Ellesmere Road Board.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume X, Issue 884, 4 February 1891, Page 2

Ellesmere Road Board.

The usual monthly meeting of the above Board was held at Leeaton on Monday afternoon. Present— Messrs (if. C. Waby (Chairnran), M. Jones, R. Lochhead, and J. ftennie. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Mr J. Qsborne, Doyleston, wrote say - tng that he was again compelled to dra v the Board's attention to the grievance of allowing dams to be put m drains, ditches, eto. Since the. Board's last report, thj draining of water had been carried to a greater extent than before, and unless the Board took the matter m hand it; wairiikely to grow worse" and' -wWje. He had satisfied himself that there was plenty of water at the-s.ource_ it freedom was given to it ; but if one section of the people were allowed to dam tUe watj^ia summer, another section should have an equal right to put dams m the, winter. Another subject he wished to Gall the Board's attention to was a notice ha received from Mr Lunn to repair A bridge broken by his traction engine. Had there been lany carelessness on the part of his driver, he would have thought it his duty to repair it, but every posJtble care had been taken to find out >$he ! bearers and keep the wheels on th«m, and on examining the bridge afterwards he found the bearers quite rotten;;, aiid Mr Lunn told him the bridge wag n,ot fit to carry an engine. Tnen, he asked, why a notice was not put up to that effect, Mr Lunn knew the lenght of time the bridge had been built, and the ptbb'aJbfitj of it being m a state of .decay. ,''o|p!|ly the ratepayers should have a sayjj* $he ! matter, and if they said they woulJ, npt pay rates to build bridges toeaqry craction engines, then stop the latter- mt once. ' « The Board did not think there^'fiad been any permanent diversion, and itjffaa decided to write to Mr Osoorna to that effect, and to assure him that ifc was doing all m its power to keep tue waftr within its legitimate cuannels by drains, etc. *!* VSTith reference to the latter part of Mr Osborne's letter, it was resolved to Jill vis attention to tue 13th clause of^tha County Council bye-law*, wuioo, 'tjiey said, suowed clearly his liability m the matter ; aud to intoruj: uiax that tits board would supply pl&uKs so owuers b craoi'on engines if appiiaa for at taeic yards. j P^l" Ijw&freatf^aid bridge m ujaeacion was a araaj|>oue, teadiug w a lqw private houses, and was not intended foraa,ytuing bat very ligat trarftt). [ "| Tue Clerk said the coat of putting thu bridge m repair would not amount to more than about 16s or 17s, • . A letter was read from the Rftkftta tCoad Board, enclosing acoonat for tia i cost of expenditure on the bounJaty road at Dunaan Jel, amounting to £#fo The Board decided to pass the aniouat (orpaymentj bac considered thetexb;^ t^ncing round tue new, bridges q.aite unnecessary. ( ; ; , : ,, .{.^ Mr Jones oonsiderad the post aili rails erected by the Rakaia Boad BoaftJ were a disfigurement, and quite d<i3troyed the loois of the neat buttresses j» 6ae concrete culvercs. . . Mr ttennie said it was understood the itatcaia Jttoad Board were to consult tais Board before undertaking aiaintenaica worKs, especially ot this nature. Jttobt. J, Bealey, Riverside, Rakaia, wrote asking Mr Samuel Bealey 'sua^e to be struck off the Board's books ail a ratepayer, that gentleman having disposed of his run m the board's district, and pointing out that the latter still holds a reserve or part of one from the North Rakaia Board of Conservators, for which his name is down as a ratepayer. The Clerk was instructed to atten 1 to Mr Bealey' request. The Chairman reported as follows m connection with the Doyleston drain :— " Mr Nicholson is totally without water for half his stock, he tells me. c£e further informs me that the dams are diverting all the water at Messrs Lemmon's and Tod's." He had instructed the Overseer to have these dims taken out before the present meeting ; three of the members of the B>ard having expressed an opinion m favor of lifting them. He had also instructed the Overseer m writing as follows :— " The dam m the ditch m front of the hotel should be taken out ; m fact I wish you to to take what strength is necessary. Clean out all rubbish that interferes with the flow of water down the drain, Give the parties notice to take out only a limited quantity, and that from the level of the drain. They can use a 'shcot' to secure a supply ; then at our next meeting (the present) we can pessibly settle what shall be done/ The Board approved the action of the Chairman. A letter was read from Mrs Jmet Rolls, saying she had been lookin ; at the shingle pit iv her paddock, and <iad found about an acre of wheat destrjyed, for which she expected valua ica With regard to the fence, the Board could either build it up again or put a gate on. She would fee .much obliged if- the Board would settle the matter as soon as as possible. It was resolved to put up the fence but to refer Mrs Rolls for surFace co.nl pensation to Mr Davies, the owner of the property, tne Board having bargained with him for the supply of shingle, and therefore did not consider itself respo iaible for any damage that might arise. A circular was read from the Selwyn County Council stating that with reference to the council's circular of the BQt!i Juj)Q jivsfc fthat the Coggojl w A9 p«p we j

to pay a bonus of £l for *very cv» expended by the Koad Boards m tht destruction of small birds during Ihe months of July, August, and September 1890, the writer wa9 instructed to inform the Board that the Council tail decided to extend the time mentioned from 30th September to 31st Marcti ; tha amount of the bonus not to exceta'l £10. | The Chairman said he knew of th bojs ij^ojW farrily abne having gathered over 4000 egt<s, aud the Clerk gai>i |»p could purchase between =fi6'> and £70 of small biidseggß. Much disappointment, he said, was felt by the boys !at not being able to sell their es-gs. jj The Chairman said if the Board could afford it be would he m favor of spending a little money m this way, independent of the Council. \ Mr Jones said he noticed that two Boad Boards down south had spent between £80 and £90 each during the season m the purchase of eggs. j It was decided to receive the Council's circular, and to take no action. Mr Itennie said blackbirds were getting very plentiful. Messrs Getting, Nicholson, and Quiglay, waited on the Board with reference to the state of the water m the Doyleston drain. Mr Gettins said he had no desire to see anyone injured, but he was m favqr '-joI having all the dams taken out, go "that everyone might have a little water. It was hard to be deprived of water when there might be sufficient for all Mr;Nicholson also expressed himself m favor of having all dams removed. After a full discussion it was resolved to give all ratepayers notice, whose property abuts- on the public drains, m the district, that a~U"ilams erected by them must bo removed, fail ing which le^al proceedings will be taken against them. Mr Quiglay asked the Board to erect a bridge off the Luke Koad to' his property, over a drain 7 feet wide. It the Board supplied him with pipes or timber his brother and him would do the work. At present they could_ not get tneir produc3 away. It was decided that the Board could not do anything m the matter, and it was suggested that Mr Quiglay should make _ a temporary bridge himself. Messrs W". Spring, T. Durant, aud F. Jameson, waited on the Board with reference to the decision arrived at at last meeting, re filling m the culvet opposite the Lees ton Hotel. Mr Spring said he was prepared to keep his part of theculveit m good order. Mr LoehheaJ did not think tbeßoarJ were called upon to construct and maintain so many culverts over natural watercourses. The Board decided to postpone con--Bi4e£afion of the matter until next meeting, and m the meantime resolved to inspect the locality. *--T^.str;Scotfc, of Doyleeton, wait«lrqn Board to ask for a bridge to be constructad across tlio main drain near his father's property. The structure at present there was at complete wreck. The Chairman said it waa a pity a special rate could not be levied for the construction anl maintenance of these particular bridge 9. A. Drainage Board was what was wanted . It was resolved to do nothing m the matter, the Board informing Mr Scott that it had no funds for the, purpose, Mr McCnnkey waited on the Board to ask to have the road from his gate to Bison's corner repaired. He said it was tery much cut up, though formed. It jvanled shingling for | of a mile. was resolved to do the worst part of the road at least, but m the meantime the Overseer to inspect and report by next meeting. Mr Oswe'l waited on the Board with t fcjfef nco to the condition of the bridge on . the Lower Lake Hoad near Irwell, and pro'uuMchi part of oiuof the supporting planks- as a proof of its unsound and dangerous state, the i i»ce of wood m * question being quite rotten. The bridge was quite unGt to carry I.U traction engine, and he wishel to cross on Wednesday (to day). A notice should be j.vjfc.up- .wa-'iung people against using suclftlangersus bridges for heavy traffic. It was only by chance that he noticed its condition, and others might not be so foriuriirtc.' Tn reply to a question, Mr Orwell said it would be six miles out of bis way to use the other bridge. The lionr ! i-unsiJerd the matter one for immediate attention, ami instructed the Overseer to attend to it forthwith. /The. Overseer's report was read. as follows : — " I have the honor to report as follows for the information of the Board. Financial — A list of outstan 1 :«rfng rates amounting to £90 6s 7d i* Jbefdrp the Board. The credit balance with the Bank is £-190 19- 3K Works — A large amount of excellent work ha^s.been got through during tiie past mojnth, inclu Hn<r .the metalling of " 90 thrifts of the Drain Roid, o0 v \-<\ n of the Bi (l ge Uuad — m »il, ,i-. .} fivcmilisof rgad.h'V.nur ne n ri'^'.r.--with eliin, i ?le A «••'« coii'r f t ■ ' ->. consiruc'ed at Alle<i Uo«-i, a \\-..\ &■ gtrnciun: hns been t-i-niplet&i io i.-k-----bri;l<ie over the Irweli at Erooksido, an i a new concrete bri>lge completed, re placing the pld wooden bridge on tin-inßJrt-road at the Irwrll, which is now the largest spnn the Board has carried out m the district , also, the bank of the main Unyleston drain has been put m order, and n nnmbi-r of the pToj ci ing willow trees removed. 1 "l/«ve v<;iy much pleasure m reiqr}jt\^ that.-tln' roads and bridges gcni'mlly m the -li" trict are now m ti'f l?et*t or I r 1 li-v evt'lfeicim'vii'rlir'rn. "A* <u\ • ■. ""■■■" hcetibiiii* •iifr.;*Mr. is r b'Ut? ■■< '■ ■<■■ : ■■!_■'

I Mr Fu sell has a^rnft.l to piy the otic * iialf cost. I have not hoard anything j further as to what Mr Nicholson is , prepared to do with reference to his - bridge over the same drain. I have, I however, secured sufficient timber suit I iible for these works at a very reason- ; able ratn. Solwya Brilge — I am now I engaged m overhauling the Selwyn Bridge, and have already replaced- u number of the flooring planks. I may I say m connection with this bridge 1 that I have improve;! tue for.l through I the river, which is now quite safe For • traction to cros9, so that this i will cmsMerably eas.i tue traffic over the old bri.lge. I have not yet pu» m the dam on the Branch Drain Road, ! , at s the Boggy Cr^ek, by Mrs. A. Fay, , i ten 'l ing some ex -lanation from the Chairmar., who has inspected the spot since the last meeting." The report was approved of. On the motion of Mr Jones, seconded by Mr Loohheuil, it was resolved to make application to the Sdwyn County Council for a grant of £25 m aid of finishing tue lncompl'-teJ portion of Bog^y Creek from Pearoe's laud to Mrs Fay's ho bestead on the Branch Uiain tioail. Accounts amounting to £289 12s i ,. x 3d.. werp. ..passed : for payment.' T £ : This -was 1 all the business, i