GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL

Temuka Leader, Issue 1544, 12 August 1886, Page 3

GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL

The monthly meeting of the Geraldine County Council wia held yesterday, there bein«; present Messrs J. Talbot (Chairman), B. Maoksy, W. Balfour, W. Moody, R. H. Poitleth waite and B. A. Barker. correspondence. The following oorreipondenoe wa* read and dealt with From the Mount Peel Road Board, for* warding £IOB 17* 8d a* their contribution toward* the hoipital and charitable aid. The letter added that tbe Board would not contribute £3OO toward* the bridge propoaed to be erected over the Opihi but would adhere to their former deoiiion on the matter. From the Property Tax Department forwarding £ll4 Oi 24, a* subsidy on rate* collected by the Geraldine and Temuka Boad Board*. From Ashburton County Council acknowledging the receipt of the congratulations of the Geraldine Council Council on the former’* irrigation icheme, and forwarding twenty-four extra oopie*, a* requested. Tbe Clerk* to the Temuka, Mount Psel, and Geraldine Boad Board* wrote stating the amount of rate* collected for their respective district* for the year ending March 31st, 1888. SLAUetGTBBHOUSE ZIOSNIBB. Slaughterhouse licenses were granted to Meisre O. W. Gimson and J. T. M. Hayhurst. IBBI9ATION. The Chairman read a quantity of correspondence re the land to be taken for the Ssadown Water-race scheme, from which it appeared that the Few Zealand Mortgage Company were the only objectoN to the valuation of the Council's valuator, a«d the Company entered a protest against the whole scheme. Proposed by Mr Moody, Moonded by Mr Balfour and carried unanimously ‘‘That the solicitors of the council be instructed tc Srooecd with the taking of land from the few Zeeland Mortgage Company under the Fcblie Work* Act far the purpose of irrigating BaadoWn water supply district, and that'an outside valuator be retained if the question goes so far as to require settlement in a Compensation Court." on OPIHI BRIDM. A petition was read, signed by 47 ratepayers atthe Point, protesting against the erection of a bridge over the Opihi. The Levels Boad Board forwarded the following resolution“ That this Board refuses to contribute to the proposed bridge to be erected over the Opihi, at the head of the Totara Yatfey.” A long disonseion ensued. Mr Pestlethwaite suggested that the matter should be postponed for a month so Chat a public meeting might be held on the subject. Mr Maokay expressed his surprise that a member of the G* le ldine Boad Board, Mr Postlethwaite, and Mr Bailey, bad objected to the bridge, as he believed neither gentleman knew anything about the district where it was proposed to put the bridge. The outlying districts had paid their share in the past, and it was only ju4> that they should get some money spent in those places. Mr Moody, a* a member of the County Council, and one who knew the district thoroughly, but was not personally interested, was strongly in favor of the work. The Chairman pointed out that the County Council could not avoid a rate for any length of time, Thera was the Bangitata Bridge, for which they would have to pay £6OO, and there was also the Pareora Bridge. In fact, the amount for the Opihi Bridge was a mere bagatelle as compared with the whele money to be spent. Mr Acton seemed to be the principal opposer of the work, but he did not contribute much more than 60s to tbe County rates. Mr Balfour argued that the work was needed, and would support it, but was in favor of it being postponed a month. Mr Postlethwaite said he had not been in favor of the bridge, but he was now convinced that it was required. It was only fair that the back country should be attended to. He would suggest that iron pile* be used, as the bridges they had now require d a lot of money to repair them. . The Engineer said that iron bark piles had never been known to decay. What had rained more than half the bridges was that tbe decking was made of green timber, whieh was unseasoned.—After some further discussion, in which jt way stated that ua road would he required, it was resolved on the motion of Mr Barker seconded by Mr Balfour —“ That in ooneequence of the tender* being about £BOO lower that* estimated, the Council will propped to construct the Qpihi bridge, making a county work of. it, provided the Mount Feci Boad Board subsidise it to tbs extent of £2OO, instead of £BOO, m previously asked for.*' Tenders for the work were then opened as follows-—James Phi Ip, £IBBO 14s lid; Winsley and Bignell, £1843 17s 61 j Weymouth Roberts, £11333* 2d (accepted, subject' to the Mount Peel Boad agreeing to the proposal). ACCOUNTS. Recounts amounting to £44 19s Id were passed for payment. THE HQBPITAU. Mr Mpody said he wished to bring up the question of the improvements proposed to be carried out at the Hospital before the Council, characterising the expenditure as a waste of money. The Chairman defended- the tetion oi tbe Charitable Aid Board, and as no resolution was moved the subject dropped, and the Council adjourned.