ROAD BOARDS.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 183, 9 January 1875, Page 4

ROAD BOARDS.

LINCOLN. •:■-, of the Board was held at the office, Prebbleton, at : 11 a.m. on the 7th irtst, previous to the annual meeting. Pre-sents-Messrs Tosswill (chairman), Marchant, Leadley, and Maskrey. y The toiriutes of the last meeting were read /and confirmed. j : The following correspondence.was read: — I From, the Secretary for Public Works, in reply-to "a letter from the Board, requesting the Government' to pay over the ■balance voted to the district for general purposes, stating the fourth instalment of the grant wm not yet payable. ' From MrT.H. Fielding,! editor of Wises « New Zealand Directory/' inclosing prospectus, and requesting the Board to became a subscriber, also to furnish certain local information. In; reply, the surveyor was directed to supply the information, and to state that the Board would take one copy.: ' From the Springs Road Board, enclosing account for half maintenance of boundary roads in the district. '•; i , . lnreply to a letter from Mi Wm. Minchin, the Board decided to allow -himl 2s. 6d per chain for keeping main drain fronting sections 4489 and436o olearof .weeds and other obstructions for twelvemonths. . The pay sheet, amounting to £294 18s 6d, wm then passed for payment. The annual meeting of ratepayers took place at noon on Thursday, the 7th instant. There wm but a limited attendance. The chairman acted m returning officer. The financial statement, showing the receipts a'hd expenditure of the Board during the last year, wm submitted to the meeting, showing a balance in hand to the credit of the Board on the 31st December of £1075 13s 4d. The chairman then read a statement of the various works which had been carried out by the Board during the pMt year, as follows ;—" There have been seven miles and a Half done during the' year on the following roads:—Prebbleton and Halswell, Halswell road by Ladbrook's, Shand's road, Bilesmere road by Dawson's, Tramway Drain road, Dawson's road, and Springs road. In addition to this there are about two miles now in hand, and three miles let, but not yet in hand. Forming—There have been thirteen and a quarter miles done on the .following roads :—Teinpleton and Halswell roads, Carpenter's and Yobs road, Dawson's road; Knight and Shaw's road, Perryman's road, Gerkins' and Crook's road, Robinson's road, Prebbleton and Halswell road, Harewood and Hampton's road, Ellesmere road by Dawson's; Halswell road by Ladbrook's, Prebbleton and Waimakariri road, Waterholes road, Prebbleton and Templeton road, Tancred and Halswell. road. In addition to the above there are three miles more in hand. Reforming and claying.— There has been about three miles done on the following roads :—Ellesmere road, by Dawson'sj Dawson's road; Tramway Lrain road; This latter, being a length of 110 chains, wm formed from half width to full width, with a large drain cut on the eastern side tie whole distance to relieve the road from water. The work was one of considerable importance,: and not easy of execution, owing to the quantity of timber in the bottom and sides of the drain. Drainß.—ln addition to the ordinary contracts annually let and carried out'for clearing and. maintaining all the creeks and drains in the district, a large sum has been expended for widening and deepening To wnshend's drain for a distance of 95 chains. Thiswasmuohneeded,and entailed some very heavy work in the worst part of the season, owing to the vast quantity of timber and roots through which the contractors had to carry their bottom, and.the large volume of water they bad to contend against. Nevertheless the contract was completed in a very satisfactory manner, and has relieved a large ~ the. water which hitherto hadhWded it so as to render it useless. Miscellaneous worls-rIA "bridge has been put over a branch of the river, Halswell, near Mr R., Prebble's; two, masonry, two brick, arid eight large pipe culverts have also been placed in various parts of the district.. The labor'gang were employed/pretty generally in raking mjhjß ruts and; breaking stones on all the.main roads throughout the district. The calculated yield of the general district rate zortafl'year 4874, wm £284 7s, of which has bera'c»«ecwd''£2Bo, against collected in 1873, £2831 *2n9di;r.-iffexcess of last year, £l6 7§~ 3d. The calculated yield of of the South Waimakariri rate for 1874 was £2B 5a 3d, of which has been collected £2B 0a lOd, against collected in 1873, £26 7s7d ; in excess of lMt year, £1 13s 3d. The statement of receipts and expenditure for the year ending December 31st, 1874, was as follows:-—By balance brought forward, £1467 lj!s lid; General Government grant, £402 ; Provincial' Government grant, £3947 10s; general district rates, 1873, £4116s 9d; general district rates, 1874, £2BO ; South, Waimakariri rates, 1873, £3 18s lid ; Sonth Waimakariri, .1874,. £2B 0s 101; refend from .Courtenay Board for half expenses on South road, £l7 19s 4d; re-fund from Board of Conservators for collection of £54 2s 9d at 10 per cent, £5 8s ; old timber, 3s 7d;!»aps, 17s 6d; re-fund from Gofor cottage, extra works, and architect's fees, £IOB7 4s; rent froiri cottages, : £2o' 2s; re-fund from Spreydon Board for half share of Prebble's •' bridge, i " : ' £22 ;ios ; re-fund for payment in excess On Halswell road by Ladbrook, £l2 2s Bd—total, £7340 8s lid. Expenditure—To expenditure on roads, as per schedule, £4187 8s 3d; ditto, to drains, £214 4s; printing and advertising, £IOB 16s sd; materials, £247 9a 7d; salary and commission, £IBB Iss 6d; wages, £'46; petty cash, £ls 0s 6d; carting,' £ls 0s 6d; office expenses, £l6 14s 7d; blacksmith's and carpenter's work, £25 2s 8d; sundries, £lO 6s 6d. Expenditure on immigrants' cottages, £llO6 4s lOd; grant in aid of Tai Tapu school, £ls; South Waimakariri rates paid over to the Board of Conservators, £54 2s 9d; payment in error on Halswell road by Ladbrook's. £l2 2s 8d; three cheque-books, at 8s each, £l4s; interest on account, £1 3s lOd; balance in bank, £1075 13s 4d—total, £7340 8s lid." . The retrirning-affioer, Mr J. N, Tosswill, said the next business was to elect three members to serve on the Board in place of Messrs Knight, Leadly, and Marchant, who retire by rotation. He called upon any ratepay era: to nominate members to fill the vacant yeats. . • .Mr.F. Marchant wm proposed by Mr Wm. Craighead, and;peoorided.by Mr Geo. Adams. fir .A. 0- Knigtit was proposed by Mr Wm. ' Tod, arid seconded by,' Mr Tqw&shend. Mr Leadley wa> proposed by Mr Cho Adams, and seconded by Mr Jas. Mwkrey.

Mr Wu».\Craigtiead was proposed by Mr F. Marchant, which was seconded by Mr Wm. Tod. ""

A show of hands was called for, whjch respited as follows: —

rfM Leadley ... ... 7 Marchant ... ... ... ... 6 Knight ... ~ 5 Craighead... ••• 6 As.'. there was. no poll demanded, the Returning,Officer gave his casting vote in favor pf the. retiring'member, Mr Knight, and therefore .declared Messrs Leadley, Marchant, and jKnight duly elected. The' proceedings then terminated. A£>! rpeetihg" of the .new. Board, subsequently held,: —present all the members except Mr Knight—Mr J. N. Tosswill was re-elected chairman for the ensuing year. CODRTENAY. The annual ratepayers' meeting took place on Monday, January 4th, at the Road Board office,, Courtenay. There was a very large attendance of ratepayers, who were very orderly, and seemed to take great interest in .the account of the Board's doings, as ex--plained-by the chairman, Hon Col. Brett. '" The chairman having laid a balance-sheet on the table, read a very voluminous detailed report showing the expenditure, length of formation, and metalling and repairs- on every road throughout the whole district. ! The receipts being as follows: —Balance in -hand at the commencement of the year, £893 18s 4d; General Government grant, £402; Provincial Government grant, £4092 10s; rates, £293 16s; and a few other small items; the total receipts being £5634 7s 4d. The chairman then explained that in the distribution of expenditure the Board divided the district into three parts, and a third of the money, after deducting official expenses, was spent in each part. In the report a balance was shown of £1343. There were still a large number of contracts (principally metalling) unfinished, and the payment of these would require the greater portion of this balance. He felt certain everyone .would pee the Board had used a great amount of discretion in spending the money ; no one had been favored more than another, but the interests of the whole district had been considered, and he trusted what, had been done during the past year would meet with their approval. •

MrSandeson proposed, Mr M'Nee seconded—" That the reported be adopted and received." Carried. Mr M'Nee proposed, Mr Tosswill seconded —" That the thanks of the ratepayers be given to the chairman and members of the Courtenay Road Board for their services during the past year." Oarriedjunanimously. Several questions were- then asked by Messrs Risely, Tosswill, and Kevely, and having been answered by the chairman, • The meeting proceeded to propose candidates to fill the vacancies caused by the retiring members, Messrs Mathias, Gough, and Coutts.

The following were then proposed, viz— Messrs Mathias, Gough, Brabazon, Tosswill, W. Pitt, and Cardale. One of the old members, Mr L. Coutts, declining to stand. On a show .of hands being taken, the numbers for .ife&ch were as follows :—Mathias, 23 ; Cardale, 23 ; Tosswill, 16 ; Gough, 14 ; Pitt, 8 ; Brabazon, 5. •■• -- - - A" poll having been demanded by Mr Gough, the chairman gave notice that it would be held at West Melton, Greendale, and Courtenay on the following days between ten and four. A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the proceedings. Of course there was a large amount of excitement shown at all the polling-places the next day, each party doing their utmost for their own candidate. Here and there were seen ratepayers coming early, evidently meaning to see the fun through, and make a day of it. Carts were being driven about, and a large amount of interest shown generally by all hands. It was soon evident who the hew men would be. The two old candidates, Mathiaajiud Gough, had a certain amount of prestige to back them up, and the West Melton people one and all declared their man (Cardale) should get in. The deputy returning officers at Greendale and West-Melton had instructions, immediately the poll closed, to come at once to Courtenay and have the returns made up the same night. These instructions were faithfully carried out, and about 8 p m.. the people of Courtenay knew who were the new members. The numbers were as follows: — Cardale ... ... ... ... 183 Mathias ... 163 Gough ... 145 Brabazon ... 0 Tosswill ... 40 Pitt 30 Mr Brabazon, who had only consented co stand provided Mr Cardale failed to come forward, retired. He was .not present at the annual meeting ; had he been his name would not have appeared at all.

EYBETON. The monthly meeting was held on January 4th. Present—Messrs Dixon (chairman), Bradly, Coup, and Wilson. Letters were read— From Secretary for Public Works, acknowledging letter from chairman re purchase of land" for Ejre outlet; also stating Government would pay purchase money to Mr .Rice for road fronting Grigg's drain. From Mr Inglis in reference to purchase of extra land to improve road to Coutts' bridge. From Mr Fielding, asking particulars of district for N. Z. Directory. From Mr K. Ash worth, asking payment of £9 for putting drain pipes in Ashworth's road, as agreed. The work to be finished in a week. From Mr J. Butt, requesting payment for the Eyre drainage works. On the report of the surveyor that the works had been washed away, it was decided to refer the matter to the Government, and that the chairman also request the Government to pay £SOO to the credit of the Board for said protection works. Mr Joseph Clark waited on the Board, offering on behalf of Mr Cherry to take £SO for three acres K. 8. 1979 for Eyre flood "channel, releasing the Board from any responsibility for damage, and agreeing to subscribe £5 towards the works. Agreed to. It was resolved Government be informed two immigrants' ; cottages are finished, and the other two expected to be completed in a week, with a request that they might be occupied forthwith. ' ■ ' Accounts amounting to £329 8s were passed for payment.

The annual meeting was held at noon. Accounts for the year—viz, receipts and balance from last year, £4579 Is lOd; ex-

penditure, £4098 18s lOd; balance in hand, £4BO 3s —were passed. The election of members in place of Messrs Bradley, Dixon, and Wilson retiring by rotation, was next proceeded with, Messrs K. Bradley, 31; I. Wilson, 19; W. Eckersley, 14; J, Moffatt, 14; R. Hopkins, 13; J. Birnie, 12; T. Chilton,. 11; and J. Guild, 2, were nominated, the numbers representing the show of hands. The Chairman, giving his casting vote in favour of Mr Moffatt, declared Messrs Bradley, Wilson, and Moffatt elected, unless a poll was demanded. Mr Eckersley demanded a poll, which was held on January sth, resulting in the election of Messrs Bradley, Birnie, and Wilson. The election of a member in place of Mr Dailey, resigned, was held on January 4th, Messrs J. Evans Brown (33),F. Denton (4), 8., White (6), and T. Hide (0) werenominated ; the numbers representing the show of hands. - '~« There being no poll demanded., tne:chair : ' man declared Mr Brown duly elected. r: ' v A meeting of the new Board was .held on January sth. Present: Messrs Bradley, Coup, Birnie, and Wilson. Mr Wilson was elected chairman pro tern. It was decided to pass £2OO to be paid to Mr, W. Weston for erection of immigrants'' cottagesf'" • '?' ,;m '' • It r was decided that the Board shouldmeet on the first Monday in each month, at 11 a.m. The Board then adjourned. MANDEVILLE AND RANGIORA: This Board met on Friday at the usual hour. All the members, viz., Messrs Boys, Bramley, Blackett, Hinge and Parsons, being present. Mr T. O. Boys was elected chairman. It was resolved on the re-consideration of a letter from Mr Duncan, solicitor to Mr Guild—" That tlio chairman at*.«nd with a. deputation from the Drainage Board on Thursday, and confer with the Government on the question raised." Resolved—" That the tenders for shingling the Drain road be rejected, and that the surveyor open a pit on the Kaiapoi and Ashley road prior to calling for fresh tenders. A letter was received from the Provincial Auditor, stating that he would audit the accounts on Wednesday, the 13th inst. Letter was received from the Secretary for Public Works enclosing regulations for letting the immigrants' cottages. The surveyor was instructed to report on Mr Stokes' application for a bridge over the Massacre creek. Mr. Green's application for leave to erect a pump and trough in front of his hotel was granted. The chairman undertook to see Mr Rickman with reference to the land required by the Board for road purposes. The surveyor was directed to give Davis notice to break the metal on the Drain road forthwith. The clerk was instructed to have the immigrants' cottages insured. Accounts amounting to £lOl 4s lOd were passed, and the Board adjourned. PIGEON BAY.

A meeting of the ratepayers was held in the schoolroom on Monday, to elect three members for the Road Board, in the place of Messrs Gillespie, J. Hay, and J. Pitcaithly, Mr Sale acting as returning officer. After reading the balance sheet, which was duly passed, a vote of thanks was accorded to the retiring members, coupled with the name of Mr Gillespie, the late chairman, who has carried out his duties very creditably, and given general satisfaction. The following gentlemen were duly proposed and seconded—Messrs Gillespie, J. Hay, T. O. Hay, and J. Pitchaithly. Mr Hay demanded a poll, which closed at four o'clock, with the following result :

Gillespie 27 '■'•■■ J. Hay ... ... 23 T. O. Hay 19 Pitcaithly ... 20 The returning officer declared Messrs Gillespie, J. Hay, and J. Pitcaithly duly elected. The Board met afterwards and elected Mr Gillespie chairman, which has given satisfaction to the ratepayers.