GERALDINE TOWN BOARD

Temuka Leader, Issue 2198, 7 May 1891, Page 3

GERALDINE TOWN BOARD

A statutory special meeting of this board was held on Tuesday evening last for the purpose of considering the annual balance-sheet and statement of reserves. There were present Messrs A. White (chairman), W. S. Maslin, J. Williams, K. Hammond, J. Mundell. and N. Dunlop. The balance-sheet and statement of reserves, as prepared by the clerk, were inspected and considered satisfactory, and the chairman was authorised to sign the same. The special meeting then terminated. Oedinaey Meeting, The usual monthly meeting was then held, the same members and Mr A. Sherratt being present. COEEEBPONDENCE. Correspondence was read and dealt with as follows Erom Messrs J. Jackson and Miles, Archer & Co., Timaru, quoting prices for the supply of 200 feet of 12in pipes, —lt’ was decided to accept the tender of the latter firm for the pipes required, Erom Mr J. Riordan, asking for permission to erect a verandah in front of his new shop.—-The plan being in accordance with the by-laws the application was granted. Erom the clerk to the Geraldine County Council, requesting payment of the sum of £lO 5s Id, being half of the board’s contribution for 1891 to the Harbor Board’s rates. —The letter was ordered to stand over till next meeting.

From the South Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, asking for the payment of £7 Is 4d, being the first moiety of the board’s contribution for the year.—Passed for payment. eangee’s eepobt. The ranger’s report for the month was read, and also a copy of the annual balance-sheet of the South Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board.

J HIGHT-OE WAT. Mr J. Farrell applied for a right-of-way through the horse cemetery to his holding. Granted, subject to the gates being properly hung and kept. oteeseee’s eepoet. The overseer’s report was read. It was decided to invite tenders for 150 to 200 loads of shingle, the works committee to decide as to where it was required. OEAEI BEIDQE, Mr Mundell reminded the members of what was being done by other boards with regard to this bridge in the way of sending deputations to wait upon the County Council. He moved that the chairman and Mr Maslin should be a deputation to act in conjunction with delegates from other bodies, and wait upon the council with a view to keeping the bridge open All present were unanimously of opinion that the bridge was urgently required, and the resolution was passed. LEGAL CHAEGES, Considerable discussion took place re the high prices charged by the board’s solicitors for the work done by them. It was decided that the chairman and Messrs Maalin and Mundell be appointed to look into the matter. ALTEEATIONS TO BATE BOLL, No less than forty applications were received to transfer on the valuation roll sections and parts of sections from one person to another. Before dealing with them the chairman read over section 15 of the Town District Act Amendment Act as follows “ The Clerk shall cause to be compiled, during the month of April in each year, from the valuation roll of the district, a list of all the ratepayers thereof; and such list, being signed by the Chairman and Clerk, shall be the ratepayers’ roll for the district, and the entry of any person’s name shall be conclusive evidence of the right of such person to vote at any election iu the district of which such roll declares him to be a ratepayer. If such a ratepayers’ roll be not made out in any district, then the entry of any person’s name on the valuation roll as an occupier of any property in the district shall he conclusive evidence of the right of such person to vote at any election in the district of which such roll declares him to be an occup : er.”

The members present were unanimously of opinion that in the face of that clause the board could add no names to the list for voting purposes at the forthcoming Licensing Election, although those applications that were found to be lona fide might be put on for rating purposes. It was unanimously decided that the Chairman, and Messrs Mundell, Maslin, and the Clerk should be a committee to enquire into the applications, and report at the next meeting of the board BULL IN PAEK. Mr Hammond ashed what had been done with regard to the bull kept by Mr Pejrpomt in the park. The board had passed a resolution to take action against Mr Pearpoint, but he, Mr Hammond, bad seen nothing about it. The chairman explained that when spoken to Mr Pearpoint haddsaid he was going to sell the bull at the next stock sale, and consequently no proceeding bad been taken. Mr Hammond pointed out that the animal was still there.

It was unanimously decided that the resolution passed by the board to take legal proceedings against Mr Pearpoint should be carried out immediately. oteedue bates. In reply to questions the clerk stated that the rates due by the Volunteers, for which judgment had been obtained, were not yet paid. It was unanimously decided to waste no further time but to distrain immediately. staeved animals. Mr Mundell said that although the matter was somewhat outside the Town Board, he would be very pleased to see some society formed at Geraldine for the prevention of cruelty to animals. He instanced cases of where people with only an acre or two of land, or even less, kept a number of cows, horses, and pigs, which during the winter months when feed was scarce, were literally starved until they were almost fit to eat each other. He also pointed to several other instances of cruelty to animals, and thought something should be dene to stop it. The other members fully endorsed Mr Mundell’s remarks, and it was decided to ask the chairman to call a public meeting daring the month with a view to forming a branch of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, steeet lighting. Only one tender was received for lighting the street lamps, Mr C, Groves, £49 10s, which was accepted. Accounts amounting to £l9 13s 8d ,were passed for payment and the meeting terminated.