GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1593, 11 June 1887, Page 3

GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

An ordinary meeting of the Council was held on Wednesday. Present— Messrs J. Talbot (Chairman) F, Moore, W. Balfour, R. McKay, W. Moody, and R.A. Barker. An order striking a special rate of S-lfithsof penny in the £in the Seadown Water-supply district, to take effect on August 11th, 1887, was passed. Messrs Marchant and Meason, the Council’s engineers, reported as follows : “ Rangitata encroachment—From a point about 80 chains up stream from the bridge to within about 12 chains of it, the , Rangitata is seriously encroaching on the South Bank, undermining considerable quantities of the terrace at each flood, and risiug there-to within a foot or so of the top of the river flat. Should it overflow the river flat, it would in all probability breach the southern bridge approach. If the Council purpose endeavouring to protect the river bank, the oJ.y inexpensive work we can suggest for the purpose in this instance is the construction of a heavy groin formed of the largest river-bed boulders procurable, all being very strongly bound together with fencing wire and thickly planted with willow stakes; this would cost about £l2O, and as we have built this wired boulder-welt with success in other rivers, we have every confidence ( that we could make it resist the current ( of the Rangitata. ( “Soadown Water Supply District- ■ The contract plans and specifications are ( all ready and tenders for contracts two and three conld be! called for immediately if the Council desire. The only objection we have to this is we shall net be able to test the grading of the races, etc., with water until the head works are completed, : and therefore in addition to the races being useless until the head works are constructed, some small additional expenses will be incurred in probable alterations to them after they have been taken over from the contractor, if water could not be let in to them before then. “ Rangitata Water Supply District—The survey has been 10 hand for the past three weeks. We hope to finish it shortly, and will then proceed immediately with the contract plans. “ Before the water-races are constructed we think by-laws for their construction and maintenance should be passed. The gist of the by-laws which mare particularly affect the construction of them are That all occupiers shall make and maintain their several fences and field crossings over races and that at any future time branch races may be cut wherever the Council desires.” . Mr Moody moved, Mr Balfour seconded, and it was resolved Ttiat the Engineer be instructed to take possession of the land necessary for head-race of the Seadown Irrigation Supp y as soon as the proclamation under the Public Works Act authorising proceedings has bean issued.” The by-laws in force in the Ashburton County were adopted. Correspondence was read from the Ashburton County Council notifying tha* the only tender received for repairs to the South approach of the Rangitata bridge had been accepted, the amount being £39 12-' 6d. A letter was read from Mr F. R, Flatman asking whether it was compulsory for the whole acreage of every section through which a race may pass t» be included in the boundary.—After a good deal of discussion of a desultory character, it was agreed that the Council were averse to any cutting up of sections except on very strong reasons being shown. Any deviation from this, however, may be considered on the plan of the proposed district being submitted to the Council. A letter was read from the Treasury notifying that a sum of £SOB had been placed to the credit of the Council us an advance on irrigation works in hand, It was resolved on the motion of Mr Barker, seconded by Mr Mackay— f ‘That in accordance v ith the Rating Act, 1882, and its amendments, the Council do now strike a genera' rate of Jd in the £ on all rateable property in the County for the period ending March 31, such rate to be payable In one sum at ti e County Council offices on and after July 1,” Mr F. W. Stubbs was appointed collector of the rate at 5 per cent on the net amount. Accounts to the amount of £72 3s 4d were passed for payment and the Council rose. '