GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2697, 11 August 1894, Page 3

GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Geraldine County Council was held on Wednesday. Present —Messrs W. Balfour (chairman), A. White, M. Quinn, J. Talbot, and R. Mackay. engineers’ report. Messrs Meason & Marchant reported as follows : Tengawai Protective Works ; The .willow planting and earthwork cantract at Tengawai protective fence is proceeding satisfactorily. Mi Cook having erected an embankment which has at the present time the effect of diverting all water from the county protective works, it will bo necessary to cat a short length of race in order to afford a water supply to the protective fence so that the willows in it may continue to grow. The cost of tho work wo suggest would be under £5, [Race to be

cut j. Pareora Protective Works : The contractors for thdae works are carrying them out under considerable difficulty, but so far we are well satisfied with the work done. The ground is streaming with, water, which makes the earthwork very heavy in execution. —Water Races: We inspected Mr Humphrey’s complaint at Seadown. It requires but little to remedy it as far as there is any real necessity to do, and we have instructed the ranger accordingly. Mr Oldfield, likewise in the same neighborhood, asks for a little work to be done in a swampy creek into which the race water discharges, and we recommend that the ranger should do what was required. Four Peaks Water Supply : This contract has proceeded as well as the late wet weather would permit, and so far the work has been very satisfactorily executed.” WATER EAOBS, The reports of the Waterrace Committees and rangers were read: G. Crozier reported the Seadown races to be in good order.—A. Gynes reported satisfactorily on the Rangitata races. There had been a lot of stuff fallen into the race along the big terrace this winter, with frost and rain. The Woodbury Committee reported the races all *• passable,” and the headworks all right.—The Orari - Waihi Committee reported a temporary block in the headrace owing to a slip in the cutting, which is in an unsafe condition in many places. The committee endorsed the council’s action re Mr Postlethwaite’s agreement, considering that it is also binding upon his successor, Mr Orbell. The Geraldine Flat Committee reported the races in good order. —The Waitohi Flat Committee reported that the ranger had been kept busy clearing out small shingle slips let down by the frost; there had been no heavy slips. The ranger stated that Mr A. M. Clark positively refuses to clean his races until they are handed over to him in proper order, asserting that the races were never properly made. The committee asked for instructions. A letter was read from Mr A. M. Clark in reply to a notice to clean his races, that he could do nothing until he had seen the chairman. —The chairman said he supposed that Mr Clark was harping on the old complaint—that the races were not handed over to him in good condition as they were leaking into the swamps. They had been cleaned by the committee, but what their condition was after that he did not know. Mr Quinn said the committee reported that after the cleaning the races were in good order. On the suggestion of Mr Merchant it was decided that the chairman, Mr Talbot, and the engineer should arrange a meeting with Mr Clark to endeavour to settle the matter in dispute. Mr White, the Council’s solicitor, wrote advising the withdrawal of the appeal. The letter notifying the withdrawal stated that the company has decided not to proceed further with the appeal, but proposes to test the legality of the proceedings of the Council in respect to the matters involved in another way in which those questions can be better raised and more fully determined. Mr J. Murray, Orari Station, wrote under date July 27th, that at a meeting of ratepayers of the Orari-Rangitata watersupply district on the 23rd, the following committee of supervision was elected: — Messrs Airay and Wareing (lower division) ; and Messrs Shaw and Murray (middle division); and Messrs Metcalf and Wharton (upper division). Mr Murray was afterwards elected chairman. Mr Murray wrote on the 2nd that the committee did not think it would be worth while making any fresh arrangements for keeping the races clean for the remainder of this year. The committee thought it would be better if they were elected for three years instead of one, so that they could make contracts for race cleaning for the longer term. Yearly contracts do not offer sufficient inducement to contractors to invest in the plant best adapted for doing the work in the cheapest and most effective way. Mr Talbot said the formation of a committee would relieve the Council of a considerable amount of anxiety; as this had been the result in every other instance where a committee had been elected. Thanks were due to Mr White for arranging the meeting.—Reply to be sent that the Council will consider the subject when the time is ripe. , OEABI BRIDGES. Messrs MoCully, Wareing, and Taylor waited on the Council with reference to the bridge over the Orari, on behalf of the applicants for the bridge at Rolleston’s Road. Mr Taylor said they had come to inform the council that they,had collected the bulk of the £250 as a contribution to the cost of a bridge, and they would give a guarantee for the balance. They understood that they were to get a light traffic bridge, fit for any ordinary traffic, but not fit for traction engines.—Mr Marchant said it would be a light bridge, but a traction engine would not break it down.—Mr Taylor stated, as an illustration of the necessity for the bridge, that he had guaranteed to deliver sheep in Timaru every week, and for; the lack of a bridge, the river being very high for the past three weeks, ho had to drive them a long distance round, making a five days’ drive instead of two. —The chairman said the council recognised the value of the monetary assistance offered.

At a later stage, pursuant to notice given, Mr Talbot moved, and Mr Quinn seconded—“ That the chairman be authorised to instruct the engineers to prepare plans and specifications, and to invito tenders for the erection of a light traffic bridge over the Orari at Rolleston’s Road, provided that the applicants for the bridge contribute a sum of not less than £250 towards the cost, tho council to be assured that such amount will be forthcoming, either by way of the amount being paid to tho council or an approved guarantee that it will be so paid within one month of the acceptance of a tender.” —After some discussion the motion was put and carried, all voting in favor of it except Mr White, who thought the matter should be deferred pending the result of the agitation for tfxe division of the county. SMALL BIROSA letter from Mr Shiers, Geraldine, asked for a further supply of poisoned wheat, and stated that the bi^ s wei . c disappearing fast in bffs district, and ho did uoi plain la made at the end pf tho season. So far, the chairman stated, 251 bushels of wheat had been purchased and poisoned, and these had swelled in tho process to 284 bushels, of which 163 had been sent out. The 138 remaining would probably bo sufficient for tho rest of the agreed that tho poisoning preparations should be closed for tho present. SLAUGHTERHOUSES. R. Morg in it Go. requested leave to transfer their licence from Soaviow to Urn place lately occupied by Mr Tutton, Saltwater C- o .k ; and W. Hopkiusou applied for a license for a silo on tho south side of Temuka below railway bridge.—Both applications were granted.

MISCELLANEOUS. A request was made by the Levels Boa® Board for confirmation of their resolution closing certain roads.—Granted. A letter from the Chief Postmaster, Timaru, stated that the PostmasterGeneral could not agree to the change of the name of the post office Orton. The secretary to the Timaru Agricultural and Pastoral Association wrote asking for the use of a room for the monthly meetings of the committee.—Mr Stubbs said all the furniture was his. —Mr White thought it was a slur upon their clerk. —Mr Stubbs said it would not interfere with him. —Mr Quinn : What about the furniture? —Mr White: They must find their own furniture. —Mr Quinn : They must come to terms with Mr Stubbs about the use of the furniture and cleaning out.—Mr Talbot moved that the request be acceded to, subject to some necessary arrangements being made with the chairman. THE EATING ACTS. The council’s solicitor wrote on the subject of Rating Act, as follows: - “The Rating Acts Amendment Act, passed last year enacts that from and after the commencement of the Act (Ist April, 1894) each local body is to make its own valuation roll, annually or triennially at its option, and the county valuation is made the standard for all other local bodies in the county. The Act further provides that all assessments of property made under the Act (i. e. , under section 2) shall be made according to the rateable value of the property as defined in section 2 of the Bating Act of 1876, or in the Rating Act 1882, whichever of the two Acts the local authority shall determine to be in force in the district. From this provision it will be seen that it is necessary that the council should pass a resolution determining which of the two Acts shall be in force in the county. . . A copy of this resolution, duly certified, must be gazetted in the New Zealand Gazette.” After some discussion, Mr Talbot moved, Mr White seconded, and it was carried unanimously—“ That this council determines that the Bating Act of 1882 shall be the Act in force within the Geraldine County,” Moved by Messrs Talbot and Quinn, and carried—“ That offers be invited for the work of making a valuation of the rateable properties in the Geraldine County, separate offers to be obtained for each riding, comprising the town boards within them, except in the case of the Levels riding which will be divided into two districts with a valuer for each subdivision.” ACCOUNTS, Advices were received from the Treasury of the payment of subsidies for Geraldine Road Board £127 12s 2d; Levels Road Board £250 ; Temuka Road Board £l9l 6s 7d. Accounts amounting to £BO9 18s lOd were passed for payment, and the council rose. _