GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2436, 10 December 1892, Page 2

GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Geraldine County Council was held on Thursday. Present—Messrs W. Balfour (chairman', J. Talbot, M. Quinn, W. B, Howell, and R. Maokay. Apologies were received from Messrs Barker and Moo re TENDERS. The chairman reported that, as authorised, he had accepted two tenders since last meeting—D. McKay, for im* provements at Tengawai stock-bridge, £32 17 s ; and W. Steven, 6s per yard, for metal for Saltwater Creek bridge. The tender of B. H. Brewer (the only tenderer) for supply of dog collars at from 6d to 7|d was accepted. WATER RACES. The chairman stated that the Levels Downs water supply scheme had been dropped, the managers of the Levels Estate thinking it too expensive. Mr Howell stated that certain Point residents were still working to get carried out the original proposal for watering the Te Ngawai Flat. Personally he feared the headworks would be too costly for so small an area of country. Mr P. Coll wrote making an offer to rent the piece of land at the Waitohi head works. —Referred to the Supervising G.ohlmitteo. The rangers’ reports were read. A long discussion took place on complaints from rangers that some occupiers took no notice ,pf their notices to clear races. The law gives the council power to clean races in default of owners doing it, and at owners’ charge, and Mr Talbot pointed out that prompt action was ppoessary in summer time. ■'M* Qiflim said same of them would not touch their races unless they were compelled, because they liked to see the races dammed by rubbish, so that they overflowed and irrigated their lauds. Strong measures must be taken to force such people to clear the races, as they were so selfish that they did not care how much they inconvenienced people further down the race Mr Talbot moved, Mr Quinn seconded, and it was carried —“ That the rangers in the different water districts be authorised to apt on behalf of the Council to serve notices under plausp A of by-law, No. 6, and to take aption thereunder if such nqtjces are J)fit complied wit]} within 4$ Uofirs after pervipe of siiph notice.” The Rangitaia ranger wrote that certain ratepayers refused to clear races, ou the ground that they paid a maintenance rate for having the work done. Mr H. Woodley, Raugitata, wi’ote complaining of ranger’s demand that ho should clear the watnc-papcs on his land, on two grounds : First, he paid a, maintenance rate to have the work donp. second, there were two miles of race o n his upper land, only a little of which w aa of any use to him, and a mile more low ep

down. He had to pay a maintenance rate of £2, and if he had to clear the race it would cost him £6 a year more. Thox-e were others getting water from races on roads, who had not to do any cleaning at all, the rangers cleaning the races on roads.

A petition, signed by 34 out of 80 odd ratepayers in the Rangitata water district, asked the council to put on another man for aboxxt half the year, and to undertake to keep the races clean. The two men could do it, to everybody’s satisfaction, if devoting their whole time to it, instead of the ranger spending his time in trying to keep the ratepayers up to the mark. Aftey porno discussion, it was resolved, on the motion of Mr Talbot, seconded by Mr Quinn —“ That in reply to the petition from Rangitata landowners in the Rangitata water-supply district, they be informed that the council cannot comply with their request; on the grounds that it is not desirable to suspend the operation of the by-law in one particular district, that the by-law does not operate unfairly, and that the petition is not signed by many of the ratepayers.” Mr Howell thought the by-law did act unfairly in some cases, when one man had two miles of races to clear, and another, because the race ran past him along a road, had none. Mr Talbot understood that in Ashburton and Selwyn counties the ratepayers had to clean the races themselves. It was decided to take the necessaxy steps to carry out the water-supply sclxeme asked for by Mr L. Walker and Captain Temple at Four Peaks. Mr G. Orozier, Seadown ranger, was given permission to erect a removeable cottage at the headworks. Mr Quinn said that in his experience it did not take much labor to keep races clear if it was done every year. Mr Howell said he had a short race, twenty years old, about the oldest in the district, half a mile long, and it took, on the average, three men about three days to clean it every year. The Waitohi Race Committee supported an application by Mr Chapman for a loop race to supply his house, and the application was granted. The committee also urged the necessity of dealing with people who neglected to clean their races. BRIDGES. The engineers reported as follows : “We have again examined the Orari river at Rolleston’s road to see if it was possible to reduce the length of bridging, stated at 720 ft in our report of July 13th last. We find that there is no possibility of altering the site of the bridge from that originally proposed, but the length might be reduced to 540 ft. This reduction would cause the northern end of the bridge to stop short of the river terrace and thus during abnormal floods there would be a short piece of flat covered by water between the main terrace and the end of the bridge. Under the circumstances of the site, however, we do not think any real disadvantage would result from this. We estimate the cost of the proposed reduced length of bridging at about £425, if built of new material. By using timber from the Oxford-Temuka bridge the cost would probably be reduced to £300.” It was decided to postpone consideration of the report until a reply has been received from the Government to the renewed application for the timber in the Oxford-Temuka bridge (the first grant being understood to have elapsed.) MISCELLANEOUS. Mr H. Cookson applied for a second class slaughter-houae license for a section on Coonoor road. Granted on the conditions being complied with. The Inspector for Timaru District, Constable Crawford, reported all the slaughter houses to be in fairly good order.

The secretary to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board wrote demanding payment of second part of the annual demand for funds, the amount asked for being £6ol.—The secretary stated that he had sent on the claim to the various local bodies. On the recommendation of Mr Quinn, who said the police officers were freer to enforce the law than private persons, Constable Egan is to be asked to act as registrar of dogs at Temuka. Accounts amounting to £ll4 were passed for payment and the council rose.