PORTOBELLO ROAD BOARD

Evening Star, Issue 14998, 4 October 1912, Page 7

PORTOBELLO ROAD BOARD

The monthly meeting yesterday afternoon was attended by Messrs Dickson Bransgrbve, Johnston. Millar, Fulton, Seaton, Bacon, and Brunton. Mr Brunton took exception to the amount of work done at Macandrew road, Wickliffe Bay, alleging that it had not been passed by the board. He thought tho work should havo been passed by the board.—The Chairman said the inspector took the responsibility of doing work of an urgent nature. Mein hers did not or should not interfere with the inspector in any way. Ho (the chairman) was willing that the inspector should be asked whether the work in question was urgent, or whether it was authorised and when. The chairman proceeded to state that a good deal of interference with the inspector had ' taken place, and that, in his opinion, was entirely wrong. He thought the work referred to by Mr Brunton had been reported on by the previous inspector.—A discussion ensued, during which statements were made about the inspector being interfered with, which, one member said, was necessary in case of a new inspetor who was not familiar with the board s works. Tho general opinion of members seemed to be that the inspector should not bo interfered with, and that he should take his orders from tho board only. Mr Brunton said he ivanted to know who authorised the work in question being done. —The Chairman said that, so far as his recollection served, he did not authorise ’J- . Seaton demanded that tho inspector should be asked n& to who gave him instruction to do the work.—ln reply the inspector said that a letter was written about tho bad state of the road in question about the time he was appointed. Ho remembered speaking to the chairman, who told him that as tho road was really in a bad state he (the inspector) should see what had better be done to repair it. He (the inspector) was new to the work, but he remembered reporting about the matter to -he board. Being a new starter, so to speak, in the employ of the board, he had, perhaps, spent a little more on the road than was absolutely necessary to make it merely passable.—The Chairman said he did not remember the circumstances, but he was, nevertheless, prepared to stand by any instructions he had given. It was only ji natural that a new inspector should look ito the chairman of the board for guidance. Mr Fulton did not think that members interfered with tho inspector. The Chairman quoted a. specific instance of interference.—Mr Johnston thought the discussion' would servo to show that the inspector was not to be interfered with.—Mr Fulton said there wore occasions when the chairman had to act in conjunction with the inspector.—The Cliairman pointed out that in the case in question he mere'y instructed the inspector to ascertain what was needed to be done to the road. —This discussion took place on an amendment to the adoption of tire minutes of previous meeting, the amendment being to the effect that tho repairs to .Macandrew road had not been authorised by the board, but by tho chairman's instruction.—Tho amendment was lest by 5 votes to 3 votes, and tho minutes were adopted as road. Mr Bloomfield, North-east Harbor, waited on tho board in respect to a fence he wished to have removed from across an unformed public road in Gollinswood Township.—-Resolved to instruct tho people who had erected, the fence to remove it. The Inspector submitted his monthly report, which was considered in detail Hinldey’s section, as a whole, was in fairly good condition. Bayne’s section required a considerable amount of more metal, as a portion of it was very rough. In Randall's section some maintenance metal had been put down between the jetty and the store, and another day or so would complete the work. In Forsyth and Gregg’s section a fair amount of work had been done on the roads. The cost of metalling Hellyer’s road amounted to £6. The cost of metalling Macandrew road was £22. The inspector had had a trial of a plough and scoop at water-table work opposite Johnson’s and Challis’s sections, and as the work was satisfactorily done he asked that the board procure a scoop, at a price not to exceed £6. If it were necessary, a jfiougb could .be secured later. The District Engineer wrote approving of the expenditure of a balance of £5 in walling and widening of the Wickliffe Bay to Cape Saunders road. In respect to Forsyth and Johnson's contract for 500 yds of maintenance metal from J. Clearwater’s quarry, Broad Bay, it was resolved to return the contractor's deposit (as asked for by the contractors), and thus terminate the contract. The inspector was instructed to use portion of the metal already broken for repairs. The inspector was authorised to procure metal by punt from Mr Moss for repairs to the road, near the creamery. , TTie district accounts were returned by the Auditor-General, and were adopted by the board. The inspector was instructed to make a special endeavor to collect all overdue rates. Mr H. V. Fulton, on behalf of the Agricultural and Pastoral Society, wrote suggesting that as the cattle pens were about to be removed from the north-east corner of Tahuna Park to the south-west corner, they might be used by several local bodies as a pound.—Received. Air D. Sinclair wrote drawing attention to the blocked-up stale of a ditch in front of the creamery at Wickliff Bay.—The (inspector to act. John D. Smith wrote asking to have the drain opposite his dwelling-house cleaned out.—lnspector to report. The Dunedin Amateur Boating Club asked permission to temporarily deposit some loads of stone in front of their shed, to be used for repairing the foundations.— Granted, subject to tho inspector’s supervision. The board passed a resolution authorising an increase of the bank overdraft to £BOO. Transfers were approved of allotments 91 and 92, Seatoun, from James H. L. Pearce to Alary Ann Gcarcy, also allotments 2 and 3, Helensburgh, from Mary I Ann Barr to George APKnight. j Messrs Dickson, Seaton, Brunton, and ! Millar were appointed a management committee to control the affairs of the now ; hall, and were authorised to draw up a ■ scale of charges for hire of same. | The Ranger reported having found eight cows and seven horses wandering on the roads, for which proceedings were pending.—Adopted.