GENERAL ROAD BOARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 390, 21 March 1863, Page 5

GENERAL ROAD BOARD.

A meeting of the General' Road Board was held yesterday, in the Superintendent's office. There were present—The Provincial Secretary (in the chair), the Provincial Solicitor, and Messrs Reynolds and Paterson. Mr Cheyne, the clerk, read tho minutes of the last meeting, which were confirmed. The Clerk reported that Mr Charlton had consented to continue to act as collector and clerk to the North East Valley District Board. The proposed rates for the Kaikorai and East Taieri Districts were .confirmed ; the consideration of tliat for Saddle Hill was postponed, owing to the absence from town of Mr Taylor ; and it was reported that the committee appointed to hear objections in the Caversham District, had not yet done anything. EAST TAIEItI DISTRICT. The District Board forwarded a resolution that for the Scroggs'Creek Road, the original line should be kept to the Silverstrcam, and that thence, Mr M'Kerrow's line to the Creek should be adopted. The Committee also proposed to raise £140, upon the security of a special rate, to be.devoted to improvements in the district, Mr A. Burns explained tbat the line proposed to be adopted to the Silverstream was surveyed 10 years ago, by Mr Oliver ; but the then General Board refused to sanction it, because Mr Oliver was not one of tlieir officers. It was along the bank of the Taieri, and being sandy would never need metalling. It would save a great deal of' compensation ; and there was only one piece of Und which had not been promised. The District Board would not pay compensation for that, but would prefer to take another line, which was pointed out on the map. The recommendations were confirmed. As to the proposed lore-v'Mr Burns stated that those who would have to pay the rate were ready to advance the money ; but until it was in hand, nothing wli;'..„ver could be done, in consequence of a general provision. The Committee asked for arrangements to be made for votes for several sums, including— Ll,loo for the road below the bush leading from the Main South Road, and joining the West Taieri Road; Ll,ooo for the road from the top of the Plain to Scrogg's Creek township; and Ll5O for bridges over the Owhiro. Two-thirds of the ratepayers had agreed to the proposals. Mr Burns complained that nothing whatever had been done for the district this summer. The new regulations would only give the district aid to the extent of LIOO a year, which was ridiculous. If it was intended by them to burk the making of roads, the thing had been thoroughly successful. Of the Ll.loo mentioned, L4OO had been spent on the faith of getting what was asked. The District Board did not propose to spend largely at present—it would be unwise ; but they did want to see things put into a good train for next spring. Consideration of the applications was promised. . NORTH-EAST II ARBOUR. The District Board asked for a special rate of la per acre for extending No. 2 Road, so as to open up sold land, and for making some necessary back roads. The rate was allowed. The District Road also forwarded a resolution asking .that the Old Port Chalmers Road, from the junction of the new road on Section 13, thence through part of 14 and others.up to 20, thence to Section 30, and crossing ' the new road to the North-west corner of Section 32, should be closed. Mr M'Gregor, solicitor, appeared (with Mr James Dawson) in support of the application. He said that the Board had power under the 39th section to do what was asked, and there had been a distinct promise by Mr Adam, the surveyor, that if the new lice was allowed to be made throughout the sections named, without componsation, the old line should be closed. No compensation had been asked for. The Provincial Secretary said that the 39th Section ofthe Ordinance was over-ridden by the Roads and Water Courses Act of the General Assembly, which provided that no recognised road should be closed without the consent of the Provincial Council. Mr M'Gregor knew that they could pass extraordinary Acts in Auckland ; but he could scarcely have expected one so extraordinary. Here was a road that was made by consent, and on a condition : it was now virtually closed, because of the new road ; and all that was wanted was to get formal sanction to the closing, so as to stop one troublesomely obstinate man, who would, every now and then, go driving a dray through people's fences. Mr Adam had, in fact, pledged the credit of tlie Government that the old road should be stopped. Without this, his (Mr M'Gregor's) client, Mr Clenison, would not have given'land for the new road without compensation. The new road was carried through every section on which it was proposed to stop the old one. The Provincial Solicitor thought it would be quite competent for the Government to stop the road in evidence of the promise stated ; and it was arranged that Mr Adam, who is at Tekomaiairo, should be communicated with. NORTH-EAST HARBOUR AND ANDERSON'S DAT. There was a great deal of discussion upon a proposed alteration c." the boundary between these districts ; Mr Mo-.rxi appearing on one side, and Mr Greenfield on the other. As far as could be understood, Mr Greenfield wanted his sections to be included in the Anderson's Bay district ; which Mr Monson opposed, on the ground that it weuld render impossible fhe making of what would be to the Norih-east Harbour settlers, a most valuable road down tothe beach. It was resolvnd that the line of 1856 sbould be adhered to ; this being, we believe, the one contended for by Mir Monson. . WAKARI. Mr Hepbnrn attended 'xv- make several requests x>n behalf of the Wakari District Board. The Urst was thai a road by Flagstaff Hill should be continued c)«f.*n to the West Taieri Road. It stopped short one section off (M'Donald's) ; but ■the,land was bought upon the distinct understanding tbat the road, a main line, should be .confcinued through. It was directed that Mr M'Donald should be communicated with. ; I'he next request had reference to the Halfway Bush Road, which Mr Hepburn said was, in (places in a very bad Btate. Near his own house, narrowness and slipperiness, made it a frightful job to get along. There was very great dray and coach traffic along the road to West Taieri. At the last sitting of the Council L 1,500 was voted for improving the road; but nothing whatever had been done ; and this was the third time he had come to complain to the Board of the neglect. Mr Reynolds said that the money had been voted, certainly—but the Government had not got it to give ; it was to come out of the half million loan, which it was impossible to get at a day's notice. There were many other roads of greater importance, tbat had been attended to as far as possible. • I Mr Hepburn said it was one of the main roads to the diggings ; and to say nothing of drays, we frequently heard of coaches being upset on it. Tho part ofthe road which was now in the worst condition, had been formed, ready for metalling, three separate time 3, but no metalling had been done.

It was directed that the attention of the Road Engineer should be at once called to the state of that part of the road between Mr Hepburn's residence and Store Hill, with a view to its being put into proper condition. Mr Hepburn next drew attention to the fact that the road for which money had been voted, from Kaikorai Bridge to the lime kilns, or quarry, had not been formed. It seemed from a long conversation that Mr James Cunningham, in a letter some time , % ago, consented, on certain conitions, to the road being taken through his section ; but the new line would somewhat interfere with an existing one, and Mr CuDningham had since written that he could not, upon any account, consent to the mutilation of a road whicb, when properly laid off

and finished, would be One of the most efficient in the Province. Mr Reynolds believed that Mr Cunningham would not really stand in the way of tho quarry road being made, and it was directed that one of tho surveyors should wait upon him, learn bis views, ard point out what was really wanted.

Mr Hepburn's last proposition was that aid should be given for a bridge oVer Barr's Gully, and the" raising of the road on each side. The District Board, or the ratepayers, were willing to spend LIOO, but tlie work would cost L2OO. The improvements would open up a large wooded district -arid a good deal of bush land. Consideration was promised, and tha Board then ad-

journed,