TEMUKA ROAD BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Volume 2, Issue 119, 5 February 1879, Page 2

TEMUKA ROAD BOARD.

This Board held their ordinary meeting for the month yesterday. Present— Messrs Talbot (Chairman) Quinn, and Barker. Mr P. Wareing waited upon the Board to draw attention to the inconvenience caused the public by Mr Hayhurst's water-race. It crosses two roads, aud sufficient provision has not been made to secure a firm bottom for vehicles to cross on, nor any means for pedestrians to cross upon. Many persons had suffered much inconvenienee in consequence. Mr Quinn corroborated Mr Wareing's statements. After some discussion it was resolved to draw Mr Hayhurst's .attention to the complaint, and to call upon him to cover this ivater-way in somo substantial manner. The resolution embraced this general rule for the future, that whenever the Board gives anyone permission to conduct water across n road, it shall be on condition that it is covered to the satisfaction of the Board. Mr Grimwood, of Oxford, waited upon the Board with reference to the supply of black birch timber. Members of the Board were of opinion that the timber was not. suitable for their purposes, but as Mr Grimwood had delivered a considerable quantity, only a few pieces of which were condemned by the late overseer, and as he had on hand a quantity of special uizes cut for the Board, it was decided to accept delivery of ten or twelve thousand feet on hand, and then terminate the agreement. Mr Franks asked for a few pipes to lay down across the road to improve the flow of water from certain springs. The request was granted. Mr Ormond, the contraotor for the Txolleston's road drain, waited on the Board with reference to his cpntract. The late overseer had passed the whole of it, except fifteen chains which the present overseer admitted tq be the best of the

whole. Mr Lewis refused to pass the j work finally, as it was not completed ac- t cording to specifications. In view of the J extraordinary difficult nature of the work, j the Board decided to accept it on the silt being cleared out. Accounts to the amount of LIO9B 4* 2d were then passed for payment. . Certain items' in one account suggested that a rule should be made that hi future when cement or other material is supplied to a contractor, delivery shall be taken in the yard, and the carting to be done by the contractor. The correspondence was then read and considered. Mr O. P. M'Callum asked for a certain road to be formed. Referred to the overseer to report upon. Messrs Buxton and Stanger asked for certain small repairs to the main road, Kangitata Island. Overseer to get the work done. Messrs Gibson and Maslin offered to supply heart of totara timber at 18s per hundred, for lengths of 25ft and under. Offer accepted for 20,000 feet, assorted sizes. Mr R Wood offered to purchase some old culvert timber lying near Mil ford. Resolved, that the Boarc. sell no material except from the yard. Mr Lavery asked for some timber to make a bridge over one of the Board's drains. Request granted. The Chairman of the Orari Board of Conservators asked for a return, showing the names of those who had not paid the conservation rates for 1877, and other information. The same to be supplied, and the arrears collected as soon as possible. i From Mr J. Ollivier, respecting the audit of accounts. One item, '' Milford Harbour Committee, L 30," was struck out of the accounts, as the Board exceeded their sphere of operations in incurring the debt. Mr Rolleston asked to whom timber found in making drains belonged. It was resolved to consider such timber the perquisite of the contractor, and to reply accordingly. Mr J. E. Brown asked for a certain road in the Opihi river-bed to be half formed. Referred to the overseer to report upon. Mr E. 11. Tate, Timaru, and the Secretary to the Marine Department, Wellington, drew the attention of the Board to the duty of electing a member to the Timaru Harbour Board. The Manager of the Bank of New Zealand. Temuka, informed the Board that he had received for the credit of the Board Ll5O 2s 7d from the PaymasterGeneral. Mr Donn and others requested that the foot-bridge over the Temuka, near Neal's should be replaced. Overseer to examine the place, and prepare a plan. Mr Gamack complained of the state of the crossing of the watercourse on Badham's road; and that Mr Badham obstructed the road with building material. The matter of the watercourse had been dealt with previously, in reply to Mr Wareing. Clerk (o vvrite to Mr Badham about the obstruction. The overseer's report was read. It is stated that L3O had been spent in making and repairing fords, &c, at Rnngitata. Mr Blyth had completed a bridge on the Upper Swamp road, and it would be necessary to make the approaches. Mr Radford had finished the Kakahu road bridge, but deferred the filling in with the consent of the overseer. The brewery cn-ek had been cleaned out at a cost of L 3 4s, with the effect of lowering the water twelve or liftt en inches. Simpson's contract on the Lower Swamp road was completed with the exception of breaking up clay This clay-breaking, it was recommended, should be allowed to stand over until after rains. A culvert and drain, near Mr Parke's, needed attending to. Retaining walls or bridges on Lower Swamp road were giving way. Mr Onnond was not carrying out his contract on the Rolleston's road drain according to specifications. The drain was not being made large enough, and the road was being made too near the edge of the drain. A culver 1 ; was necessary across the drain in one place. O'Connor's contract for shingling w.is not being properly carried out, the quantity being insufficient, and the big stones not being properly broken Instructions were asked for respecting the clearing of the side drains in Temuka ; the lengthening of culverts at the Winchester Hotel, and the procuring of shingle gauges. The contractor for the additions to the office had completed the work, and had given an estimate for alterations and fittings for the overseer's room. The following matters brought forward by members, or the overseee, were dealt with : —Langridge's Bridge ; damage by drain to Mr Elk era ; footpaths in Allnut street ; approaches te Loe's bridge ; clearing swamp road near Trevenna ; and horse-posts at cemetery gates. It was decided—to make an effort to induce the Levels Bond Board to cooperate in bridging the Opihi properly; the side channels in Temuka to lie cleaned out where pressingly required ; the Vine street drain to be cleared when and where necessary ; the shingle guages belonging to the Board to be collected and measured ; Parke's culvert to be fenced ; a wooden culvert to be placed over drain on Rollesten's road ; culverts at Swinton's to be lengthened; the balance of the amount of Connor's contract for shingling not to be paid until further inquiry lias been made into the grounds of the overseer's complaint. At the suggestion of Mr Barker it was decided to make a rule that all contracts signed should be laid on the table on the next Board day after the day of inquiry. The report of the rest of the sitting, and the report of the Health Officer are "unavoidably held over until our next issue.