REEFTON ROAD BOARD.

Inangahua Times, Volume III, Issue 73, 5 February 1877, Page 2

REEFTON ROAD BOARD.

The ordinary forniglif ly meeting of tho members of the Road Boord was held at the office, Broadway, on Friday evening last, ;.-.■"•, v: - ■; ; ; Present: Messrs, Brennan (Chairman), Kelly, Bavies, Aiken, M'Lean, and the Secretary. •> The minute* of the previous ordinary meeting were read and confirmed. j The Secretary presented a petition signed hj a nutnbor of the bouseholde>: outle soafcivem siclo of Broadway, pro? testiug figubst llio proposed construction of a' ilrain from Walsh-sireefc; into tip sewer under the house's: of the petitioners. In answer to enquiries, it was stated that the drain in question was merely to carry off storm water, which, at present! utter a shower of rain accumulated in tho back promises on tuc north side of Broadway. The opinion was expressed that no ox^ra fiT,h would ba divevletl into the sewer alluded to by the construction of tho proposed drain. The Secretary said that he had con* suited both Mr Dobfion and Mr; Wooll©£ as to the drainage of the north side of Broadway, and their opinion was that ultimately tho whole of the drainage of the north side of Broadway would havo to be conducted into the Strand sewer, and that tho latter would eventually havo io be boxed in and flushed wi'H waLer from the river. The natural drainage of the town was 5c that direction, cad it could Hot otlioririse be dealt with except at raij heavy cost. The Secretary roportod that ho aad an offer to construct, the drain in question for £13. It was proposed to form an open drain frc..i S r cl»strcct right«of»way to tho corner of Walsh-street and Broad* way, and thence lny a box drain uader Broadway emptying ou the south end of Walsh«street. Proposed by Mr M'Lean, and seconded by Mr Kelly, that the offer in question bo accepted. Carried. ', A letter was rend from- Michael French asking the Board to provide a wire rope and bell for the use of tho ferry across the Left-hand Branch. : Applicant, who was in nttodanco, ex* plained that owing to thore being no " dead water*' at tho crossing in question he experienced great difficulty in working his ferry boat, particularly in times of flood. He proposed to stretch a wire across the river and to construct a Ismail punt, so that passengers could be crossed with safety at all times. The bell was required for the convenience of tie public, as on foggy days and nights travellers arriving oq the opposite sidoof tho river could not make themselves heard, and sometimes were compelled in oonsequeuce to remain on the other side of the rive; all. night. He intended, if tho request were granted, to hang tbe bell on a long polo, and to connect it with the other side of the river by means of a small wire, so that it could be rung by parties desiring to proas. Mrßavles said that in certain places on the coast ©fCormrftllani othor parts, they had what were called "foghorns' 1 blown by steam. He enquired whether something of the kind would not answer the applicants purpose best. .Applicant paid .that supposing a lady ws travelling s-o;e in the night time and WtteMug the ferry fihV would not bo able, to tt< We iW horn in her Kaud to blonr it. This argument appeared to have cocsl« derable f<uce, ania sjOjit filoace suoeecdingwas eventually brok n by a member suggesting that sorao one might come olpiig and stoal the bell. The Chairman remarked that he liad luwuvl of a man stealing an anchor, but he had uerer heard of ilie tlieiT; of a fog hoj-n or a fe.rry boll. . • Tlies applicant "aid iliat he intended 'o erect the boll on the toy of a high yo\e. Sonu» one of the public present was heard to suggest the propriety of well greasing the pole, *• 5 this was taken to be a dellcttto hint at b il-err and corrnp» tion, aud Hie idea y;?s uanoiiced. After somo other pr? ciicnl suggestions f. :»m members of the Board in loforcace 1q tho situation, of the bell, it was asked what kind •>f a bell would ti-'-i be*t. O,.'e iftciuLor SHg^osted a bu'lje'. . bell, but the ajiplicvt sulil tliafc iv- ..■■j-wic nnmbei-s of eatllo ic».-iaing about Je .icinity vith hells on, and if he were to aivci: n similar bell tho alari^ mig'- roiy often turn out to be a bull. This lino of discussion hat'ng been Ut M'LenJi raid t.ai; it appeared to, hjm that tlio litntter was not mo for the eonsidaratioA of the Board.- It waa. a jmrcly private a2«:r, and if the Board were to eiile^taju it they be estab*.

lishing a very dangerous precedent The Chairman said that it could not be doubted that it was of great moment to the public that the crossing should be made as safe as possible, lie was aware that the profits of the ferry were exceedingly light, and certainly not such as would warrant the work being done bydie ferryman. Mr M'Lean had no wish to throw obstacles in the way, bat he wished to bare it placed on record that lie Application was not (considered tegular, and should not bo taken as a precedent. „ After some farther discussion, Mr Davies moved, and Mr Aiken seconded, that the Secretary be empowered to report upon the matter, and to authorise an expenditure of £10 if satisfied of its expediency and practicability. The Secretary said that haying been appointed clerk to the County Council, he found it impossible to discharge tho duties of the Board devolving uoon him, and he therefore handed in his resignation, giving fourteen days notice. Discussion ensued as to how the duties of overseer were to bo carried on, when it was ultimately arranged that the clerk should give • month's notice, which would carry the appointment to the date of tua appointment of an overseer by the Com'/ Council. A letter 'Eras ve&a from Messrs Bauuay and Suovcnson reporting iLat a landslip had occurred npon the Rainy Cr«ek track, and that in consequence the pack track was impassable* and provisions had to be conveyed there on men's backs. On the motion of Mr Davies, it was decided to spend £15 upon the track, apt plicants to supervise its expenditure. Tho Secretary au'd thai some time ago ho reported that the Board kid a ca«h Surplus. He had now to report that they were about £200 to tho bad. Mr Aiken. referred to the condition of tho short track to Boatman's, and sug* gested the v disability of its construction upon Ihe deferred payment principle. The overseer reported tho probable cost of the work. Members deprecated going into such: a heavy itom on the eve of the dissolution of the Board. If they undertook that work they would probably havo to ask U-o Council to take over ft liability of something liko £1500. Mr Kelly said that it was a most urgent work, and should in, the order of things have been constructed long ago. The Secretary, in reply to. the Chair* man, said that ho had communicated with the Waste Lands Bo?rd relative to the question of land on deferred payment, and bad received no reply. Mr Bavies considered it would be highly improper for tho Board to under-* taJco the work. There was already a, goo-f metal road to Boatman's sufficient for all the requirements of that place, and the short traok was nothing more that* a luxury that could bo well done without. There woro other parts of the County, which infinitely more required attention, and he instanced the road to Antonio's, which was nothing but a sea of mud. Mr Kelly said that it might ba that tho work would bo done for a much smaller, sum than was proposed. la order to put the matter to the test he would move that . tenders be called for forming and gra*el»; ling the track from the Boiler ro^d to McDowell's. When the tenders were sent in, they could then decide whether the expenditure was warranted or not. • The Board concurred with this, and the' motion having been seconded by Mr Aiken, was put and earned. It was decided to add on additional £8 to the vote previously passed for clearing and forming Broadway near the Exchange Hotel, tho work to be commenced forthwith. A number of accounts having been passed, the meeting adjourned.