MAKAKEWA KbAD BOAED.

Southland Times, Issue 3180, 22 August 1878, Page 2

MAKAKEWA KbAD BOAED.

' ? ?..[..; -i-rr-r- — ;*T- — -J ;r :< '! :/ /. f ,The annual general meeting of the Makarewk Koad Board was heldin the /Clarendon, Hotel yesterday. Present: — Messrs McArthur (chairman), John Thomson I ,; John* Hamilton, Gray, Baldey, Toshach, Keith, George Thomson,' and Mclvor. ' ' '

, The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.

The Chairman stated that the primary object'of the meeting was the election; of officebearers for the ensuing year.

Mr John Thomson proposed and Mr Baldey seconded that Mr Me Arthur be re-appointed as Chairman of the Board. . .

Agreed to unanimously,

Mr McArthur 1 feelingly thapked the f members for the honor they had conferred on him. He would almost be inclined to retire, as ; he was not quite so able for work 'as formerly, but since it was the general wish that he should continue to preside over their deliberations, he would do his best to conduct the business of the Board as heretofore.

It was moved by Mr Keith, seconded by Mr G. Thomson, that Mr John Thomson be re-elected as Treasurer to the Board.

Carried unanimously. On the motion of Mr McArthur, seconded by Mr Gray, Mr William Russell was again appointed to fill the office of Clerk and Secretary to the Board.

The engineer, Mr Duncan McArthur, was also unanimously reinstated for another year.

Mr Baldey thought the engineer should ;be- : more particular when passing works. There had 'been a number of complaints regarding this matter.

After some disenssion it was decided to intimate to the engineer that he would be " called over the coals" if he were not more careful in future. . ! ,

A number of tenders for works were examined and accepted, and accounts amounting to £101 3s 3d were passed for payment. Mr Baldey moved, and Mr Mclvor seconded, that the matter cf the Waikiwi bridge at Otatara be left to the three members of the subdivision ; and it was so resolved.

In re Kilpatrick's contract, it was resolved on the motion of Capt. Thompson, that £20 be paid meantime. A letter f rom Thos. Kelly was read asking for extension of time to Ist October on account of having been delayed by the inclemency of the weather, and requesting a progress payment. After the reading of a recommendation in favor of this from Mr John Brown, and as Capt. Thomson considered the requests reasonable they were granted by the Board, the progress payment being £40. John Campbell's account for repairing bridge on Bay Road, £8, was considered. The chairman explained that great complaints regarding the dangerous state of this bridge having appeared in the newspapers, and public attention having been drawn to the danger to life and limb from the want of repairs, he had taken it ufoa himself to order sufficient work to be done to prevent horses going down through the bridge. He was confident the Board would endorse the action he had thus taken. As bearing on the matter, a report from the engineer was read, describing the state of the vicinity, deposits of gravel, &c, and the most suitable localities from whence it could be obtained.

By an examination of the Act it was found that gravel conld be taken^for^'oad purposes from properties on payment of reasonable damages. The action of the chairman was approved of.

Mr Mclvor said the Bay Road was a heavy tax on the subdivision, and they should now stand up to the County Council on the question. On account of their previous action therein he proposed that they should be charged commission on the advances of the Board. Meantime he moved that £30 be set aside to be expended on the Waikiwi Bridge, at Finlaysons ; the specifications to be made out and tenders called for at once. This was seconded by Mr. Toshach, and carried. Mr Baldy defended the County Council inasmuch as that body had paid all that it had agreed on, and only refused to pay unauthorised expenditure. Mr Toshach hoped the reporters would take special notice of the fact that two main roads, the Bay and Mabel roads, had been thrown by the wealthy county upon the poorer Road Board.

Messrs McDonald and Russell wrote and Messrs Hatel, and Scott attended on behalf of the trustees of the late Jacob Ott, requesting the Board to close certain tracks through the property of the trustees at Waikiwi. There appeared to be no objection to the closing of one of the tracks. The shutting up of the other was strenuously opposed by Mr Mclvor on the ground of its being the only road for his children going to school, and for the crops from that portion of his property, which he also intended to cut up into one-acre sections. This road is the only outlet to the North Road from these sections. Postponed for future consideration. Tenders for advertising had been received, and that of the Southland Times waa accepted. In re the roads adjoining the Makarewa brickworks, it was resolved that nothing could be done.

Mr Reid appeared on behalf of Mr Barry to request the Board, as the Local Board of Health to take steps to cause a pigstye on Mr Hogan's land to be removed as a nuisance, and laid a medical certificate to that effect on the table. This certificate fell to be paid by the 'Board, and he quoted the Public Health Act in corroboration, but in this case Mr Hogan would pay it. Mr Baldey and other members strongly objected to the ratepayers' money being thus wasted whenever two neighbors quarrelled abous a pigstye. The Chairman said that scarlet fever was rife at present, and no nuisance could be permitted ; and a discussion ensued on the propriety of inspecting the locality, when Mr Reid cut the matter short by withdrawing the application and intimating that he would bring the matter before the Resident Magistrate, and subpoena Dr Jackson, if the Board would not do its duty. A letter from the Lindhurst Road Board, enclosing a cheque for £6, was read. Received.

Letter from Mr "Wood, M.H.E., re endowment of Road Boards, advising caution* as otherwise lands in the south anight betaken; for northern purposes. Received. Letters from, Messrs Feldwick and Joyce on the* same subject were also read. A printed form of specification was laid before the meeting by the Engineer and approved of . The new seal of the Board was also produced and admired. It was moved by Capt. Thomson, seconded by Mr Baldey, that the Engineer inspect and repbrt on the South Forest Hill and ITem Bushjroads, and prepare plans and specifications for the necessary works.

The Board then went into committee,