GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 7213, 11 May 1893, Page 3

GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Geraldine County Council was held to-day. Present ; Messrs Balfour (chairman), Howell, Talbot, Maokay, Barker and Quinn. bnoinbbes’ eepobt Messrs Wesson and Marchant reported as follows : “Opihi Bridge—This bridge is in a decayed and dilapidated state, and in our opinion has been unfit for heavy truffle for a long time past. Had it not been for the constant attention bestowed on it by the Temuka Road Board the Council would have had to amend it long ago. Tt has gone from bad t> worse, the planking and joints are badly decayed on their bearings, and decay has set in in several parts of tbo structure; We think that nothhg s iorfc of complete reconstruction will be of the 0 tghtost use, as it it is manifestly usslecs to put a new deck on a cemi-rottcn foundation. propose then to deal with the original length of 15C3ft only of bridging for the present. The road traffic will continue to use tho Temuka end of the bridge for a length of 750 ft, thus crossing the main stream by tho bridge, then descend from the bridge to the riverbed by an embankment, cross the riverbed and pass along a short piece of road at the southern side of tho river and eo back to tho main road. This will provide for the road traffic in a safe and as convenient a manner as potsible The stream at tho southern side of tho river will bo diverted to the northern channel so that except in ve.y heavy floods there will bsno water fur traffic to cross. The recooetruction’of the bridge will to conducted as follows :—The specified length of the bridge to bo entirely dismantled, and all. jointc and every timber examined for decay, and treated accordingly. The planking to be laid crosswise, on new ironbark longtitudinals, these in turn resting on transoms carried by

the girders. All the timber in the bridge will be worked upas far as possible after removing the decayed portions and the whole of the Oxford-i'cmuka railway bridge timber to be cut up also and u=ed in it. A considerable amount of new decking will bo required outside that to be procured from the joists of the old bridge and the railway timber. This wo suggest to the Council should be ironbanr. This would bo of course a much more expensive timber than black birch, but we think the extra coat would be well repaid by its very much greater durability. The bridge carries an enormous traffic, and we think that black birch would wear out ia half the time that iron-bark would. By adopting the course we have outlined* will m«ke the bridge practically speaking as sound es when new, and much stronger than it ever was. We estimate the cost of dismantling and rebuilding the bringing, 1500 ft in length, at from £2200 lo £2500. It entirely depends on the condition of the timber?,which will bo revealed when dismantled The above estimate could be reduced perhaps by £SC3 or £6OO if leas expensive timber than iron-bark were used. It is for the Council to say whether this shall be done ; we think the money would not bo well saved. Before very long it will be necessary for the Council to consider the question of reconstructing the remainder of the bridging at the northern end. When this is undertaken, the ordinary flow of the river must be diverted from the present channel to the southern side so as to let the traffic cross dry-shod. " Water Races .—We made an _ inspection of the water-race district at Fairßeld and Geraldine Downs. In the case of the for-

mer ifc presents no special difficulties, and i wo think the water could be supplied at a ) reasonable cost. The headrace would in* * tersect the downs for which we cannot give an estimate of cost unless a detailed survey is made of the work. In the case of the Geraldine Downs, a water supply to them would of necessity be much more expensive tl an anything we have hitherto done in the County. Wo believe a supply to these downs is quite possible with the exception the very highest part, but it would| necessitate an exhaustive survey to afford a basis for makiog a reliable estimate.” After discussing a few details, it was re’ solved that the work on the Opihi bridge should be put in hand at once, and the engineer was instructed to prepare plans and specifications. f THE EATS PBBMIEB. Mr Mackay moved and Mr Quinn seconded —‘‘That this Council deeply regret the loss the colony h-»s sustained through the death of , the Hod, J. Ballance, to whose administration j the colony is largely indebted for the present satisfactory condition of the finance. 'I bat the above be entered on the minutes of the Council, and a copy of the same bo sent to Mrs Ballance, together with an assurance of the Council’s sympathy with her in her bereavement.” Mr Howtll did not see that it would bo right to credit Mr Ballance with all the improvement in the colony s finance, -they could all concur in an expression of sympathy with Mrs Ballance. Mr Mackay said there was a good deal of truth in it. If the “ other side ” had been in power (hey would have agreed to it. Mr Barker : Not et all. Mr Talbot agreed with Mr Mackay. Seeing that the financial position of the colony bad come out so much better than was anticipated, they shou’d give the credit to those wbo had administered the finances. Bightly or wrongly he thought that the administration of the finances had been such that the dolorous representations that had been msde concerning it, had been falsified. The finance bad come out right, and they should give the credit for that where it was due. .... . . Mr Howell said he would not. vole against it, but ho would have preferred to see the i motion cut down and simplified. 'J he motion was then put and carried nem con. WATER BACKS. The chairman reported that he had seen Mr A. M. Clark regarding his complaint of damage to land by overflow from the vVeitohi races Ho was shown the places, and saw that, the overflow was caused by subsidence of embankments across hollows. In reply to a question Mr Balfour said bo could not say whether or not there would be any overflow it Mr Clarke cleaned out the races. Me Talbot said the Wuitohi Committee believed there wauld bo no injury done if the races were cleaned. Mr Quinn gave an instance where a similar ov< rflow had bean cured by cleaning a race. After a good deal of discussion it was resolved—” That the engineer be requested to inspect the races complained of by Mr and report t > the next meeting of the Council. A long discussion took place on the question I of enforcing the by-law lo compel owners to clean races or to pay the cost of cleaning them by men put on by the rangers, and it was agreed that the by-law ought to be enforced, until the ratepayers in some combined manner demanded the adoption of some other system. Mr Talbot said he had seen a number of ratepayers in the Baogitata district, and gathered that generally they are against adopting the committee system. At the same time there was a great deal of dissatisfaction at the present system. Mr Balfcur and Mr Quinn said thire was no chance of Seadown adopting a committee, and a letter from Mr Denniatoun confirmed Mr Talbot’s report concerning Bangitata. j Mr Barker said Woodbury would probably I be ready to adopt the system*

In a conversation on the subject members said the committee system would suit small districts, while it would be very difficult to get men to undertake the oversight of large districts. At the last meeting Messrs Crowe, Rice, and others petitioned the Council to take tbe necessary steps to have Fairfield, on tho east side of the Hae-Heo Te-Moana river, proclaimed a water district, preparatory to the construction of a water-race, and decision was held over till to-day. After members had consulted Mr Marchant, Mr Talbot moved, Mr Barker seconded and it was carried, “ That the engineer be authorised to make a survey, and furnish estimate of cost to carry out the application of the settlers at Fairfield fora water supply.” Tbo rangers* reports were ready, Mr Orozier, for Seadown, wrote that everything was satisfactory, and the freshes in the river had done no damage ; he had to attend specially to one or two fords. Mr Reilly stated that tho Woodbnry races were in fair order. Mr Gould reported that there was a good flow in the Orari-Waihi races.

fTbe remainder o! our report ie held over.]