AKAROA AND WAINUI ROAD BOARD

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 387, 20 April 1880, Page 2

AKAROA AND WAINUI ROAD BOARD

Saturday, April 17. A meeting of this Board was held on the .above date, at-their offices, Duvauchelle's Bay. •! Present—Messrs Chappell (in the chair), Shadbolt, M'Donald, and Williams. interviews. . Mr A. Wright waited upon the Board to ask' leave to bench a road to his property at the Red House. Permission was granted, the work to be done under the supervision of the Board. Mr David Curry wanted some improvements made in the crossing over the creek in Grehan Valley. The Clerk was instructed to have the improvements effected. Mr James Brown asked for compensation for encroachment on his property by the formation of the main road in German Bay. Applicant was informed that his case 1 had been before the Commissioner, who had awarded compensation. The matter had nothing to do with the Board. It might be within the province of the County Council,%o which body he was referred. Mr Eugene Lelievre came to complain of some of the Board's contractors who had shitted one of his boundary pegs. Complainant, was informed that the Board was not answerable, as the act had not been done by their instructions. If Mr Lelievre had any grievance he must look to the contractors. minutes. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. BARRY'S BAY VALLEY ROAD x EXTENSION. Mr Vanstone applied to have an extension of about ten chains of this road made. At present he had to carry everything up and down on his back. Applicant was informed that the matter would be attended to as soon as the Board was in funds. bell's road. A letter was read from Mr James Brown, complaining that owing lo the action of the Board in turning the creek out of its original course, this road was rendered impassable. He would be willing to do the requisite work, according to the Clerk's estimate, and wait for payment till the Board was in funds. The matter was left in the hands of the Clerk to attend to. summit road. Mr W. M'Kay applied to the Board to do something to this road between the Little Akaloa and Pigeon Bay saddles. Mr M'Kay was informed that the Board was unable to do anything in the matter on account of want of funds. He was advised to apply to the County Council, as the question of taking over this road was to come before that body. Mr M'Kay said that at present both he and others ran a risk of their lives every time they used the road. Finally the Clerk was instructed to report on the road, and the Board would consider the possibility of doing something to render the road passable. SUBSIDY. A circular was read from the. Treasury, transmitting usual form to be filled in and returned by the Board. At the same time the Board was informed that it was not to be taken as an indication that provision would be made during the approaching session for the payment of any subsidy. BOUNDARY BETWEEN AKAROA AND LITTLE RIVER DISTRICTS. The Little River' Road Board wrote, forwarding a resolution of that body proposing certain alterations in the boundary between the two districts. It was resolved that as the matter needed consideration, it should be held over for a full meeting of the Board. MOUNT BOSSU ROAD. A lettei was read from the same Board, agreeing to take half the money in the hands of the County Council for this work, though they considered that the valuation hardly warranted this division. With reference to the same road, a report signed by Mr Piper was read. I Mr Williams stated that he had abstained from assisting in drawing up the j report because he was also a member of the Council. The report was to the effect that the Clerk to the Little River Road Board had considerably undervalued the work. In conclusion, Mr Piper estimated the portion of the road in this district as the most expensive in the proportion of two to one. He suggested that the-Board should again bring the subject before the Council, and ask them to appoint some qualified and independent man to value the work, and agree to abide by his decision. Resolved that a copy of the foregoing report be forwarded to the Council. , With regard to the same road, the following report was also read :— " Chairman Akaroa and Wainui Road Board. « Sir, — After visiting Lake Forsyth road. I came down the Mount Bossu road, and now beg to call yourearnest consideration to the .following facts, and also that it is the duty of this Board to take immediate steps to remedy what is evidently a public injury, especially when so large a sum of money has been expended in forming the above road : — " Fencing.—The Board having paid a very high price for it on purpose to have a good, substantial one of a specified description, intending it to be a protection

to the road by preventing cattle and sheep from treading down cuttings, filling in culverts, and doing other damage, I now beg to inform you that the best piece of fencing upon this road is of, a very inferior description, and I should think that not above one-third of the lower portion is fenced, although the whole has been paid for. At the same time, there is a number of cattle treading down the outer edge of the road, which you are aware, through being newly formed, slips away before them, and I assured that if immediate steps are not taken to prevent this trespass the road will be impassable before the end of winter.

"The upper portion through Mr Wright's; there is a piece of temporary fencing which I estimate to cost 12s per chain—a useless thing scarcely to be called a blind. What I wish the Board to consider is, they have paid a high price for fencing this road, that it is an injustice to the public and also to other ratepayers who have had to fence where the Board have forced a road, and excepting in these two cases no money has been. paid until the work was done. I hold it is the duty of this Board, as trustees of the public meneys and conservators of their interests, to at once call upon the recipients, and also to enforce the conditions for which this money has been paid. " With reference to the condition of the upper portion'of this road, there is scarcely a culvert that ia not blocked, in fact so much so that if it was not for the stone facings upon the outer edge of the road, they could not be seen. This is caused by the sheep running along the catchwater drain and then down the short cuttings leading to the culverts. This could be prevented by driving- a few broaileaf or totara stakes in each water-way, which I think would not impede the water to any damaging extent, but would certainly stop the sheep. " The side channels through the whole road are in a bad state, caused by cattle and sheep jumping down the cuttings. " I bring these matters before the Board as I feel annoyed at seeing a large amount of public money sunk in this work, with every probability of a considerable portion being wasted if it is not properly supervised. In. doing so I may have expressed myself rather strongly; if I have, I trust my fellow colleagues will accept an apology, " I have the honor to be, Sir, "Your obedient servant, v Henry Piper. " Duvauchelle's Bay, 31st March, 1880." On the motion of Mr Williams, it was resolved to; write to Messrs M'Kay and Wright, requesting them at once to put up the fencing in accordance with the terms of tie awards. kenny's contract. Mr H. H. Fenton forwarded Mr Kenny's account,-stating, however, that he could not vouch for its accuracy. The ChairmMi stated that Mr Fenton had .not furnishedrthe measurements of the culverts and catchwater drains, &c. The matter was left in the hands of the Chairman to attend to. IMPOUNDED LAND FUND. Mr J. L. Wilson wrote to say that as far as he could ascertain all the bodies were opposed to the claims of the Waimate and Geraldine Boards. He had had an interview with the Premier, who was of opinion th-.t they ought not to have it. On the motion of Mr M'Donald, it was resolved that Messrs Piper, Williams, and Shadbolt be appointed to draft a letter to the Government on the subject. CEMETERY ROAD. A letter was read from tho Rev. H. Stacker, stating that the trustees had been improving the entrance to tho cemetery, and asking the Road Board to do a little filling which was necessary. As it was not shown that any danger existed, it was decided that the work must stand over for the present. ROAD THROUGH RHODES' FLAT. The County Council wrote, assenting to the Board's proposition for closing the above road. The same body wrote, asking for a return of rates received during the year ending March 31, 1880. Also amount of rate roll for the same period. 1 BRIDGE ON MOUNT BOSSU ROAD. Mr James Wright wrote to complain of the absence of a bridge over the creek at M'Kay's. When the bad weather set in the writer said they would not be able to get to Wainui at all. The Chairman stated that Mr M'Phail had given as an excuse for not doing this work that he could not haul the timber. That was certainly not the case now. Mr Shadbolt believed that Mr M'Phail had no intention of completing the bridge. Mr Williams moved that Mr M'Phail bo written to, calling upon him to complete his contract forthwith, to avoid having his balance forfeited. Carried unanimously. BRIDGES AND ROADS. The Clerk was instructed to prepare specifications in time for next meeting for the bridges in Duvauchelle's and at the Head of the Bay. The Clerk was further instructed to go over the roads and 'report as to the most necessary works which the contractors for repairs would have to undertake. TENDERS. The Board then proceeded to consider the tenders. CEMETERY ROAD. For this work no less than thirteen tenders had been sent in, ranging from £6 5s (Kedge and Co.), which was accepted to £13 10s, the average price being about £10. LONG BAY ROAD (NARBY's) Six tenders were opened for this "work and that of Wardle and Co., at £25 17s' lOd was accepted. Between the successful tender and the next higher, the difference was two shillings and twopence, or exactly one penny per chain ! KEEPING MAIN ROADS IN REPAIR. A number of tenders were opened for the different sections of this work, and after due consideration the following were accepted :—Onuku to Akaroa. Waeckerlo's to Brooks', Brooks' to Red John's, Sullivan and O'Gorman, at £50, £54. and £67 respectively ; Long Bay road, H. Edmondson and Co., £45 ; Barry's Bay to Mount Bossu, J. Bullock, £99; Okain's Bay, J. Curry, £49 10s ; Pigeon Bay, P. Shadbolt, £30. A tender from A. F. Hawthorne for the i Onuku section could not be entertained ns j it contained conditions quite at variance with the specifications. '

NEW WORKS. The Clerk was instructed to call for tenders for Fyfe's bridge and the protective works in German Bay Creek needed to protect Mr Hammond's land. PAYMENTS. The following accounts were passed for payment:— R. Goodwin ... £5 5 0 Hall and Sweeney, third progress pay merit 30 0 0 B. Shadbolt, bullock hire ... 15 0 M. Brew, labor' 0 14 0 J. Bray, do o 14 0 J. Duxbury 3 15 0 £36 13 0 It was arranged that no accounts should be paid till after the next meeting of the County Council. The Board then adjourned till Saturday, May 1. .