GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2673, 16 June 1894, Page 4

GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Geraldine J County Council was held on Thursday. Present—Messrs W. Balfour (chairman), Howell, Mackay, While, Talbot, aud Orbell. The chairman said that there was a letter from the banker regarding their nuances, pointing out that the overdraft on general account was £2422, while the council's arrangement as per resolution waa for an overdraft of £2OOO ; he desired the council to give this matter their attention. The day's accounts were £405, which would make the overdraft £2705 There were publicans' licenses flue during the month £IBO. There were old rates uncollected £250 and the new rate, doe 15th July, £3IOO. OBAKI BRIDGES. A deputation, consisting of Meßsrs R. Taylor, Austin, Wareing, and McCully, waited on the council to present a petition for the erection of a light traffic bridge over the Orari at the Riverslea road. Ihe petition had attached toitau undertaking to contribute towards the cost, the sum.) set down amounting to £232. Mr Taylor said the amount could be increased to £250. MrMarchant said the cost of a stock bridge had been calculated at £3OO, to span the whole width of the riverbed, 700 feet, but a traffic bridge need not be longer than 400 feet, the rest being covered by embankment and protective works. The cost he roughly estimated at £9OO, reducible by £l5O, value of piles on hand, and acoutribution of £250 would leave only £SOO to be found by the council. Mr Taylor Baid that if a person had to ride round by a lower bridge from Raugitata to Temuka it would make a difference of half-an-hour or about half-a-day to a person driving sheep; whereas to those living down there it would mean three or four days to go by the other bridge. Mr Trlbot was of opinion that the lower site waß more useful than the main road site. Mr Howell said the conucilhad recognised the need for the bridge, but it was a matter of finance. The deputation discussed the matter at some length with the council, and on retiring were promised that it should have carefol consideration. BNGINBERS' REPORT. The engineers reported as follows : « Orari River. —To completely span this riverbed at the main road crossing would require 960 feet of bridging across the whole of the shingle over which floodwater spreada, together with a 20-feet kkih over the side creek at the northern side". Such a length of bridging is not at all necessary for the free discharge of the heaviest floods, *ad it might be contracted to a length of 450 feet of bridging, if 19 chains of protective fencing and embankment were built on the northern side, so as to prevent the flood-water from gpreading over the riverbed. This in our opinion is the true method of dealing with this class of river. In this case, however, we see a difficulty in the way. The sourthern river-terrace along here has been a source of expense and care to the Board of Conservators charged with the duty of defending adjoining lands from damage by overflow from this river. Were such a protective fence as we BUggesf to be built, anc l did any overflow occur subsequently on the south side below the bridge, the county works might be blamed for it, eveu though they were not iu the least degree responsible for it. We point out this apparent objection so that it may be considered and dealt with before anything is done. The cost of construction of the whole length of 980 feet of bridging would be about £2200, and that of the less leDgtb, with protective fence, about £I3OO. " Immediately above the Orari racecour.se an old water-channel —on a ft 1 ! of about 20 feet to the mile—leads away from the Orari riverbed in the direction of the Wafiii river at Winchester, and down this old water-channel the Orari river is restrained from overflowing by a very insignificant terrace. The riverbed is being continually raised by fresh deposits of shingle iu this locality, and we think it is but a question of a shoi l time when during floods a very considerable overflow of water will take place down this side channel, and add to the flood-waters of the Waihi and Temuka rivers, perhaps causing much damage in its course. We do not think that" in tho immediate future thero is any risk of the Orari river really leaving its present bed f jr that of tho side channel, rw tho watur must of necessity follow the lino at the greatest foil, which at tho present time is in the direction of its existing channel at this point, but that an overflow will occur Booner or later at this point is absolutely certain. To stop it now is but a small matser. Four chains of embankmont aud a similar length of willowplanting will bo sufficient to stop damage. The cost of effecting this would bo about £ls to £lB. " Orari Triflic Bridge, near Gen Mil e There is a cortain amount of decayed timber in tho ra'litig of this bridge. To put it in fair order would cist perhaps £ls to £2O. it is not advisable to do more than merely repair the very worst places, as tho wbulo structure is getting

old and the question of its future extensive repair have to be consider 1 in a few years time. " Geraldine Traffic Bridge. Three years ago we made a thorough overhaul of this bridge. The g?rders then were so much decayed that it meant building a new superstructure to effect their repair. Instead of doing this at great expense, we understrutted the roadway in the most substantial manner, and siuce then the decayed girders have not carried the slightest weight. This plan was carried out at a veiy small expensej and is thoroughly reliable and satisfactory. Instead of the bridge being unsafe, as is suggested, it is now exceedingly strong, and needs no money expended on it at the present time. "Water Races.—We have laid out numerous alterations of races in the Rangitata district for which ratepayers there propose to make application to the counc?', and on which we shall be able to express opinions when the applications are made." Mr Marchant remarked that the difficulty mentioned in the report in connection with a main road bridge, might be obviated by a conference with the Conservation Board. Members remarked that if £SOO was out of the question for the lower bridge, £I3OO was still more so for the upper one. Mr Talbot, after some remarks, moved that the engineer report on the cost of alight traffic bridge on the Kiverslea site —Mr Talbot's motion was agreed to. Mr Talbot stated that the Temuka and Geraldine Road Boards were goiug to deal with the treatened overflow of the Orari. It was agreed to ask the Geraldine Road Board to attend to repairs to the Orari bridge, it being understood that the expenditure would not exceed the amount named in the engineers' report. WATER RACES. The committees' and rangers' repcrt3 were read. They dealt mainly with routine matters. On the Seadown ranger's report Mr Howell suggested, and it was agreed, that it would be only fair that extra labour required should be distributed to some extent, and not always be given to the same few men. The Waitohi Committee suggested some improvement in the manner of charging for cleaning races, but the alteration desired was not clearly stated, and it was decided to ask for particulars.

Mr White stated that the OrariRangitata settlers approved of Mr Quinn's suggestion in connection wirh the desired division of ihe district, that a single committee be appointed, but composed of two members from each of the proposed divisions. After discussion it was resolved—" That this Council approve of the suggestion to divide the Rangitata-Orari water supply district into the subdivisions with a view to elect two members iu each subdivision to form a committee, and should this plan be acceptable the council will call a meeting of ratepayers for the purpose of electing a committee."

Mr White, the council's solicitor, wrote that the suit against the Bank of New Zealand, was yet unfinished, and would be resumed next Wednesday. Mr Pearce's application for leave to fence in the reserve at Waitohi head works was granted, on condition that the stock be kept from damaging the headworks. SMALL BIRDS' NUISANCE. The chairman reported that he had hired the oatmeal mill from Mr Rhodes

for the purpose of drying the poisoned wheat, at a very reasonable rate—£s for the time required.—The resolution passed

at the Rmd Board Conference at Temuka was read. —Mr Orbell stated that the Agricultural Conference at Wellington did not devote much time to this subject, a 3 so many delegates were from 'districts not troubled with the birds. As far as he could make out this council last year spent moi'e than all the rest of the counties put together.—The chairman stated that the bill for stiychnine just received was £l4. After some discussion Mr Talbot put

in the following notice of motion for next meeting—" The council being of opinion that the expenditure on the small bird nuisance last year was iu excess of the amount justifiable, that for the present season a sum of £550 be allocated for expenditure as follows—£2so in the

Levels, £l5O Temuka, £IOO Geraldine, and £SO Mount Peel j that the council invite suggestions from the varipus boards as to the most desirable way of spending the amount in their districts." It was decided that the chairman

Should Rend out poisoned grain to the road boards as befoie, and ask them to put on men to distribute it in the meantime. ACCOUNTS. It was resolved —" That the manager of the Bank of New Zealand be asked to allow the council an overdraft on the general account up to a lhrit of £3500 if required, for a period of six mouths from this date, June 14th, 1894." Mr M. Gray, secretary to tho Bunt Club, wrote ottering to compromise the

claim for" the registration fees of the hounds by payment of £5, as the club was low in funds.—The offer wrs accepted as the principle was admitted that the hounds should be registered in this county. A resolution was passed that the clerk

be authorised to sue for all outs tanding rates due after 30th June. COttftBBPONpENCE. A letter was read from Ml' Burnett, Railway Engineer, stating that in exchange for 10tons2icwt of old trnßS

bolts and and washers from the OxfordTemuka railway bridge, velued at £ls per ton, he had sent to Temuka to be stacked there for the council 4.3 ions 8 cwt of nvh at £3 10s per ton—an exchange of £lsl 17s (3d.—Mr Marchant remarked : that this was a useful result of pulliDg the bridge to pieces. A letter from the Colonial Secretai/'s office asked the council's opinion on the application of the Geraldine Acclimatisation Society to have hares again declared "game y ' with an " open season " j of four months.—Reply to bo sent that I haree do not need the suggested protection. On an application from the clerk to the Pareora Licensing Committee for an increase of remuneration, it was decided to mako tho sum £lO a year. TENDEHS. The tollowing tenders were received : - Protective works at. tho Pareora bridge Kite—Gregan & Mulv.-.-liill, £47(5 4s (accepted) ; J. Davis, £sll 2a (51; T. K-ooney, £7Ol 4s 3d : J. Plr'p, £791 ; \V :i son & White, £920 Th Bd. Four Peaks water-races-- Sherratt& Co., £149 7s (id (accepted) ; T. Corkeiy, £l5B ](ss; Richards & Kcnningtoii, £]i>B ]9s; L\ Gregan, £lßl ; V. Chaitey, £241 12«. Tung/jwai fence—Shr'p & Plackott, £4(5 8s (accepted) ; J. Pearson, £sl ; J. Cartv. right, £57 Is 3d. SI.Ar'IUTKKHOUSRS. A long report by tho local inspector ou tho objections ngainpt the application of J. A. Young <£ Winchester, for a slaughtering license was- road. There were also several lot tors on the subject. It was decided that iu face of tho ob- I

jections raised the council could not grant the application. W. Hopkinson applied for a license for a section at Georgetown, Temuka. —Referred to the Road Board. The reports of the Slaughterhouses Inspectors were received. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £405 14s were passed for payment.