DRURY ROAD BOARD.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 213, 17 July 1914, Page 1

DRURY ROAD BOARD.

At the July Meeting. The monthly meeting of the Drury Road Board was held on Saturday, July 4th; present—Messrs Classen (chairman), McNaughton, Br;mner, Brooks a"d Quinn. The rate struck at the previous meeting was confirmed. A CULVERT.

The chairman reported that they had had an interview with Mr Horton about the water trouble. The interview was net satisfactory. Mr Hort.n said that if the culvert was rut in he would take action. Mr Horton taid he had Mr Wilson's opinion that the Board would be liabl'e if i't put in the culvert and took the water across the road from Cossey's to Horton's properly. The chairman thought that the best way out of tne difficulty would be to put a culvert acr.ss where proposed and to put in another lower dnwn where the water also crosses the road. Wh.n the roads were in better order they should do some road formation and put the culverts in. The opinion ot the county engineer agree with the speaker's, that the culvert should go wheie the water runs.

Mr Brooks thought the only thing they could do was to put the pipes where the wafer was running, glthough if the pipes were sunk in the Board might put itself into Mr Norton'a hands.

Mr Quinn agreed with what bad Lcen said.

Mr McNaughton said he would have i.o fear about putting the culvert in. Ihey could not take it any other way without diverting the water.

Ihe chairman explained that Mr liortcn'a alternative proposal was that he should take the wa'.er back to a gully where some was running row. This would cost £6. The chairman did cot think from thj point of view of the Drainage Act that this would' be carrying the water in its natural course. Besides, the drain would be a certain amount of danger to the travelling public, aid the drain would probably not be kept clean. As in the prestnt state of the road the work could not be done, it was decided to hold the matter over for two months.

HOTEL LICENSE FEE. The chairman supposed they were all aware that the Board was £25 poorer because of the hotel license fee having teen paid to the Franklin County Council. <*s this Board was not merged a*.:d had handled the license fee for years, it would only have Lten a matter of grace tor the Council to have waived their claim.

Ihe remark was made that a number of Drury people would rather tot have the hotel, the only saving thing was that it provided some money to be spent about the place. The county would say that this license money would be spent in this district, but they said the same thing about the subsidy. As it appeared that nothing could be done it was agreed to take no action.

McLENNAM'S HILL. The Papakura Town Board notified that they were spplying for a grant of £IOO for McLennarTs hill, near the concrete bridge. As the road was in a bad state and would be costly of construction they asked the Drury Board to help them to get the money.

It was agreed to support the application providirg that this Board would not be involved in any further expense in connection with the proposed work. BREAKING IHL ROADS.

The chairman said that since the last meeting the question of heavy csrtage had again cropped up with stone and firewood carters. 1 lie roads had been put in fairly good repair during the surcmer, but for seme weeks past the roads had been in a very bad state. Notwithstanding abuse some of them agreed that if the roads were broken up they would do their duty, cither by enforcing the by-laws or agreeing with them. They had a conference

J with the carters who agreed to | help the Board by acting fairly by ' it. J t the reads were not saved they | c:uld not be kept open to the public. However, the carters were still going : aid the Board would have either to • uiforce the by-laws or to increase ! the lates.

Mr Quinn: Can't we enforce a wheel-tax?

The chairman said the difficulty was that they might get a £1 wheel-tax but the vehicle might do £SO worth of damage. Besides this, the man who went cut once a year would have t> pay in the Eame way ai the cart that was out every day. What they wanted to do was to get at the men who lake the wear out of the roads.

Complaint was made about_ the apparent irresponsibility of drivers of traction engines. They did damage and appeared quite unconscious that they were responsible. Mr McNaughton thought the only way was to keep traffic off tie roads during certain months of the year. The chairman said thia could rot be done; all ihey could do was to claim compensation. The difficulty was to arrange with the different carters for the amount of compensation ihey should pay. The Wainoehoe road was particularly referred to. It was decided to give the carters notice that carting is to be suspended until the road is put in better order. 1 his work the carters had promised to do.

THE HALF-CHAIN ROAD. Messis Nittlingham, Carpcnt r and McNally waited o;i the Hoard to confer about the proposal to make the halt-chain road to the Opaheke railway 9tation a chain wide. The chairman explained the difficulty that had arisen. Since the road was only a hal f -cbain wide previous members appeared to te afraid that if they spent money they might have to pay it out of their own pocket?. However that might be, their solicitor's opinion was that the Board should do nothing until the road was made a chaiQ wide. Looking to the future of Opaheke, when the (suburban area was extended, these farms would be cut up at tigh prices and it would be a big advantage to have the privileges of the chain road. Later on it might be found mere cifficult to secure, the requited land than it would be at present.

Mr Carpenter said he was willing to give a quarter of a chain along his frontage or pay for a quarter-chain on the other side, his frontage was 25 or 30 chains.

Mr Nettlingam said he was cf the same opinion as Mr Carpenter. He had « long frontage to the road and at preeent it was of r.o advantage to bin es his metal road vva3 en another frontage, i.ut look to the future arc! ia \iew of the extension of the suburban aroa he would be willing to give his quaitee of a cnaiu, providsd the othejs conr ceined would do the same. Messrs Walker and McKinstry were not present and their views were tot definitely krnwn. Mr McNally said he also was willing to give bis ehare of the land.

It was agreed that the board would ascertain the views of Messrs Walker and McKinstty and endeavour to arrange a satisfactory setilem:i,t. SfONE QUARRYING.

Mr Maxwell complained that when the Board had quarried stone on his farm the land was not left in a condition fit for the plough.

The Board held that there was r.o contract to that effect, and the discussion that ensued showed that there was a misunderstanding - .