GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 328, 11 December 1880, Page 2

GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Ah ordinary meeting of the Council was held to-day at their officers in Messrs Maclean and Stewart’s buildings, thepe being present Messrs Tripp (chairman), Glulee, Wilson, Hardcastle, Sealy, Acton, and Mendelson. MINUTES. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. OPIHI BRIDGE. ' The Chairman stated that during the sitting they should receive plans for the Opihi'Bridge, to be submitted for their consideration. He would contend that they were only sitting as a body, and not as professional men: He considered it would be unwise for them to determine which was the best plan, and that it would be wisest and safest for the country at large if they were to submit them to the General Government, and he felt sure that as it was a public work the Government would only be too happy to offer them the services of a Government engineer. There was more to be considered than a mere painted plan, such as the timber. &c., to be u&ed in its construction. There was another reason also why such a course should be adopted, and that was that two prizes were to be offered for the two best designs, of the value of LIOO and LSO. How were they to determine which was the best design ? He urged that the Council should carry his suggestion out. DOG REGISTRATIONA letter was read from Messrs Ferguson and Mitchell, Dunedin, stating that in view of the Dog Registration Act coming into operationj th j y were preparing books for registering dogs, and were in a pos’tion to manufacture collars with the name of the county engraved theieon. The Secretary stated that he hid not called tor tenders as resolved upon at a previous meeting, as he had ascertained that in advertising for same it would cost Id each on. 500 collars. He had conferred with Mr Acton on the subject who suggested he should see Mr McKeown, sadler, and obtain his prices to be submitted to the meeting. He had done so, and Mr McKeown was prepared to execute the same, in three sizes'at fid, 7d, Bd, and 9d each, in terms of Dog Registration Act, and to alter old badges if necessary. ' After considerable discussion it was decided to accept the offer. BORROWING ROWER OR THE COUNCIL. The Chairman informed the meeting that he had obtained from Messrs White and Jameson,, their legal opinion in writing as to the power of the County Council to borrow money from the Temuka Road Board for the purpose of erecting a bridge over the Qpihi river.

On the letter hems road it wag’ found that under .the circumstances narrated to them the Council had no right to borrow money from the Board without each member rendering themselves personally liable. After some further discussion, Mr Sealy said he was entirely taken by surprise that the m-tter should crop up in its present form. The question of the erecting of the bridge had teen before the bridge Council since had been formed, for about a twelve month. He agreed with Mr Mendelson that the Council did not really borrow the money but rendered themselves liable to pay it at some future time, when they knew what the bridge would actually cost. It was therefore only a waste oi time to go on discussing the subject, and ho would request that the business of the meeting should be proceeded with. The matter then dropped.

DEPUTATIONS.

A deputation from the Temuka Road Board, consisting of Messrs Tajbot (Chairman), Patterson and Quinn, waited on the Council, with plans for the proposed bridge across the Opihi river for the purpose of conferring with that body as to the beet plan to be adopted. After the plans were laid on the table, the council resolved themselves into Committee, all coinciding with the Chairman that they should be submitted to some competent authority. There were in all about thirty plans and occupied a considerable time in going through and commenting upon.

After a lengthened discussion on the plans, it was ultimately. Proposed by Mr Acton, seconded by Mr Hardcastle and carried—“ That a Committee, consisting of Messrs Sealy Mendelson and Clulee, be authorised to meet a Committee of the Temuka Road Board and act on behalf of the Geraldine County Council in selecting a plan for bridging the Opihi river, and call for tenders for the work.”

On the Council resuming, Mr Sealy took the chair.

A few accounts were passed for pay ment.

The Clerk was instructed to advertise that all dogs over the age of six months be registered within fourteen day’s of the Ist January next, On the motion of Mr Hardcastl, seconded by Mr Clnlee, Mr S. Durham was appointed Registrar of Dogs, in addition to the present dog registrars, and that the present registrars be reappointed. The Board then adjourned till the sth January next.