GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2163, 14 February 1891, Page 3

GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Geraldine County Council was held on Wednesday. Present —Messrs W. Balfour (chairmaa), M. Quinn, J. M. Barker, R. Mackay, and W. B. Howell. THE LATE MB BAKKEB. The chairman, in feeling terms, referred to the death of the late Mr R. A. Barker, and testified to hia usefulness as a member of the board. The council would feel the loss of Mr Barker very much, and he begged to move that a resolution to that effect be recorded in the minutes, and that a letter of condolence be forwarded to the relatives of their late member. Mr Howell seconded this. Messrs Quinn and Mackay also spoke on the subject, and the motion was carried unanimously. "WATER-BACEB. The council's engineers, Messrs Meason and Marchant, reported as follows on water-races : " Waitohi. —The contract plana for this work are now completed, and we shall be ready to invite tenders for it as soon as the council directs. The question of land compensation is not yet settled. We think it would be better if the council and the landowners arranged to abide by the award of a competent valuer agreed upon between the parties,

"Geraldine Plat.—We met Mr Kelman and Mr Shaw concerning the division of water between them. It is the desire of the parties interested to have some small concrete wiers made, in order to equitably divide the water between them. There is no objection to this being done if the council consents.

" Orari-Waihi. —As instructed, we met Mr Postlethwaite and Mr J. Barker on the ground to inspect the suggestions made concerning the extension of the water district. Pending the further development of the district, we think it might be met by allowing Mr Postlethwaite the use of the tail water for the sum offered, £25 per annum; the water to be allowed to flow from Mr Postlethwaite's land unpolluted and undimished in quantity within reasonable limits. We do not thinfc any interests would be sacrified by this course."

The engineers' suggestion re valuations for the Waitohi district was These matters to be fixed before tenders for the work are called, and the chairman ngreed to see the owners and obtain their agreement to accept a valuator. Re Mr Kelman's and Mr Shaw's application it was decided to take no action.

The Orari-Waihi ranger reported satisfactorily. He asked for a gauge wier at the chief junction.—Referred to the engineers. The ranger reported the Seadown races in good order. The Woodbury ranger reported all in good order, except that a pipe culvert had been broken by a traction engine backing to the race to get water. He also asked for a pair of gam boots. —Boots granted. The Rangitata ranger reported that the races were becoming choked with rushes and weeds faster than he could clean them out. He asked whether the ratepayers were not responsible for the cleaning of the races. Some of them were willing to do the work and others were not. Several fords needed shingling, and some planks were needed for wide races on the roads,—-Mr Mackay said the Ashburton Ceunty Council gave notice to owners to clean the races. Mr Marchant said the ranger alone could not possibly Keep the races clean, as there were 80 or 90 miles of them. He thought it would be better to give him assistance. —The principle of putting men to clean races was approved. The chairman reported the result of the meeting of ratepayers at the Point relative to water-races on the Tengawai Flat, and Mr Orbeli's request for an extension of the scheme so as to include a large portion of the downs belonging to the Land Company. The meeting asked that flying surveys be made, and separates of the cost of each proposal made» slaughterhouse" Mr W Demuth was granted a slaughterhouse license for a section near Temuka. [Tbe remainder of this report is crowded om.]