GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1505, 13 May 1886, Page 3

GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

The, monthly meeting of this Council was held in, the Council's office yesterday. Present —iMessrs' J. Talbot (Chairman), D. Mabkay, W. Balfour, R. H. Pottlethwaita, W, Moody, and R. A. Barker. The mimlfe* of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The ‘(Dhairmaii mflTde a rather lengthy opening statement. With reference to the proposed loan from the Government Life Assurance Association for irrigation purposes, be bad, on the advice of the Council's Solicitor, telegraphed to the solicitor to the Assurance Association askingjf the Council bad complied with all the conditions of the Act except as regards the fault in the voting papers. The reply was to the effect that he (the Chairman) would have to make a statutory declaration ns to the constitution of the Council. , He had written to the Members for the district and alse to chairmen .of County Councils asking their opinion as to the Act being amended, so that County Councils should have full power to make by-laws which would obviate a separate conveyance for every landowner. The letters had beep replied to and the answers would be read at this meeting. As the session was yast commencing he would point out that the Hospital and Charitable Aid Act required amending. He thought the Act should be amended so that the Hospital Beard should appeal to the Road Boards and Town Boards for their quota direct, or else that the Council should have power to recover the amount from them in the event of their refusal to pay. At present they could not recover. He thought the Act making the Council responsible for the construction and maintenance of boundary works requires amending, as the Council received no subsidy on the general rates nor had they power to call on the local bodies interested to pay for their share of the works.. He thought the maximum fes for the registration of dogs, other than sheep dogs, in the County should bo fixed at £l. The small birds’ miissncs required attention. He thought the Council should express the opinion that the Local Bodies and Finance Act was a fair Act, and the Government should be asked to centime It,

The petition from Arowhenua praying that the ConnciLwould offer no objection to the settlement being .proclaimed a Town District was then considered, and on the motion of Mr W, Balfour, seconded by Mr Mackay, it was resolved—“ That in the matter of the petition of the residents of Arowbenna settlement, in the event of no objection being received thereto by this Council from the Temnka Road Board, on or before May 18th, the Chairman to be authorised, to give the consent of the Council to the granting of the petition,” Letters'were read from the Hon., W. Rolleston, Mr W. J. Steward, and Mr J. Ivess, M.B.R.’s, and the Ashburton Connty Council, in answer to th# Chairman’s letter, agreeing with the suggested amendments in the Act in regard to water.-races. , A letter was read from the Ashburton County Council -stating , that the decking of the Upper Rangitata bridge was unsafe and asking the Council to share the animated cost of redecking, viz., £I2OO. —After, a few remarks, it was resolved on the motion of Mr Moody, seconded by Mr Postlethwaite-r“ That this Council agrees to bear their share of re-decking one-third of the Rangitata Bridge, preferring to-postpone the whole expenditure for some time.”

A petition was read from residents of the itaugilata Island drawing attention to tha injury done to-their property by the diverting of the river, and praying for relief,—lt was decided to ask the Kon. Mr Rolleston to bring the matter before Parliament; Thb Chairman said he had learned that a person who bad taken out a secondclass slaughterhouse license bad been killing wholesale.—lt was resolved on the motion of Mr Postleth waits, seconded by Mr Mackay—“ That the Clerk be instructed to prosecute W. Oldfield for breach of the Slaughterhouse Act.” Mr Mackay presented a petition from the Mount Peel district, praying that certain works be carried out by the Council and stating that the Mount Feel Road Board would contribute cne-half the cost, provided that the total amount to be paid by them did not exaeed £69o.—After a short discussion it was resolved, oh the motion of Mr Moody, seconded by Mr Mackay—“ That the bridge asked for by the Mount Peel Road Board over the Booth Opuba River on being guaranteed half cost by that Board be undertaken by tbia Council who (if after applying to the Mackenzie County Council and not receiving an answer to bear half cost) shall take the necessary steps ..under the Public Works Act.” It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Mackay seconded by Mr Balfour— ,l That the proposal to construct a bridge over the Opihi, at the head of Totara Valley, on the following basis be approved of; ‘One third by the. Mount Feel Road Board, one third by the Revels Road Board, and one third by, the Geraldine. County Counciland ‘ that the two Boards be written to with this intimation for their consideration.’ ” Accounts i amounting to £79 6s 101 were passed for payment.