Selwyn County Council.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5550, 23 February 1886, Page 3

Selwyn County Council.

THIS DAY. An ordinary meeting of the Selwyn County Council was held at 10.30 a.m. today ; present — Messrß D. M'Millan (Chairman), J. D. Enys, W. Dunlop, P. Jones, H. W. Peryman, J. Eennie, E. Westenra, and T. H. Anson. chairman's statement. The Chairman, in his statement of business, said that since last meeting the following correspondence had been received: — Letter from the Treasury, advising the payment of £22Q5 7s 6d to the County fund on account of subsidy ; telegram from the Colonial Secretary, in reply to a communication from the Council, stating that steps were being taken to prevent the importation of fruit infected with the Codlin Moth, but that he could not prohibit the importation of fruit from all infected places ; letter from the Commissioner of State Forests, stating that he was prepared to vest in the Council the Plantation .Reserves in the County, as requested, and that the necessary steps were being taken accordingly ; circular from the Wairarapa East County Council, requesting the Council's consideration to a proposed scheme of Local Government and finance ; letter from the Lake Coleridge Road Board, declining to contribute the proportion of the expenditure on Hospitals and Charitable Aid chargeable to their district ; from the Halswell Eoad Board, asking for a grant of .£IOO for drainage works. The Roads Diversion Committee had prepared a report on the subject of drainage into the river Styx. The works authorised at last meeting to open up the road to the Browning's Pass reefs had been put in hand. The Inspector of Slaughter-houses had submitted his monthly report, and two applications for licenses. Letters had been received from the Eakaia Eoad Board and Mr Fountain, relative to water supply on Sir J. Hall's property, and from Messrs Nixon and Lawrence relative to extending the Hororata race aloug the Selwyn and Bealey road. The Ellesmere Eoad Board recommended striking a special rale to meet the expenditure on races in the district. The caretaker had written relative to the supervision of the existing raceß and their extension. The overseer of the Malvern, Greendale and "Waireka races had prepared his monthly report, as had the caretaker of the Waimakariri race. An application had been received for the appointment of fordsman at Dobbin's Ford. Temporary arrangements only were made last month, and Mr Eennie undertook to make enquiries into the matter. LOCAL GOVERNMENT. The Chaiiman said that as soon as the subsidy was paid in, the County had contributed its share to charitable aid and hospitals. The Government were taking all the steps they could to prevent the importation of the Codlin Moth. The Council would be pleased to know that a certain amount of revenue would be yielded from the plantation reserves, and would be available for expenditure in improvements. The circular on Local Government from the Wairarapa County Council was a long one. Mr M'Millan briefly reviewed the salient points, the chief of which was that more attention should be paid to the question of roads and bridges in preference to railways, and that local bodies should be permitted to borrow for these works. The views expressed by the circular, he considered, were not at all adapted to the circumstances of this part of the Colony. It was decided that the Council should form itself into a Committee to consider the circular, and also that received from the Waikato County Council re Charitable Aid, to report at a future time. CHARITABLE AID. It was decided to inform the Lake Coleridge Boad Board that unless the amount due from their district for Charitable Aid purposes were paid, the Council would be obliged to levy a rate on the district immediately. HALSWELL DRAINAGE, On the motion of Mr Peryman, it was agreed to grant a sum of £50 to the Halswell road district for drainage worka. THE EIVKtt BTTX. The Roads Diversion Committee recommended that a special grant of .£25 should be voted to the Avon Eoad Board towards the extra expense of clearing the Styx, and that one-third of such expense should be charged to the Eiccarton District, and twothirds to the Avon District. The report was adopted. WATER RACKS. It was decided to appoint an assistant inspector of the Hororata and Elleßmere water races, and to ask Mr K. Wilson to recommend some ono for the appointment. Messrs Nixon and Lawrence wrote, offering to do the ploughing gratuitously in connection with the extension of the Hororata raco along tho Selwyn and Bealey road. The letters were referred to Mr Wilson for his report. A lotter was read from tho Eakaia Eoad Board, stating that the question of a deficiency in the water-race accounts would ibe considered at their next meeting. The I Board also wished to know if any portion

of Sir John Hall's property waa liable to be rated for water-race purposes. Sir John Hall's manager wrote stating that that gentleman had constructed several miles of race, and had made other provision for water supply, and was therefore independent of the Council's races. The two letters were referred to a Committee of th<9 whole Council for consideration. It was agreed to give the Water Bace Committee power to employ the Council's solicitor in cases brought against persons taking water from the races, the overseer of tho Malvern race having alluded in his report to the difficulties attending proßecutionß of this nature. dobbin's ford. It was decided to appoint Mr G. Bennettß to the position of f ordeman at Dobbin's Ford. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to J82834 12s 6d were passed for payment, and the Council adjourned.