GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1635, 17 September 1887, Page 4

GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Geraldine County Council was held on Wednesday. Present — Messrs J. Talbot (Chairman), Mackay, Moody, Balfour, Moore, and Barker. The engineers (Messrs Meason and Marchant) reported as follows: “ Eangitata water supply contracts— These contracts have been commenced and are proceeding satisfactorily. Seadown water supply—Plans for proclamation of races have been prepared in accordance with requirements of Government, so as to allow proclamation Tinder the Public Works Act to issue taking the necessary land for the headwork from the N.Z. Mortgage and Investment Company. The Opihi bridge contract works —The contract for this work has been let for £72 10s to Mr William Fletcher, of Temuka. The contractor has commenced work, which is progressing sat sfactorily. Correspondence was read From Mr C. G. Tripp, in reference to the position of his land required for the water-race in the vicinity of Woodbury. From Mr G. Counihan, authorising the Council to enter upon reserve section 21122, Pleasant Point, for Seadown water-race purposes, subject to due compensation for disturbance in occupation as provided in the Public Works Act 1882 and amendments From Mr R. Frew, Peel Forest, expressing satisfaction with the terms for his land, viz., £5 per acre for land required for water-race purposes. From the Crown Lands Office, in reference to £3O Is 7d, one-third deferred payment on land sales, and directing that the amount be paid over to the Arowhenua Town Board. From the Ashburton County Council, covering particulars of the Mount Somers tramway, as follows :—Gauge, Ift steepest gradient, 1 in 27i ; second rail class, 401 b rails; sleepers, 4ft long; joints, 9x4; intermeddles, 6x4; sharpest curve, 2 chains radius; length of tram, Similes ; cost per mile, £SOO complete (including earthwork, bridges, rails, etc.) ; cost of maintenance, £IOO per annum a' first. From Mr Shiers stating that the road opposite the Rangitata Hotel was in a dangerous state. —Attended to. From a resident complaining of the state of a bridge over the Opihi. Conaideration deferred. From Mr J. H. Whyte applying for a slaughter house license (2nd class) on Page’s road, R 8. 8099; from Mr C. W. Gimson, the same for R.S. 1U322, near Winchester. —Granted. From the Colonial Secretary, Bug-

gesting the postponement of the < 'ounty Council elections from 9th to 15th November. From the same re the appointment of Mr VV. DeHenzy as a member of the Road Bonrd, Geraldine, vice Mr R. H. Post leth waite resigned, pointing out that such vacancies are to be filled under the provision referring to “ extraordinary vacancies ” in the “ Regulation of Local Elections Act, 1876.” —The Clerk was directed to forward the information to Road Boards.

After considering a letter from the Waitaki County Council, it was resolved— “ That the method of closing and opening roads having been found very expensive and tedious, some simple and less costly mod« of dealing with the matter be devised and the attention of the members for the 1 district be drawn to the subject and then assistance asked in having existing legislation simplified.” Mr Moodey moved as he had at last meeting notified his intention to do—- “ That the question of granting a special subsidy from the Council’s funds to the Levels Road Board, he considered such sum granted as shall be deemed a fair equalisation of the claim which the Levels Road Board considers it has, in consequence of its contribution from rates and other sources having exceeded considerably the amount expended,on roads and bridges within the Levels Road District.” After considerable discussion it was resolved —“That in consideration of such a large proportion of county rates being contributed by the Levels Riding and the county expenditure therein having hitherto been small, also that this riding has a distance of 18 miles of the mam road to maintain at a great expense, the Levels Road Board be granted a sum of £SOO out of the county funds as a subsidy towards the cost of maintenance of the mam Timaru and Temuka road from the Pareora to the Opihi, such to be paid in the proportion of &1 to every £3 expended from January Ist, 1887.”

The following were the tenders received for the protective works at the Opihi bridge :W. Fletcher, £72 10s (accepted); P. Stratford, £123 6s 3d; M. D<>cherty, £l6O 2s 6d. A special meeting to have been convened for the purpose of passing a special order concerning the Woodbury irrigation district was adjourned till next regular meeting, it being resolved “That the question of exempting the township of Woodbury be postponed in the the meantime, until residents had met and decided definitely upon 'he objections raided.” The monthly statement of the accounts for September was laid on the table, and accounts amountiug in all to £357 Is 8d were passed for payment. The meeting then terminated.