ROAD BOARDS.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 283, 8 May 1875, Page 4

ROAD BOARDS.

AVON. The usual meeting of the Board took place on Monday, April 26th. All the members were present. The clexk reported the following receipts since last meeting, viz : Rates, 15s 2d, and from the Government, £54 13s 4d. The overdraft at the bank is £572 8s sd. A letter was read from the Government, informing the Board that a payment under the Payment to Provinces Act for £54 13s 4d was ready for payment. One from Mr W. Knight in reference to his account. One of like nature from Mr Spencer, with regard to the offer of land to widen St Alban's road. The clerk was directed to get the offer in writing, those interested to be informed that they would be expected to pay towards the undertaking. It was decided to accept Mr King's offer to keep the bridge that crosses the Styx river by his house, free from cress and other matter for one year. Mr Laine proposed that notice be given to parties to cut their fences on roads leading to New Brighton road, which was agreed to. Messrs Dunlop and others saw the Board with regard to the foul state of the drain running through Sycamore's land; also, as to the widening of the Caledonian road. The deputation said the inhabitants were willing to be specially rated to get the work put in hand. Mr Laine moved that the matter be left till next meeting, and that the clerk see what could be raised by a special rate and the probable cost of the work. The deputation was told that the Board was not prepared that night to say whether or not it could make the road ; but instructions had been given to the clerk to prepare an estimate of the cost of the work, and see what might be expected to be raised by a special rate, and the Board would then be enabled to decide as to the course to be pursued. Mr A. Philpott saw the Board in reference to the drain alongside his place, and offered to clear it at a price named by himself. He was informed that the labor gang would be directed to clear it. Accounts were passed and ordered to be paid to the amount of £75 lis lOd, and the Board adjourned. EYRETON; The monthly meeting was held on Monday, May 3rd: Present: —Messrs Brown (chairman), Bradley, and Birnie. Letters were read—From Mr W. Wright, objecting to fence put across a road by Mr J. Walls. Mr Birnie was desired to see that the fence was no placed as not to enclose more of the road than was required to prevent accidents. From Mr Dixon, stating that while acting as chairman of the Board in 1874 he had incurred a liability for formation of 25 chains of South Eyre road, at 4s lid per chain, and requesting the Board to accept the liability. Declined. From W. Eckersley and Co, asking the Board not to allow drain pipes to be put across the Flaxton road by Mr Threlkeld. The clerk was instructed to reply that do permission had been granted to Mr Threlkeld. From Mr J. S. White, asking to have Jackson's road shingled. The Board regretted its inability to put the work in hand at present. From the Provincial Treasurer, forwarding £2lB on account of General Government grant 1874-5. The surveyor's report was adopted. It was decided to postpone formation of Blackmore's road. The surveyor was instructed to have a bridge erected at Ashworth's road drain, and lower portion of Oxford and Ohoka road clayed. It was resolved to make and levy a rate of one shilling in the £ on the rateable property within the Mandeville and Rangiora drainage district, payable on May 3rd, the surveyor (Mr Wright), being appointed to collect same. Tenders were considered for clearing Eyre drain reserve, ploughing and forming embankment on Byre drain reserve. Messrs Bailey, Giles, Gray, Chilton, and Burgess waited on the board in reference to the Eyre protective works. The chairman explained that the owners of property fronting the drain not having agreed to indemnify the Board in case of damage, it was unable to go with the work tendered for, but would contribute £4 per chain towards an embankment to be made by Messrs Giles and Gray on their property, on condition the material was taken from the drain reserve one foot deep and ninety feet wide, to make the earthwork ; and would contribute a further sum not exceeding £lO if the work proved satisfactory. Ihis was agreed to by Messrs Giles and Gray. The Board agreed to give Mr Chilton £4O towards a new embankment about eighteen chains in length, twice the size of the present one, and straw to be put in proper places—the gorse fence to be repaired. Accounts amounting to £333 lis lOd were passed for payment. SPRINGS. A meeting of the Board was held on Tuesday, May 4th. Present Messrs A. P. O'Callaghan (chairman), R. Watson, and James Beaumont. The surveyor read his report as follows : —" Financial—l have paid into the bank, to the credit of the Board, the sum of £145 6s Bd, being the balance of the General Government grant for the past year, and the balance at the bank is now £ll4 6s 3d." The action of the Springs Road Board v Mr W. Goodwin, for clearing gorse on the Hudson road, was tried in the Magistrate's Court on Thursday last, and terminated in favor of the Board w ith costs. Contracts—Days' road contract will be completed in the course of a few days, and I have to recommend that the contractor be allowed to draw the specified per centage on the work. Mr Hubbard has completed his small contract for deepening the drain through the corner of his property, and I have passed the work." A letter was read from Mr George Marshall, complaining of Mr L. Stace having a fence across the road, thereby debarring him from getting access to his property. A letter was also read from Mr Leonard Stace, saying that he had fenced by the survey peg, which he now found was wrong. He was ordered to remove the fence. Accounts amounting to £515 13s Id were passed and ordered to be paid, and the Board adjourned. ASHBURTON. This Board held their monthly meeting at the Board office, Ashburton. on Tuesday last. Members present—Messrs John Grigg (chairman), Alfred Saunders, D. McLaren, R. Milier, and J. Harrison. The minutes of •he laßt meeting, held on Tuesday the 6th ult. were read and confirmed. The following report f.'«m th" engineer was read and agietd lu. " fcu- and Gentlemen, —During the past month I have given certificates for the following woiki;—Beach road—Bennett

and Maxwell (final). Cochrane's road— William Gilmour (final). Great South road section, No 1— Wood Brothers, £250. Elgin road—Formation, Stothers and Brown, £l9. Bruce's road—Formation, M. Routhy, £SO. The contract on the Great South road is all but completed ; the works on Elgin road are progressing but slowly ; and Cochrane's and Bruce's road are almost finished. Fresh tenders will be laid before you for the works at the Kangitata station ; and for making wells and closets for the immigrants' cottages. The following works have been executed by the gangs during the month :—Great South road —Completing the cutting at the Rangitata ferry. Coldstream Swamp road—Erecting bridge and approaches near the Hinds railway station ; doing work at immigrants' cottages ; erecting part bridge at Rangitata station ; and doing repairs to sundry roads. Appended to this report is a detailed estimate of the outstanding liabilities of the Board prepared in accordance with a resolution passed at the last meeting. £SOO have been received from the Government under the payment to Provinces Act, and placed to the credit of the Board. I have again to advise that the Government should be requested to fence off the railway reserve in the township to prevent accidents, and further to suggest that a portion of the same which lies on the west of the railway should be planted." The following correspondence was then read:—From the Provincial Treasurer re payment of £SOO under the Payment to Provinces Act, From assistant engineer Great Southern Railway re level crossings. From Mr W. C. Walker, M.P.C., relative to short payment of Road Board grants by the Government; and the boundaries of the proposed agricultural district. From Mr Charles Reid, respecting making a road to homestead at Westerfield. From Mr W. Ford and others, asking for about 40 chains of the road through section 60081 and past reserve 931 to be made; and further that two culverts be put in on Jones's road. From Mr J. B. Acland respecting the northern approach to the Rangitata bridge. From Mr C. H. Dowding, calling attention to the state of No 4 road drain off educational reserve No 1010. From "William Gilmour, relative to his contract on the Coldstream Swamp road. Resolved—" That Mr Charles Reid be informed in reply to his letter of the 3rd instant, that the Board have not any funds at present at their disposal, to make the road referred to, and are therefore not in a position to comply with his request. Resolved—" That Messrs W. Ford's and others; Mr J. B. Acland's and Mr C. H. Dowding's letters, be also replied to in terms of the foregoing resolution:—Resolved—" That Mr Allen McJean be requested to be good enough to forward his applications to the Board in writing, when they will be considered." Resolved—" That the Secretary for Public Works be communicated with, requesting him to obtain a road from the junction of the Ashburton road south, at the N.E, angle of section 17,512, going thence S.E. for about sixty chains, and terminating at an angle in a road on the Ashburton River bed, at sections 6805, 7206, and 6831. Further, to have a road sanctioned from the angle in the public road, at section 6772, extending south to gravel reserve 1438." The Board are informed that an exchange can be effected for the above two roads from the angle in the Ashburton road south, at section 6792, to the N.E. angle of section 17,512, which is an equivalent to saving about three miles and thirty chains in the length of the Ashburton road south. Resolved—" That in reply to Mr William Gilmour's letter, relative to his contract on the Coldstream Swamp road, he be informed that be will only be allowed to spread the metal, instead of stacking the same, by his paying half the cost of a man's wages appointed by the Board to superintend the work." Resolved—" That the rents of the immigrants be reduced to 8s per week for the best finished ones, and to 4s per week for the others, both in the township and throughout the district." Resolved—" That a form of lease, be prepared for leasing the immigrants' cottages to tenants." Resolved —" That Mr Bell receive 10 per cent commission instead of 5 per cent, for collecting the rents of the immigrants' cottages." Accounts to the amount of £563 12s 4d, as per pay sheet, were passed for payment, when the Board adjourned to Tuesday, the 3rd June.