AKAROA AND WAINUI ROAD BOARD

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 312, 15 July 1879, Page 2

AKAROA AND WAINUI ROAD BOARD

Saturday, July 12, A meeting of this Board was held on the above date at their offices, Duvauchelle's Bay. ....... .. -. •' .- Present —■ Messrs Williams, (Chairman),' Curry/.M'Donald, Shadbolt, and Chappell. INTERVIEWS. , Mr Vangioni waited oh the .Board and. submitted a letter, in which he asked the Board to re-consider their decision regarding his Mount Bossu contract. He urged that ho had removed his" camp on the understanding that the Engineer had passed the work subject to certain deductions. These deductions he was willing to submit to. Mr Fenton, who was present, distinctly denied that he had'• given any assurance of this nature. His report, was referred to,- which clearly bore out this statement. Mr D. Cnrryjpresented a memorial icalling die attention of the ; Board-to the'Cohdition of a portion of the Grehan Valley "road,'which they characterized -as"dis--graceful." • • Mr A. M'Niol came to complain that some men working for the Board were undermining v portion, of his property between French Farm and Barry's "Bayi ' The Clerk of Works explained that the spot where the work was being done Was on the road.' Mr Etienne Lelievre attended to requost tho Board to instruct their surveyors to grade a line of road from the old Gough's Bay road, to connect it with the Beach. Mr F. Moore waited on tho Board on behalf of Mr Keegan, to ask for a progress payment on account of fencing at Onuku. The Board promised each of the deputations that their requests should be taken into consideration. MINUTKS. Tho minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. • -•■ •■ ENGINEERS 1 'REPORTS. A report was read from the Engineers) recommending the making of a cutting on the Summit road, instead of a diversion through Mr Latler's land. The recommendation was agreed to. A letter was read from the same gentlemen, in answer to a letter from the Board, in which they p'otested against tho interfeience by the Board with the arrangement-, th V ♦' <" fit to make with their ( i i L .iv P nid insisted on the 1 i i" o t n by a-" of iliha <[ .ii i ' tin v i i i c e< hi'c i) l > itni v •di I o-t \ v - ho, \.l-h-v f > knu'\ w L hi 1 ' ' ' i 1 iq ih v <amp, i' 1 v. ' i k in Ipnd \i< b i x nt; ai i V nkiua ncti in a JoikloiKr, «. ud cxpk n al then \i>\ s in thy. biibj' tt, tutu which they withdrew. VANGIOKI'S CONTRACT. Tlie Chairman asked what the Board

meant to do with regard to this matter. At the last meeting they had let Mr B rough off his contract, and if they did this ill one instanco it would be unfair to treat manner. After discussion, "That if Mr Vangioni to accept the accounts as FerTton/he be released from his —'"' On MY-Vafigiom\returning this offer was put before^bun, but ho demurred to it, saying.tUay'he^ttß'.'.entitled to payment •l-gor whjj/he extended were additional culverts. i i After furtliet.consjde / ration Mr Vangioni consented to accept the terms offered. (It walrekoival'fo Request tfteJGciferjii mont Surveyors to grade the line asked for by MrJE^LeJitevre^ MR M'NIEL's GRIEVANCE. The,clerk of works was instructed to ascertain by measurement that the Board were not in.-thai spot. plained of by Mr M'Niel. If they were; terms would have to be made with the proprietorT.jr A ; '~> i .GB&HANi vILEEY ROAD. ! < On tlie motion-ail Gljajipj&Ur-ftji yaja resolvedho bujld a bndjgl^dveHthefefCek l onthis rbad td - remedy -Ihe •>defeetrs'oomjplained f£ by D. Curry and others^. "vL > B EL t,'g koad. j It was resolved to erect a bridge ovdr the main creek on this historical road. j | Mr W. Kenny wrote l , 4o urlder-'' ''take the pgipogad.widening! of 4 his road at the estimate of the Board's Engineer, c-r j ;"• Thel-maJ&S- was ordered to stand over.! MISCELLANEOUS. | ..Mr V. Masefighi the Board to alter" l|e *£a.Urse oif ciilvert whicjh' emptied | \f i j The Clerk of Works was instructed to ifiljheudipeotion j>f the culv,er.t be altered, j Mr E.- L'dlidvre ' wrote, 1 'asking for the return of ki,s:Crpwn grants, .and,complain--ing that the contractor now working on the Long Bay road: "was injuring his fence. . . ~. Tlie Clerk was ordered to ' return the grant. , .-.. ./.,./> \ - Mr T. Pawson wrote, regretting to have to give up his Barry's B,iy;rtj&d, f iContract, and stating that if had been "on his own hook-?'■■' lie- would-have carried ;itthrough. .. .. ,■~ ._ j The Clerk was instructed to inform Mr P Pawson; - fhat: his letter/did not;meet the ■case.

A letter was received from Mr G. Ann-. strong, complaining of- the wretched condition of tlie road loading to' his farm; : He also wished to have. <a definite answer about the continuation of Balguerie road.. As yet nothing had been..done, but "reporting." : The - Writer' urged tho : Board "not to be eternally procrastinating until the money is all spent about Wainui." On behalf of' his sons, Mr Armstrong also wished to ask what prospect .there was'of their getting a "road to their -German Bay Hill property. The Chairman '"pointed'" o'uf" *fKat"""this letter was written, not to the Board, but-to the Clerk. He considered this was irregular. With reference to tho latter part of tho letter, the Clerk of Works was instructed to see wdiat a piece of land could be procured from Mr Sunckell, for the purpose of making the road required. The slipsPn the road to the farm to be cleared away. Balguerie road to stand over. SUMMIT fcO'AD, PIGEON. rfAYi SADDLE TO | \barry's if A letter was received from the Clerk of the Pigeon Bay Road Board, stating that that Board would only pay over progress payments for this work on the certificate of their Engineer, C.E. The Board were of opinion that the Pigeon Bay TJoara?:wcre :^rTftTr7g"r groiind, and - alterieg the «fk»iaaJ| conditions as settled bcfwe<s| tl(ej ©&M 3, and} called their attentmnjto the Board s letter; of 4th May, 1878, ft-fujl statement to this effect • ' '' f FLijA MY? RpAT>,; I ' The consideration tiff this to'aQ. \ y&s left over until next* nieWnj% pen"d|n£ri the receipt of replies from" the various ipesons interested. 1 VM ' ' The same ajrangemefjfc'to, apply to the extension of the'Balguferuj -streoj; road. guavif^J-QihajrioN*/ j ] The arid Wilkins' atJ an earlier part \jfas tlieri taken up. [ . Mr. tirdd o||jthe |urvey question ; he had ijbppojsed he considered was Ipf their '•funds jl by large a staff of engineers. The fact was, if this' ■ Board |i j" Mn M'DonaJti Jrstp sure,-that the roads#s= now laid out Mtori.accreditrtoJany district, and that the money, although it seemed a large sum, was well spent in the employ-, ment of professional men. Before !the Board employed 3Vlr Fenton «the\;rdads looked as if xhfey had been thrown up by a volcano, and every penny spent upon them had simply been wasted. All the old lines had been abandoned, and the

main road was a constant source of complaint. The road from Barry's Bay to Barry's Pass could have been laid off on no principle but that of chance. The Board were constantly ordering largo works to be laid off, and necessarily; the expenses of the engineering staff must bei large. :, Mr Curry thought that- if- tho Bpard ordered lines to be cut and graded through: dense forest, it was sure to;coine to a large amount. But the i remedy' \vas in their own hands. They could simply tell the engineers to stop, and ho was not sure if that was not the better way during the winter months. Mr Chappell thought the Board should adhere to their resolution ;of • last week. He did not see that a'■deliberate resolution of the Board. should be overturned by Messrs Fenton find Wilkins' letter. If, these gentlemen did the work themselves he had no complaint to make, but was slill of opinion that Messrs Riches and Welch man were not sufficiently, well up in their duties to be entrusted, with the grading of important works. He did not see why the Board should be made a nursery for sucking engineers. They had something else to do with their funds than to make experiments in grading. Another matter lie was quite prepared to substantiate was that a large portion of the timo '

of the men on the staff was occupied in | going backwards and forwards to Akaroa for grog, and that if they paid them for being in camp on wet days they employed the fine days in journeys to Akaroa. ■ He would beg to move that the" Board still, adhere to their resolution of last meeting in regard to the survey- staff being paid 7sper day while at work, and that £2 2s be paid only to Messrs Fenton, Wilkins, and Loughnan. Mr Shadbolt would second the mption ; . he had a complaint to make tliatin aspeech of the Chairman at last meeting, as reported in last issue of the Mail, certain expressions had been used which did not appear in the minutes, and which really j put words in the mouths of the Engineers %) use against the Board. The Chairman, in reply to Mr Shadbolt, stated that the time for any complaint *he~hadto make against the minutes had now passed, and that the Board could not be held responsible'^or : newspapeir reports, although he was' ! 'qtiite aware- what was :At the .same time, as long as he occupied'that'ehair ho could not allow -the-Board-to-be threatened with any-menr- ] ber's resignation. - ;Hf Mr'.Shadbolt wished to resign, that wasJiis own matter and one thaty shouJtl tin no; wise influence ;the Board;' He also warned Mr "Chappall that some of the charges: heiwas making were grave ones, and such ashe should r be quite, prepared : ; fo 1 ' substantiate. • The work that was not done? If so, the thing should be stopped. , Mr M'Donald Mr Ch&ppell wouldJ '^ftbftrjflfifi name of iMr/RfchesSb beSn'serted in his motiqn> X./. 1 'Ja'< .) Mr Chappell declined. Mr proposed;!asr" an amendment, that Mr Riches name be inserted along with those:ot Messrs, Fenton, Wilkins, and Loughhan. ''. ' ~ L ' '" " ' : v . : .rMr,-v Curry $*$~ amendment, which, on being put, was declared carried. •^"''•'^^^bMs^ROATi:''!^ 1 ' T had been 'left over from iast'ihyting,'was-taKeh' up/ Several members of the—Board were of opinion •.. ithAt'if iMr:-Bate3 wer§i taken at his offer he would be but a.very, little ..better- off "than at present.. . '. ,'_" The Chairman was-''of' opinion that the precedent was : a.rdangerous : ,one, and one -on the settlement of which five other claims depended;;* and if the; bridge was made it was liable to be carried away at any-time. •

f; The Board resolved to ;write to. Mr A. C. Knight, stating that owing to Mr Bates' ..opposition, they could not entertain his offers, and at the same time' thanked hini for the liberal wanner in which he had met the Board. Tlie opinion of the Board was that they should not spend any money on the road until they were sure of-the line, and resolved to write to. thepChief Surveyor,masking him /; to point out the _..original,line of .Bates' road, as the pegs; had been destroyed by fire. OKAIN'S. BAY ROAD. : In. reply tc a question as to when this road would be opened, - the Chairman stated that he ; understood the fencing was now finished, find the road could be opened ■as soon as the landslips were cleared off. On the motion Mr Curry, it was agreed to write Mr- Piper, asking if he tied completed the fencing. ; , . ; ■ .LEBON'S BAY ROAD. ------ The matter of the diversion of this road through Messrs -Nalder and Duxbury's land was allowed to stand over till next meeting. Tender. Onty one tender was received for the Long Bay road culverts, and as it Was too high, the time was extended on a fortnight. The Inspector of Works handed in a report in reference to the removal of slips in Aylmer's Valley road, and stating that great difficulty existed in the matter, as the road had been made on, the lower side of the chain reserve, alongside of sec. 216, and suggesting that the Borough Council be asked to join the Board regarding this road, when the surplus dirt could be got I rid of. •„•..'•!■■-

riu 01. ~,-,..._ The Board declined to entertain the. Inspector's suggestion; ; ' PAYMENTS. ' The following accounts were passed for payment :— Wardle and Shadbolt ... £100 0 0 P. Shadbolt's gang, removing slips. 21 12 0 W. Widdicombe, carting and . labor ... ... ... 6 4 0 S. Johnson, labor ' ... ' ... .'<■! 4 0 '■L. Le Vaillant, „ ... ' ... 1,12 0 . J,.Cattemiole,, ~- 1 12 0 P. Coster, „ 112 0 Charles Campbell 119 0 C. Bfefnsfparting^... ".:. 1 12 0 E; Malmahcfre- - ■'' ' -... ■ -. :.■ '• 317 0 E. Williams ■ ... : ... 615 0 .PI Mullen i...: ~ 1. 1 0 John Shadbolt _ 5 8 0 James M'Lareh ' 4 8 0 Joseph'Figoni ..." ... 4 8 0 M. Brew' 1 ...' • .;. ... 5 5 0 1 C.Moe , 4 4 0 E. Chapman '..". ... ... 310 0 "J. 'Varfg'ionl (final) Mt. Bossu 51-9 6 B/Glose- ... - 117 ! 0 Saxtoh and Williams ... 3 2 0 Fenton and Wilkins ... 109 4 0 A. F. Hawthorne 10 0 ',0 J. Wardle'and Co 75 0 0 Garwood and Co. ... ... 0 7 6 J. Hammond .4 8 0

£372 11 0 On the motion Of Mr M'Donald, seconded by Mr Curry, the motion, after some discussion as to .the dates ,in the Engineers' accounts for payment of the above accounts was put and carried. . The Board then adjourned till Saturday,, the 26th instant, at one p.m.