ASHBURTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4862, 29 November 1883, Page 4

ASHBURTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of the Ashburton County OounoU was held yesterday ; present — Meaars W. O. Walker (Chairman), BuUook, Taylor, Friedlander, M'Jf arlane, J. Jaokson and Lambie. ohaibmah's btatjbmbnt. The Ohairman made his regular statement, whioh inoluded the foUowing items of interest:— The Government had agreed to the payment of the oost of making road to Bakaia Gorge bridge out of speoial fund, and he had called for tenders' for the work. The sum ef £2818 lla 3d had been oolleoted on account of ratea, leaving £115 11b 7d uncollected. Government had informed the Counoil that £1200 is available for river proteotion works, Wakanui district. Mr Winter, member for Aahburton Biding, had forwarded his resignation of hia seat ia the Counoil. BMOUfBBB'S BB7OBT. The Engineer's report was read as follows : — Ashburton-Bangitata Water Supply.— The various raoes fed from bhe South Ashburton river have had a full and regular supply during the month. The Limestone Creek branoh has also been aoting satisfactorily. The floods in the gorge of the South Hinds river oaused some irregularity in the flow of Montalto raoes for three days, and necessitated some cleaning out of shingle at the inlet works, as well as some slight repairs along the terraoes. P race below the railway in Hinds district ie now folly oharged, and the water has reaohed the lower end of it. Tenders will be plaoed before yon to-day for the extension of No. I raoe. Messrs Giles and 00. have defrayed the cost of that portion of the raoe whioh would affect the Chatmoss proporty. Wheatstone Water Supply — The worka for thia aoheme are now nearly finished, and the water oould be turned on aa far down as the flood ohannel at Wheatstone in a few days. The culverts under aaid channel are now being got in. Some of the forda are still unfinished, and the upper portion of Laghmor Creek haa yet to be cleared out, but this would not prevent the fuU supply being let on when the other works are ready to reoeive it. The formation of a small raoe near Waterton township is being prooeeded with, and will be put into operation as aoon as the neceaaary supply is obtained by tho scouring out of the upper portions of the oreek from whioh it is to be derived. Water-supply from Ford's Oreek — Having communicated with Mr Grigg as requested by you, I find he has no ob* jeotions to the scheme desired by the settlers, wbioh would lead off near Mr Bobert Anderson's, so that if the various ownera are prepared to utUise the surplus water from this oreek, there doeß not appear to be any objeotion to their doing so. The normal supply of tbe oreek, however, would only be avaUable, and it would be well thot those interested should be olear as to this point, as a permanent increase of the supply would be expensive. Hinda Biver Improvement — With referenoe to tbe reoent proposal by soma of the proprietora below the raUway to contribute towards a partial improvement of the river near the boundary road, I found, on viaiting the ground, tbat they are not now in favour of doing anything there at present, and Mr Grigg proposes to provide additional waterway for the overflow of the river, or a line of drainage already formed through his property. Ash* burton-Bakaia Water Supply— The continually ohanging state of the North Ashbnrton river and Pudding HiU stream has necessitated olose attention to the headworka during the month, but the Bupply has been very fairly maintained on all the raoes throughout this system. During the month the water has also reaohed the lower ends of Bl and £2 extension raoes. It wiU be neoessary to ereot a small flume of about 60ft in length, in lieu of embank*

ment at crossing of storm- water ohannel in Mr George Gaul's 8.8. 286856.— Me55rs Dunlop and Fumeaux wUI finish their oontraot of race in lower Aoton about the end of next week, and, meantime, a portion of Bl raoe at junotion near Barrhill will be slightly enlarged to give the supply necessary and the addi* tional mileage now being formed. In many oases the queation of maintenance is not reoeiving from owners the oareful attention whioh is neoessary, and during the next month eapecially all requisite improvementa should be made, so that every race may be rendered effioient, and fully available during the harvest. Ashburton Forks Water Supply, — Tenders for this race will be placod before you to-day. The requieito contributions for defraying of half cost have already been provided by owners. Wakanui Flat Water Supply.— ln aocordance with your instructions, I nad the water turned on temporarily from the river for supplying the 25 miles of races in tbis diatriot, pending the settlement of the question of protective works, but, as might have.been expeoted, the fresh in the river about ten days ago interfered with the temporary inlet, so as to out off the supply, and also the new pieoe of raoe formed through Messrs Brown Brothers' land. The drawing out of the water here, in the preaent weak state of the river bank*, is in effeot to render them still weaker, while the maintenance under present oiroumstanoes of waste in river banks would soon equal the original ooat of water soheme for that distriot, and until protective works are authoriaed there wiU be great hazard in re-opening the oonneotion with the river. Bridge, Thompson's Traok— The bridge ib now in progresr, and should be available for traffio by the end of Deoember. The Hooking up of the stormwater ohannel about 30 chains down from this bridge ia still causing considerable damage to the adjoining road and lands. I believe the Upper Ashburton Boad Board are prepared to defray their due share of the cost, if the Counoil carry out the work. Boad Deviation, Bakaia Gorge— Tenders for this work will be plaoed before you to-day. Boundary road, between Mount Hutt and South Bakaia road distriots— As requested, I have prepared seotion of that portion of the road extending from Biver road to floodwater channel, a distanoe of 125 ohains. From the Biver road to Back traok there is a fall of about Bft, and from Baok traok to flood ohannel a fall of about 7ft. It is over the latter length that damage chiefly ariaea to 8.8. 15544, and a regularly graded and oapaoioua side ohannel with orossing to lower side of road at abrupt turn at south-west oorner of B.S. 15522 should give the relief whioh is wanted. Greater portion of the water which crosses the boundary road to the north of Baok traok oould easily be intercepted nt the Biver road, about a mile and a half higher up, where it seems to leave its natural course. ASHBUBTON AND BAKAIA WATBB SUPPLY. Besolved — Bangers' speoial attention be drawn to negleot in maintenance on part of owners during next month, and, whenever cases are reported by thera, the Engineer be instructed to do the work at owner's expense. WAKANUI MAT PBOTBOTION WOBKS. A letter was reoeived from Mr J. Iveas, M.H.B , informing the Counoil that he had communicated with tbe Minister of Publio Works on the subjeot of the river proteotion works, and enolosing Lis reply, whioh stated that £1200 had been granted for the purpose. Besolved— That the Ohairman be instruoted to take neoessary steps, under " Boads and Bridgea Act, 1882," Besolved — That the Ohairman, Messra BuUook, Friedlander and Taylor, be a Committee to confer with Engineer and settlers, ao to the beat means to proteot the diatriot from river enoroaohment. A letter from Mr G. H. Holmes, re water supply, was referred to the Water Supply Committee, with power to aot. On the motion of Mr Friedlander, the resolution pasaed on Oot. 3, re Aahburton Forks Water Snpply, was rescinded, and it was resolved — That the prayer of the petitioners be granted, subject to their contributing half the oost of the work. WATBB BATB. It was moved by Mr Jaokson that a water rate be struok. After some disoussion, an amendment was oarried, appointing the Ohairman, Messrs Jaokson, Friedlander, Lambie, and BuUook, to bring up a report on the subject at next meeting. WAKANUI PBOTHOTIVB WOBKS. Mr D. Wilson and others waited upon the CounoU re the above worka, and, after hearing them, the Ohairman informed them of what had already been done in the matter, and that the OounoU waa of opinion that the water race and protective works must be proceeded with together, asd that steps would be immediately taken with that objeot in view. NBW BOAD DISTBIOT. A deputation from the South Bakaia Boad Board Distriot waited upon the Oounoil for the purpose of presenting a petition from residents in the diatrict, for the division of the existing distriot, and the creation of a new one to be oaUed the Aoton district. Tbe Ohairman informed the deputation that, npon the requisite number of signatures being obtained to a petition with tbat objeot in view, tbe Oouncil bad no power to refuse the request. The deputation then withdrew. It was resolved that the Chairman, Messrs Jackson and Friedlander be appointed a Committee for the purpose of ascertaining if the petition was in order, and to report, BBSIONATION OT MBMBBB. _ A letter was read from Mr H. T. Winter, resigning Lie seat in the Counoil, and expressing regret that the want -of time to attend to the duties oompeUed him to the step. Beoeived, and Beturning-Officer advised to hold election. XONOBBAOS BOAD BOABD. A letter was read from the Ohairman of the Longbeaoh Boad Board, asking the Oounoil to nominate a member to fill an extraordinary vaoanoy on that Board, no nomination having been made after due notice of an eleotion had been given, and recommending Mr Harry G. Boyle, of Lowoliffe, for the offioe. Mr Boyle, on the motion of Mr Friedlander, was appointed to fill the vaoanoy. ASHBUBTON IOBKS BTVBB PBOTBOXION. Mr Sargent waited npon the Conncil re river proteotion in the Aahburton Forka dia* triot. Besolved — That the Engineer and Ohairman see to temporary protective works pointed out by Mr Sargent, and it be a flrst charge on the diatriot. MOOD WATBB. Beaolved, on the motion of Mr F'iedlander — That this OounoU invites the Chairmen of the Mount Hutt, Bakaia, Upper Ashburton and Mount Somers Boad Board districts to meet this Oounoil on Brd January next, to oonsider some general soheme to relieve their several distriots from flood water. MISOBU.ANBOUS. The motion 'of Mr Lambie, standing over from last meeting, re Sunday train from Ohriat* ohuroh, waa negatived en the voioes ; several aocounts were passed for payment ; report of the Methven Drainage Committee was reoeived and adopted | letter from Inspeotor of Slaughterhouses, re application for license from Mr G. Grioe, read, and license granted him, also to Mr H. Knight of Alford Forest ; the day of meeting fsr the Council waa altered to Friday inatead of Wednesday, to commence on Jan. 4, 1884 ; holidays for Christmas from Dac 24, 1883, to Jan. 2, 1884, and Deo. 17, 1883 ; Mr J. Jackson was aopointed a member of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Committee in plaoe of Mr Winter, and Mr Friedlander to Water Supply Committee in plaoe of same gentleman. DOS TAX OOUiBOIOB. A large number of tenders were received for this position, and, after considering them, Mr J. 0. BeU was appointed to fill the offioe.