GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1494, 17 April 1886, Page 4

GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Geraldine Council was held on Wednesday. Present—Messrs John Talbot (Chairman), Mackay, Balfour, and Postlefchwaito. 1 The minutes of the last ordinary and of a special meeting were read and confirmed. The Mount Peel Road Board wrote suggesting that clause 5 of the by-law r& weights of loads crossing bridges be amended by the addition of the following words : -“*** in addition lo the cost incurred in repairing the bridge also that, a board be fixed at each end of the bridges setting forth the regulations and penalties. The suggestion was not adopted. A letter was read from the Ashburton County Council, forwarding a copy of their engineer’s report on the state of the decking of the old portion of the Upper Rangitata Bridge, and also an estimate of cost of repairing it. From the report it was shown that the longitudinal bearers and planks of the bridge were in a more or-less decayed condition, and that the ' cost of the new work would he about £ll4o.—Consideration was deferred till next meeting. The (Jleik was inslructed to reply to a letter from the Crown Lands Office, that the Canned did not feel inclined to undertake the management of the Pleasant Point Domain, in the event of the Domain Board resigning. Messrs Lee and Frew attended the meef&g on behalf of the inhabitants of the Arowhenua village settlement, and laid before the Council a petition that the settlement should be formed into a town district, and after the deputation had withdrawn the Couacil decided to forward the petition to the Temuka Road Board for their consideration. Messrs Oldfield, Bracefield, Jonas, and Knott and Scarf, were granted slaughterhouse licenses. Mr,,,Geo. Butler, of Pleasant Point, wrote stating that he was willing to submit the question of compensation, as it affected him in reference to the Seadow n water race, to arbitration, unless the Council could come lo some other terms 'with him.—The Chairman thought this matter could be easily arranged with Mr ■'Butler. A letter was read from Mr W, R. Cameron, Manager of the N.Z. Investment 'and Insurance Association, under date Lunedin, 25th March, referring to the Council’s.proposal to take waler from the * Opihi. river for the purposes of the Seadown water supply, and also to Mr Hay’s -interview with the Council’s engineer as ;'to the terms' upon which a head race ’ ro’ghtr be taken through the Walton Park estate for the purposes of the scheme, and making certain proposals.—lt was decided to dec’ine to accept the terms offered, and the Chairman’s action in •authorising the engineer logo on with the work, and take steps to acquire the land.' under the Public Works Act, was . approved of.—With reference to a loan for carrying out the works, a letter was received from the solicitors to the Government Insurance Department, pointing Out that they could not advise their clients that the investment was a safe ■ one, because there was a serious defect in the voting paper.—The nut'er was left in the hands of the Chairman; he to see , that another poll is taken in accordance with the Act.—The Council's solicitors, Messrs, White and Co., gave it as their opinion that tho Act as it stands is practicably unworkable, and advised that an amendment of the Act be attempted to be obtained from Parliament, to the effect that upon a proclamation by the Governor defining a water race, the right to the water and of entry upon private lands for all proposes in connection with the water-race should vest in the Council, and that full power, control, and properly in tire water-race should pass to that body.—lt was' decided to write lo the Selwyti and Ashburton County Councils on the subject, and get them to unite with tin's Council in bringing the matter before the House next session. It was also resolved to forward to Government the,resolution passed at the meeting at Temuka re w t'er supply for Urari and Kangitata, to the effect that the rate should be struck on the acreage, not on the valu f of the land. The Clerk laid before the meeting the . audited balance-sheet for the past year and half-year.- ' Accounts- amounting to £55 15s 2d were pin-ped for payment. The Council then held a special meeting, and unanimously passed the new by-law, regulating tho crossing of heavy weights, such as traction engines, over tli! Opihi, Waihi, Orari an>l Temuka bridges,