GERALDINE ROAD BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1190, 12 June 1884, Page 2

GERALDINE ROAD BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the Board was held in the office on Tuesday last. Members present—Messrs Slack (Chairman), Flatman, Deßenzy, lielland, and R. H. Postlethwaite. MINUTES, The minutes of the previous ordinary and special meetings were read and confirmed. THE ITIRB PKOOF SAFE. The Clerk brought under the notice of the Board that the door of the fire proof safe had got out of order and would not properly close. Ho did not think it a proper place to have the records of the Board and deposit receipts placed in. It was decided that the Clerk should report on the cost of repairing the safe. TENDERS. The following tenders were opened and considered : Contract No. 119 Earthwork and shingle, near Campbell's, Fairfield road. It was decided that some of the members of the Board should see the road preparatory to a tender being accepted, Mr Flatman having; informed the Board that a natural overflow had been stopped by one of the residents in that locality. To meet on Tuesday next at 11 a.m. Contract No. 120— Formation, near. Wigley's, Opuha Station : Qibbs and Prentice, £3B 10s ; A. Reid, £32 ; W. Scully, £3O ; F. Molloy, £29 17s 6d ; D. Coffey, £2B; J. Webb, £27 15s ; D. Gre«an, £2G ; J. H. Tagg, £2l ; E. Counihan, £l9 17s 6d.—The tender of Tagg wa« accepted, Counihan's former contract not proving satisfactory. Contract No. 121—Converting Lewis' footbridge into a stockbridge : J. Warren, £B7 5a ; J. H. Dean, £44 10s ; R. Rae, £43 ; Huffey and Pizzey, £4l 7s ; D. Clouston and R. Wilson, £39 ; E. Proutiug, £37 5s (accq)ted). Conhact No. 122 Shinglo, repairs, Waihi Bush road : D. Gouldan, £l2O ; F. Molloy, £ll3 Isi ; S. Courtney, £105; A. Pvcid, £102; G. Phiskie, £100; P. j Burke, £93 ; J. Webb, £94 10s ; G. Hammond and Co, £9O ; G. Kae, £74 16s (accepted). |

CORRESPONDENCE. From Mr C. E. Sherratt, enclosing sundry accounts due to him by the Board and expenses incurred at recent Road. Board election, —The account was passed for payment. From Messrs Harman and Stevens, Christchurcb, asking that Mr Deßenzy's name be inserted on the roll instead of their own.—Alteration to be made.

From Mr C. Brooke, chemist, Kaiapoi, enclosing prices for supply of poisoned wheat.—The letter was received.

From Mr E. M. Templar, applying for some timber for a culvert at the entrance to his property. There was a 12-inch pipe laid down but it was too small to carry off the water.—Timber to be granted, From Mr Wigley, regretting the Board had not taken any notice of a previous letter he had written to ths Board re opening of road to take water off his section. If the Board did not do the work he would have to cut a ditch through the road, which would stop the traffic. —The Board decided not to entertain the matter as it w*s of no benefit to the road.

From. Mr R. Sharp, informing the Board that certain willows near the bridge should bo removed, they wore growing into the river bed.—The work to

be dono as soon as survey completed. From Mr S. Chapman, offering to purchase the land taken from Mr Williams for road formation in the Raukapuka Bush. —The Chairman to see the applicant on the subject. From Mr T. Godwin, asking for formation of road from Mr Barker's woolshed to east corner of Section No. 7353.—The Overseer to reporl. From Mr W. Shiers, asking the Board to fence, or provide the material for one boundary of reserve 2158, the distance being 10 chains.—The material granted. From Mr E. Griffiths, Chairman of ths Belfield School Committee, asking that planks might be placed over the creeks on the road leading to the Dew school.— The request was granted. From Mr R. Irvine, Overseer to the Mount Reel Road Boad, giving information as to cost of breaking metal by means of the stone crusher. —The Clerk was instructed to inquire the cost of o stone crusher. From the Clerk to the Geraldine County Council in reference to a return of the number of birds and eggs paid for by the Board. —

Information to be forwarded by the 17th ins(.

Prom the same, in reference to the County roll. From Mr Thatcher and other?, requesting that a part of the roud, leading from the Woodbury and Rangitata road to the Orari river be shingled.—The bad places in the road to ba repaired.

From Mr F. Brown, asking for drains to be cleared near his land at Orari.—The Overseer to prepare specifications, and tenders to be called.

From Mr R. Richards, asking that hia nam* be placed on the roll instead of Mr VV. Gaby's for section 1 part R.S. 10309. From S. P, Tozer, making a similar application for section 2.—Both applications to ba attended to. From Mr A. Gould, drawing the Board's attention to the bad state of the culvert at his gateway.—Another pipe to be given. From VV". Hawke and others, objecting to a road running past Pain's, through Kelman's land, and alongside sections Nos. 14 and 29 being closed.—To be decided at the public meeting. The Board adjourned till after the public meeting. INTERVIEWS. On re-atsembling, Mr D. Shaw had nn interview with the Board in reference to ii quantity of stones that had been placed on his land. As he was about fencing, he wished the stones removed.—The Overseer to see to same as soon as possible. Mr Fitzgerald interviewed the Board in regard to his contract for planting trees. He was always going from one plantation to another, and renewing them where necessary. The Overeeer had made a complaint to the Board at its last f:ittin< n . He thought it a wise thing for the Board to allow him to go over the plantations next spring, and renew a ! l those that the frosts had killed.

Mr Flatman said he had also complained at the last meeting in regard to the plan tition near Mr Allan McDonald'.*.

Mr Deßenzy was in favor of having trees such as larch and others substituted instead of blue gum. It was decided to leave the matter in the hands of the Chairman. Mr Collett interviewad the- Board in. regard to land lie sold to it for a road.— It was decided to pay Mr Collett for the land at once. cokkespondence (continued), From the Clerk to the Geralduie County Council enclosing copy of resolution passed at its last meeting, to the effect that the Council communicate with (he various Road Boards to know what amount each Board will be prepared to pay towards tliß stockbridge attached to the railway btidge over the RangiUta river.

Mr Flatman would oppose any money being allocated by the Board for the purpose, as the bridge was out (f this district and would not benefit it at all.

Mr Postlethwaite suggested that before the Board committed itself it would be best to have the plaus and specifications before it. It was decided to ask the Ger.ddine County Council to give some idei of proposed plan and particulars. From the General Survey Office, Wellington, stating that in regard to the 1 protective works on the Orarl river, on the understanding that the Board, and not the Government, is to be responsible for any damage which may arise from (he works which the Board propose, th« funds mentioned in Mr Bolleston's letter to Mr Postlethwaite dated 11th October, 1883, are still available on the tortus therein mentioned, viz., that the work is either completed, or contracted for, wholly before the money is paid by the Government to the credit of the Board.—Works t 3 be carried out as proposed. THE QORSK QUESTION. Mr Flatman again brought up this matter, in regard to the grubbing up of the plants oa the public road*. He very much doubted whether people could grub it up thenselves but though it was the place of the Board to do the work and (;ha r ti<) the own-is of :.djoining properties wi'h the c «;t.

Tlio Chairman real a clause of the Act

relating to the same.—No decision wm come to on the matter. THE BOARD'S STAFF, A petition was read, signed by several of the ratepayers asking that both officers of the Board (the Oveißeer and Clerk) be retained, but at a reduced salary, instead of the work being carried out by one officer only (the Overseer). Another petition was also received, requesting that a public meeting be called on the matter.

Mr Deßenzy thought the Board should carry on as thep were tor a twelvemonth.

The Chairman remarked that'those who signed the petition must imagine the Board were no better than little children, if thsy thought the Boerd would undo what they had decided upon. It was unanimously decided that a public meeting of the ratepayers having already upheld the action of the Board in the matter, the Board cannot entertain the petitions. MISCELLANEOUS. Mr Kelland drew the Overseer's attention to one or two works that required looking after. ACCOUNTS. Accounts, amounting to £536 were passed for payment. oversebr's keport. " To the Chiirmaa Greraldine Road Board. " Sie, —I have tke honor to report at under:— " Owing to the faforable weather during the past month a good deal of work has been got through by leveral of the contractor*. I have also taken the opportunity of patching up several of the roads and river Growings which had been previously damaged by the severe floods.

" The following works hayo been completed since last meeting of the Board :—Channel* and stop banks, Waihi river • shingling, Corbett's load, Opihi ; extension, Sharp's bridge ; shingling, Boucher'* road ; sbiagling streets and footpaths, Lower Townshipj formation, Pye's road, Raukapuka. " Whitaker and others' application, "Waihi Bush—To re-form and shingle the cross road leading between Mr Donkin's and Mr Tripp's would coat £—, this to end at the Bush. To form and shingle the new line of road through Mr Donkin's paddocks to the same point would cost £—. The latter line, I expect, would have to be surveyed, as the road has been ploughed and the pe£i are not visible. " Mr Cook's application—To gather and stack the boulders front the road reserve in front of Mr Cook's land would cost about £—. The distance is aboif J 5 chains.

Mr Wiglev's application—This is aa application to lower the ford crossing the road in Jones' gully with a view of draining thd lagoon on the upper side of the road. Ido not think it will be possible to do this, as it would require the crossing to be deepened to an extent that would render it very difficult tc cross with heavy loads of wood, which is the principal traffic oa the road. "To deepen the ford, and cuttings would cost, say £—■.

Plantations.—The time has expired on three of Mr Fitzgerald's contracts and as the trees are growing in a satisfactory manner I have certified to final payments. Mr Fitzgerald's other contracts are, I regret to say, not so satisfactory, as the severe frosts we are now experiencing will, I am afraid, cut down a large number of the gums and wattles; these,' reserves being in exposed situations near the bills.

" I ba?e, as recommended, had ft number of long spars anchored at the Orari and Waihi terracee, where the streams were encroaching on the roads.

" I havo ordered the timber and ironwork required for the footbridge over the Waihi, near Scott's.—l am, etc., " William Shiebb, " Overeeer to the Board."

Be Whitaker and others' application— The members to visit the road on the 17th inst.

Re Mr Cook's application—The Board cannot entertain it.

INSPECTOR OF NTJISAJfOES' KEPORT,

"Sib,— I beg to state that I believo, as regards real matters of complaint, the township is as free from nuisances as can reasonably ba expected. It may perhaps be thought, as I do not bring forward & Dumber of complaints in my monthly reports, that I have passed over nuisances where they hare existed. The ctse,howtver, is not so. I hare diligently searched out such, but as anything I find amiss is invariably remedied on my noticing ifcj it seems useless to take up your time with detailed accounts of such matters. Iu soms c»ses persons hare overstepped tbe decision of your Board with regard to ths numb°r of pigs allowed to be kept, but as long »•» they are kept c'«»n it is perhaps at well Dot to enforce ihis ruie too strictly. I believe that every householder is desirous of doing everything possible to promote the cleanliness and good health of the township. " Since my last report (6th May) eight births have been registered in this district, while the number cf deaths during the sam« period is four, as follows : —An infsnfc, aged three months, at Pleasant Valley, from inanition; one, age;! five weeks, in Geraldiue; an adult male in the township from disease of tho heart, and an adult. female at Strjthnoon.—l am, etc., " W. C. Andbews, "Inspector of jSuisances." Ths meeting then terminated.