GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 10051, 8 February 1927, Page 3

GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING

The monthly meeting of the Geraldine County Council was held on Monday. Present: Col. K. Mackenzie (chairman), and 1 Councillors F. R. Flatman, J. M. H. Tripp, J. JEllis, M. Guild, T. Lyon, C., Ley, G. Tate, and the County Engieei (Mr C. E. Bremner). Before taking the ordinary business, the chairman referred to the death of the late Mr W. E. Kiunerney, whom he said, had spent his life in Timaru, and had been connected with many local bodies. The Council recorded its sincere regret at the death of Mr Kinnerney,’ a worthy citizen of Timaru, and a member of the local legal profes sion, and one of its most distinj guished members. A copy of this resolution will he forwarded to Miss Kinnerney and -the firm of Messrs Perry, Perry and Kinnerney, with sympathy in their, loss. FINANCE STATEMENT. Cr. F. R. Flatman, chairman of the Finance Committee, reported that receipts for the month had been £2726 19s 7d. The debit balance at the bank was £2876 9s 2d. Cash in hand was £202 3s 2d. With the temporary loan of £2500, the total debit balance amounted to £5174 6s. The sum of £6092 11s 10d- had been received from the current year’s rates, leaving over £BOOO still to come in. -The expenditure in the several ridings to date had been; —Temuka £2675 8s 2d; Geraldine, £3232 16s Id; Mount Peel, £Bl6 6s 3d. The 10 per cent, penalty on rates would be imposed after February 16. The report was adopted. POUNDKEEPERS’ REPORTS. Mr J. R. Bradshaw, Temuka, reported having bought 1940 dozen birds’ heads and eggs for January, for £24 ss. . He had impounded 25 horses and 78 cows during January. The report was adopted. Mr F. Gaby, Geraldine, reported having impounded 13 horses and 18 cows. The report was adopted. CORRESPONDENCE. Eleven settlers petitioned the Council by letter to consider the state of the creek which passed through the property of the Temuka Dairy Co., Ltd., which was badly polluted and dangerous to health. —Referred to the Health Inspector. The District, Public Trustee (Mr Duncan) wrote asking the Council to bring the matter of Mr Patrick’s lease’ in regard Jo. .the removal of willows, to a finality. Cr. Ley said the willows were right in the middle of the channel. Cr. Flatman said they must keep the property in good order. It was decided that Mr Bremner' get the work done. ■Mr J. Vance, chairman of the Woodbury W.S.D., wrote that, the old committee was willing to. act . again, with the addition of Mr L. M. T. Williams. —Agreed to. •Mrs J. M. H. Tripp wrote thanking the Council for its contribution of £25 towards the Plunket fund. The hon. secretary, Winchester • School Committee (Mr Philp) ap- ■ plied for a permit to cut willow wood round the river on the reserve granted to them. It was decided that no timber" he ’ allowed' to be removed without permission, and that the committee be ' required to pay 5s per cord for .wood already removed. The Timaru Borough Council forwarded a copy of the address to he submitted to their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York (after having been altered to meet the different views expressed).—Re- ' ceived and approved. -Mr G. H. Carson, Ashburton, wrote asking if the matter’ of installing a shelter shed at Blands wood, with free fireplace, had' been discussed by the Council . It, was badly needed. It was decided that the application he forwarded to the Peel Forest Board.

The committee of the Temuka Library invited the chairman and members of the Council to the opening ceremony of the new Library buildings.—(Accepted. Mrs Clinch, Epworth, asked that the gorse on the road fading to her property be cut, as she could not get to her paddock to cut hay. .—Property owners are doing work. GENERAL.

Cr. Flatmau brought up' the matter of lorry licenses. A lorry owner had-'spoken to him, he said, complaining that two of his competitors in the lorry business had not paid fees, either this or last year, and he did not consider this fair. One lorry man was working for the Government (the Railway Department), and he wanted to know if he was- exempt from paying fees. The speaker said that'everybody should' have fair play, and all should be treated alike. They should wake up the authorities, and the names of owners should be supplied. 1 It was stated that the Traffic Inspector had no jurisdiction over the lorry men working for the Railway Department. The Clerk (Mr A. A. Read-die) stated that he had written to the Timaru Borough Council, supplying the names of those not registered. It was decided that engineer make the necessary arrangements with the Telegraph Department, to do what is required to take the weight of the telegraph line' off the piers of the Arowhenua road bridge which through recent floods were :now suspended on the piers of the

Mr J. Loach interviewed the Council, and asked why he was required to remove a fence. He said there was not a surveyed road there and never was.

Cr. Flatman said the public was asking that the road be opened up, but if there was not a road there, that, ended it. ■Mr Loach said the road ■-was blocked up with gorse. It was decided to notify owners to clear the gorse, and to investigate the matter of the road line; Cr. Flatman suggested that an agreement should be obtained from all who have come into the Geraldine Downs-Rau kap uka ' Water Scheme since the special area was formed, ilf they had no contract, they might have trouble in future. It was agreed that such legal agreement be obtained. The Council discussed the matter of putting down stretches of bitumenised road. Mr Bremner, in a report, gave the cost of laying down bitumen at per chain, and Cr. Flatman commented that the cost' worked out at about double- what they were paying under the present system—£l7s per mile. The expenditure of the extra amount in putting down bitumen might, he said, quite well pay them, on account of the longer life of the road so treated, and the lesser cost of maintenance. The chairman agreed, and suggested that certain places, such as from the Geraldine traffic bridge north for 65 chains, and a portion at the Rangitata bridge, and from the Arowhenua Hotel to the Temuka Thorough boundary, be treated to start with. Cr. Ellis, agreed that they should make a start with the ne/v process. Cr. Flatman said he thought it would pay, but even if it, did not it, would be worth while making the experiment.

It was decided lo await a further report from the engineer. -The secretary Milford Lagoon Association, wrote asking for a grant towards necessary protective work at Milford. Lagoon. Protective •works ' estimated to cost .£SOO bud been put in hand, and £3OO of' this had been found by the Association. The Council agreed that it hud no funds to spend on the worksasked for, and suggested that The Milford settlers form themselves Into a special rating area. TENDERS. Tenders for repainting the old Road Board building were received from the following:—T. Twigg £9 ss; B. Wilson £7 10s; E. P. White £9 15s. Mr Wilson’s tender was accepted. RIVER BOARD! The Council eat as a River Board. Mil F. H. Symons, Orton, ’ wrote forwlrcEs£ £9 5s for river rates, stating that he was paying these with a very bad grace, for he was losing acres of land and receiving no help from the Council in the way of protective works. The matter was of great urgency; as an- inspection would show. It was stated that the question of protective works on the Rangitata -river would- be fully discussed in March. GENERAL. The banking of the Temuka Borough reserve at Winchester was discussed, and it was decided that, a copy of the plan of alternative banking proposals as affecting the porough’s water supply intake’ at Winchester. be supplied to the Borough Council, and that it be notified that the River Board was prepared to erect the embankment (a) on the river frontage of the reserve, upon the Borough Council giving them a written undertaking that no claim for: compensation or damage or injury be made against the Board in consequence of the work carried out. Failing this, the Board would substitute the line (b) outside the Borough . reserve as shown on the plan (attached). RIVER BOARD PLANT. - The engineer reported l on the plant. It had, lie said, been piuchased out of the South Orari loan money, and had been hired- to the Ashley River Commissioners and returned by them in good oidei. The fees had been credited to the South Orari River District. He thought that the River Board should now take over the plant, and pro rata divide amongst the other livei districts on a rating value, or othei basis. In this way the South Orari River District would be sufficiently reimbursed for the initial outlay on purchase, and the plant made available in any part of the River Boardarea for future operations. The value of the plant was £l5O, It was decided that the purchase be made on a pro rata basis, each district to bear the cost of repairs while on the job.

Mr Bremner said that the Commissioners spoke very highly of the way Mr Murray had carried out the work. They were feeling satisfied with his work.