AKAROA AND WAINUI ROAD BOARD.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 300, 3 June 1879, Page 2

AKAROA AND WAINUI ROAD BOARD.

Saturday, Mat 31, A meeting of this Board was held on the above date at their offices, Duvauchelle's Bay. Present—Messrs Williams (Chairman), Chappoll, Shadbolt, Curry, and M'Donald. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. INTERVIEWS. Mr T. S. Johnson was in attendance to request an explanation as to £7 4e having been deducted from his claim for Bell's road. On the specification being referred to, it appeared that two culverts, for which Mr Johnson had charged, were included in the specifications. The Board declined to alter their derision in the matter. Mr Vangioni had a similar grievance to complain of. He contended that he had tendered for 88 chains of work through the bush at a certain price. Ttje w«rk had i not amounted to so much, but Hβ claimed to to be paid for that distance. He also stated that he had broken up bis camp and dismissed his men, under the impression that hie work was passed, and that it would be very hard for him to be compelled to start the work again. The Chairman referred Mr Vangioni to the Engineer. FRENCH FARM. Messrs J. and W. Wright and Hunt Waited on the Board to state that a road recommended to the Board by Mr.L. Perham would not be suitable to them, and if made it would be impracticable. They were requested to put their objections in writing. Mr C. Bates had another road grievance to complain of, but none but an expert could possibly have disecovered the bearings of the question, and our reporter " gave it up" like a conundrum. RHODES , FLAT, WAINUI. Messrs Kennedy and M'Kay were in attendance to give their opinion as to the closing of a certain old road through Mr Bhodes , property at Wainui. They strongly objected to part of the road being closed, if all were not so closed. They agreed to put a proposal in writing and lay it before the Board. ROAD TO FLEA BAY AND THE HEADS. Messrs Cr. Black, Bhodes and Bruce waited upon the Board to urge the construction of a road in this direction. The Board promised to instruct the Engineer to report on the matter, the deputation agreeing to accompany that gentleman, and point out the best route. CORRESPONDENCE. A letter was read stating that the return of expenditure ordered by the Board at its last meeting would be ready in a week. It was reported that rates amounting to £19 18s had been paid into the Bank. Letter from Mr B. Newton, calling attention to the state of a gorse hedge on the lower side of Aylmer's valley road, which, he stated, encroached considerably, impeding traffic and keeping the sun off the road. FRENCH FARM AGAIN. Mr T. S. Baker attended to protest against the action proposed to be taken by the Board in taking an additional road through his property. On the motion of Mr Shadbolt, it was resolved that the Board should visit the ground and come to some decision, on the matter. MOUNT BOSSU BOAD. Mr James Wright wrote to complain of a large hole existing in Mr Vang'ioni's contract on this road. He wished the matW to be made public as a warning to travellers. ; The Clerk of Works reported that he had stopped the hole up by means of a large stone. fyfe's bridge. Mr W. Bruce wrote to say that by putting this bridge *n the line of road it would answer him as well as Mr Fyfe. He also requested the Board to see to certain repairs necessary on the Aylraer's Valley road. The Clerk of Works was instructed to report on the matter. ' LONG BAY TRACK TO MR MASEFIELD's. Mr Fenton's report on proposed road was read. He estimated the distance at about 200 chains. As far as he could ascertain at present he was inclined to.recommend the line both as regarded gradient and the absence of engineering difficulties. It was proposed by Mr M'Donald to instruct the Engineers to grade tho line as proposed by them, and petitioned for by Messrs Daly and others. The matter was left over for consideration till next meeting. MR BATES , ROAD, FRENCH FARM. The Engineer's report on this road was read as follows :— "Akaroa, May 30,1879. " The Chairman of the Akaroa and Wainui Koad Board. " REPORT RE OUTLET TO MR C. BATES INTO FRENCH FARM VALLEY. " Sir, —In accordance with your instructions, dated May 13,1879,1 have to inform you that I visited the locality around Mr C. Bates' homestead with the view of ascertaining whether an outlet could be found from that gentleman's farm into the French Farm Valley. In order to make my report more intelligible I have made a tracing that will show all the Government roads tinted in yellow, and the proposed roads in crimson. This tracing will be found, I think, useful beyond the point now under consideration, inasmuch as it is very closely connected with the question how far the Public Works Act will allow private property to be cut up. The tracing shows at a glance that the roads are pretty numerous through the French Farm properly, and I think it questionable whether, when the Chief Surveyor surveys Mr Townsen'd's pre-emptive right, he will allow the property of one person to be so much damaged. However, to return to the question of the outlet. I have to call your attention to a line tinted pink, and numbered 2 on the tracing.- In company with Mr W.Wright and Mr Duxbury, I

walked through this line which is almost entirely foreafc, and a rather steep sidelong ground. A very fair gradient might be found from Mr 0. Bates' corner on to the French Farm spur. The distance of line required by Mr Bates to join his section into the spur road, tinted yellow, would be about 20 chains, and the cost in making it 12ft wide at £3 per ch>in will be £60." The distance will be, between the beach at the end of the road between Messrs Baker andDicken and Mr Bates', about 87 chains, and it mast be borne in mind that the whole of this length will be for the use of one person only, and the difficulties of opening up new lines as proposed will be much increased if the Board is not prepared to close comparatively useless ones. I, therefore, beg to inform the Board that my opinion is against giving Mr Bates an outlet into French Farm Valley. " I have further to inform the Board that whilst on the ground I thought it would be better to examine the line of road as laid out by the Goyernmeut for the [ accommodation of Mr Bates, I have num.- ! bered it 1, and it is between sections 12431, and 11597, printed in blue, see tracing. In reference to this I have to report that there is a gully where the blue line on the tracing rune through. 'On the side coming out towards Mr Bates' it is steep for about 3 or 4 chains, on the other side nearest the Wainui road the gradient is not bad. Apart from my official report I do think that where so many highly important works are needed to accommodate a large public, that any expenditure in opening up blind roads for the use of one— or even more than one—is beyond the functions of a Road Board, but on this point I merely speak as a ratepayer. But if the Board does think it its duty to provide outlets, or go to other expense in accommodating single individuals, then I recommend one of two things, namely either to bench a zig-zag on the chain road for the 4 chains up the steepest side of the gully, and provide a large culvert for the stream, or, otherwise purchase an acre and a quarter of Mr Knight as tinted pink in the tracing, and bench along the outer edge of it. Along this mute the distance to the beach will be about 56 chains, as against 87 along the other line. The co.st, if benched within the chain road, will be about £20 including the culvert, as against £60 on the other line, and the latter amount providing: only for the 20 chains, other portions would have to be benched and culverted.

"Mr Bates' section contains about 60 acres. The probable weight of yearly produce from this would not exceed 5 tons, the return loads might arrive at the same amount, cay 10 tons total for the year's traffic. I think, considering the small use there would be for a road, that the plan of zig-zag I propose would meet all the requirements. " I have the honor to be, Sir, " Your obedient servant, " H. H. Fenton, "For Fenton and Wilkins, Engineers to the Board." The Chairman considered that the Engineer had gone entirely outside his province in the recommendations he had made the Board. He considered the report quite out of place. The Board asked for professional advice, and were quite capable of judging themselves as to the advisableness of any works to be carried out. The report on the "face of it was one-sided. The Board unanimously concurred in the Chairman's remarks, and the following resolution was carried on the motion of Mr Chappell, seconded by Mr Shadbolt:— " In reference to Mr Fenton's report re the road from Bates' property, from the nature of the report it is obvious that Mr Fenton oversteps his position as engineer to the Board, he only having been asked to report on the road, and not to advise in matters that wholly ibelong to the Board." BEPOBT OF CLEBK OF WOBKS. This report was read. Mr Duxbury made a recommendation respecting the Barry's Bay Valley road. It was resolved to call for tenders for the work. Mr Duxbury also reported about some fencing which was being erected by Messrs Moore and Keegan. Instructions were given that the Clerk of Works be instructed to ascertain what arrangement had been made with those gentlemen as to fencing. He also recommended the erection of a bridge to replace that at Keegan's creek. It was decided to have the work done. He further reported that Mr SunckeU's road was being constructed by day labor, and that a good job would be made at a very small expense. He also recommended that the Board acquire a piece of land from Mr Mora, in order to construct Harrington's road, German Bay. The Clerk was instructed to see Mr Mora, and report to the Board. That good metal could bo. got on the Wainui beach; that the jetty road should be metalled as far as the school, also a culvert constructed, &c. Mr Duxbury was instructed to prepare specifications for the work. He had visited Mr James Wright at Island Bay, andfoundthat the road which he asked to have constructed w&e outside the boundary of the Board. Mr Wright to be informed to that effect. Mr Chappell proposed that copies of the Board's specifications be left in Akaroa for the convenience of tenderers. Carried. PAYMENTS. The following accounts were passed for ' payment:— W. Sims ... ... ... £0 4 0 T. S. Johnson 75 0 0 J. Woodill ... ... 150 0 0 A. F. Hawthorne 20 0 0 W. Kenny ... ' ... 50 0 0 T. Brough (conditional)... 30 0 0 J. Berwick ... ... 10 0 Widdicombe 1 15 Q G. Vogan ... ... ... 6 4 0 P. Brown... ... ' ... 3 3 0 C. Burns ... ... ... 0 6 0 Wiggins and Co 17 13 0 Wight and Bruce ... 013 6 Brough & Co, (conditional) 52 10 0 Phillips and Thomas ... 014 0 B. Shadbolt ... ... 116 6 G.W.Nalder 75 9. 4 Tendebb. A large number of tenders were then opened, and the following accepted :— Le Bon's road and bridge--S. Johnson and Co., two months, £40. Sea-wall, Barry's Bjayr—T. Brough and Co., one month, £97 4s. Children's Bay road and bridge—S. Johnson and Co., two months, £60. Barry's Bay Hill road— J. Lines and Co, one month,' £13 10s.

Odell's road—Le Vaillant and Co.,eix weeks, £30. Wainui Valley road—Lines and Co., one month, £20 16s. Long Bay Track, near Mr Margan's— Jolly and Co., four weeks, £15. The Board then adjourned till Saturday, 7th inst.