AKAROA AND WAINUIROAD BOARD.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 203, 28 June 1878, Page 2

AKAROA AND WAINUIROAD BOARD.

Saturday, June 22.

The usual fortnightly meeting of this Board was held at its offices on the above date.

Present—Messrs Piper (Chairman), Williams, Shadbolt, and Duxbury, Mr J. Glynan waited on the Board in reference to a diversion of the Onuku road through his property, and requested to know what arrangements the Board were willing to make in regard to the matter. , Mr J. Wardle, one of the contractors for the Okain's Bay road diversion, interviewed the Board as to the taking over of the road, as he considered the contractors had done their.part of the work, although the Engineer, Mr Fenton, refused to' pass the road on the ground that it was not according to specifications. The Engineer, who was present, stated that the contractors had departed from the specifications in not going from peg to peg. The consideration of the question was deferred until the production of the specifications. Mr J. Vangioni, the contractor for the Onuku road, waited on the Board in reference to placing culverts in newly-made ground. The Engineer advised the Board to adhere to the use of pipes, and also that the terms of the specification be adhered to. The Board resolved that, in the case of pipes not being able to be used, the matter be left in the hands of the Engineer as to what sort of culvert was to be constructed instead. RESIGNATION OF CHAIRMAN. At this stage of the meeting, the Chairman, Mr Piper, placed his written resignation on the table, and left the room. Mr John Duxbury was then voted to the chair, but some doubts as to the legality of the meeting having arisen, it was ultimately agreed to adjourn until Monday, 24th inst., at 10 a.m. Adjourned Meeting. The adjourned meeting of the Board took place at the offices, at 10 a.m. on Monday, 24th June, the members present being Messrs Curry, Duxbury, and Shadbolt. Mr Duxbury was requested to take the chair pro tern. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed, and Mr Piper's resignation was again read. Mr Shadbolt moved that the Board accept the resignation of Mr H. Piper with the greatest possible regret. He was sure the public were losing the services of a valuable and upright public man entirely, he believed, through anonymous newspaper attacks. If such things went on, men of character could not be expected to serve the public gratuitously. He was sorry to loose Mr Piper at the Board, but he did not blame him, and he begged to move formally that Mr Piper's seat at the Board be declared vacant, and his resignation as Chairman accepted. Mr Curry seconded Mr Shadbolt's proposition, and also expressed his regret at Mr Piper's retirement. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN. Mr Shadbolt proposed that Mr John Duxbury be now elected Chairman of the Board, which was seconded by Mr Curry. Mr Duxbury accepted ihe office, and formally took the chair. NEW MEMBER. An election for a new member to lilLtlie vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr Piper was ordered to take place at the Road Board office, on Saturday, 13th July, in the manner proscribed by the '* Cantorbury Roads Ordinance, 1:j72." SIGNING Oi , PLANS. Mr Fen ton returned ail plans and documents required by v The Public Works Act, 1870," to be signed '• Certificated Engineer," with the necessary words added. LONG DAY ROAD. Mr Fenton handed in a memo, in regard to this road, saying that the contractors had blasted away one of the worst projections oil rock, and further recommending that, on account of the large number of cattle allowed to stray on the road, the general conditions might in this case be relaxed. Mr Shadbolt moved that, on the recommendation of Mr Fenton, the work be now taken off the contractors' hands, and the balance of their account paid. Seconded by Mr Curry, and agreed to. OLD FRKNCII PEAK ROAD. . A memorial was received from the residents in French Farm Bay, and Messrs G. Black and W. Wood, requesting the old track to be kept open between thai bay and Buchanan's valley, as it was useful for driving sto^k. It was resolved that the old line of road be cleared 20 feet wide. COX DUCT OF BUSINESS. The Chairman thought the Clerk should bo instructed to produce at every meeting I of the Board the bank-book, fully written up. He also observed that there was no banker's pass-book for the contractor's deposit account, which was a matter that should at once be remedied. There was another matter that he .should ]ik? to see put on a legal basis, viz., that seeurily be taken from all officers of the Board who either collected money or were imprestees. As they were about tc cause summonses to be issued for unpaid rates, he doubted if they could legally sue for them, unless : the 129 th clause of "The Roads Ordinance" ; was complied with in reference to bonds. He recollected this had been strongly insisted upon in the case of the Clerk to the Borough Council, who was also their rate collector, and he believed a legal opinion had been given that it was absolutely necessary. Of course ho only brought the matter forward to place tho Board on a proper footing in Court. Mr S. Curry moved that the Clerk, Mr J. Bar wick, and the Collector, Mr James Hartley, be requested to provide the necessary bonds as required by the 129 th section of the Ordinance, before next meeting, to the amount of £100 each. The motion was seconded by Mr Shadbolt, and agreed to. . The Clerk was further instructed to inform ihe Agent of tho Bank of New Zealand, Akaroa, that Mr Duxbury would in future sign the cheques on the Board's account, in place of Mr Piper. SEAL. Mr Shadbolt moved that a seal be procured by the Board. lie thought this was required by the 10th clause of the Orddinance. lie would move that Messrs Fergusson and Mitchell, of Dunedin, be

requested to furnish designs and prices before nest meeting of the Board. Agreed to. OKAIN'S ROAD DIVERSION; The following letter was read from Mr Piper, the late Chairman of the Board :— " Duvauchelle's Bay. Akaroa, M June 21, 1878. "To the members of the Akaroa and Wainui Road Board. " Gentlemen, —I beg to call your attention to the unsatisfactory way the Okain's road diverson is surveyed through my property. . ■ . .. •"I find there are; only some 20 pegs upon 63 chains of road, and they are supposed to be centre ones. " I may state that I have been two days trying to get the angles lupon both sides, for the purpose of erecting the 'fence, but have found it impossible. " For instance, in some places upon the formed road I cannot see three pegs when standing at the centre one, i.e., one upon either side of me. " I may further state, that it will require a surveyor" to fix the angles correctly, and now beg to request your Board to take the necessary steps, so as to enable me to erect the fence. " I wish to draw your Board's attention to the loss I have sustained by this road being formed through some 200 acres of my paddock; my stock have been disturbed and mixing for nearly five months, and I find now that 200 wethers are only stores, that should have been fat, and that the rams have got several times with my Leicester ewe lambs. ki While upon this subject (Okain's Road Diversion), I beg to inform your Board, that unless there is some arrangement entered iuto with me before the end of July next, I intend closing that portion of the Okain's road which was formed some three years back. " I have spent a considerable sum of money in fencing the same, and therefore wish to be recouped, besides losing the grazing of some acres severed. " I have the honor to be, Sirs, " Your obedient servant, " Henry Piper." The Chairman said he was of opinion that as part of the. matter complained of was an old Provincial liability the Board should not interfere. In regard to the contractor not going from peg to peg on the road, the mistake had occurred by following the clause in the specification, which stated that" in no case should there be less than nine feet cut out of the solid." Specification read. He further thought that all the mistakes had arisen in regard to this road through want of proper supervision as the work progressed. A letter was also read from the contractor, wishing to know what steps the Board proposed to take in regard to the road. It was ultimately resolved that the whole matter be left in the hands of the Engineer, and if a progress payment is required, the same to bo granted on his certificate. PROVINCIAL LIALILITIES. Mr Latter, the Chairman of the County Council, at the request of the Board, waited upon them, and explained, in regard to the old Provincial liabilities, that the Board should forward a list of the claims for compensation in their district in time for the meeting of the Council on 4th prox. There was still a hope, though a faint one, of being able to do something with the Government in the matter. At any rate, the question could be again urged upon them. In answer to a question as to when the Board could obtain the services of the County Engineer, Mr Latter replied that at nest meeting of the Council he believed he should be able to give the Board a definite answer. The Olork was instructed to have a list of all known Provincial liabilities prepared in time for the meeting of the Council, and that the same be submitted to the Chairman before being forwarded. Morgan's fencing. A letter was received from Messrs Fnnnell and Ward, the contractors for the fencing along Morgan's road, asking to have their deposit returned, as they had been delayed by there being no proper understanding about the line. Mr Sbadbolt suggested that if they had more material than was necessary, the Board would buy it from them, but that the terms of the contract must be adhei'ed to, or the deposit forfeited. The Board concurred in Mr Shadbolt's opinion. Stevenson's bridge, head of bay. Messrs Reid and Bassett wrote, stating that they had heard that the contractor for this work (J. Thomas) had given it up, and offering to complete the work at the J same price as Thomas' tender. The Clerk was instructed to see Thomas, and ask him to fulfil the terms of his contract at once. CHRISTCHUIiCH .ROAD. A map was received of the line of the Christchurch road, having reference to the boundary between the Akaroa and Wainui Road Board and Little River Road Board. The Board were quite willing to maintain all that was in their district, and pay half cost of maintenance of any part where it forms the boundary between the two dis tricts. It was resolved that the Board proceed, in terms of clauses, 82, 83, and 8-i of "The Public Works Act, 1870," being willing to pa}' half cost of maintenance from Barry's Pass to Red John's Gully, where the road appears to be the boundary line. WAINUI ROAD EXTENSION. The Clerk was instructed to write to Mr Rhodes or his agents, saying that it was the intention of the Board to carry a road through his Wainui property to Mount Bossu, and enquire on what conditions he will allow the road in question to be run through his land. HARM AN *S TRACK. A request from Mr Watkins to fence across Hannan's track was refused, as the Board had no power to grant the request. He could do so at his own risk. cossar's bridge, pawson's valley. G. Kearney, the contractor for this bridge, applied for an extension of time, as he had been delayed for want of timber. Extension of a month granted. FENCING ONUKU ROAD. Letters were received from Mr Hawthorne, Faying that he had finished the fencing of his section, and from Mr J. Porter, the proprietor of the section, statthat the fence was satisfactory, the fence being subject to Mr Porter's approval.

gough's bay eoad. Mr V. V. Masefield wrote, complaining

that nothing had as yet been done to the carrying of the Long Bay J?»ad near to Gough'a Bay. As the work is one of considerable difficulty, and requiring engineering skill, it was resolved to hold the grading of the latter part of this road over until the Board could obtain the services of theCounty Council Engineer. CULVERTS AND SLIPS. The Clerk was instructed to procure what,day labor was wanted to clear out all slips and culverts, and to see that all the side channels of the main roada were kept clear. Tenders, okain's bay road repaib3. ', W. Widdicorabe, three weeks, at 2s Gd per chain—£l4. Thos. Brough, five weeks, at 3s per chain—£l9 16s. H. Edmondson and Co., two weeks, at 2s 6d per chain—£l4. Jas. Cairns, three weeks (informal), £14. P. Shadbolfc, two weeks, at 2s 6d per chain —£14. The tender of P. Shadbolr, at £14, was accepted. SUPS WAINUI ROAD, AND CULVERT AT • MAORI ELAT. D. Lecompt, three weeks, £28. S. Cnrragh and Co., two months, 12a per chain—£Bo 4s. T. Brough, seven weeks, £35 11s. W. Kenny, one month, £45 19s. W. Widdieoinbe, one month, £46. J. Thomas (slips only), one month, £24 10s. H. Jordan and Co. (slips only), two months, £31 10s. '■ - ' 11. Lecornpte, two weeks, £30 10s. P. ShadboJt, four weeks, £47 16s. Chas. Schubert, six weeks, £59. 11. Edmondson, fivo weeks, 8s per chain, ftnd £12 per culvert. Joseph Wright (slips only), 10s 6d per chain. Mr David Lecompte's tender, •at £28.,. was accepted. *' " * PAYMHNTS. On the motion of Mr Curry, seconded by Mr B. Shadbolt, the following accounts were passed for payment:— £ s. d. 11. Edmondson 0 13 0 Wight and Bruee, freight ... 1 8 9 W. Widdicombe, final payment, Piper's flat 12 16 6 Manders and Maltby, progress payment 20 0 0 J. Cairns and Co., Aylmer's valley road 23 16 0 Office charges ... 216 6 W. Kenny, fourth progress payment ... 30 0 0 H. Piper, first progress payment for fencing 50 0 0 B. Sheath and Co., pipes ... 26 13 4 E. S. Forbes 1 10 0 J. Bell, arbitration fee 3 3 0 11. S.Bushell do 3 3 0 T. S. Johnson, Main road slips 5 6 0 T. Brough, progress payment... 15 0 0 H. H. Fenton, Court costs ... 2 0 0 The Clerk was instructed to post at once; the circular which has been agreed upon, to all Road Boards in the Middle Island, re proposal to endow Road Boards. The Board then adjourned till Saturday, 6th July, at the usual hour.