs Dryden, B. Allan and Marsden, urged speoially the necessity for renewing the Opawa bridge, and for drainage in the Hillsborough distrist lying outside the Drainage Board's area. Ihe Beveral members of the deputation explained by reference to planß the partioular works required. Mr Allan contended that the works clearly belonged to the County Council, as no other body oould de them. Ihe deputation also applied for grants for the maintenance of the Ferry road, and the maintenance and widening of the New Brighton road. * Ihe Ohairman said that the Council were about to reoeive a report from a Committee appointed to consider the applications for grants, and the applications from the Heath* cote district would be referred to the same Committee. Mr Drjden hoped the Counoil would remember the claims of the outside districts to a prafaranoe over the Town districts. Ihe Ohairman thought ths Counoil would not overlook this. lhe deputation then withdrew. ftBANCS. The report of the Committee on the applications for grants waa read aa follows : — " Ihe Standing Oommittee appointed to consider applications for grants from the amounts allocated to the several ridings from the Oounty funda, beg to submit statements wbioh they have had prepared showing the proportion in whith the several amounta at the oredit of the ridings should be subdivided among the diatriots comprised within them. Ihey beg further to submit their recommendations on the various claims that have come before them, viz, : Avon riding. — Avon Boad Board for dsstruotien of small birds, £10. Ihe Committtee consider this a Boad Board work, and reoommend that application be not entertained. Olearing Capitone Creek, £57 10s. Beoommended, on condition that residents contribute similar amennt. Biccarton Boad Board. — Maintenance of main roads, £250. Committee reoommend a grant of £125 \ Heathoote riding. — Sumner Town Board : Ibe amount to the oredit of the Sumner Town dietriot is £8 14s, whioh the Oommittee recommends should be granted for works on the main road. Linwood Town Board.— £soo for re- grading Gloucester and Worcoster streets. The Oommittee do not oonsider this a Oounty work, and oannot reoommend the Oounoil to entertain application. ' Halswell Boad Board. — Olearing Halswell, £100. The Committee reoommend that a grant of £40 be made. Lincoln Biding.— Linooln Boad Board, new bridge over Halswell, at Tai Tapu. The Oommittee recommends a grant of £50. Prebbleton Domain Board. — The Oommittee recommends grant of £5. Prebbleton Cemetery Board.— The Committee recommends grant ef £5. Sprißga Boad Board, Drainage, £100. — The Committee reoommonds grant of £60. Malvern Biding.— Coalgate Domain Board : There being no funds at the oredit of this Biding, the Committee is unable to recommend that application be entertained. Ohristohuroh Domain Board. — For bridge in the Domain. Ike Committee does not consider this a work in whioh the Oounty funds should be expended. Ohriatohuroh Cemetery Beard, for repairing fenoes, fee — The Committee is not prepared to make any recommendation on the appUoation, but refers it to the Oouncil. Ihe Oommittee further recommends that as a large portion of the Oounty funds is on fixed deposit, the abeve grants, if approved, exoept the grant of £50 for the Halswell bridge, be made payable at the January meeting, by which time one of the deposits will have matured." Mr F. Jones stated that the Oommittee had borne in mind the necessities of the Heath* oote distriot, and the deputation from Heathcote had brought forward nothing new. The Oommittee recommended what oould not be negleoted in the other districts, but their recommendations did not exhaust the funds allocated. Mr Westenra moved — "Ihat the recommendations of tho Oommittee be adopted." Mr F. Jones seconded the motion, whioh was oarried. Ihe additional applications were referred to the Oommittee to report upon. It was resolved that the money allocated, bb recommended, should be paid in January, with the exoeption of the £50 granted for the Tai Tapu bridge. HAXVBBN WATBB BAOB. The Caretaker's report was laid on the table, as also several letters. HOBOBATA WATEB BACB. Oorrespondenoe with respeot to this was read. Mr Westenra reported that the new raoe was improving, and the water was gradually ooming down. inspbotob's bbpobt. The report of the Inspootor of Slaughterhouses was read and considered satisfactory. LAMPS ON THB BIOOABTON BOAD. Correspondence on this subjeot was read, the Gas Oompany explaining the terms of the agreement made with the Ohairman of the Bicoarton Boad Board. The Oounoil had been under the impression that the oharge would be £8 10a per lamp, as oharged to other publio bodies, but the epeoial agreement with Mr H. J. Hall was £10. It was resolved to pay £8 10s per lamp, leaving the Biooarton Boad Board to make up the difference. ANNUAL HBBTIXO. It being now twelve o'clook, the annual meeting was held. Mr B. Westenra understood, with regret, that ill-health prevented Mr E. J. Lee from continuing as Ohairman. He would therefore propose—" That Mr Mathias be Ohairman for the ensuing year." Mr H. W. Peryman seoonded the motion, as he believed Mr Lee wished to be relieved. Ihe motion was agreed to unanimously. Mr Mathias thanked the Counoil for the compliment paid him. He would have liked to have seen Mr Lee oarry on the work during the next twelve months. He would try to do his best and would give the time necessary for the disohargo of hia dutiea, though he felt it would be hard to equal those who had preceded him. Mr F. Jones proposed a vote of thanks to the late Ohairman, for the careful way he had attended te the business of the Council. He trusted that Mr Lee's health would speedily be restored. Mr Dunlop seoonded the motion, which was heartily agreed to, and it waa resolved to send a oopy of the resolution to Mr Lee. SOO BHfiHSTBATION. Ihe returns of the dog registration were laid on the table. Ihey were not quite oom* plete, but showed that laet year 2956 were registered, and this year 3112. Mr Dunlop pointed out that St Albanß and the town district registered a large number of dogs. After some disoussion, the Oounoil decided to continue for another year the arrange* ment with the Boad Boards. Mr Westenra urged that the Boards and Councils should oombine to have the Act amended. At present the Act was 00 defec*

tive that people could snap their fingers at the authorities. woolston liobnbb pbbb. The Woolston Town Board wrote, refusing to give an indemnity, as adviaed by the Oounoil'a aolioitor, with reference to the £30 licenae feea paid within the distriot. Ihe Oounoil resolved to' write to the Town Board that if the indemnity were not given before Deo. 6, fees would be returned to the lioenaeoa. ACCOUNTS. Acoounts, to the amount of £359, were passed for payment. Ihe Council, having resolved to hold the next meeting on Thursday, Deo. 27, adjourned.