TEMUKA ROAD BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1798, 4 October 1888, Page 2

TEMUKA ROAD BOARD.

The regular monthly meeting of the Temuka Road Board took place on Tuesday Inst. Present—Messrs Talbot (Chairmao), Quinn, Bisset, Fraser, end J. T. M. Hayhuret. MINUTES. The minutes of the previous meeting were road and confirmed. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amonn'ing to £BO 10s 101 were passed for payment. A PROTEST. Mr Hayhurst drew attention to the action of the Board in proposing to expend money in repairs to the bridge upon the road leading to Rhodes's Island, The bridge was on private property, and it was his intention to vote against any and every sum expended in such a manner. He was of opinion that too much money was spent for works that wore simply improvements to the property of individuals, and the district suffered in consequence. Had the road in question been dedicated to the Board he should not have mentioned the matter. As a matter of feet he did so now purely from a sense of hie duty to the public as a member of the Board. He would farther say that he considered that the Overseer if be were aware that the road was a private one should hays drawn the attention of the Board to the fact.

Mr Quinn said that at the time hs applied for repairs he thought that he was asking no more than what was fair. Although the road was not dedicated to the Board still the public continually used it, aod he had no intention of preventing them from doing so. He was a heavy ratepayer, but not one that troubled the Board much. He certainly desired nothing that he was not entitled to. The Chairman asked the Overseer if he was aware it was a private road. The Overseer replied in the affirmative, aod reminded the Chairman that ha (the Overseer) had corrected his (the Chairman’s) impression concerning the bridge. He certainly understood tint the Board knew the positmn of the case when the repairs were applied for.

The Chairman said that there had evidently been some misapprehension. It wus, however, well that the matter had been ventilated. The subject was then dropped. INTERVIEWS. Mr Beecher Macdonald, on behalf of his father, waited upon the Board in reference to ihe gates upon the Rangitata run, which had been objected to by Mr J. Warning, and w'lioli the Board had ordered to be removed. He presented a document signed by some 30 ratepayers in the neighborhood,Jstating that the gates were no inconvenience. He desired therefore that the gates might be allowed to remain.—The Board briefly reviewed its legal position with regard to the gates, aod ultimately it was resolved that the Board would not order the removal of the gates, provided the owners would hold the Board indemnified against any damage, and thm the gates are made suitable for all kinds of traffic and comply with the provisions of the Hoad Board Act.

Mr F. R. Oldfield requested permission to convey water for stock purposes from the Dairy Factory creek to his paddock aear the Main road.—The application was acceded to if the Overseer’s report is favorable. MR IADHAM’S APPLICATIONS.

Mr Badham interviewed the Board upon what he termed “ his old grievance,” v : z., his former request that the 26 acre allotment near his Rangitata section should be distrained upon for unpaid rates and sold. He did not ask the Board to reconsider its decision, but thought they might have stated the case a little more plainly. It appeared from the report of the previous meeting that only some 8s was due for rates, and he was twitted with having made a ridiculous application. As a matter of fact the land was worth ebout £s—not £6 par acre, but altogether—aod if the rates, which had been unpaid for at least 8 years, only amounted to 20j, that represented a fifth of (he value of the land. He thought the matter really ought to be attended to. Personally be was not interested, but a wrong impression of the matter had gone abroad, and he was getting chaffed about it.

Mr Quinn thought if that was all perhaps Mr Badhum would survive it. Mr Bad ham hoped so, and withdrew. CORREBPONDBNCI.

The following correspondence was read and dealt with ;

From the Chairman South Orari Rivsr Board, forwarding a copy of a special order of this Board, requesting the Boad Board to levy and collect a rate of oue farthing in the £ upon all rateable property in the River Board district.—The Clerk was instructed to take the necessary steps.

From Mr A. Baillie, Winchester, asking that his name might be put upon the roll in respect of a property leased by him at Winchester, and also enquiring if the blacksmith’s shop was included in the valuation.—The Clerk irae instructed to ascertain if the owner of the property was willing to allow the alteration, and if so to accede to the request. From the Geraldine County Council, forwarding cheque value £23 18s lOd, for balance of subsidy.

From the Clerk to the County Council, suggesting that the Overseer should see the water-race ranger in respect to damage complained of by Mr Ledgerwood.— The Overseer was instructed to arrange if possible with the Council’s engineer. to ensure the damage being repaired.

From Mr John Murray, Orari Station, asking that his name ought be put npon the roll in respect of section 3, part of the old railway reserve at Orari, and expressing sarpnse that ao notice had been taken of a previous application.—Tht Clark explained that until the new assessment was made the request could net be complied with. Thera was at present no such section on the roll.

From the Clerk to the Geraldine Road Board, in reference to the proposed diversion of road near Kelland’s reeerra No. 1310. An a'ternativn .schema would be laid before bis Board at its next meeting.—lt wae agreed to let (he natter stand over for the present.

A communication from the Audit Department in respect to a legal claim preferred against the Board was allowed to stand over.

The Property Tai Commissioner forwarded returns to ba filled up.

overseer's report.

The Overseer’s, report was road and dealt with as follows “ To th<* Chairman and members. “ Gentlemen,—l have the honor to report aa under:—Tenders have been invited for building bridge at Cooper’s Creek, and for concrete culvert, Belleston’s road. Contract No. 31, cleaning drain by Education reserve 939, is completed and passed for payment. The contractor for shingle repairs is proceeding with his work. A wooden culvert on the Waitohi by McCabe’s has been taken out and replaced with pipes. Other small jobs ordered to ba done are being proceeded with, and will be completed in about two weeks.

“ Jtl* on roads, Rangitata—During - the month I have inspected four of these gates, and find them fairly well bang* ■’ Two of them are ordinary 12 feet gate!, one is a double gate with 14 feet of a gate* way, and the other is an ordinary 14 feet ’ gate. Only one of these gates has a board wi'h the words “ Public road ” painted on it. “Road at Rangitata referred to in application—Portions of this road are rough, and (he water lies on other parts of it during wet weather, making it my soft for traffic. I would suggest that «bout £3O be spent io picking stones and filling hollows on this road and the road by the Rangitata school, which ie a con* tinuation of this road, and was applied for last meeting. This would meet all re* quirements at present. “MrWareing’a application—To make good the piece of road referred to in this application it would be necessary to form and shingle it. There are about 16 chains of it, and the cost would probably be £ —. I am, etc., W “F. A homer,” w It was resolved to invite tenders for formation and shingling at Mr J. Wareing’s, and repairing the road at Rangitata. TENDERS. The following tenders were received for Contract No. 32—Building concrete culvert—Divis and Melvin, £SB ; G. H. Lynch, £37 10s; E. Couniban, £22 10« (accepted ). Contract No. 33—Bridge at Cooper’s Creek—R. B. Sibley, £278 9a Bd.—The* Board decided not to go on with the work at piesent.—lt was arranged that two

members of the Board inspect the old bridge with the Overseer, with the view, of making arrangements for a|ford. The meeting then terminated.