GENERAL ROAD BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 367, 11 December 1858, Page 6

GENERAL ROAD BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the Acting Committee of this Board was held on Tuesday. Present — the Provincial Solicitor, and Messrs. Harris and Young, members ex officio, who attended to explain as to the new arrangements made for carrying on the public works, in accordance with the resolutions passed by the Provincial Council ; — also, Messrs. Grainger, Every, Shand, Colder, Hepburn, Culling, Burns, Tayler, and Millar ; Mr. Macandrew in the Chair.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read, and, after a slight amendment, confirmed.

The Chairman, after a few remarks, proposed the following resolution :—: —

" That as the half-ycaily meeting of the General Board takes place upon the 17th instant, it is inexpedient for thib Committee to enter upon any business involving administrate e action, further than the simple loutinc connected with the payment of the labourers employed by it, it being the opinion of the Committee, tliat in consequence of the views of the Execuiive Government, confirmed by resolutions of the Provincial Council, the General Road Board as an administrative body is an unnecessary and cumbrous machine, fiom which no practical benefit to the Province can result. The Committee have found from cxpeiienee tliat its past labours have been altogether non-productive and useless, in consequence of the want of the means of carrying cut adniinistiative functions, which the Executive now propose to retain in its own hand; and without presuming nny opinion as to the usefulness and efficiency of the General Road Boaid if placed in a right position, and assuming that it had the means of recording its decisions on the public map and of carrying out the necessary surveys, the Committee is persuaded that under existing circumstances the public interest will be best and most economically promoted by the Executive taking the whole of the adininisli ntive functions of the General Road Board into its own hands. Also that this resolution be placed befoie the gencial meeting.' 1

Mr. Every seconded the resolution.

The Provincial Solicitor could not concur with the spirit of the resolution. He had never entertained the idea that the Board should be abolished, neither was it intended that the resolutions on pubic works passed by the Provincial Council should supersede the Board. He would be sorry to see it done away with, for he considered it a very useful machine, and was the means of bringing together the members from the various districts, who. from their personal knowledge of their respective districts, were able to supply useful information regarding them, lie had no idea of the Board taking the pet because the Civil Engineer was to have the control of the works. Hitherto the Government and the Board had been unable to work satisfactorily together, and in order to prevent any -further collision, the Government had adopted what they considered the best course for the prosecution of the public works in a more satisfactory manner. Mr. Oliver bad done remarkably well : but the Government had a responsible officer, and in accordance with the resolutions, it would be his duty, under the instructions of the Government, to have the road lines properly suj-vej'ed and laid down on the record map. ]S T o road line could be laid down on these maps without correct surveys and plans, but the Board had never in any instance communicated to the Government a survey and plan of any line they wished to be laid down.

Mr. Graisgi:r complained to the Board of the want of a proper road in his locality in Anderson's Bay, which they had now been without for some nine years. He was shut up in the bush without any access to his house. He had frequently represented his case to the Board, \\ Inch had communicated the matter to the Government; but as yet nothing had been done. He therefore wished to know what he "was to do in the matter.

The Board referred him to the Government

Mr. MAc.Ysr.RMv requested Mr. Young to fake the Chair, to enable him to speak to the resolution.

Mr. Mac vvdiikw said it required very little argument from him to support the facts set forth in the resolution he had proposed. It was well known that the Board had been unable to carry on its operations with any degree of satisfaction, in consequence of the jarring jurisdiction of the Civil Engineer and the Board. The members had met month after month, and devoted their time to the consideration of the various matters coming before the Board — and all to little purpose.' He was not sorry to see the Government assuming the administration and responsibility of carrying on the public works ; but he disclaimed the Idea expressed by the Provincial Solicitor, that the Board had taken the pet on that account, lie himself had devoted a good deal of his time to the Board— and it Avas all nonsense to bring home twenty men together to spend time with so little beneficial result. The Board had over and over again communicated with the Government respecting various road lines ; and if the Provincial Solicitor had time to go over the minutes, he (Mr. Macaudrew) would point out numberless instances in which the Board had requested the attention of the Government to the necessity of laying off and mapping certain road lines. Mr. Grainger's was a case in point, the road in the North-east Valley was another, and be could find many more.

The Provincial Solicitor contended that the Board had never sent the Government a communication, accompanied with a plan of the line they wished laid down.

Mr. Harris said he did not intend to say anything regarding the resolution proposed by Mr. Macandrew; but as to the resolutions passed by the Provincial Council, it was not intended that they should supersede the Board. The Government, in whatever they might do as to roads, would be very willing to have the

co-operation of the Board. He did not see anything to prevent it working in harmony with the Government ; and as it was now agreed that the responsibility in carrying on the public works should be undivided, it would be necessary for Mr. Oliver to receive his instructions from the Civil Engineer, who was responsible to the Government, and the Government to the public. It was impossible for the officers of the Board to serve two masters ; and he trusted that this new arrangement would be found to greatly facilitate the progress of the public works throughout the Province.

Mr. Hepburn asked if the Government had taken any steps to finish the works which had been commenced by the Board.

Mr. Harris stated that the Government, without waiting till the present meeting of the Board, had proceeded at once with the works and the Civil Engineer had been instructed to put on all his available force on the main south line. The other works would be taken up as speedily as possible.

The resolution was put and carried unanimously. Mr. Macajjdhkw again took the chair. Mr. Harris said it was necessary to have inspectors of roads, to be under the control of the Civil Engineer, and it was proposed that Mr. ('aider should have the inspection of the roads within a circuit of 3 miles or so of Dunedin, and Mr. Oliver the inspection of the roads beyond that limit.

It was moved and agreed to as follows :: — •

" Mr. Harris having stated on the part of the Government that it was intended to place the inspection of the public road vvoiks within a certain radius of Dunedin under the charge of Mr. D. Calder, and beyond those tracts under that of Mr. Oliver, subject to the control and direction of the Executive through the Chief Civil Engineer, resolved, that the Committee approve of this suggestion, and also lccommend that Mr. Cheyne should be continued a clerk to the Road Boaid.''

Messrs. Culling and Gibson, in reference to shutting up the new road line through their properties in the Xorth Taieri, were referred to the Government.

Mr. A. Burns brought forward two resolutions — one proposing to rescind the decision of the last meeting, disallowing the ppecial rate levied upon No. 1 district, East Taieri ; and the other recommending tliat Saddlehill be proclaimed a separate road district. No previous notice of motion having been given, these were taken as notices of motion for next meeting.

The Road Engineer's report for November was read.

Mr. Tayler brought under the notice of the Board the manner in which the contract for clearing the Port Chalmers road had been executed. The contract was to make a clear passage 40 feet wide, which had not been done, and in some places the road was only 25 and 21 feet wide. He did not sec why the contractors should be paid for work which they had not actually performed.

Mr. Mirj.Ait corroborated the statement of Mr. Tayler, and said the work had not been executed according to contract. It was resolved-

_ " That the month's expenditure, amount ing to £782 19s. 7d., br paid, with the exception of £110 10s. to Me-ssis. Robertson and Henderson, in completion of their contract to Savvyeis Bay, payment of which is ordered to be deferred until a leport as to the fulfilment of the contract in terms of specification is received ; and that the cieik be directed to transmit a copy of the specification to the Poit Chalmers District Trustees, requesting them to leport to the general meeting on the 17th instant." It was also resolved —

" That the Chaiinian be authorised to sign warrants for the foregoing, and that his Honor the Supeiintendent be requested to pay to the Treasurer of the Board the sum of Two Thousand Pounds on account of the completion of works now in progress as undertaken by the Board."

_ Mr. Tayler urged the necessity of having a side cutting made on the road near Sawyers' Bay, and moved, which was agreed to—

" That a communication be transmitted to bis Honor, requesting that he may be pleased at once to cause Mr. Oliver's suggestion as to the side cutting on the road to Sawyers Bay to be carried into immediate effect." The Committee then adjourned.