NORTH RAKAIA BOARD OF CONSERVATORS.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1796, 22 November 1879, Page 4

NORTH RAKAIA BOARD OF CONSERVATORS.

A meeting of tho Board was held at Mr Daaborough’s offices, Southbridge, on Tuesday, the 18th November, 1879. Present —Messrs C. Bourn (in the chair), A. Storry, L, White, R. Lockhead, and D. Marshall. The following correspondence was read:— From the secretary to the treasury, Wellington, advising remittance of £387 4s Bd, moiety of subsidy under the Financial Arrangements Act for general rates collected during the year ending 31st March, 1879. From the secretary to the General Post Office, Wellington, and the manager Union Bank Australia, re coupons for interest for interest on debentures. The arrangement made by the chairman, for payment of interest only on presentation of coupons at the. Union Bank of Australia, Ohristehuroh was approved by the Board. From Mr Gorman, offering to lease about ten acres of reserve 1243, The Board determined to call for tenders for leasing the land referred to by Mr Gorman, as well as so many of the other reserves which mjght appear advisable. The_ chairman and Mr- Storry were appointed to inspect the reserves, and arrange with the secretary for advertising the same at an early date. The secretary was instructed to get the map marked up at once. From Messrs Harper and Harper, suggesting that Mr Brawley be requested to amend the description in tho transfer so ,as to include the land up to the south-western boundary of the section. The secretary stated that Mr Brawley demanded a consideration of £5 5a per acre (about'£4l 17s 6d) for this land, which had been all river bed for the last two years. The Board determined not to pay Mr Brawley for any more land, but to have a boundary defined on the plan, so as to include the area purchased in such lines that a transfer might be passed through the Land Transfer Office. The matter of resowing and planting the paddock below Uny vett’s gums was deferred until after the ground had been inspected. The Chairman stated that be had written to the Comptroller of Audit, Wellington, requesting him to appoint Mr Olliver to audit he Board Is accounts. It was resolved that the sum of £250 be placed at fixed deposit with the Board’s bankers for twelve months at the current rate of interest. The Chairman was authorised to write to the member for the district, and request him " to draw the attention of the Government to the obstruction caused by the southern approaches of the Rakaia bridge to the proper course of the water, and to request that if practicable a further length of the bridge might be piled towards the terrace which was naturally the southern boundary of the river. And at the same time to suggest that in the proposed amendment to the Canterbury Rivers Act, 1870, a clause might be introduced empowering River Conservancy Boards to occupy and secure for protective purposes, freehold, pre-emptive rights and other lands on conditions similar to tho provisions of the Public Works Act.” This was a question which had frequently arisen in this district, where owners of property had demanded and obtained exorbitant prices for land liable and under a daily process of scour, the possession of which had been absolutely necessary for the completion of protective works. The secretary’s report was read and considered. The Chairman stated that the Crown grant for Reserve 1376 had been returned by the Commissioner of Crown Lands. He was authorised to make another application for the Crown grant of Reserve 2054, so that the lease might be executed in due form. Fay-sheet No. 25, amounting to £315 5s lid, which had been paid by the chairman, was examined and approved, and sundry accounts, amounting to £152 Is 3d, were also passed for payment. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the meeting.