GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 579, 20 March 1909, Page 4

GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Geraldine County Council was ''held on {Thursday. Present : —Messrs J. G. • ennistoun (chairman), B. R. Macdon'ald, A. Metcalf, A. Kelman, W. Dixon, G. W. Amiitage, and D. Grant. 1 SPECIAL MEETING. I A special meeting was held before the general meeting, when it was proI posed by Mr G. W. Amiitage and seconded by Mr D. Grant, that a resolution passed on lSth February, 1909, bo confirmed, in regard to paying interest and sinking fund out of the general fund of the County on the special loan of £BOOO, raised under the Local Bodies' Loans Act, 1901. Carried.

GENERAL MEETING

ENGINEER'S REPORT. Mr Merchant, county engineer, reported on works in hand. Rc-inforced concrete bridge. Opihi.—Work at this continues to be satisfactorily carried on. The contractors expect to commence pile driving towards the end of the month. A progress payment of £IOO was now duo ami payable to Messrs Hall, the contractors. Hanging Rock Bridge.—This work was now progressing well. All tho piles should bo driven by the end of this month. A progress payment of £2OO was now due 'and payable to Messrs W. J. Black and Son. Hanging Rock Road. --This contract was being but slowly executed, the men employed having nearly all left for harvest. A progress payment of £SO may bo paid. Raincliff Bridge Strengthening.—Nearly one half of the bridge was now completed, and all the timber was delivered. A progress payment of £IOO was now due, payable to Mr W. H. Tubb.

CLERK OF WORK'S REPORT

Mr P. Billings, Clerk of Works, reported on ' works visited during the mouth. He had vbdted tho Hanging Rock bridge, four days : Allandale bridge, 13 clays ; Hanging Rock road, 2 days ; Raincliff bridge, 2 days : Ran-o-itata Bridge, 2 days ; water races, 1 flay ; Council yard, 1 day ; Upper Rangitata bridge, 1 day. He found rails and posts all decayed in the Upper 'Rangitata bridge. He saw the overseer of the Ashburton County Council about same, and he promised to attend to the matter. With Mr Metcalf he visited the lower Rangitata bridge and found what was required to bo done, and put a man on to do tho work, which was now completed. Inspecting the Waihi water races ho found the stream, that leads to tho intake box filled up with shingle, and authorised the ranger to direct water from the river. On the (ith, Campbell Bros. compJained re water, and he visited the races on March 7th and found the race blocked at the Humes. This was now put right. ■ WATER RACES. ' The chairman Rangifata-Orari Water Race Committee- reported that there had been a shortage of water at the lower end of tho district during the past month. This had been caused to a large extent by tho Orari river falling, and the intake to the head works had to be lowered several times.

There had also been leakages in the main race, which were very hard to locate. The How was better in the races at the present time than earlier in tho month. The ranker hoped to have water running' right through in a day or two. ■ The chairman of the same water district reported on February '2oth, that the ranger had complained that there

i luul been a uood deal of interference fiji tlie water racen, by people turning more water down the branch races than should be taken from the main 'races. There had been a shortage of water in the races at his end of the district for the last three weeks, and this was due, according to the ranker, through unauthorised • persons diverting water. There Was more water coming in at the head works than usual. He proposed that a warning be made to those persons by advertisement that they will be prosecuted. The ranker of the same district reported that iMr J. Kclland's race had been stopped at the lower end for seven wee kg from the end of last week. It was stopped in the lirst place by youu<r horses pawing the boulders out at (ho divide in Mr •!.

Airay's, below the Orton school. He sun-uested that a barbed wire fence be erected round the divide ; otherwise they should put down a proper concrete divide, as this was a rac; 1 that leaked a \o\, through the bottom, and would not keep up. the supply throughout the race if tampered with,

-Mr -J. C, Kellaud, Orton, wrote asking for a refund of rates, as he had no water for over two months, and had been put to <jreat iticouvetuen<oe, besides the loss ami damage to sheep. —Received. The chairman Waihi Water Race Committee reported the river yvttino low, but plenty of water in all races. Ml- Charles, junr., waited on the Council, askinir permission to use a dead end on his 'property from the Ornri-Waihi water race. There was a dead end already there, but he would not use it without the Council's permission. It was impossible to a loop race on his property, and he only wanted to turn the water on occasionally to fill a pond which he would construct in one of his paddocks. The chairman said they already had complaints of shortage of water in this district, Mr .Macdonald thought there would be no trouble if the water was only to (ill a pond, as loan- as it was turned oli" every time and not .used for irrigation. '

Mr Mi'U'alf said it was hni>oa-il>lt> to ■jet the watt'i" hack into the main race. Tin' chairman tlmiiirlit if nnythine; was ti^reed to there should he something in writing heUvccn Mr Charl's and tin; Council. It was resolved that, Messrs MetcaK and Mncdonald inspect, the race, with power to act ; Mr Charles to si-n an agreement with the Council should i he reiim.'st he ..ranted. coiu{i:s]'ONi)j;Ncr;. Fri-iii the treasure!' of Whirhe-ter I'uhlic l.ibcarv, applviiiLT I'"' usual suhsjdv of L'-J Hi/-, (iranicd. | l''roin Mr I). WaC.H, Kan-fitata I--land, a-<hi!iLr that his name he replaced hy thai of Mr 11.-nvv I |.-:i rn on rat.' roll, in rc-|»'<-( of s. Hions No-. >Jl'>"7 and s and '_' I 0?7,-~ Crnnte. ]. WATI'li K\TKS. { The following rates uvre -truck in the ualerj'race districts Maintenance .rates. credit, L* 17 I'.l/-. expenses CI mi. rate I 'd . W ihurv. produce,, C I:'., deht..,- ' C'J II .">. expenses 1.':',.-). rate .'ld ; ( Ira i'l ■ Waihi. produces Cuv dehlor ChV.l :; s | ~,(„.,,,,,, ra!( , : i],|. i^peeial. S.-pl.-inhcr. _>.i.dl ■; I lerahli,,",. I'lat. pro 1 oners C:*._\ di'htor halance CIC I I '.». ie\|H-,:ses L.'UI, rate :>i,| • Waitohi Mai, | pr.iilu.-i'- CI 11. credit halaife I'.'Hi 7 'l'., r\| en-es C7.">. rah' -Jd. I 111.-re I \e r.iiiiil. Haiiei I i !a I liari. prodnc-s C'-M ••!/(», interest .CJ'25 'J.'S, rate j-H'dhs :

Woodbury, produces £3l, credit £6| 0/10, interest £25, rate 5-16ths ; Orari-ffl Wafthi, produces £129, credit £lßl 19/5, interest £tiß 19/10, rate, id; J Geraldine Flat, produces £lB7, 'credit| £22 18/-, interest £l4B, rate 7.l6ths;| Four Peaks, to be remitted this year, 9 interest £l3 5/G. ■ GENERAL RATE. The chairman said the important question of striking a rate for > the coming year had to be considered, 'and according to the estimates of income and expenditure, they might have to increase the rate. Mr W. Dixon strongly apposed an increase on ' the farthing rate. The • loan for bridges was carried on tho understanding that the general rate would not be increased, and ' they would be breaking faith with the ratepayers. Ho instanced a case in which the Council had wasted £l5O on engineer's commission, which would have been saved if the Mackenzie County Council had carried out the work of the bridge the two Councils were interested in. The Mackenzie Council's engineer would have done tho work %r nothing. Ho brought the matter up three times in the Council at tho time. Mr Macdonakl said that Mr Dixon had always appeared as a champion of tho Mackenzie County Council. He (Mr Macdonakl) still maintained that, although the bridge in question was of use to a few of the Geraldine ratepayers, it was of most use to the Mackenzie County ratepayers, and yet they were very niggardly in their payments.

Mr Grant : It was their business to yet as much as they could. The. Geraldine County ratepayers had boon the soft ones ; but they would have to look after this in the future, and not be the milch cow again. The chairman said ho objected to rates as much as anyone, but it would be a serious matter if the treasurer could not make both ends meet.

Mr Metcalf said they had been building bridges for tho past three or four years, and they had now got to the end of their tether in works of that kind. As far as he knew there was not much more in the way of important works to carry out in the coming year, and there was no reason, therefore, that tho ratet should bo increased. Mr Amiitage : "Not ti,l the end of this vear at any rate." Mr Grant : Let us try it this year without an increase. I think we will got through allright. Notice of motion was given by Mr Amiitage to move at next meeting that a rate be struck of one farthing in the £, to be payable on and after !tho 15th of May, 1909, for vear ondjing March 1 31st, 1910. It was resolved that tho clerk be instructed to sue for alt rate?; outstanding at March 31st, 1909. I MOTOR CARS.

Mr W. Dixon complained of • the reckless man nor in which motor cars were driven on the C attic Valley Coi'u-o road, ! and lie suggested that, notices lie [)osted up warning them of the danger. The notices should ho fixed at both the bottom and top of the gorgo. It was a very dangerous road to meet a fast motor car on, and only recently he and his family were nearlv thrown Over the (lorw. fie believed that by Act of Parliament motorists were expected to take tinbad side of the road in a dangerous place like the one mentioned, but they did not do so. ■ Members agreed (hat it was a serious matter, and resolved that notiee boards be erected at both ends of Oat lie Valley, wnrnimr motorists and traction engine drivers that the bylaws will be ri<> - idlv enforced. ['AY-STTirrr. Accounts amountine; (o I" 105!) ">/;> were passed for payment. The meetinir then terminated.