GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 13014, 29 June 1906, Page 6

GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the GeraJdine County Council was heid yesterday. Present- Messrs J. Talbot S. Wright, A. Metcalf, A. Kelman, B. R. Mucaonald, W. Dixon. Mr F. W. Marcliant, county engineer, was present. ■ CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT,

The chairman informed the Coimcil that there were deputations to wait upon the Council, regarding proposed bridges at Mara's crossing of the Opihi and the manse crossing of the Temuka, and Mr Hawke desired to see the Council about some matters. He also gave an explanation of the present position of the agreement with. Campbell Bros, regarding the sale of water. They had signed the agreement, but he had not yet done so, because since he was authorised by the Council to sign it—(subject to certain amendments in it which had been ' made) was received from Mr Flatman, jun., notifying that after taking legal advice he and others would proceed against the Couivcil if they went on with the agreement. Mr Hay advised him that there was nothing in the objection. If therefore the Council did not direct otherwise, he would sign the agreement , With regard to the loan proposals that were before the Council at the previous meeting, when a resolution, was carried: that steps should be taken at once to raise the loan, he had consulted Mr Hay, who had written to Wellington, asking certain, questions, and he had received replies, 'as ta the formalities, .to be gone through, and the replies advised- that no further steps should be taken until they heard the loan could be obtained, -when they would send all particulars regarding tie statutory steps to be taken. 'He did not think they could do anything, more until they got that information from the Department.

WIDENING BRIDGES. Mr W. Hawke waited, on the Council! to ask that the t .Victoria bridge and lower bridge over the Orari bS widened, to allow machinery such ajs, drills and rollers to be taken over. ... ; The; Victoria bridge was now to be repaired, and it- was .ai good opportunity to widen it. He mentioned horses lost., through trying to take drills oyer the ford. "

A petition .was.received, making the same request, and Mr G. A. M. Macdonald later on saw the Council, amd; further urged that Victoria bridge be widened. Mr Marchanfe-said the bridge could "riot possibly bfe . widened now, the timber not being available, and that tie extra materia} and labour would cost £6OO or £7OO. The cost of this bodge was cut down to tie lowest. limit' at first, and no doubt it was an unsatisfactory bridge. Amd the traffic had trebled siiuje it was erected.~i--He-sug-gested that, as the ' work could not be done now, it should stand . over tiU. the bridge nedds rMecking, and then. be widened.- -v' - -V-'

The. Council, -while sympathising -with the applicants, concluded that thid course : must be adopted,".' asid that . the Road Board should maintain a ford. It was resolved—" That in view of ifc being impossible to undertake: the work of -widening the Orari bridge at present :.orir account of the timber riot being available, and also in .consideration that the present decking, which will last some years yet, -would be rendered useless, and that the • estimated cost -of the work is somp £6OO or £7OO, the Council regret that it cankot-accede: to the request. The inatter will be recommended for favourable .consideration when the bridge should require redecking." ! MARA'S CROSSING.

Three, ratepayers, representing settlers on the lower Opihi, waited on the. Council with respect- to the request- for a bridge, at Mara's ford. Mr O. pye, the spokesman, said the residents had been asked to apply to the Government for a subsidy, and in order to do this they, reqbired to know the cost cf the bridge. Mr Pye spoke of the : dangers. ; v of the crossing, and the amount bf traffic that would make -use of a. : bridge there: The residents in the locality say that- the ford is becoming worse, a deep channel, with soft bottom extending across the range of ford. Their object was tci Hsk the to give them an estimate of the cost. —Another member of the deputation said those concerned would subscribe something towards the cost. The, chairman said the-'Council -had be°r. invited by the Levels Council to meet them .on the site, and the engineer would l doubtless be there, a-iid would give them a rough estimate of the cost. That irou',d 110 doubt satisfy the_ -desire of the deputation. ' y ' cr'Mr |?yq snid -it- would, and the deputa--tion.v«at-lidr&w.' - • •

Theirieqiiest of the. levels Council for a conference at the- site' was dealt with, and it was .agreed to fix upon Tuesday afternP°n the Geraldin'e-. Council to. leave Terhuk'a at 12.30 sharp. - A: letter was received'from Mr Twent-v----man. who lives -near the place, inviting the members of the Council. to liinch on fire occasion- of their visit, and this was . ac.ceptedi with thanks. '• : ~ v'' - ' *

j - THE MANSE- CROSSING.. ;il i Three ratepayers' .interested/ Mr... James .Gquncil ia; .titiw-'asking for a, traffic "Mafflgt* ford .the Waitohi road; near :Te- : Th& deputation admitted this; site'ttas- only three-quarters "of a>imile from thtel mam bridge- along-; the river," but it' Tnis' aticrut; four miles by road, and four -miles 'extra was a good deal 1 when carting The footbridge' there, now. required' Xfejiaits, and it was thought tjiat it would l» 'better to-erect a : new and more useful bridge. A member of the deputation, stated that there is much more grain troffic oil that road than "brer the main road bridge, and a large amount of stock traffic.

] The chairman promised consideration of the request, and suggested that could look at the Manse crossing next Tues.day. " v TENDERS—ALL TOO HIGH. - Three tenders were received for ' the erection of a*' bridge over the' Opihi at Hanging Rock, including- protective work and approaches, but. not-including-a new road access wliicli will be necessarv, nor cost of engineering and supervision. * The chairman, adding estimates for these items,

and deductingthe Government; grant -of £1250 and -the Levels Council's contribution of £4OO, arid Mr Jessop's off. ofrLiSO, pointed out-that the Council's share would be-about £2OOO, and they could not afford so much out'of. revenue. The Council expected ;to be let in for £I2OO, but £I9OO or £2OOO was too much.

; A member suggested that providing the new road access was a matter for the Road Board, but the chairman did not think so. He could not see his way to vote for the acceptance of a tender; he did not see how they could finance it. Mr Kelman urged that the tender be accepted, as they had had a lot of trouble about the bridge, and they had a good Government grant. <- Mr Dixon thought the- ratepayers orght to increase their rates, at present only a very few pounds a year by it, special district.

Mr Wright suggested that those to be benefited should contribute £SOO at least. After a good deal of discussion, it was resolved unanimously—"That as the lowest tender for the Hanging Rock bridge involves an expenditure of some £7OO above the Council's expectation, no tender be accepted and that the question of this bridge now stand over, pending the raising of a loan as proposed by the Council." It was agreed to ask Mr Flatman to support the Council's application for a loan. Two tenders were received for constructing a protective' work on the south side of the Opihi at the Main road, and these also were considered too high. In this case, however, the Council decided to confer with the Levels Council at the conference on Tuesday.

TEMUKA BRIDGE. Mr Marclant reported that in connection' with the redecking of the Temuka bridge, it was found absolutely nesessaiv to insert many new. girders, and a number of girders had been procured. Part of the decking planks had been received from Mr Jackson. RIVER DAMAGE.

Mr W. Hewsan wrote reiterating his complaint that the Waihi river was cutting away his land, and asking for permission to protect his land himself, if the Council would not dp it.—Permission given on condition that no damage be done to the Council's work. "WATER-RACES. -

Several reports from the watter-Tace committees arid rangers were read. A letter! from Sir Flatman junr., ported that at' a public meeting of ratepayers in the Orari-Waihi district, a resolution was carried, (1) objecting to the proposed agreement with Campbell Bros., Raukapuka, giving them the tail water of their races, on certain conditions; (2) recommending the Council to take the necessary! steps to procure a legal outlet for the tail water; (3) that the owners of the Raukapuka estate' be given the surplus water free from charge, provided the .district is not liable for any maintenance or other expense.—Reply to be sent (1) that the agreement has. "been signed; (2) the step proposed, is not called for; (3) the agreement suggested is already made. The Rangitata committee recommended R. E. Mahan as ranger and this was* approved. Accounts amounting to £422 17s 4d were passed for payment.

A FARTHING RATE.-. A resolution was passed striking a forth-' ing rat®, payable in one sum on and after Ist July. . One or two members thought the rate should be a half-penny, as a farthing rate, would not go far. The Council rose at 3^ls'p.m. -