GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2412, 9 December 1880, Page 2

GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

An ordinary meeting of the above, took place to-day. Present: Messrs G. C. Tripp (chairman,) Hardcastle, Wilson, Clulee, Sealy, Acton, andMcndelson. PLANS FOR TfiE OPIHI BRIDGE. The chairman in opening the proceedings said that he believed that this was the day on which they had to inspect plans for the Opihi bridge.- As they were not professionals he w,quld recommend that they communicate witli the Government, with a view to secure the services of the Government engineer, who would doubtless recommend one of the plans, for the acceptance of the Council. This would be n better plan, he thought than that the Council should attempt themselves to decide on the matter. A QUESTION. The Chairman said that he had been desirous of ascertaining whether a Road Board was able to lend money to the Council. They were about to erect a bridge over the Opihi and they had only £4OOO to do it with. The Temuka Road Board might assist them and it was with the object of ascertaining whether it could do so legally that lie had written to Messrs White and Jameson for their opinion as to whether a Road Board had the power to lend the Council money. The reply received from Messrs White and Jameson was read and the opinion therein conveyed was adverse to the borrowing of money by the Council under the circumstances indicated, Mr Mendelson suggested that they should meet the difficulty by getting the Temuka Board to construct the bridge, the Council guaranteeing the Board for so doing, less the Board’s own share of the work.

The Chairman thought that they should not attempt to act against the advice of their solicitors.

Mr Mendelson replied that he was not proposing to do anything of that kind. What he proposed was quite a different matter.

Messrs Sealey and Acton were of Mr Mendelson’s way of thinking. Mr Sealey here suggested that the discussion should be postponed until after the examination of the plans <fec., for the proposed bridge. The plans were then examined, in committee. On business being resumed, a long discussion ensued rc the proposed bridge. Finally, Mr Acton moved—“ That a committee consisting of Messrs Clulee, Mendelson, and Sealy be appointed to meet the Ternnka Road Board to select a plan for bridging the Opilii river, and to call for tenders for the work.” The motion was seconded by Mr Hardcastle and carried. CORRESPONDENCE Several letters were held over for consideration at next meeting. DOG REGISTRARS. Dog registrars were appointed for the county of Geraldine for the ensuing year, Remuneration ten per cent on amounts collected. ADJOURNMENT. Several accounts were passed for payment, and the Council adjourned to January 5.