GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2631, 10 March 1894, Page 3

GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Geraldine County Council was held on Thursday. Present—Messrs W. Balfour (chairman), Talbot, White, Quinn, Orbell, and Howell. A special order striking a rate of §d in the £ over the Four Peaks water supply district was adopted. The chairman stated that he had been spoken to by Mr Chisholm, the council’s banker, about their overdraft, and he had had a statement prepared of the financial position. An overdraft was asked for to the amount of £2000; in view of the restoration of the Opihi bridge, expected to cost £2500. It was understood the rate coming in would square that oft’. But owing to unforeseen expenditure that had not been the case, and at present the overdraft was £I7OO. He had prepared a statement of the probable position for the coming financial year. The several water-race accounts were, together, £729 in credit, and the council only paid interest on the balance £9BB. The items of expenditure were not full, as nothing was allowed for contingencies. The liabilities to be met comprised bank overdraft, £1700; debentures due on Opihi bridge, £264 8s sd; payment and interest on council buildings, £207 10s ; licensing elections (slightly reduced by Waimate and Mackenzie contributions), £150; small birds, £BOO ; salaries, £3OO ; iuspections, £120; small woiks, repairs, etc., £500; total, £4042. The assets were estimated at £675 —rates outstanding, £423; dog tax, £100; slaughterhouse licenses, £25; public-house licenses (if obtained), £2OO. The deficiency so shown, to be made up by rate was £3367, without allowing for any new works at all. There was a renewed request for a bridge over the Orari, and a communication from Waimate County Council regarding the Pareora bridge which might result in a request for expenditure. There were also liabilities to be met on the small birds nuisance account for this year, probably £2OO more than the £723 already paid so that the estimate of £BOO might be £2OO too low for next year. When the overdraft af £2OOO was-asked for an estimate of the Council’s requirements had been made but this was exceeded in these items not estimated :—Small birds{£7oo; removing Oxford-Temuka bridge, £2OO ; extra repairs Opihi bridge, £500; Tengawai diversion, £3OO : total, £I7OO. The present positson was this : —Bank overdraft, £1700; liabilities as per list, £2342 ; total, £4042, Assets in view, £675; deficiency, £3367. This must be made up by a rate. A 5-16 d rate would produce £3906, giving a surplus on the estimate of £539; af d rate would produce £4687, giving r surplus of £1220. Hitherto the highest rate the council had struck was id. It was well to peint out that the expenditure on the Opihi bridge was equal to a Jd rate, and the harbor rate to a 3-16 d rate. There was no difficulty with the bank; Mr Chisholm simply asked for a statement showing the council’s position. They could not strike a rate before the end of the year, and they would have time to consider what the amount should be. In a brief discussion on the account members said the expenditure on small birds was a large item, but it saved the Road Boards’ funds, and was a line of expenditure to which there was no opposition in any part of the county. Mr Orbell pointed out that the current month’s payments must be added to the liabilities side of the statement.

The race committees’ and rangers’ reports were read,—G. Crozier, Seadown, had nothing of importance to report.—A Gynes, Rangitata, complained that certain persons refused to clean races.—The Waihi committee wrote that Mr McDonald had resigned the chairmanship, and Mr H. F. Brown had beeu elected in his place.—The Orari-Waihi committee reported that willow roots were choking the filter-box, and some expenditure was needed to clear them away and to turn the river towards the box. Mr White said the chairman told him the committee did not like to interfere with the headworks without the consent of tbe council. The willow roots were a great nuisance in the races; they found this out in Geraldine. The engineers to examine the headworks and recommend measures to be taken.

Mr McCully, Rangitata, asked for pipes to convey race-water across a road, he paying for them, if necessary.—Agreed to, the pipes to be paid for as usual. Messrs Meason and Marchaut reported as follows; “ Opihi Bridge Main Road : The last flood in the Opihi river made a dead setin on the northern bank of the river, just above the bridge, and where formerly was a shingle bank there is now eight to ten feet of water. We do not think the northern approach to the bridge is in a safe condition, if the river should continue to run as it now does. We think some inexpensive protective work between the groyne and the bridge would answer the purpose. If iron piles were driven at intervals and large willow trees anchored to them we think the force of the stream would be sufficiently broken to prevent damage being done. If the council adopts this suggestion the work • should bo executed during June next. —We have prepared the necessary plans under the Public Works Act for acquisition of part of native reserve 881 at Temuka to give road access to the Opihi riverbed.—Tenders have been invited for tarring 50 spans of the Opihi bridge, and will be laid before you to day.—Tengawai Protective Pence : As instructed, we have had a good ford made at the Totara Valley road crossing. This road crossing is in charge of the Levels Road Board. We ask the council to say if it intends to keep the ford in repair at the protective fence for the future, so that we may know definitely. —This autumn it will be necessary to call for tenders for planting willows at the back of this fence, which could not be done last spring, and for repairing and raising part of the embankment where there is a deposit of shingle in the riverbed, which has correspondingly raised the water-level against the embankment. (Estimate given.)” A discussion took place on the paragraph referring to the protective works on the Opihi bridge, north aide, in the course of which Sir M:\ivhant said that it was a bold suggestion perhaps, but he thought the stream c.onl-J be fmind from the north side to the south, and nearly h df the bridge dosed and replaced by an embankment. There were now 75 spans in the river, and 40 would bo quite enough to take all the water, Jt would bo necessary to turn the river in three ycais or so when the north end came to bo renovated, and it struck him that the diversion could be made permanent, and a third or so of the bridge done away with. Mr Talbot moved, Mr Hoi well seconded, and it was carried—“ Thai tiio engineer be authorised to report fin the practibility and cost of preventing the scour now taking place to the north approach of the Opihi bridge, by permanently diverting the stream, and thus contra'ting the width of tho riverbed, with a view of ultimately dispensing with the northern portion of tho bridge.” it was resolved that, the necessary stops , bo taken for the acquisition of a part

native reserve 881 under the Works Act as shown by the engineer plan. . .v Tenders were opened for tarring the Opihi bridge—J. Sharp, £39 10s; W. Kae, £65 19 9d; Monaghan, £45 10s. T W. Fyfe. £69; J* -Radford, &75 , Tindall & Co., £72 2s 6d.—Mr Marchant said the two lowest tenderers must have made a mistake, there was £22 required for material.—After a good discussion the lowest tender was accepted. Mr Orbell urged that the Council should do something in the way of cutting a channel to take the water away from the diversion bank, and as the cost was estimated at £5 only, it was agreed to have it done. . _ T A petition was received, signed by Mr W. Holies ton and about 30 other ratepayers, renewing the request for a bridge over the Orari on Kolleston’s road. Since the last application was made further reason for the construction of the bridge bad arisen in tbe cutting up of a large property on the north side of the river, which would increase the trathc considerably, and it was probable that there would be further sub-divisions in in that locality in the, next few years. The river has been exceptionally dry during the last few years, and a recurrence of of such seasons as had been formerly experienced would cause great inconvenience in the unbridged state of the river, Mr Marchant produced a plan prepared some time ago for an Bft Gin bridge for light dray traffic. It would have to be of considerable length, about 11 chains, unless part of the riverbed were stopped by enbaukment. A letter from the Waimate County Council covered a resolution suggesting a conference between the two Councils, on Monday 12th iust., to determine what shall be done in regard to requests for the rebuilding of the Pareora bridge. The proposed conference was agreed to, and it was resolved on the motion of Messrs Talbot and White that a special meeting of the Council he held on the same day as the conference with the Waimate'Council, “for the purpose of considering what new works shall be undertaken during the next financial year, and for discussing the steps necessary to be taken to enable the Council to meet the expenditure on such works.” The petitioners for the Orari bridge to be informed that the Council recognise the necessity for the work, but from want of funds are unable to proceed with it at present, but it woulej be included among the first works to have consideration. ’ On the circular from the Government making the council the local body to have charge of the licensing election in the Pareora district. Mr Howell asked whether this was not the first case in which the General Government had ordered the expenditure of local funds. There was some banter about the result if the prohibition vote were carried—the local bodies would have spent a lot of money and would not get a penny bock in license fees. (Mr Talbot drew attention to a newspaper report of a meeting of the Orari River Conservation Board at which Mr Guild stated that there was great danger of the river overflowing above the protective works at a spot outside their jurisdiction, and going across the country to the Waihi and Temuka. Mr Talbot suggested that the Council’s engineer should be sent to examine the place and report on the magnitude of the danger. This would give the people interested some reliable information to go upon. Ho also referred to the necessity for amending the River Board’s Act, which is at present almost useless; rivers were in several places threatening to do injury, and the people concerned could not now be got to do anything. Mr Howell and Mr Quinn objected to the Council interfering the Orari matter without a request from the River Board or persons interested, and Mr Talbot withdrew his request. Mr White stated he had received a request from a number of ratepayers in the Rangitata Water Supply district, asking the council to reconsider the proposal made some time ago for the division of the district into three, Consideration was deferred till next meeting. Slaughterhouse licenses were applied for by J. Bryan, for R.S. 2852, Rangitata, and J. Airay, for R.S. 23713, Orton. — Granted on the usual conditions.