COUNTY ROAD BOARDS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLIV, Issue 10106, 7 May 1924, Page 6

COUNTY ROAD BOARDS

THE WAKANUI DISTRICT,

MONTHLY MEETING HEED. The monthly meeting of the Wakanui Road .board was field yesterday, x-resent:—Messrs E. Eraniptqn, W. Anderson, L. Hanrahan, J. Watson,

and A. Hight. Mr F. Frampton was reappointed | chairman.. _ The Master of the Old Men's Home (Mr F. H. Knight) applied for. a rootpath to be formed along Tuarangi Street, in wet weather it was very hard for anyone going from the Home to town to keep their feet dry. For 17 years he had kept the road in repair so that rates paid by property owners on this road had been expended elsewhere. It was explained that it was only recently that this part of the district had been included in the Wakanui Koad Board district. , It was resolved: "That the chairman and Mr Anderson inspect the road and report." '• ~■' ~ • .• The Ashburton County Council intimated that a resolution had been passed declaring certain roads County Loads. The roads in the Wakanui Road Board district were as follows: Ashburton to Chertsey via Mam bouth Road, 12 miles; Chertsey to lendarves via Boundary Road, 6 miles; Ashburton to Seafield .via Newlands, 12 miles: Ashburton to Wakanui via Beach Road, 10 | miles. — R f f7 e , d \, Mr W Anderson reported that the maintenance, team had been engaged throughout the month, on Wilsons Road, carrying out repairs. At a corner on River Road which was considered dangerous to traffic on account of willows obscuring a clear view, the trees had been removed. Mr Hanrahan -reported that the maintenance man in his ward haci been engaged at repairing work on Abattoir, Main, Smith's, Hanrahan s and Dromore Roads. The chairman reported that the County Council's estimates for concrete pipes this year for Road Boards £2L bSKedaoea to £6OO due to the extra expenditure required m other directions, ft w»is therefore found necessary to reduce .the water-race crossings it was »*»*«£ to replace with concrete oulverts this season. The most important were considered to be two between. South Road and Dromore, five Breton's Road, two on Fitzgerald's Road, one on Seafield Road, and one on Milton Road, and it was resolved to apply to the council for concrete pipes for these crossings. . The ranger reported haying taken charge a Wakanui resident'* cows and released same on condign that the nsual fees were paid: This been done, and he asked theboards insttruetii.ons.-It was i?solVM to write to the offender stating that the fees must be paid or proceedings would be taken. . . On account of the increased price oi chaff it was agreed to increase the maintenance men's wages by Is oci per day as from June 1 5 l»/4. Mr Hight gave notice that ne would move at next meeting that a rate of £d be struck this year ' Accounts amounting to £y<* 4& » a were passed for payment.

THE ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of ratepayers in the Wakanui Road Board district was held in the board's office yesterday. Mr F. Frampton presided oyer a small attendance. The annual report stated that asj much work as could be accomplished with the funds, available- had been carried out, improvements of the most urgent nature receiving first -consideration. The rate of id produced a revenue of £ll4O which carried the usual subsidy. The annual inspection ot roads at the beginning of this year revealed the main roads to be in very satisfactory order, and in this respect they compared more than favourably with other roads in the county. The gorse nuisance was in evidence in some parts of the district, and several property owners had been given notice to have the roads fronting their holdings cleared by the - end of the next month! The amount in outstanding rates in 1923-24 was £27, and it was reported that the greater portion of this sum had since been paid. The balance-sheet showed receipts amounting to £1407. The expenditure on public roads was £1195, the principal items being repairs and maintenance £650 and shingling £290, the balance being spent on grading and replacing about 17 water race crossings with concrete culverts. It was explained that the County Council defrayed the cost of the pipes which were put in at the expense of the board.

The report and balance-sheet were adopted subject toi audit. Tnere were no complaints and no questions asked, the chairman stating that it was a good indication that the members of the board had the confidence of the ratepayers in regard to the care of the roads.

LONGBEACH BOARD.

NEW CHAIRMAN ELECTED. At the ordinary meeting of the Longbeach Road Beard yesterday, there were present:—Messrs W. J. Anderson, L. Maginness, H. Watts, A. Mcore, and J. P. McQuilkin. The returning officer reported the election of Messrs Watts, McQuilkin and Maginness to numbers 3, 5 and 1 wards respectively. The clerk called for nominations for

the position of chairman. Mr McQuilkin was unanimously elected fo the position. Mr McQuilkin returned thanks, and said he thought he would have his hands full if he carried out his duties as well as the late chairman, Mr W. T. Lill. He referred to the good work Mr Lill had done during his long neriod of office. The board thoroughly appreciated his work for the district over a very long period of years. 'Phe chairman welcomed Mr Watts to tfco board. Mr' Watts returned thanks and assured members he would do his best to follow in the steps of the lnte member for the ward, and hoped he would \iq successful.

The clerk reported a credit balance

of £163 12s 4d. Mr R. Body wrote applying for a lease of the grayel reserve at Window. The application was received. A petition was received for the construction of two motor bridges over fords on Poplar Road; also to shingle Middle Park Road. It was resolved that the matter of the bridges be referred to the surveyor, and to advertise tenders for shingling the Middle Park Road. Mr Geo. Chapman wrote drawing attention to the state of drains on the Boundary Road and asked that the matter be attended to urgently. The surveyor reported that the work had been completed. Consideration of the County Council's letter concerning the declaration of County Roads wag deferred. The striking of a general rate of 5-16ths of a penny on the capital value was confirmed. Property transfers were granted as follows:—-Erom D. F. Knight to J. H. Harper, R.S. 7522 lots 22-3, D.P. I 1496; from Geo. Cowan to Thos. Read, lot 1, D.P. 381, pt. R.S. 1189. Accounts amounting to £lO6 14s 3d were passed for payment. THE ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of ratepayers was held subsequent to the ordinary meeting of the beard. Only two. ratepayers besides the members df the board were present. Mr McQuillan presided. The balance*-sheet showed a credit in the general account of £212 9s lOd. New works and maintenance comprised the principal items of expenditure. In the Waterton Cemetery account the balance to credit was £26 13s 2d. In the Winslow Cemetery account there was a debit of 7s 2d. The chairman remarked on the- good financial position of the board. Some important work had been done, and a large amount of maintenance work had 1 been carried out, all in a most creditable manner. The usual votes of thanks were passed for services rendered by the board.

j * MOUNT HUTT BOARD. The annual meeting' of the Mount Hutt Road Board was held on Monday. There were present: Messrs A. T.' Lilley (chairman), T. S. Harrison, S. G. Holmes, Jno. Watson, and E. W. Ruddenklau. In regard to the shingle reserve at Highbank, it was decided to fence two acres. The Lyttelton Borough Council wrote asking to be informed upon what authority shingle had been taken from one of their reserves. The clerk was instructed to supply the required information.

A petition was received from the residents of Highbank praying that lights be provided at the principal corners of the township. It was resolved that the petition be forwarded to the Ashburton County Council. The clerk's action in having the trees in the Highbank Domain cut back clear of the electric light wires was approved. The balance-sheet for the year ending March 31 1924, as prepared for audit, was read and adopted. The rates, outstanding at the end of March 31, 1924. were £405 3s 2d, and of this amount only £57 5s 3d was outstanding at date. The 1922-23 outstanding rates had been reduced from £315 16s 3d to £lO2 13s 6d. The sanitary rate outstanding at March 31, 1924, was £l9 ss, and this was reduced to £7 10s at date.

Transfers were approved a 9 follow: From Jas. McTaggart to Jas. Hendry and Wm. Davidson; from Clara Jane Bishop to L. W. Balkind; from Daniel McKendry to Jno. T. Aicken and Lillian Mary Aicken; from Jno. Donaldson to Richard Limbrick; and from Walter A. Haden to Hugh McNeill, jun. The returning officer reported" one nomination (F. W. Ruddenklau) for the three vacancies on the board caused by the retirement of Messrs Lilley, Harrison, and Ruddenklau. Mr Ruddenklau was declared elected. < An election to fill the extraordinary vacancies will be held on May 28: Mr S. G. Holmes gave notice to move at the next meeting of the board: "That the rate for the year 1924-25 be one-fourth of a penny in the £." The members then sat as the Hignbank Domain Board. The only business was in connection with the lnase of the Domain, and it was decided' to call tenders for the lease of the Domain for one year for grazing.

SOUTH BOARDAt the annual meeting of the South Rakaia Road Board, Mr A. J Magson presiding, there was- a- small attendance of ratepayers. The annual report and balance-sheet were presented by the clerk. The report showed that a great deal' of' grading and shingling; had been done and a number of water*-race crossings, had been piped. The* balance-sheet showed assets amounting to £2220; and liabilities £139.

The report and balance-sheet were adopted. Messrs A. J. Magson, T. Blacßley, and H. J. Crothers, the retiring members, were re-elected, and Mr A. J. Magson was again elected chairman. For his past services Mr Magson was accorded a hearty vote of" thanks, to be recorded in the minutes. Corresnondence was received from the Rev. A S. Morrison, chairman of the South Rakaia School Committee, urging the board to have the road leading to'the school put in order.. An inspection of the locality was made by the members of the board, and it was decided to shingle a portion of the road and to sink a sump at the corner of Mackie and Dunford streets to drain surplus storm water. It was decided to call tenders for shingling a portion of the Rokeby Road, and also for stripping a gravel pit. Mr W. Smith made application for bluegum trees, and the matter was left to the clerk to deal with.

The transfer of rural sections 25379 and 25173 from the estate of John Gardiner to Donald Banks "was approved. Accounts amounting to £329 3s "8d were passGd for payment.