GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1993, 11 January 1890, Page 3

GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Geraldine County Council waa held on Wednesdaay, Present—Messrs Howell (in the chair), Quinn, and Barker, The engineers reported that all the timber for the Winchester bridge was delivered about three weeks ago, and the work should be entirely finished in a week or two. In a special report on the Opibi bridge they wrote ; —“ We have examined this bridge throughout and find a few repairs are at present necessary ia order to put it in good condition, v z -The bolts should be screwed up throughout. Large numbers of the planks are so worn on thsir edges that ihey are continually being broken through by traffic, to the great danger of serious accidents. Wo think the planking should be repaired by cutting out these worn portions and making good with hard wood filling blocks. Many of the butt ends of Ihe plunks are worn away by traffic, and should be dean cut out and made good. We find also that some of the planks are somewhat decayed on their bearings, and that a few of the jolals show signs of incipient y, Effie longitudinal system cf planking this has nut been satisfactory. The large and heavy traffic crossing it has speedily worn out (lie planks on their edges and has caused the earlier decay of the planking and jointing than would have occured had it been planked crosswise. We think that the present repairs recommended to be ' ff.cted to the planking will only serve to maintain it generally for a short time, perhaps im> or tb.ee years, and that then the question of largely renewing the planking must be considered, We suggest fur the Councl’s consideration thru, seeing the extent and value of this bridge, and that it has been on fire once, whether it would not be desirable either to insure it or to furnish it with a fire preventive water supply, which could be done at a moderate cost,” It was decided that tenders be called at once for the repairs recommended, and inquiries to be made as to the cost of insuiinc the bridge.

Mr H&well was authorised to employ someone to patch up a hole in the Tengawai Bridge.

The engineers reported that the contractor for the Geraldine Elat water-supply commenced operations on the head-race about three weeks ago. The holidays had, however, prevented much progress being made. The rangers on Seadown, Eangitata, and Woodbury reported the races in good order. The Seadown ranger recommended that gratings be placed at the entrance to long culverts. Mr Calcutt, manager of the N.Z. Investment Mortgage Association, owners of Walton Park, wrote offering to accept as compensation for land taken for the Seadown head race the amount agreed to by the council in the first instance on his valuation, with interest, [air Calcutt was not in the association’s employment when he made the valuaiion.]—Agreed to pay the money, with interest from the time the council were enabled to get on the land.

Mr A. M, Cliik had objected to tho valuation of a particular section for waferrace purposes; an inquiry had been made of the Properly Tax Department, and a reply received that they had no separate valuaiion of that s Q ction.—Reply to be shown to Mr Clark. Mr Devon, Seadown, complained of damage to his road by overflow of race water. —Engineers to attend to the matter. Five applications were received for the post of ranger on the Orari-Waihi races, and W. Gould was appointed. Leave was given to Mr W. Ackroyd, Temuka, to transfer his slaughtering license -to Mr \V. McLeod. Messrs Rayner Bros., Pleasant Point, applied for a slaughtering license. — W»nted. r An objection was read against a claim for rates for 2s lid from a person who said h e had owned no land in the district for years. The secretary had received dozens of such objections, and he laid this before the council to show the state of the

Mr Moore was authorise.), in the absence of'the chairman in iusiralia, to attend tl j 0 conference of county chairmen at

Dunedin this month as the representative of the council. Accounts to the amount of £471 18s *’ere p issed for payment, and the meeting terminated.