COUNTY COUNCILS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10631, 29 November 1912, Page 4

COUNTY COUNCILS.

MALVERN. The Malvern County Council rae£ on Tuesday, Mr H. A. Knight presiding. The following tenders for metalling were accepted:—Contracts Nos. 1, 5 and 6, J. Hart, Is lOd per yard; No. 4, J. Hart, 2s; Nos. 2 and 9, D. Henry, 2s; Nos. 3, 7 and 8, D. Henry, Is lOd; stone-breaking contracts —No. 1, . J, Walker, 4s 6d per chain; No. 2, J. Walker, 3s 3d; No. 3, A. E. Warren, 3s 3d; No. 5, R. Broomfield, Is Bd. Mr T. Gough wrote in regard to the erection of a private telephone line. It was decided that all such must comply witli the conditions of tho Post and Telegraph Department. The Darfield School Committee applied for the use of land adjoining the school for the purpose of agricultural education. This was granted, the Council being in sympathy with the movement. Reports were received from the water-race caretakers giving the names of persons polluting the water-races. It was decided that prompt action should be taken if this 1 was not discontinued. Tho county overseer's report was considered, and it was decided to have tho newly metalled roads blinded and rolled as soon as conditions were suitable, and to continue tlio protective works at the Kowai intake when the state of the river allowed. It was decided to have repairs to the Grcendale footbridge and the Hawkins bridge at Sheffield proceeded with a.u soon as possible. Owin;; to the Christmas holidays, it was decided to hold tho next meeting on January 7, 1913, and to call tenders for that mooting for cocksfoot cutting on the roads, water-races and Waddington cemetery. It was decided to take proceedings against all owners of unregistered dogs, and to add 10 per cent to all outstanding rates and water charges on December 31. Several gorse notices were authorised to he issued, and accounts amounting to £428 were passed for payment. The half-yearly balance-sheet was laid on the table, the amount of outstanding rates and water charges being considered the only unsatisfactory feature. The annual meeting of the Council was held at noon on the same day, when Mr H. A. flight was re-elected chairman. ASHBURTON. •flie Ashburton County Council met on Wednesday; present—Messrs C. .T. Harper (chairman), J. Lambie. John Studholme, G. Murdoch, W. Morgan. W. J- Dickie, M.P., John Cairns and W. T. Lill. The chairman reported that demands for water charges had been issued, and a sum of £032 2s oxl had been naid into the water supply account. The chairman's action' in instruct ing the by-laws inspector to take

proceedings against a traction engine driver who had taken his engine over a bridge across the Hinds River not intended for traffic was approved. The county engineer reported on the waterraces, and suggested that notice should be sent out to all owners or occupiers requesting them to cut back all growth from the sides and bottom of races before December. The report was adopted. The chairman reported that the training wall put in at the Ashburton traffic bridge had been finished and the work had been done very satisfactorily. The reserves inspector reported that during the recent south-west wind a number of trees were blown down, mostly in the vicinity of water-races. The trees had been cleared away at once to save blockage. The by-laws inspector reported that twelve motor-car drivers and four motor-cycle riders had committed a breach of the Ashburton traffic bridge by-laws by crossing at an excessive speed, and those had been proceeded against. Five Ijawkers' licenses had been issued and two renewed. It was decided that the Council shoukf meet on December 9 at the Hinds, Roxborough, and the Boundary Road river crossing to inspect the 6ites of the proposed new bridges and decide which was the most needful, and tho width and length •of same. The Mount Somers Road Board wrote offering to contribute the sum of £133 6s 8d towards tho cost of erecting a bridge over the Roxborough crossing. It was decided to cover in that portion of tho water-race near the Methven Courthouse as required by the Mount Hutt Road Board, a distance of thirty-four feet, also to pay the whole of the contract money for building the training wall in the Ashburton riverbed, on condition that the contractor indemnified the Council against any claim for damnges that might arise within thirty days. The resignation of Mr D. M'Donald as tho Council's delegate on the Technical Classes Association was accepted, and Mr W. G. Hillier was appointed to fill the vacancy. The usual Christmas holidays were authorised to bo kept by the office staff, and the chairman was appointed to make the necessary arrangements for opening the traininv, walls in the'Ashburton riverbed. A deputation waited on the Council asking that the water-race running through Mr Cameron's property should be extended, which was agreed to. A deputation from Hinds asked that a traffic bridge should be erected over the Hinds River on the Main South Road, and was informed that the Council intended to meet on the ground on December 9 and would then decide whether the bridge proposed could be shortened. A deputation was received from the Tinwald Town Board asking that steps should be taken to reduce the'quantity of flood water in tho Lagmhor Creek. ' The engineer was instructed to inspect the crock arid to report at the next meeting of the Council. Accounts amounting to £741 were passed for payment. GERALDINE. The annual meeting of the Gerakline County Council took place on Wednesday ; present—Mr J. J. Dennistoun (chairman), Colonel Hayhurst, Colonel Mackenzie, Messrs Grant, Armifcago, Flatman and Mulvihill. The chairman reported a credit balance of about £2OOO. Mr Dennistoun was unanimously re-elected chairman of tho Council. Colonel Mackenzie and Mr Grant wero elected to represent the Council on the High School Board.

In illustration of the " dreary Glasgow Sunday,'' a lecturer told this story of the late Mr J. Jj. Tcole. He was leaving his hotel in Glasgow one fine Sunday morning, and tho sun was shining brightly. As he was strolling along George Square a, policeman eyed him suspiciously, and at last approached l and said: "Ye had better tak' care, sir, what ye're doing." "What am I doing?" inquired Toole, and added, with" a merry wink, "Why, I'm not even whistling." "No," replied the Glaswegian, in solemn and reproving Tories; "but ye're lookin' almost as ii' ib v.'ere Monday."