GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2685, 14 July 1894, Page 3

GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Geraldine County Council was held on Thursday. Present Messrs Balfour (chairman), Quinn, Howell, Talbot, and Orbell. Mr White, the council’s solicitor, wrote advising that the council cannot take native land for road purposes under The Public Works Act. The Governor-in-Couucil may do it, and probably would if it were shown to be necessary. Mr White also reported the result of the lawsuit against the Estates Company, and that the company had given him notice of appeal. Mr .Marchant said it was quite necessary to get a piece of native land, a quarter of an acre, to give access to the riverbed at the north end of the Opihi bridge, and it was agreed that application be made to the Governor for it. engineers’ report. Messrs Meason & Merchant reported as follows: — “ Pareora Protective Works.—Work has been commenced on this contract. Under the particular circumstances of this case, we considered it desirable to have a clerk of works in charge, and with the chairman’s consent we appointed Mr Radford to the position. Four Peaks Water Supply.—-We have put the contractor in possession of the ground, and all is in order for the due execution of the work. « Tengawai Protective Fence. The contractors for this work are getting on but slowly, as they are doing earthwork by hand. We have instructed them to get the fencing repaired and the willow planting done immediately. Orari River, Bolleston’s Road.—We have examined this site with the object of estimating the cost of a traffic bridge across the river there. We find that by the construction of a strong protective fence and embankment a length of 320 ft. would be fully sufficient to bridge the river, as the channel is of very considerable depth during floods. For a bridge of the above length, of sufficient strength to carry any ordinary heavy road traffic, 10ft wide on the . floor and 12ft. wide between the tops of railings, the cost would be £BOO, including the protective works and cost of supervision, but exclusive of the cost of the piles, winch we have in stock, obtained from the old Oxford - Temuka railway bridge. We favor the construction of such a bridge as this instead of on* of lighter construction, as the saving of cost would bo very small.” . , Mr Marchaufc said the work of repairin" the Tengawai embankment was one of "the “ roughest” things he hadseonin the country. The men had to shift 1400 cubic yards of stuff ; they had to excavate it 40ft away and wheel it up q.bojit ( ft hi"h. As there were about 10 barn)wloads to the cubic yard, that was 14,000 barrowloads to_ shift, and their price for it was only £47. i:tlinOlNO THE ORARI. Mr A. Kolraan waited on the couuC'4 to urge the construction of a bridge over the Orari at the main road crossin . Before ho came in the council looked up the reports and compared tho cost of the

two bridges—at the Main Road and at Rollestou’s road. The engineer’s estimate for the upper bridge was more than half as much again as for the lower one, and the settlers on the lower road had offered £250 towards the cost. Mr Talbot and Mr Quinn considered the lower crossing was the proper one to bridge, apart from the cost. Mr Kelman presented part of a petition (which should have been sent in before) asking for a light traffic bridge at the Main South Road. Speaking in support of the petition, Mr Kelman claimed that a bridge was certainly wanted on the main road. He did not object to a bridge at the lower crossing; in fact, the two crossings were needed. He said they did not want the whole of the riverbed bridged: 400 ft. would be all that was wanted, and the users would guarantee to keep up the approaches. Asked if the petitioners would provide any part of the funds, Mr Kelman said there was some intention of that kind; it was his own suggestion, and the lower settlers stole it. He urged that the council should keep in view the improvement in travelling along the main line of road. He had carted 10,000 bushels of wheat five miles up the river to the bridge, and round by Geraldine, to get it to the railway station at Orari. In reply to questions Mr Kelman said he could not toll which is the best ford taking both all the year round, except that there might be deeper water on the lower crossing. All they asked for was 400 ft of bridge, with an approach and some willow planting. He did not see why there should be any question of one against the other; they were being taxed enough, and the council should do something for them. Mr Kelman having retired, Mr Talbot said that they could not deal finally with the bridge question that day, and he would give notice of motion for next meeting that tenders be called for the lower bridge. If that motion was carried, of course it shelved the upper one but the motion would bring both sites under discussion. Personally he bad no doubt as to which site should be adopted, and Mr Kelman admitted that a bridge was needed below. WATER RACES. Mr A Kelman applied for an embankment to be made to turn water from a race on his ground into the Waihi river, he paying half the cost. Mr Merchant explained how the trouble arose; and the council decided that Mr Kelman should make the embankment himself, and the council will carry out Mr Merchant’s offer to give him £ for £ up to £2 10s towards the cost, provided that the water race committee sees no objection. The chairman suggested that all additions and extensions to races should be marked on the map, and it was agreed that it should be done. Reports of committees and rangers were read. The reports were generally satisfactory. The Waitohi Committee reported that Mr A, M. Clark’s races needed cleaning. The usual notice to be given, and if not complied with the council to do the work and charge Mr Clark. The Orari-Waihi Committee wrote regarding Mr M. C. Orbell’s complaint that he was not getting water; they had ascertained that there was a good supply flowing on to Mr Orbell’s property. The coucil understood that Mr Orbell wishes to get away from the agreement with Mr Postlethwaite, and the clerk was instructed to look up the correspondence on the subject. A tetter was read from Mr Orbell, Geraldine, dated 11th inst, stating that he wished to have the arrangement cancelled by which he received the waste water from one of the Orari-Waihi races, as he gets no certain supply owing to leakage. Other correspondence and records were read, commencing with a letter from Mr Postlethwaite of January, 1891, asking to have a certain portion of the home farm added to the Orari-Waihi district. In February 1891, Mr Postlethwaite interviewed the Council and offered £25 a year for the use of the tail water from the race and this offer was accepted. In December 1891 Mr Orbell wrote inquiring the terms of the arrangement with Mr Postlethwaite, the information was sent, and Mr Orbell accepted the position, and had paid for water under the agreement. Mr Talbot moved—“ That it be pointed out to Mr Orbell that the arrangement was made with Mr Postlethwaite on his special request, and that he (Mr Orbell) has ratified the arrangement by paying the annual amount agreed upon, and under the circumstances the Council cannot allow him to withdraw, and must insist upon payment of the amount now due.”—Carried. A complaint from Mr Humphries, Seadown, was referred to the engineers. So also was a request for race extension at South Rangitata. Mr J. Murray wrote suggesting time and place for a meeting of ratepayers to elect a committee for the Rangitata water supply and the suggestions were adopted. SMALL BIRDS. Some letters were read from the road boards with regard to supplies of poisoned wheat. Mr W. Shiers, Geraldine, wrote —“ The weather is sore on the birds just now, and they must take it or starve. The last lot sent is doing good execution. I have adopted the plan of mixing a little oat chaff with the wheat distributed on the roads; this deceives the birds and acts splendidly.” The Levels and Temuka Road Boards wrote approving of the Council’s action in reducing the amount to be spent on destruction of small birds. Mr Talbot moved the resolution of which he had given notice at the previous meeting : That the council limit the expenditure this year to £550 with a pro rata allocation among the road boards; that the road boards be informed from month to ironth how much they have expended, through the council. MISCELLANEOUS. Mr W. Hopkinson,Georgetown,Temuka, ipplied for a slaughterhouse license. An ibjection was received from a neighbour, md this was endorsed by the Temuka Road Board. License refused. The Ashburton County Council wrote regarding account for repair and extension >f the Rangitata stock bridge, and regarding the costs of the licensing election, Mr J. Radford, dork of the works at he Pareora river works, applied for a pair ■ >f gum boots, as he has tp spencj 9 large part of his time up to his knees in water, md the water is very cold now. —Boots to be got and sent him, to remain the property of the council. Two ratepayers in the Temuka district applied to be relieved of the payment of rates, as they had very poor crops, “ and the grain expert Best cleared with the proceeds.”—Not entertained, A telegram fppqt Wpliingtpu stated ihat the amount of the loan for the Four Peaks water supply district had been I d';wn, 1 : . : levels county. Mr Tarsi' aid they were all of course aware that the Levels road district proposed to form an independent county. Ho did not know exactly how they stood,

except that there bad been a Bill prepared. He did not know whether he should bring up the matter here; but he thought they should take some notice of it. At the request of the Temuka Road Board he, as chairman, had called a public meeting for Tuesday next to consider the matter, and he would propose that the council frame an objection to the division of the county. He would move “ That this council is of opinion that the action now being taking by the Levels Riding having for its object the constitution of a separate county, is opposed to the general interest of the county as a whole, and that the Government be informed of this council’s opposition to the proposal, and also that it being probable that the northern portion of the county may raise objections, a public meeting having .been convened to consider the matter, it be asked that the proposal be not acceded to without due consideration.” 1 Mr Orbell would move an amendment tkat the Council take no action. He considered the Council would be going quite outside its duties if it pased the motion. The Levels formed half the county, and if the ratepayers thought it would be to their advantage to separate, this Council had no right to raise an objection, if it represented the Levels as well as the other parts of the county. Mr Quinn, who seconded Mr Talbot’s motion, considered a split would be very detrimental, and he agreed with Mr Talbot that the Council should express an opinion about it. Mr Howell thought it would be a pity tojdivide the county, but while he could go to some extent with the resolution he was not prepared in the face of the large majority of ratepayers who had signed the petition to condemn the proposed division altogether. Mr Talbot pointed out that the northern half would have more than it could carry in the Rangitata bridge and the Opihi bridge, and if the latter had to be kept up by two counties, there might be differ-. euces of opinion and lawsuits about it. The chairman said there was no fear but that Parliament would very fully consider the interests of the whole country when the Bill came on for the second reading It was nonsense for Geraldine aud Mount Peel to think of becoming a county by themselves, the Rangitata bridge alone would be beyond their power, yet they did not want Temuka, aud Temuka did not want them. Mr Orbell: The Levels is perfectly willing to join Temuka. Mr Talbot: But Temuka would rather join Geraldine. Mr Orbell objected to the council taking any action at all, and moved, and Mr Howell seconded, as an amendment—- “ That the council forward no objection to the Government re the petition of ratepayers in the Levels road district to be formed into a separate county.” The amendment was lost, and Mr Talbot’s motion was carried, and ordered to be sent to the Colonial Secretary and local members. SLAUGHTERHOUSES. The reports of slaughterhouse inspectors were received. The chairman reported that some slaughterhon semen were to be prosecuted for not keeping their premises dean. ACCOUNTS. Accounts were passed for payment amounting to £515 2s lOd.