GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2071, 12 July 1890, Page 4

GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Geraldine County "Council waa held on Wednesday. Present—Messrs Balfouir (chairman), Howell, Moore, Mackayi, Quinn, and Barker. j The chairman stated the case iip respect of the Pareora bridge had been argued before Mr Justice Dennistounl but His Honor had not yet given hip decision, nor fixed a date for doing sq. There were two petitions in, signeijl by about 240 persons, asking thp council to keep the Orari bridge repair. Ihere was some correspondence respecting the delegation of of the harbor rate. The Temuka Town and Temuka Road Boards had agreed to collect; the Geraldine Town Board refused; the Geraldine Road Board had not decided as a board, but the clerk, after consulting members, wrote that he had not time to make the collection. It would be a great saving to the ratepayers if the local bodies collected the rate, as it would save making separate rolls, and making out and posting separate notices. He would have taken M'p White’s opinion on the refusal of the Geraldine board to collect the rata, that is to say, whether the board are bound to collect, but Mr White was away from Timaru that morning. The special order made at the previous meeting handing over, the collection to the minor local bodies was confirmed.

Afterwards a long discussion took place on the refusal o t the Geraldine board to collect, and the chairman was requested to get Mr White’s opinion on the power of the council to compel the acceptance of the delegated powers, and it was agreed that if the council had this p®wer it must, in the interests of the ratepayers, be enforced, as the local bodies can get the work done more cheaply than the council. The engineers’ report on water races, stated that the Geraldine Flat contract was finished, except a few days’ work. A ranger should be appointed to take charge on the clerk of works being withdrawn. —Applications for the rangership to be called for.

The rangers of the other districts reported the races in good order. Ihe Orarl-Rangitata ranger, however, reported that he had much trouble with stuff falling in along the deep terrace cuttings. E. Hoare, Kerrytown, and J. H. Brosnahan and other, near the Levels, applied for branch races, which were granted, on condition that the applicants pay the cost in advance; work to be done under the supervision of the engineers. An application from Mr Winter a,nd others, Eangitata, for a small diversion or a branch, and for use of tail water, was granted on the same terms. Mr Alex. Macdonald asked for a loop-race to his house, from the OrariWaihi system. —Granted. A memo, from the Selwyn County Council stated that the Water-Eace Bill promoted by the County Conference had been sent to Wellington, and copies would be supplied as soon as it was printed. One of the proposals of the Geraldine Council Mr Joynt did not see his way to incorporate in the Bill, this being a provision that in enlarging a waterrace district a poll of the ratepayers in the area proposrd to be added, should be sufficient.

This proposal it was decided to press for as a most important one ; without it the new Bill would be as bad as the old. Mr Bhftdes, M.H.R,, to be written to on the subject.

A petition, the text of which has already appeared in our columns in a letter signed by Mr C. G. Tripp sometime ago, was received from ratepayers in the Geraldine and Mount Peel Road Districts, urging that the Orari bridge should be made fit for traffic, as serious accidents might occur while in its present dangerous condition. There were 101 names on the Geraldine sheet and 143 on that from Mount Peel.—Consideration of the petition was deferred until the result of the Pareora suit is known. A. slaughterhouse license was granted to I. Greaves, Opihi. The secretary stated that fhe butchers—who have to pay a license f ee — W ere complaining that a number of persons were killing pigs and bringing them in to the auction rooms every week. He had obtained the names of some of these persons, and asked for authoritv to sue if the council considered it advisable.—The necessary authority was given. . Accounts to the amout ot £lO7 10s 4d were passed for payment. The meeting then terminated.