GERALDINE ROAD BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1150, 13 March 1884, Page 3

GERALDINE ROAD BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the Board was held in the office, on Tuesday last. Present -Messrs Postlethwaite (Chairman), Deßenzy, and Kelland. MINUTES. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. APOLOGY FOR NON-ATTENDANCE. A letter was read from Mr Slack, apologising for non-attendance owing to illness. TENDERS. The following tenders for works were opened and considered : No. 101 —Shingling Orari Gorge Road ; A. Reid, L 175; J. Webb, L 169 ; F. Molloy, L 15 5; P. Burke, L 15 0; S. Courtney, Ll4B (accepted). No. 102 Gathering and stack g boulders, Rangitata Station Road. As the estimate for this work showed it would be very costly, it was decided, on the motion of Mr Deßenzy, seconded by Mr Kelland, and carried— ‘ That the matter stand over for the present, as the Board does not feel justified in so large an expenditure.’ No. 103 —Ironwork for twelve months. T. Farrell and Haar Bros, were the only tenderers. That of Haar Bros, being the same as last year, and the lowest, their tender was accepted. No. 104—Shingling near Skinner’s, Redcliff: J. Webb, L2O ;B. Trumper, £lB 15s (accepted). No. 105 —Building footbridge near Bradley’s store, Hilton; R. B. Sibley, L 57 9s ; A. Best, L 53 10s; J. Derby, L 53 5s ; R. B. Coomer, L 53 ; Huffey and Pizzey, L 39 10s (accepted). No. 106—Maintenance Rangitata Station iO’'l for one year: T. Herlihy, LlO3 ; i. C.niJall, L 97 10s ; H. Mills, L 94 10s ; W. Fletcher, L 93 12s ; J. FifieU, L 93 (accepted). No. 107—Cuttings, culverts and fords, Townsend’s road, Capes’ Valley : R. B. Sibley, L 75 10s ; S. Courtney, L4S ; F. Molloy, L 42 ; J. Webb, L4O ; J. Beckley L2B 10s. The tender of J. Beckley being considered too low, that of J. Webb was accepted. CORRESPONDENCE. From Mr L, Grant and others, asking the Board to call a special meeting of the Board to consider the immediate opening of the Orari bridge. ■ —The Chairman said he was in the office when the letter was received and replied thereto at once, to the effect that the Board had let the contract for protective works, and when sufficiently advanced, the Board contemplated finishing the bridge. All would be done in due course of time.—The action of the Chairman was approved of. From Mr Rich, complaining of the overflow of surface water on his land at Woodbury.—The Overseer stated that since last meeting of the Board he had put in pipes across the gateway leading to the church, but it appeared that the water encroached on the property of the applicant.—As Mr Flatmau was not present, it was decided to hold further consideration of the matter over, till after the adjournment, to see if he came into Geraldine to attend the meeting of the Board. If he did not, then, the Chairman remarked, it would be as well for the Overseer to take steps to cause the water to flow down its natural course.

From Mr D. McKenzie, asking that the bush road from Mr Williams’ be shingled. From Mr F. Molloy, asking for a week’s extension of time to complete his contract, owing to the bad state of the weather. —The request was granted. From the Temuka Road Board, stating

that it was quite willing to pay half the cost of the work at Sharp’s bridge, Kakahu.

From the same, intimating receipt of cheque for L2!) 11s Bd, being quota of land sales between Orari and Rangitata, and asking for particulars of same.— The Chairman stated that when he was in Timaru lie saw Mr Quinn, a member of

the Board, and had explained to him as to how the account was made up, and he was thoroughly satisfied and would intimate the same to the Board.

From Mr G. J. Brown and others, stat

ing that the footplank over the creek near Ross’ had been washed away, and asked that the same be replaced.—The Overseer stated that other footbridges had been washed away dining the recent freshes, and he had received several applications for reconstruction. —The one now before the Board would be attended to as soon as possible. From the Temuka Road Board, asking for a copy of the weights allowed by the Geraldine Road Board to go over bridges or culverts. —The Overseer was requested to <rive the required information. From Mr R. Taylor, calling the Board’s attention to the condition of Rae’s road. — The Overseer to report on same next Board day. From Messrs Bean and Hammond, asking for a month’s extension of time for completing their contract for protective works at Orari bridge.—lt was decided to allow an extension of ten days.

From Mr A. McColl, asking that his name, and a'so that of his brother, John McColl, be taken off the ratepayers’ roll, as the applicants had sold both their properties to Mr R. Neill.

From Mr Longney, asking for title to

part Reserve 1055, it being three years next month since it was treated for.The Clerk to wrile to Mr Longney, intimating that eveiy effort will be made to complete (he matter before the annual meeting. From Mr W. Fitzgerald, calling the attention of the Board to the thisdes growing on the road from Wonlfe’s corner to Cooper’s creek, and asking to have the same cut down, he being unable to take his machine into his paddock i 0 cut his crop.— The request had been granted. From Messrs White and Smithson, asking the Board to sign the deed of release of memorandum of agreement between the Mount Peel and Geraldine Road Boards.

From Mr James Williams, offering land required for road on Geraldine downs.— Resolved— ‘ That the terms be accepted. The road to be made and then to be covered by survey.’ Resolved—‘ That in reference to Mt A, E. Rich’s letter the Overseer arrange for the water to go in its original course.’ From Mr L. McCormick, asking for the

fence to be erected at foot of terrace.— Resolved - ‘ That the fence be erected at the boundary of the road.' After the usual adjournment, Mr A. Sherratt, the member for the district on the Geraldine County Council, had an interview with the Board for the purpose

of getting ils consent to hand over the bridges on the main road to the County Council, and asked the members that he might be supplied with all information prior to the next meeting of the Council

in reference to what the Orari bridge had cost for repairs during the past twelve

months. He remarked that if the Temuka members were determined to take the money allocated under the Roads and Bridges Act, for the repairs to the Opihi bridge, he was equally determined

to demand a similar concession for the Orari bridge. The Temuka members went to the Council as representing the Temuka Road Board, but he went as representing the district.—On MrSherratt retiring; it was decided to give him every information in the power of the Board in regard to that asked for. overseer's report. The Overseer’s report was road as follows ; “Sir, —1 have the honor to report for the information of the Board as follows : “ Owing to this being the harvest month very slow progress has been made with the works under contract, but several of the outstanding works were completed early in the month as follows : “Middlemiss’road; Geraldine Main road; Brown’s road, Waihi ; Sharp’s bridge, Redcliff cutting, and the lower section Rangitata station road. “ I forwarded the account to the Mount Peel Road Board for the latter work, but have as yet received no reply beyond what appeared in the press report o t the meeting. “ I have called tenders for gathering and stacking the stones on the Station road and also for maintenance for one year from date. “ I have received payment from the Temuka Road Board for work done at Sharp’s bridge. “ Plantations—l have forwarded tracings to the Chief Surveyor, showing the situation and giving the area planted in each reserve. “ Orari Bridge—As instructed I erected a temporary bridge for the convenience of crossing stock at the North end of the Orari traffic bridge. The work of constructing the floating dam is making but slow progress. The contract time expires this day. I should like the Board to decide cn the work to be done with the view of opening the bridge for dray traffic at an ea>ly date. “ Collet’s Road—The contract time for this work expires this day. The work will be completed in about ten days. I would ask authority to have the new line of road surveyed with a view of having the fences erected. The road will also require to be shingled at once. “Gravel Pit The gravel pit near Middlemiss’ road deviation at the Beautiful Valley saddle also requires to be surveyed for transfer. “Guldan’s Greek—To erect a stock bridge at this crossing, similar to the one decided on for Cooper’s creek would cost £—. The old footway at this creek was partly washed away during the late floods. “ Willows at Sharp’s—Some thousands of yards of drift shingle and sand have been deposited in the bend of the river above Sharp’s cud this has driven the water over on the east side, causing a scour. To counteract this, i\lc Godsell planted willows between the bridge and the homestead on the edge of the river which has had the desired effect, but unfortunately the river is now causing considerable damage on the opposite bank by scouring away Mr Sharp’s land at a very rapid rate. During the flood on the 24th of last month some chains in length were were taken away, causing a gap at the end of the stockbridge, which will require to be extended 30ft and a protective wing built on Mr Sharp’s land at the western corner. It is very probable that the river will cut out a new channel for itself through Mr Sharp’s paddock and leave the bridge altogether, as the land being composed of drift sand and silt oilers no resistance to the scour in time of heavy floods such as we have experienced so often lately. “ Scott’s Footbridge—l have examined this crossing with a view of erecting a bridge, and And the bottom to be very rough. The boulders being so large, it will be difficult to drive timber piles. “ Dillon’s Creek —The cost of placing single plank footways on piles over th

three crossings would be £—, “ The extended time granted for contract No. 88, in Beautiful Yalley, has expired some time, but the contractor is not at work. This work ought to be proceeded with at once or the frosts will be liable to injure the concrete culvert. “Geraldine Road.—During the late heavy rains the Waihi river again overflowed its banks in Hepworth’s and Lewis’s paddocks, and ran dowq the main road for a considerable distance, scouring out holes, and damaging the work lately done on the sides of the formation.

“ If some steps are not taken at an early date to clear the old water courses, the main road will become the principal channel for the Waihi in flood time, as rhe old course below Hawke’s bridge has been obstructed by planting gorse, broom, etc., so as to become quite inadequate to carry off the flood water, which, of course, must find a vent somewhere, and does so by overflowing and running down the main road.

Chapman's C.!t-cek.—This creek also overflowed at the kigoon in the reserve rented by Air Bndd, die wafer running down the sides of the road for a distance of three miles and uniting: out holes on the sales of the formation.

*• Owing to the extended cultivation or

the Geraldine Downs, Chapman’s creekdischarges more rapidly than formerly. The only effectual remedy would be to build an open topped concrete culvert across the mad and deepen the watercourses into the lagoon. “Surfacemen—As instructed I gave the day men notice to go harvesting and all went with the exception of two, hot owing to the numerous applications for river crossings after the heavy rains, I had to put on extra labor to make the principal

crossing places possible for traffic. “Gorse Notices—l advertised the gorse notices in three separate papers as directed —I am, etc., “ WiiLiAM Shiers, “ Overseer to the Board. “To Chairman Geraldine Road Board.” In regard to the Orari bridge, the Board decided to inspect the works on Tuesday next, the 18th inst. lie Collett’s road—The work to be done, lie Guldau’s creek—The work to bo done when opportunity allows. Be willows at Sharp’s—The Overseer was directed to see Mr Sharp and arrange for extension of bridge. Be Scott's footbridge—The work to stand over. Be Dillon’s creeks—lt was decided that planking be placed over them. Be contract No. 89, Beautiful Valley— The penalty to be inflicted if not gone on with. Be Geraldine road—The work to be gone on with without delay. Be Chapman’s creek—The work to be done as suggested by the Overseer. The action of the Overseer re surface

men was approved of. INSPECTOR OP NUISANCES’ REPORT. “ Sir, — During the time that has elapsed since my late report (Bth January) my attention has been directed to two nuisances—one on the ground of the Roman Catholic Church, whereby the channel is partially obstructed, the other at Pleasant Valley, being a horse that was accidentally killed. Both of these were removed.

“Since the date mentioned above, sixteen births have been registered in this district, and during the same period ten deaths, as follows ; Three female persons, from childbirth and other disorders ensuing; one adult male person from the accidental upsetting of a coach, one adult female from phthisis, an infant of five weeks from whooping cough; two, aged respectively three weeks and two weeks, from congestion of lungs ; a child of two years from bronchitis, and one of ten years from anemia and dropsy, —I am, etc., “W. C. Andreavs. “ To Chairman Geraldine Road Board.” ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £338 2s Id were passed for payment. The Board then went into Committee to consider th« financial position of the Board in relation to its staff, at the conclusion of which the meeting terminated.