AKAROA AND WAINUI ROAD BOARD.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 82, 1 May 1877, Page 2

AKAROA AND WAINUI ROAD BOARD.

A meeting of the above Board was held at the Board's office on Saturday last Present —Messrs Piper, (Chairman), Duxbury, Houghton, and Shadbolt. Mr. Shadbolt, on the minutes of last meeting being read, wished so much of them altered as referred to the road up Pawson's Valley. Mr. Duxbury said that he did not think the Board would be justified in spending

£160 of the funds in building a bridge for one man. The Chairman said that so far as he understood the question, it was one of sur- - vey, and should be left over until the Government had settled the matter of the re-survey of the Peninsula, for which tenders were now advertised. Mr. Shadbolt held it was not a question * of survey at all, but one of common justice to the settlers in the district. Supposing the question to be one of survey, it would not cost more than £4 or £5, as the original pegs could all be found. Mr. Duxbury wished to know what ■ would be the ulterior question after this sum had been spent in survey. If the Road Board once interfered in finding the section boundary lines for settlers, they would have the whole district down upon them, and should be taking the responsibility of the Government who sold the land. He could quite understand Mr. Shadbolt Mr. Shadbolt did not ask the Board to take any responsibility, only to open about fifteen chains of a road. All he wanted was to see the old road opened. Mr. Duxbury.—lf the Board once commenced to find the lines of disputed sections and roads, they would establish a dangerous precedent, and every Board day ■"* they would be flooded with the same sort of questions. The road only existed on paper on the maps, and if purchasers of land could get aroad to their own door, welly and good, but'it was not the business of the Board to survey them. The Chairman said an important part of the matter was, was there a road already in existence. If so, what was the use of the slight diversion. The matter, he understood, had been all arranged through the Provincial Engineer, and a deed drawn ready for signature, when one of the contracting parties refuses to sign it, and they came to the Board with all their troubles. The worst feature in the case was, that they were taking upon themselves an old Provincial liability, and he for one would be no party to it. Mr. Shadbolt.—All they asked for was the road on the map, which the engineer could find from the pegs, and deeds of owners, and could not see that would compromise them in any way. The Chairman.—Let Mr. Corsar and other malcontents communicate with the Government, and the Goverment can advise us in the matter. * Mr. Duxbury.—ln reference to the question now before the meeting, Mr. Shadbolt, a member of the Board, had a large interest, and he thought that no member* should take a lead in discussion in which he was interested, but should allow the other members to discuss it in his absence. He begged to propose—" That, referring to proposed survey of road, fronting sec. 12790, the Board are unanimously of opinion that owing to the question of compensation, &c, for new road, being at the present time in the hands of the Government, the Board cannot undertake the ; question of re-survey of old road, as pro - ' posed by Mr. Shadbolt."

Mr. HouGnTON seconded the motion, which was carried. The minutes were then confirmed. metal for barry's bay. Mr. Dewar waited upon the Board in support of a letter he had written to them on the subject of breaking metal for main road at Barry's Pass. When tendering for the breaking of the metal, he had misunderstood what quarry it was to be taken from, and consequently had tendered at the low sum of 3s sd. * The Clerk said it was worth a shilling more to break the metal at the upper quarry. The Board agreed that by his deducting three pence per yard towards the cost of carting, he might go on procuring the stone from the Mossy Creek quarry. Mr. Dewar agreed to take the metal at 3s 2d. CORRESPONDENCE. A letter was received from Mr. V. V. Masefield, complaining of that part of Long Bay road, known as George's Bush, and stating that it was simply impassable. A letter was read from the Clerk of the Little River Road Board, in regard to the boundaries between the two districts.

Mr. Duxbury said it'had been quite agreed between the two'" Boards that the ■water-shed was to form the boundary. The Provincial Council had agreed to this, but it had never been legalised. In the meantime the Boards were losing rates. At the same time those who" collected the rates would have to maintain the road.

Mr. Houghton moved—" That the Clerk be instructed to reply, that this Board dc*< authorise the Little River Board to collect and appropriate rates on their side of the water-shed, pending the legal re-adjust-ment of the- boundaries of the district to which this Board have already given their assent. Also to suggest that their Chairman put himself in communication with Mr Rolleston on the subject of having the altered boundaries gazetted as required." Mr. Shadbolt seconded the motion, ■which was carried. From Mr. Martiudale, protesting- in the strongest terms agaiust closing the old Duvauchelle's Bay road, characterizing the whole proceedings as "an iniquitous attempt to wrest from the public by force a great privilege." While on this subject, the Clerk reported that Mr. Lebeau had deposited £15 as required by the Board for expenses. The Board instructed the Clerk to write to Mr. Fenton, requesting him to make the necessary survey and plan of the road, and proceed in terms of sec. 93 of " The Public -* Works Act." GREHAN VALLEY ROAD. ■ Mr. J. Sunckell, sen., waited. upon the m Board with a petition from the "settlers in Grehan Valley, as to the state of the road above the brewery. ' The Chaihman remarked that others than persons interested had signed the petition. Mr. Sunckell stated that if the road was laid out afresh no question of compensation would arise. _"'•'., Mr. Houghton said it was only a few days since men .were at work at the cost of the Board repairing this road. He supposed the presence of the workmen had suggested the present petition. Mr. Duxbury said that it seemed to him that men were always employed on this A road. Mr. Shadbolt said, if we have got the funds the road should be made passable. He knew it was a bad road, and would want regrading throughout. ■*• The. Board instructed the Clerk to inspect and report on the. road, but not with a view of remodelling it.

FRENCH FARM BRIDGE. A petition was received from the settlers in French Farm Bay, asking the Board to proceed with the bridge, and also to make a culvert at the end of a small creek, as at high water the road was impassable for foot-passengers. The Chairman remarked it was too bad to be hunted with petitions in this manner about this bridge. If those people signing, only took the trouble to look, they would see the contractors were going on with the work. The progress they were making was quite satisfactory to the Board, and he had little doubt but that the work would be finished within the contract time. Mr. Duxbury.—The reason of the petitioning is no doubt, that University men like being heard. The Clerk Avas instructed to prepare plans and specifications for a stone culvert over the creek in question, and call for tenders for same. METALLING LITTLE RIVER AND PIGEON BAY . ROADS. The Clerk reported that there was still about 65 chains of the Little River Road to metal. Some parts were almost dangerous, especially opposite Stewarts, and should at once be metalled, as until this was done, it constantly wanted repairs. The Clerk was requested to call for tenders for metalling same.

Mr. Shadbolt drew the attention to a part of the Pigeon Bay road that still wanted metalling, viz., between the point where the Little River road branches off, and the old Pigeon Bay road. The Clerk was instructed to see to have this put in hand. . PAYMENTS. Mr. Houghton proposed and Mr. Duxbury seconded, that the following accounts be paid:— £ s d T. S. Johnston, culvert &c, and sea walls, 16 5 0 J. Drinkwater, Grehan Valley... 4 5 9 J.Curtis „ ... 4 5 9 X* Edmundson, Pigeon Bay road, 0 12 0 J. Thomas „ 4 4 0 The Clerk had authority to pay Smith half price for his metal. T. S. Johnston's account for metalling Pigeon Bay road, signed by the District Engineer as being correct, and to which the late Superintendent'sletterreferred, was ordered to stand over until a full meeting of the Board. Robinson's bay diversion The Clerk was asked to write to Messrs Breitineyer and Le Valient, and ascertain on what terms they would allow diversion if they considered it injuriously affected their properties. LONG BAY MAIN ROAD. Mr. Houghton asked the Board to metal that pa7-t of the road leading past his house from German Bay road, for about 10 chains. It was so slippery in wet weather, that he could not get a ten gallon.keg of beer to his house. Mr. Duxbury remarked this was another instance ofmembershavingtheirown places done. Mr. Shadbolt proposed—" That if only a few loads of metal were required to enable Mr. Houghton to get his beer, he thought the Board should not stand in the way. The Clerk was instructed to see the work done. wagstaff's road. Mr. Houghton brought under the notice of the Board the state of the road leading to Mr. Wagstaff's house, at the end of German Bay road. It was decided to have the stuff complained of carted off, and the roadway levelled. NEW GERMAN BAY ROAD. Mr. Duxbury thought it was time the Board looked into the completion of German Bay road, and have it done before the winter set in. The contractor had been humbugged by the Government in regard to the amount of the special grant for this road, having been supposed to be exhausted, and gave up the work, and was settled with. Now tfie Government discover there is still a balance of £130 to the good. He understood that Mr. St. John had never been settled with, and if so, the question was, would he allow the Board to enter upon the road. Mr. Shadbolt. —If the new road is not finished ihe old one must be put in order before the bad weather. The Chairman thought the proper course would be to write to the Government asking them to hand over to the road to the Board, with the balance of the special grant still unexpended for the Board to finish the work—Agreed to. On the motion of Mr. Duxbury, seconded by Mr. Houghton, the Board adjourned till 12th May, at 2 p.m.