ROAD BOARDS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 4442, 10 May 1875, Page 2

ROAD BOARDS.

HEATHCOm

The Board met on Thursday at 6.30 p.m. Present—Messrs Attwood, Mardon and Ness. Mr Ness acted as chairman pro iem. Tho minutes of last meeting were read and eonfirmed.—Mr Bosser waited on the Board; asking for an advance on his contract Of filling-up the Ferry road drain. Also, for an extension of time, stating he left off carting during the heavy rains to save cutting up the roads. The Board agreed to both requests on condition that he signed a further agreement in reference to the said contract.— Correspondence from the Secretary of Public Works re bill for Diversion of Beads, asking if the Board had any opposition to effsr in reference to the diversion of part oA road near Latter’s Spur in continuation of Wing *

yoad. To be informed the Board had no private objection to same.—-A petition from several ratepayers, complaining of stagnant fritter lying on the East town belt between the City Council’s drain and the Ferry road. Sesolved, that the Clerk write to the City asking their leave to lay pipes from the side channels across the belt, which would •bate the inconvenience and danger to health complained of. From the Provincial S!ngineer, being a reply re improvements on Stunner road, mformmg the Board the contract would''be carried out as originally intended. FtOm Mr Spensley. threatening the Board with legal proceedings if it laid pipes to drain properties above the point suture the natural creek runs across the main drain on the Ferry road. To be informed the Soard see no reason why it should discontinue ther work.—From Mr Baker, asking informaIron in reference to the drain running by his Motion No. 47. To be informed the same is out of the Board’s jurisdiction.— Erom Mr Pavitt, in reference to surveying Instruments. To be acknowledged, asking Min' to make the Board an offer for the lot. Tfrnm Mr Keith, wanting the drain running St bis property cleared out. Agreed that e same be attended to.—From Mr Langdown, complaining of the bad state of road leading to his residence caused by the heavy carting of gravel by the Board’s contractors. Agreed that the foreman see to same, and also 0 the drain on the Gas Works oad. The Clerk was directed to write to Mr-George Wells, requesting him to abate thp nuisance caused by refuse lying on his property in Avonville district. A letter was npeived from the manager of the Union Bank--os‘Australia, acceding to the Board’s request {oran extension of overdraft.—Accounts to IKe " amount of £238 4s were passed for payment, when the Board adjourned. MANDEVILLB AND RANOIORA. The ordinary monthly meeting of this Board waa held at the office, Eangiora, on Friday, at the usual hour. Members present—Mr John C. Boys, in the chair, Messrs Blackett, Hinge, and Parsons. The Surveyor’s report was read and considered.- With reference to the jfcoptraot let to Mr Davis to shingle a portion r Drain road, it wes resolved that the Surveyor be instructed to write to Mr Davis, giving him notice that- unless the contract is completed according to specification within ben days from date, the Board will pub on men to complete it, and deduct the cost from 8)0 ibalanca iu hand, and in all probability inflict the penalty as well. A statement of accounts was submitted, showing that the Receipts since January 1 had been £2059 17s; Expenditure, £IBO7 3s sd, leaving a balance df-£352-13s 7d in hand, to meet liabilities already incurred, to the amount of £5Bl 9s lid. A;statement of the rate account was also submitted, and the collector was instructed to sue Ibr those unpaid without delay. A letter was read ff bm the Cast Road Board asking payment of a portion of the boundary road formation said to have been made in April, 1874. She clerk was instructed to reply stating that the Board was unaware of any authority having been given for this work, having no minute of it.—A letter was read from Mr J, T. Brown, Mount Thomas, asking that a portion of the road leading to the Ashley crossing should be shingled, the heavy traffic on the road having cut up the formation. She clerk was directed to take the necessary steps for shingling a portion of‘ it with 12 yards to the chain.—A letter was read from Josling, asking foraportion of the Northbrook road to be metalled. The Clerk was directed to reply, stating that the Board have no funds at their disposal for that portion of the district, but that the work should he done as soon as funds would admit. —Letters were read from the Secretary for Public Works, advising payment of £IOO, balance of vote to the Beach road protective works; also £SO progress payment on No. 2 bridge contract; also from , the Provincial Treasurer, enclosing £7213s 4d, balance of General Government grant, 1875. From Messrs Rhodes and Wilkin, covering contribution towards Beach ftadv—From the Kaiapoi Borough Council, abating that the work done on the North road, under sanction of the Board, amounted to £7. A cheque was drawn for the amount. —From Mr Wilson, Waikuku, asking that the Massacre creek be cleared put at onoe, as the lagoon water was encroaching on his and the adjacent sections. The Clerk was directed to communicate with Mr Stack; to ascertain what amount the Maoris intend contributing towards the work, as soon as a imply is received, to proceed with the work.— From the Chief Surveyor,, stating that the tracing of the district map is now ready, and one from the Manager of the Lyttelton Tima printing office, onthe same subject.— From Mr Wilkin, re the rate collector’s bond, to which the Clerk was directed to reply.— Tenders-were then opened for shingling Williams’ bash road, and one was accepted.— Messrs Roebuck and Egan attended and asked for a portion of the No. 1 Swamp road to be shingled. The Board agreed to allow them £5 towards the work, the work to be done to the Surveyor’s satisfaction. —The Surveyor was directed to repair the North road where necessary, and to have the sand removed from Edwards’ road; to put fords opposite Mr Gow’s and Mr Parson’s properties in lieu of the present culverts; to purchase a supply of oats.—The Chairman signed the Drainage rate list, and the Clerk waa instructed to proceed with its collection at-once. —Accounts amounting to £29617s 3d were passed for payment, and the Board adjourned. ASHLEY. This Board met on Thursday last. Present —Messrs Cunningham, Brock, Brown, and Dixon. Correspondence with Mr H. Land reported on, respecting sale of a piece of land for road- purpose. Also, correspondence with Mr Jos. Shaw, relating to purchase cf land for a road, in lieu of that washed away by the Ashley river.—The Board- directed that this purchase ' be completed.—Also, correspondence with'the Secretary for Public Works, relating, to curtailment of the promised vote for the year. Reply read.—The Surveyor also reported an interview with the Chief Surveyor, stating that .reserves should be (4ohnect Carboy’s and roads, also, a roadrin line with the footbridge across the Makirikiri, and another reserve for a road at Land’s.-on the Okuku; also, that- other suggestions of the Board wore favourably receivedby Mr Hewlings. ’ Also,, that a cheque from the Provincial Treasurer for £164 had been received under Payments to Provinces Act, and paid into the Bank. He also reported a communication from Mr De Bourbel, asking the Board to accept a gradient of 1 in 10, inpfjead.pf 1 in 12, as specified for Glentui saw mills cutting. The Board declined to alter the specifications. Various other matters of a routine character relating to pipe tiles for culverts, timber, works , in progress, and works finished, conveyance Pf land for roods, &0., &c., were disposed of. Tenders for works advertised were , opened- and considered. Cuttings and fords . / learMbunt Thomas were declined as too high ; jingling Chapel road (no tender); shingling Carboy’s road, Carboy accepted, Is 64 per yard ; widening Main road (one mile), Doak, and Wells,24s psr chain,! accepted; widening Fawcett’s road, deferred; also another portion of Main road deferred, tenders considered too high The Board ordered that the works not let beacairt advertised, together with erection of a bridge on creek at. Beard’s hut, near Mount Thomas; also, a ford and, culvert near educational reserve, Mount Thomae; also, improving and shingling Chapel road; also, reducing gradient oh. road ; also, reducing gradient and improving Mowatts road; also, that a portion of Swamp road bo clayed, that the foot bridge be repaired, and protective groins be erected in the Ashley nver bed, at Free’s and Cone’s cuttings, as soon as possible.—Accounts amounting to £5812s 2d were paid, and the Board adjourned. KOWAI. A public nfseting of ratepayers was held at the -Road Board office, Saltwater Creek, on Monday, May 3; Mr C. Ff. Pemberton, ojbairman. The Chairman stated that the object of the meeting was to elect a member in the jplace of Mr W. M’Adam, resigned. —Mr X H. Moore proposed a vote of thanks to Mr W.M‘Adam for the valuable services he badjrepdered the district during his term of dffidb; ''Seconded by Mr Gome, and carried Mr Thor. Wilson was proposed as a candidate by Mr Vaughan, and seconded'by Mr T. Hanna, Mr f. Croft was

proposed by Mr Pausey, and seconded by Mr gk Hiatt. Hr John Innis was proposed by Mr Danoan Cameron, and leoonded by Mr Hugh M'Lean. * The candidates briefly addressed the meeting, after which the Be* turning Officer nailed for a show of hands, which resulted in favour of Messrs Wilson and Oroft. Ur Innis then demanded a poll.— The subject of the Kowai'protective works waa then discussed. The Chairman folly explained the matter, and then called upon Ur Pendall to make a statement. After the matter had been fully discussed on both sides, it was moved by Ur Barclay—“ That this meeting is satisfied with the position taken by the Boad Board in reference to the Kowai Protective Works committee.” Seconded by Mr Topping, and carried unanimously.—A vote of thanks was then proposed to the Betuming Officer (Mr 0. Ff. Pemberton), and carried unanimously, The meeting then terminated.— Subsequent to the meeting, a recent member of the committee waited upon the Board, and undertook to settle with the contractors, taking such responsibility himself, providing the Board handed him the amount due on behalf of the grant in aid of the works, which was agreed to by the Board, and a cheque for £ls 10s was accordingly banded to him.

The Board then proceeded with the general business of the district.—Since the last general meeting, the sum of been placed to £2lB had the credit of the Board at the Bank of New Zealend, Kaiapoi, being the General Government Grant for 1874-75 under the Payment to Provinces Act. In consequence of a portion of the fourth instalment of the Boad Board Grant, amounting to £426 10s having been withheld, it had been necessary to obtain an overdraft at the Bank, which amounted to £163 17s . 9d. Correspondence was received from the Secretary for Public Works, enclosing ' a letter from Mr John Innis, with reference to the road to the ram paddock, requesting the Board to give their opinion on the same. After consideration of the letter, the Board did not agree with all the statements made therein, and instructed the Surveyor to reply to the Secretary for Public Works, and explain the exact position the Bostrd had taken with regard to the road and bridge in question. The Board, at the same time, suggested that a “ special grant,” either in land or money, should be given for the purpose of improving the road and bridge.—A letter was read from the Traffic Manager in reply to a letter from the Board, regarding carriage and and storage of drain pipes.—Prom the Secretary for Public Works, in reply to a letter from the Board, regarding the well to immigrants’ cottages on reserve No. 252, stating that the Government could not grant a further sum beyond the amount of £l3 set aside for the purpose, but suggested that the amount paid by the Board over and above the Government grant might be reimbursed by rents received from the cottages.—A petition was handed in by Mr F. Oroft, numerously sighed, showing that the Government, by ■ placing the railway station across High street, in the Ashley Township, had deprived them of a good metalled road, which was the direct communication between Marshman’s and Sefton roads. The petitioners prayed that the Board would use their best endeavours with the Government to get them better communication than at present afforded. —The Surveyor was instructed to communicate at once with the Government on the subject.— Tenders were then opened for the formation of the road along the bank of Saltwater Greek, but, on consideration, it was resolved that no contracts, except for bridges absolutely necessary, should be taken in hand until the Board was in a better financial position.— The Surveyor reported that the undermentioned bridges were all unsafe for heavy traffic:—Bridge, by Baird’s, on Sefton road, on Waugh’s creek; bridge on Bailway Reserve road, on Ward’s creek; bridge on Douglas’ road, by Stanton’s; bridge on Aymesbury road, on Saltwater creek; bridge on Schoolhouse road, by Bruere’s. —Resolved, that the Surveyor prepare specifications and plans for bridge by Baird’s, on Sefton road.—Resolved, that the Surveyor take summary proceedings against all parties whose rates are not paid. The pay-sheet amounting to £338 12s 5d were then examined and passed for payment. The Board then adjourned.