SELWYN COUNTY COUNCIL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6712, 27 November 1889, Page 3

SELWYN COUNTY COUNCIL.

THIS DAY. The ordinary meeting of the Selwyn County Council waß held at. 10.30 a.m. today ; pr caent — Messrs F. Jones (in the chair) , H. W. Peryman, E. Westenra, J. G. Murray, r i. M. Anson, J. Eennie, and W. Donlop. An apology was received for the absence of the Chairman and Mr Boag. chairman's statement. The Chairman stated that the business to be brought before the Council was as follows : — The election of four members of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards ; election of Chairman at the annual meeting to be held at noon. A letter had been received from the Eiccarton Boad Board enclosing accounts for enlarging the culvert at the West belt ; and from the Avon Eoad Bosrd, drawing attention to the encroachment of the Waimakariri on the North road, near White's bridge ; also, a letter from Mr Hickman, enclosing account for coat of repairs to bridge and supervision. A circular and telegram had been received from the Colonial Secretary, relative to postponing, the annual meetings' of County Councils. A report of the inspection on the state of the river Halstrell and tenders for clearing the lower end of the river had been received; also a report from the Inspector of slaughter-houses. A letter had been received from Mr CMalley relative to his lease of the ferry and hotel at the Bealey. , TheJkWaJJoadJtowd.hAd^TOrittsn,ssioJiS-

the Council to resume control of the rivet j Styx and Kapitona creek. Beports from |" Messrs Davies and Wilson on the water- | races, and correspondence thereon, had i heen received. Mr Davies had reported relative to the trespass on plantation reserves. j HOSPITAL AND tJHABITABLE AID BOARDS. I Messrs M'Mi^an, Westenra, Dunlop and Jones were tmanimoußly re-elected the | Council's representatives on the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. INTERVIEWS. Mr Charles Withell waited on the Council, an«i complained that he did not get the proper supply of water from the Malvern raoe, and that other persons whose land was above Ms got more than they needed. The matter was referred to the Waterjcace Committee. Mr O'Malley, lessee of the Bealey Hotel and ford, interviewed the Council, and requested an extension of his lease, on the ground that he wished to make additions to the house. He had already spent about .£3OO in improvements, and his lease had five years to run. The present accommodation he had to offer was" not sufficient for the public. Members of the Council seemed generally in favour of granting Mr O'Malley some extension, and the matter was referred to the Koads Diversion Committee with power to act. Mr G. Taylor saw the Council, and complained that owing to the action of the I overseer of the Waimakariri race in laying I an inch pipe leading to his land the sup- [ ply of water had been so diminished that I lie could not get sufficient, while one of hi 3 l neighbours was allowed to have an abundant supply. The Water-race Committee undertook to I look into the matter. i EOAD BOAKD MATTERS. An account from the Riccarton Eoad Board, for the sum of .£132 2a, the cost of extending the culvert near the Addington saleyards, was received and ordered to be paid, half of the amount to be taken out of the funds allotted to the Eiccarfcon District. | A letter was received from the Avon Eoad Board, calling attention to the encroachment of the Waimakariri on the road near White's Bridge, but the Council decided that the matter was purely one for the Koad Board, and that they could not entertain the application for cost 3or ; repairs thereto. , \ An account from Mr Hickman, for .£lO 13 s, for tyro years' supervision of repairs to White's Bridge, was ordered to be paid. A letter from the Avon Eoad Board, asking the Council to resume control of the River Styz and Kapitone Creek, was referred to the Eoads Diversion Committee. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Council was held at noon, the Clerk, Mr Jameson, presiding. Mr Westenra proposed — " That Mr M'Millan be elected Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year." He thought that all would agree that Mr Millan had discharged the duties of the office in the past most satisfactorily. Mr Dunlop seconded the motion, and endorsed Mr Westenra's remarks. Mr Jones supported the motion, which was carried unanimously. PLANTATIONS. The ordinary meeting of the Council was resumed. Mr Turner, contractor for tree planting on the plantation reserves, waited on the Council and requested that he might bo paid half of the 20 per cent to be held by the Council until the end of the contract, on the payments for planting in 1887 and 1888. He explained that lie had been, put to heavy additional expen3o in consequence of the failure of trees through the dry season. A report from Mr Da vies s bated that 170,5-il trees had been planted, at a cost of .£869 Is 4d, in the two years referred to. It was decided to pay the 10 per cent on | the amount of the contract, as requested. THISTLES. A letter was received from the Lake Coleridge Eoad Board, complaining of tho prevalence of the Californian thistle on Eeservo 247. It was decided to send a copy of the letter to Mr Murray- Aynsley, lessee of the reserve. CLEARING THE HALSWELL. The tender of Mr M. Horgan tor clearing the lower end of the Halawell, for ths sum of ,£2O, was accepted. slaughterhouses. The report of the Inspector of Slaughterhouses, which was of a (satisfactory nature, was received. An application from Mr Lewis for a slaughtering license, at Shirley, was deferred to next meeting. TVAIEE-KACES. A report wa3 read from Mr C. L. Davie3 on the Malvern, Waimakariri and Greendale water-races. He complained that very inadequate fines had been inflicted in certain case 3in which persons had been prosecuted for preventing thoae whose land lay lower down the race from getting water. The condition of the race 3 was satisfactory. Mr Dunlop said that the present system o£ allowing persons, through whose land the races rtn, to clean them was a bad one. Tho Council should undertake the work itself. Mr Jones said that it would not do to ceaso prosecuting persona for breaches of ! the water-race by-lawa merely because lenient tines had been inflicted in some cases. The report was received. Mr Wilson reported that there was considerable trouble in maintaining the new ; racea in the Eakaia district owing to the i difficulty experienced in getting the i various holders of property to properly i maintain the race 3 running through their land. Mr P. Eoberts wrote, complaining that the demands or the Overseer in regard to cleaning out the race were excessive. The letter was referred to the Waterraco Committee. KAKAIA BBIDGE. A letter was read from tho Eailway Commissioners requesting the Council to bear a quarter share of the maintenance of the decking and the bridgekeeper'a i salary at the Eakaia combined railway ' and traffic bridge. Tho amount of this share v/as .£l3l. The letter was referred to the Eoads Diversion Committee to report. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to .£639 5s 3d were passed tor payment. A PBOPOSED LOAN. Mr Anson moved, pursuant to notice— "That thia Council do accede to the prayer of the petitioners of the Malvern water-race district, and take the necessary steps to obtain the consent of the ratepayers to the procuration of a loan of .£4OOO Tinder the provisions of tho Counties Act, for the obtaining of a permanent supply of water from the Waimakariri, near ! the Gorge bridge." He stated that there ! wa3 danger now of the Malvern water-race i system breaking down altogether in a dry, season. The system was carried on at a considerable profit, and the burden entailed by obtaining such a Joan at 6 per cent could be very easily borne. He pointed out that all that his motion contemplated was to get tho opinion of the ratepayers on the eubject. Mr Westenra seconded the motion. Mr Dunlop suggested that a professional man should be employed to check the Overseer's plans and calculations on the matter, in order to give more confidence to those concerned. Mr Anson thougnt that it would be time enough to do that when the consent of the ratepayers to the loan had been obtained. Mr Jones agreed that before the district committed itEelf to the details of the work • some extra professional advice should be taken. He pointed out that the surplus income of the district, added to the caving in the cost of repairs to the present headworka which would be effected if the proposed new works were carried out would about counterbalance the interest on the proposed loan, bo that the Council would probably not be put to any additional expense. The motion was then carried. . Thia^aa.alltne business.