GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2008, 15 February 1890, Page 2

GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

I he monthly meeting of the council waa held o« Wednesday.- Present—Messrs Moore (i„ the chair), Quinn and Mackay the engineers reported as follows • ' Winchester Bridge—This contract has been very satisfactorily completed for the miw of £471 lis 63. The net proceeds of the sale of old timber -mounted to £2B 14*. GeraldinerFlat Wator Supply— This contract is proceeding but slowly the contractors have ■ soma difficulty in procuring hands just at present. As soon as the grain crops are harvested the work of cutting tbe distributing races will be proceeded with. Orari-Waihi Water Supply—We are drawing about 4 millions of gallons a day from tbe Orari river for the races of this system. • The water is however, traversing fch<jm but slowly, the' long-coptinued-dry-weather causing n re ' at absorption in the newly cut races. Complaints are made in the Seadown district of con v inued tampering with the water supply by using it wholesale for irrigation purposes. We think tbe Council will be wise to prosecute in every instunce of breach of the regulations." Correspondence was read as follows : .Hrom Mr Ca'cutt, manager of the N.Z.M. and I. Co. to the company's claim for Cfiupo-jsation for land taken for the headrace ©f the Seadown races.—Th's claim is now in a fair way towards settlement.

(t. Crczier, the Seadown race ranger, reported that some of the farmers had been blocking the races, cutting drains, and using the water for irrigition pirposes, one of them on quite a consi.Jerau The Opihi river had been very loiv, and he bad had to increase the dam and scoop out chance's in tha riverbed to get water from tha streams to the head of the race, a difficult -natter, a 3 the watar disappeared in the sliiug'e trenches. Mr D. Hoaie complained of shortness of water in hia branch race, through, he believed, other people damming the race for irrigation purposes.—The ranger described oae case in which he hud found irrigation drains cut, and appliances for damming the race. He thought from the quantity of water in the land that the race must have been stopped a day and a half. As to Mr Hoare'e cooapluint he explained that a settler above Hoare hud seyeral times towed a pig-trough in the rac, obstructing it, and threatened personal violence to auy employe of the council who interfered with. it.

Members expressed their determination to put a stop to all kinds of interference with the races, by prosecuting each clear case, and it was resolved to issue summonses in certain cases at once.

J. Riley and W. Qouid, rangers on the Woodbury and Orari-Waihi systems, reported satisfactorily on their cbargrts. It was reported that the tender cf McKay and Grigg, £132 14* lOd, had been accepted for repairing the Opihi bridgp. This wa3 the lowest?

The clerk, Mr Sfcubba, said he had bsen to the Upper Pareora bridge, ani it appeared to him that the decking of the old portion would soon require attention. It was becoming dangerous. Mr Mcore reported that the proposed conference of county chairmen at Dunedin, to which he had beea appointed delegate from this council, had to 'be abandoned, owing to the small attendance ef delegates.

Mr Kemster complained of abort supply ot water in his branch of the Orari-Waibi ranee.— Mr Marchant explained that the defiomoy was due to soakage, and would be reduced as the races ailted up. A slaughtering license was granted to E. Vallender, Epworth, subject to the sanction of the Teuiuka Road Board. The New Zaaland Insurance (Jom'piny id reply to ao enquiry, off.red to insure | the county bridges at a premium of U -. per cent.-Other companies had not y&c replied.

The Geraldine Road Board inquired whether the contractor for the Geraldine Flat races had been instructed by the Council to take bluestane from the board's reserve near the head work.-.—The engineer said that he, kuowing it to be a public reserve, told the contractor to get stone there, and never dreamt of it being objected to.

Accounts to the amount of £696 7s were passed for payment.