GERALDINK COUNTY COUNCIL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3524, 14 January 1886, Page 3

GERALDINK COUNTY COUNCIL.

An ordinary meeting of this Council was hold yesterday at thoir rooms, Messrs Maclean and Stewart's Buildings. JIE—BBBB PRESENT. Mr John Talbot (Chairman), nnd Messrs Postlethwaite, Moody, Balfour, and Mackay. ■WATBHWOBK3 SCIIEIIE. After the minutes had boon confiiwod, the

J Chairman said the most part of tho business I to come before them related to waterworks ! schemes. Since last meeting tho Engineers, i Messrs Meason and Marchant, had surveyed the Seadown district, and the plan prepared by them would bo laid on the table. If this plan were approved it would bo necessary for the Council to pass a resolution so that they could tako the necessary action under the Public Works Act to acquire land, etc. It would bo also necessary for Councillors to at once go into the question of tbe loan, to ensure that no time might bo lost in starting the works. As to the Rangitata district, a special order respecting it would bo presented later on and confirmed. I The first letter read was ono from the Engineers offering to furnish design, survey, pay wages, and superintend tho whole schemo for the Seadown district for £160. A protest was receivod from Mr Geo. Butler, objecting to the water crossing over his land, and tho Chairman reported that Mr John Hay also objected >o the water going on his land. Mr Hay acknowledged that the water would prove of great benefit to him, but ho was afraid tho river would overflow, and scour the races out. After looking over tho Act, members agreed to let the protests stand over for the present, and to expedite proceedings, Mr Moody moved, and it was carried : — " That the necessary steps under tho Public Works Act for the construction of water-races in tho .Seadown wator supply district bo taken, and the advertising required be done as soon as possible" Ono of the engineers (Mr Marchant), who was in attendance, said all tho poople in tho district, with the exception, it appeared, of Messrs Hay and Butler, had expressed great satisfaction with tho way the various races wero laid off. Ho suggested that wheu tho ratepayers wero notified tho plans wero open for. inspection, the Clerk should enclose in their letters a form of contract as betweon the Council and tho ratepayer taking tho water, drawn up in a similar mauner to that used by tho Ashburton County Council and their ratepayers. Mr Moody accordingly moved — " That tho Clerk bo instructed to ask tho Ashburton County Council for a copy of their form of contract with land owners, aa to land used for water-nice purposes." — Carried. "especting the Rangitata water Bupply district, Messrs Smith, Denni-toun and Co., and several others, settlers and ratepayers in tho Mount Peel Road district, wrote, protesting against their lands being made liablo fur rates lovied for the construction of water races, which would be of no bonefit to them. They were told that tho scheme to be sii'imittcd to the Council proposed that the whole of tho land between tho Orari and the ituugitata rivers is to bo included in the riling district, and they strongly objected to that, for, should the proposal be carried out, it would bo an act of gross injustice to them. Mr Moody said tho gentlemen who had forwarded tho protest wero laboring under a misapprehension in the matter, and Mr Dennistoun, who was present, admitted that this was so. He added that no plan had so far been on viow at tho Hoad Board office, nor had tho petitioners an opportunity of fully acquainting themselves with the facts of the case. It was not right that people who were not benefited by the water should be called upon to pay rates for it, and now he saw a plan of tho district, ho found this would not bo tho case. However, he would, on behalf of self and others, allow tho protest to remain in tho hands of the Council. Tho Chairman assured Mr Dennistoun that those who did not benefit by the water would not be called upon to pay for it. At a later stago of the meeting Mr Thew, who attended, was informed of this decision also. Tho special order, moved by Mr Balfour at last meeting, dealing with tho Kangitata water supply district was then confirmed by the Council. TBE TEMUKA ÜBIDGE. The Chairman reported that some of tho planks on the Temuka bridge had " sprung" •t the ends, and required attending to at once. He and tho Engineer wero directed to attend to the matter. MB SMALL BIBD3. The Clerk to tho tsetwyn County Council wrote stating that the Council wero taking similarstops to what the Goraldiuo Council were and owing to the other local bodies actively cooperating the sin-ill birds' nuisanco promised to bo vigorously combattod. Messrs Moody, Balfour and tho Chairman agreed that tho small birds nuisance had become a very serious ono in this district. Mr Moody said it was no uso trying to stamp out tho evil unless somo systematic action wus taken ; tho matter should not be left to individuals or bodies to deal with iu a spasmodic manner. In his opinion the Council should try and obtain special powers, so that poisouod grain could bo laid on every ploughed field in the district. Tho work of destruction could, perhaps, be beat undertaken in tho month of July, and a week should then bo set apart, so that every landowner might tako part iu the work. Membors all agreed with the gentlemen named, but it was decided to defer combined action for a week or two. A new nr-iAW. Tho Chairman submitted a draft copy of a new by-law regulating tho weight that shall pass over, time of cros-ing, &0., tho bridges of the Council, and said members would no doubt remember tiat it was on account of tho Temuka bridgo being soriously injured by an engine and combine crossing over it at nighttime, that the by law had been drafted. Mr Fostlethwaite was against adopting tho by-law off-hand, and after a slight discussion it was resolved thut a copy of it should bo forwarded to tho Tcmuku and Geraldine Road Boards for their consideration. SLAUGHTER HOUSE LICENSES. Messrs J. W. Griffiths, W. Howens, Geo. Bolton and Co., Thomson and Smith, and Walter Tutton wore grautod slaughter-house licenses. A KNOTTY QUESTION. Iho Secretary to the Bouth Canterbury Board of Hducaion wroto asking what sum tho Council were prepared to contr bute towards cost of repairs and maintenance of school buildings. Mr Balfour said tho question opened up by this letter was a very large and important one. However much the Council might be inclined to accede to the request, ho thought it was impossible for them to entertain it until tho basis of representation on the Board was placed |on a difforcnt footing. As it was, tho ratepayers had no control over the Education Board, and to his mind it was entirely wrong to voto money for the purposo asked until tho Board came directly in contact with the ratepayers. The Chairman was inclined to agreo with Mr Balfour, nnd thought tho Board had taken a wrong viow of tho circular issued by tho Education Department. Be thought what tho circular meant wus the local bodies should holp tho Board to build now schools in districts that required thorn. Iu any case, however, he agreed that before the bodies vo'cd money, they should havo somo kind of representation on tho Beard. Mr Balfour thon uiovod, Mr Mackay seconded, and it waß carried — " That the Kducation Board be informed that this Council are not prepared to contribute anything in aid of maintenance or tho erection of school buildings." LOAN PROPOSALS. After considering the form of application for loan by local bodios, forwarded by tho Government Insurance Department, it wus resolved that tho amount to be borrowed be £2500, at 2 per cent, and that llio Clerk fill in tho form and return it to tho Head Office. PAYMBNT OF OHAItISIAN. The Chairman advised that the motion standing in Mr Barkor'a name re payment of Chairman bo allowed to lapse. Personally ho was against the Chairman being paid, just now at any rate, and would always be found ever readv and willing to forward tho interests and work's of the Council all in his power. Mr Mackay, who origin .lly broached this subject, would like to see the Chairman paid, and in speaking of tho matter handsomely complimented Mr Talbot on the way he had carried out tho many duties that fell to the lot of the Chairman, and the ungrudging manner in which he placod his Taluablo time at the disposal of tho Council.

MISCBLLAHBOUB. The Clork to the Geraldine Boad Board wrote asking the Council to tar the now decking of the bridge. The matter was left in the hands of the Chairman. The School Commissioners, Christchurch, wrote stating they had no power to grant the Council's request that part of a reserve at Woodbury be set apart as a public cemetery. Left to the applicants to move that the Member for the district apply for a cemetery reserve under the provisions of the Special Powers and Contracts Act. The Chairman reported that all the local bodies, with tho exception of the Levels Road Board, had expressed their willingness to pay the amount demanded of them for hospitals and charitable aid purposes. Mr Moody said he had been requested by tho Levels Road Board to attend to this matter, and now tho other bodies bad promised to contribute, he, on behalf of the Board ho represented, would do so too. The Clerk to tho Raukapuka Licensing district wrote in reference to a claim made upon them, which,. after being considered by the Council, was directed to be Bent to tho Road Boards of the district. A letter was received from Mr Sperrey, Government Buildings, Wellington, rospocting tho 75 per cent of subsidy, asking for certain information, which it appeared had been forwardod him by the Clerk. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £97 10s lid were passod for payment.