DRAINAGE BOARD.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1534, 17 January 1879, Page 3

DRAINAGE BOARD.

— Friday, January 17. The newly-elected Drainage Board for the district of Christchurch mot at half-past ten o’clock. Present —Messrs H. J. .Lancred, Blakiston, Hall, .Duncan, John Evans Bxowu, Harman, and Boss. new chairman. On the motion of Mr Harman, seconded by MrDnnjcan, Mr H. J. Tancred was re-elected chairman. , , _ , , ~ Mr Tancred briefly thanked the Board for the mark of confidence they had placed in him, and took his seat. engineer’s report. This report was read as follows : _ I submit the survey of tbo drain reserve, Twain street east, showing the laud required to bo take to secure Ihe road a chain wide. It is important to come to a decision about this Widening bctoic building the main sower. , _. . , The consideration of the contractor s offer to undertake the securing of the Heathcote liver from Lincoln road to Christchurch quay was referred to this meeting of the Board. The present contract expires in February. 1 think it would condnce to economy to let tlie Heo-tlicote tind A\ou rivers in one contract. ... . .. , The cleaning of all creeks and drains m the Avon district is let by contract, and so far this arrangement has been satisfactory. A schedule has been prepared with the object of letting the drains and rivers in Eiccarton district, if the Board desires to do so. . The progress of works at the Ferry road and in Madras street is qnite satisfactory, except in regard to the delay caused by the want of bricks. 1 have endeavored to remedy sach delays by constructing the sewers all in concrete, except the arch; but even so, we cannot get the sower in Salisbury street arched over yet. , , ~ , . Fresh tenders have been called for the work in Antigua street, which will bo submitted to the oaril ‘ C. Napier Bell. Mr Duncan said with regard to getting extra ground near Matheson’s road he thought there would be no difficulty in getting the necessary funds. . . .. , Mr Duncan moved that certain lines be adopted, and that the engineer be requested to confer with the parties [jin question with a view to its speedy settlement. Speaking of the next clause, Mr Bell said there was not as yet a particle of brown weed or Yankee weed in the Heathcote. Mr Harman said it would be very desirable to advertise the Avon and Heathcote in one. After some discussion it was resolved that temporary arrangements be made for the clearing of the Heathcote until the expiration of the Avon contract in order that the two might be advertised and let together in one contract. With regard to the paragraph in connection with the drainsjto be included in the schedule,Mr Hall asked that the matter might be ailowed to stand over until tbo nest Board day by which time he should have all the neoessary information. Mr 801 l was instructed in the meantime to forward a copy of the schedule to Mr Hall, as chairman of the Eiccarton Road Board. In speaking of the next clause, the Surveyor said they could not build the r ewers of brick unless they had their own brickyards. The concrete sewers were in every respect superior. Mr Harman said they must have some bold on the contractor to see that he supplied the necessary number of bricks. Mr Bell said it was impossible to got the amount of bricks they require. At the present time the contractor was palling down his kiln and erecting another. He had given orders to go on with the work without reference to the bricks. As there was not a full Board it was resolved that the consideration of the question of the banking account should stand over. The Chairman said he had seen the manager of the Bank of New Zealand, and he had agreed to let the £IO,OOO remain on until the end of the term, the 9th of May next. On the motion of Mr Hall, it was resolved that the matter should be deferred to the next meeting. TENDERS. The Board went into committee to consider the tenders for the Antigua street drain, and accepted that of Mr W. Wady for £1660 18s 64, that being the lowest. CORRESPONDENCE. A letter was read from the Heathcote Road Board asking what steps it was proposed to take with regard to the dr du in front of Mr Loughnan’s premises. There was a memo, on the back of the letter to the effect that the drain was required no longer. The letter was referred to the engineer. A letter was read from Messrs Izard and Loughnan, stating that they had been instructed on the part of Mr Bartholomew Tait to claim £20:) damages for wrongful entry of the Board on to bis land and damage thereto. Mr Napier Bell said a-draiu had been cut, but was now filled up again, and the land was in the same condition as before except with regard to the grass. Mr Duncan asked if the proper notice had been given. Mr Bell said no notice had been served on Mr Tait in this instance, as they could not find out the owner. Notice had been served upon the wrong person. There was, however, no necessity to give any notice. _ Mr Duncan observed that it might be so, bnt it was always better to do so. A similar letter was read on behalf of Mr F. Morgan. It was resolved to reply in both cases that the Board would consider the matter in connection with other claims. A letter was road from Sir Cracroft Wilson, complaining of the state of the river Heathcote, near Cashmere. Referred to the engineer. It was resolved to provide John Giorszwoki with the means of making a bridge across a drain in front of his premises. auditor’s report. This report was road. It recommended that all vouchers should bo signed by the chairman, and also contained some other small matters of detail. annual accounts. The accounts were brought up and ordered to lie on the table till the next meeting. Mr Brown called the attention of the Board to the fact that according to the 95th clause of the Act the accounts must ho passed at that meeting. The Chairman said the difficulty of this might be got over by adjourning the meeting, so that this and the next meeting would he one, the accounts in the meantime to lie on tho table for public inspection. A motion to this effect was put and agreed to. auditors fees. It was resolved that the auditors should receive twenty guineas each for their trouble, and that the same should be charged to the loan account, having been charged to the rate account last year by mistake. ORDINARY' ACCOUNTS. Ordinary accounts, amounting to £2559 17s lOd, were passed. A WORKS COMMITTEE. _ Mr Harman moved—“ That, in view of tho probable early arrival of drain pipes from England, it is desirable that a sub-committee be appointed to report to the Board from time to Lime what works can be put in hand with the greatest advantage to the drainage district, such committee to consist of Messrs Duncan, Hobbs, and the mover.” These gentlemen would act as a works committee, and would bo found to be very useful in many respects. Seconded by Mr Hall. In answer to a question, Mr Harman said the committee was not intended to interfere with the engineer, but rather to assist him. Mr Ross said the committee would save work to both the engineer and the Board. Tho motion was curried unanimously. The Board then adjourned.