ROAD BOARDS.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 81, 3 September 1874, Page 4

ROAD BOARDS.

♦ AVON. The usual meeting of the Board took place on Wednesday, August 19th. There were present the chairman (Mr E. G. Wright), and Messrs Norman, Duncan, and Dickenson.

The clerk reported the following receipts: —From general rates, £217 6s ; Wairnakariri, £22 15s 8u; and forfeited deposit, £5; total, £275 Is Bd. Also, that £3OO had been paid into the Board’s account by the Government on account of gravel reserve grant. Mr Daw saw the Board with regard to getting a roadifrom his land, and the Board resolved to put the work in hand. Mr Spencer and others saw the Board with regard to forming a road from Chaync’s corner to King’s bridge on the Styx. It was decid'd that if the funds of the Board would allow they would put it in hand, but before the work could be commenced some of the members would visit the locality, Mr Steward and another saw the Board with regard to the Sandhills road Horn White’s bridge. The Board decided to inspect the road. Mr Hopkins saw the Board, requesting their decision with regard to the New Brighton road. He was informed that a large amount had already been spent on that road, and he was requested to make an offer in a tangible form to improve the road, and the Board would take the matter into consideration.

Messrs Crabtree and Foster presented a petition to have made a new footpath, 17 chains long, and the drainage rectified, near Crabtree’s corner, tit Albans. They were informed that if £5 were subscribed the board would undertake the woik.

Messrs Daniel and Moore saw the Board to complain that their land was flooded, in consequence of noruer’s drain being stopped. The board decided that Horner’s drain should be cleared out.

Tenders were accepted for clearing part of No. 2 drain; for shirgling Duncan’s road; for forming Preston's road ; and for forming and shingling the gravel reserve road. it was resolved — ,l That Mr Knight should be appointed surveyor to the Board at a salary of £l5O per annum ; the engagement to be terminated by one month’s notice from either side ; his duties to commence on the 2ith August. Letters were read :

From Mr W. Wilson, requesting permission to take some soil from side oi river Avon was read, and permission grunted. From the Secretary for Public Works, stating that the Government would refund the Koad Board the amount expended on tools, ke, in anticipation of employing immigrants. From this same gentleman, was read respecting the lodgment of immigrants. From the Provincial Secretary, requesting a copy of part of the rate roll. From the Provincial Treasurer, stating that £3OO for gravel reserve was at the hoard’s service.

From Mr Gould, requesting that culvert across Springfield road should be lowered. Resolved that twelve inch glazed pipes should be substituted for the culvert.

From the church property trustees, respecting the widening of Caledonian road. The clerk was directed to reply. The surveyor was directed to run levels parallel with Papanui road and on the west side of it, from the north side of section 105 to the old mill on section six.

'i he surveyor’s report was read and considered.

The clerk w’as directed to write to Messrs O’Donoghuc and Mears to inform them that their deposit would be forfeited unless their contracts were commenced on the next Monday. Kesolved —“ That the day laborers should be dismissed with the exception of two.” — “That notice be given to Waite to remove the 17 cubic yards of shingle stacked in Papanui.

The clerk was directed to write to Mr Green, milkman, requesting him to keep his pigs off the public road in St Albans, as they were damaging it.

It was resolved to cut a drain from the eastern side of section 1614 to the eastern side of section 1856, on the southern boundary of the road.

Accounts to the amount of £304 13s lOd were passed and ordered to be paid.

ELLESMERE.

A meeting of the Ellesmere Road Board was held at the office of the Board, Leeston, September Ist. Present—C. J. Bridge, Esq. (chairman), Messrs R. Lockbead, H. Kuyvctt, and G, B. Woodman. Minutes of last meeting read and confirmed. Letters were read from—

Provincial Secretary, asking the Board to furnish a copy of that portion of the rate roll of the district, comprised within the limits of the Leeston educational district, to Mr Oarston, collector. From the Provincial Secretary, asking the Board to furnish the same information to Mr Unit, collector for the South Rakaia district. The overseer was instructed to apply to Mr Hutt for the boundaries of the district.

From the Assistant Provincial Secretary, informing the Board that a book of sheep brands, for use at the pound, had been forwauled to the Board. 'J he overseer was directed to acknowledge its receipt. From Mr McOonkoy, praying the Board to make two outlets on the lake road drain between sections 10,764 and 10,414 and 10.444 and 10,581 ; at the same Lime asking for the outlet to be continued on to the lake

Hat. The overseer was directed to report by next meeting. From Mr J. Boag, stating that owing to the division of the creek on Mr Roag’s land, and there not being sufficient outlet for the water, it was doing his (Mr J. Boag’s) land great injury. The overseer to report at next meeting. Mr R. Marshall complained that the Board had brought an undue quantity of water on to his section, No 5878, and asking that the ditch through Mr Lockhead’s laud, section 8180, be deepened. The question was deferred for further consideration. From Mr James Mcllraith, offering to give the necessary metal for the Ridge road. Accepted with thanks. Tenders were accepted for Lockhead’s road at 14s (id per chain ; Gardiner’s, at 15s 3d per chain ; dryer’s, at 14s 3d : Wilson’s, at 19s 6d ; M. Jackson’s drain, at 34s ; Irwell and Rakaia road, at 50s ; removing loose stuff on Luderaan’s drain, £27. Tenders for filling in gullies on Fincham’s road were declined, being too high. The overseer was instructed to call tenders for the following works For forming and metalling about seven chains of road, by Bishop’s corner : for building a bridge over Hart’s creek, on the Lake road ; also, for metalling about sixty chains of the Ridge road. 'The overseer was directed to furnish a list to the Board of those who had paid their portion towards the work, and also to apply for same, and the Board adjourned. ASHBURTON. The monthly meeting of the Ashburton Road Board was held at their office, on Tuesday, September Ist. Members present ; Messrs Grigg, A. Saunders, R. Miller, and J, Harrison. The surveyor’s report, as follows, was read: —During the past month I have given the following certificates for works executed:— Black’s road, Wm. Gilraour, a certificate for 78. - chains of formation ; McLean’s road, Walter Fuller, a certificate for chains of metal; immigrants’cottages, Geo. Parkin, a certificate for £IOO on part work done. I have taken levels and prepared sections for making I mile and 30 chains of the Great South road, south of the Ashburton river, for Burnett and Dobson streets, in the township, and for 1 mile and 44i chains of the Alford Forest road. I have also taken out the quantities and prepared a detailed estimate for two-roomed cottages of the same size as the Government cottages (24ft x 12ft), but to be built on the most economical plan possible. Ashburton township—As a suggestion, it would be a great improvement to the township, if the Board could get the Government to fence off and plant the portion of the railway reserve which lies on the west of the railway within the township boundari s. District map and contour levels —Now that so large an area of the district has been purchased. I would advise the Board to have a map of the district prepared at once, and lithographed to a scale of 20 chains to the inch. Although this may appear a large scale, it is a very useful one, and the acreage could be given on every section. It would also be to the same scale as the lithographic maps of many other districts. Since holding office under the Board, I have reduced all the levels which I have taken to the datum of HWM, with the view of ultimately having a complete contour of the district. These contour levels, as far as I could give them, might be lithographed on the map. It occasionally gives a day’s extra work connecting levels and fixing permanent “ bench marks,” but the usefulness of the work for a general system of drainage, irrigation, and other purposes, will be considerable.. The labor gangs have been employed during the past month making footpaths in the township, and curbing same ; making two chains of Tancred street, and an outlet for Kcnnode street; building bridges and culverts on Jackson’s and Black’s roads, and in the township, and making cuttings on Wilson’s road. Also, repairing the following roads .-—Great South road, Moore street, Ashburton and Beach road, Alford Forest road, and Long Beach road.” The letter from Mount Somers Road Board, applying for road from Thompson’s to South Rakaia to be formed for half a mile from junction with Mount Somers district, was referred to the surveyor to report upon. lie Secretary for Public Works’letter about cottages, it was resolved that suitable sites be found by next meeting. From Secretary for Public Works re South Rakaia contract; also, from chairman South Rakaia Road Board, on the same subject: Resolved—“ That the arrangement entered into by the chairman with the chairman of the South Rakaia Board be confirmed ; and Mr Pnyntz was ordered to examine and pass the contract, according to specifications. Mr J. Stanley Bruce tendered his resignation as engineer, and it was resolved that the same be accepted. Tenders were opened for forming and metalling 1 mile 44J chains Alford Forest road, and 34 chains Dobson street. The tender for Alford Forest road was accepted at 15s 9d per chain forming, and Is lid per yard metalling. All tenders for Dobson street were rejected. Fresh tenders were ordered to be called for Dobson street and Tancred street. An application from Messrs Bullock and Co to erect a verandah in front of shop in East street was granted. The manager Bank New Zealand had an intervie-v with the Board re £IOO advanced to McLellan on contract on certificate granted by Mr Fooks, when acting as surveyor to the Board. The certificate not being forthcoming, the Board could not entertain the demand. Messrs Bladder and Greenaway had an interview with the Board re Coldstream Swamp road, and it was resolved that the surveyor meet the contractors on the ground and arrange with them re outlet for water. Resolved that a plough furrow be drawn from section 17,095 to Mr Reid’s boundary, to define the road across the plains between those points. The clerk was ordered to send cost of making crossing in Tancred street over the railway to lire General Government, and asking for refund on account of same. The clerk was ordered to have a lithographic map of the, district procured, to be to a scale of twenty chains to the inch. The clerk was instructed to write to Mr Fooks, and ask him to lay out diversion on McLean’s road at once; also to -write to all ruuholders, asking them to name sites on their respective runs, suitable for building j immigrants’ cottages on. Accounts to the amount of £879 5s 7d, were passed. The Board adjourned to October 6th