TEMUKA ROAD BOARD

Temuka Leader, Volume I, Issue 67, 7 August 1878, Page 2

TEMUKA ROAD BOARD

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Board was held yesterday, .Present : Messrs Talbot (chairman), Barker, Hayhurst, Quinn, and Ensor. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed.

Mr Davey applied to have two culverts placed across the Waitohi Road to relieve his section of water, and to have a cutting improved. Tenders were ordered to be called for these works. Mr Bissett attended to ask what steps had been taken by the Board with regard to opening the road leading from the Mill road to the Main South road, and also requested tnafc the Board would have something done to a creek running between Sections 12,132 and 12.R0. Ordered that both the works be pushed forward as fast as possible. Messrs C. Nicholas and Lyons applied to have a footpath formed in Allnntt street. Granted.

Mr Baxter requested that the boundary road on Waitohi Flat should be metalled, and a cutting improved. Granted. Messrs Brown and Wareing asked the Board to grant to them the privilege accorded to others, viz., laying down

asplndte in front of their premises on condition that they pay half the cost. The application was granted. Mr Ensor proposed, and Mr Barker seconded, “That the Board are willing to undertake the asphalting of the remaining footpaths <m the main road in the town on condition that the owners of property fronting on the footpaths give a written guarantee to pay half the cost.” Messrs Seaton and Thornly applied to have Seaton's road formed. Deferred. Mr Ensor reported that the contractor Elahei'ty was not carrying out his contract in compliance with specifications. The Surveyor was ordered to kok strictly into the matter.

Mr Haybnr.st drew the attention of the Board to the fact that a large proportion of the shingle used in the concrete bridge on the Milford road is very earthy. The Board resolved that in future nothing but pure shingle he used in concrete works under the Board. Besolved that accounts for contributions due by ratepayers lie sent in monthly, and that the ratepayers be requested to settle the same punctually. Proposed by Mr Ensor, and seconded by Mr Hayhnrst, “ That the surveyor attend to (he drainage of the Milford road from White’s corner to Smith’s, and to lower the culvert by Colville’s.” Proposed by Mr Barker and seconded by Mr Hayhnrst, and carried, “ That G. Meredith be informed that owing to his having failed to comply with the provisions of his contract that the Board will hold him responsible for the extra expense already sustained, and will cancel bis contract, and that fresh tenders be called for an annual supply of timber.” Proposed by Mr Ensor, and seconded by Mr Quinn, ‘• That a supply of timber, to the amount of 40,000 feet be called for by advertisements in Dunedin and Christchurch, and locaPpapcrs, to be cle livered at the Tenmka Railway Station within three months from date.” Carried. Several unofficial letters that have passed between the Chairman of the Board and Mr Lowe, the engineer for the railways at Christchurch, relative to the entrance of the Board upon the railway line for the purpose of carrying on Hoad Board works, were read, and the action of the Chairman in the matter cordially approved of. At the suggestion of. Mr Hayhnrst the members of the Board visited the culvert in question, to ascertain its present state, and what their engineer had done to prel vent injury accruing to the railway works, j It was observed that the railway culvert is in a somewhat unsafe condition. Had the engineer been permitted to carry out the protective works proposed by him, especially the putting down an invert, the culvert would be as safe as before. At the last moment, just as preparations j were being made for laying down the - invert, the employees of the Board were ! ordered off the ground. In reference to : tins matter, Mr Barker proposed, ami Mr Hayhnrst seconded, “That the e’erk be - request'd to write to Mr Conyers, Chief Commissioner of Railways, informing him mat the work in question was urgently needed tor 111 -public geo 1, and that as both the Public Works Act and Road Board Act give to Road Boards the lull control of public drains ami water-courses, authorizing them to enter upon any lands for drainage purposes, this Board considers that the arbitrary measures taken by the railway engineer in forcibly ejecting the Road Board’s men (by means of a gang of railway hands, and causing instructions to' be given to the police to arrest the men should they persist in continuing their work) were most nnjus- : likable, especially as these extreme j measures were taken without any official ' intimation being sent to the Chairman of the Board, requesting them to delay the work fur inquiry. The Board wishes to i express regret that they inadvertently j omitted to give notice to the railway i authorities of their intention to carry their ! drainage works through the railway cul--1 vert, and also that the woi-kmen were not stopped by authority from the Board, pending inquiry. But they submit that this ' a] >parent y negligent omission on their part did not warrant tho highhanded fiction of the railway officials. As, however, the Board had not completed the protective works that were being carried out at the culvert, the Board would urge upon the railway authorities the advisability of inspecting and carrying out any further work required, and at the expense of tins Board.” Resolution carried. COKREsrONDENCE. Letter from Bank of New Zealand re depositing the sum i f £2325 as a fixed deposit. From Secretary to Treasury, Wellington, handing imprest of the sum of £1872 15s 2d as share of Comity funds. From Hon J. Hall, in reply to a. letter from the Chairman,in which the latter (for the Board) agreed to bear a share of expenses of law suit against Government for balance of land fund.

From Messrs Hamersley and Knubley, claiming, on behalf of Mr Franks, damages to (lie amount of £1531 for polluting the Brewery Creek with the-drainage'from Vine-street. Letter referred to the Board’s solicitor, the Board repudiating their liability.

From Mr Rolleston, enclosing a resolution of the Christchurch Board of Education, offering to subscribe 25 per cent, of opening a drain through Milford Swamp past Education reserve 1400. Resolved that tenders be called for making this drain next Board-day. From Mr Fildes, stating that £1872 15s 2d had been placed to the credit of the Board.