GERALDINE ROAD BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1929, 13 August 1889, Page 3

GERALDINE ROAD BOARD.

The monthly meeting of (bis board was held yesterday. Preeenl—Messrs F. R. Flatman (chairman), W. DeHenzy, J. Kellaod, and A. Metcalf. An apology for non-attendance through illness was received from Mr Slack. MINUTES. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. NEW MEMBER. The returniag officer wrote intimating the return of Mr Anthony Metcalf as a member of the board in the room of Mr L, Grant, resigned. TENSERS. Tenders were opened and dealt with as follows ; Contract No. 293 Driving piles at Orari; P. Billings, £9 8s; R. Richards, £9 6s (accepted.) COXSEBPONSENOS. Correspondence was read and dealt with as follows From Mr A. Baker, a tenant of one of the board’s cottages, asking that a range in the cottage adjoining might be shifted to the one occupied by him, as Mrs Denoon, another of the board’s tenants, would prefer to have the colonial oven now in his cottage.—The request was

granted pxiyMed tho tenants bore the cost of exchange, or the tenants could exchange rotlsges. From the manager, Bank of New Zealand, re money placed at deposit with that bank. From tho Manager Bank of New South Wales, re the same. From Mr South, Smithfield, asking to have the drain opposite his property cleaned out, and offering to do the work for £1 per annum. —The board declined to clean out in future any drains where the water was not injuring the road. From Mr T. McGillicuddy, offering to keep the gorse fences round one of the shintde reserves in good order as rent for the reserve. —Decided to offer the, reserve to Mr McGillicuddy at the usual rate of 2tL per annum. From tho Clerk S.C. Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, enclosing a return from the hospital, and asking to be furnished with some information ie the same. From the Geraldine Town Board, in reply to the board’s letter, stating that the former board would study Mr J. G. Brown’s interests when constructing their water-race. From Mr J. Gregan, re the track leading to the footbridge over the Pleasant Valley River. —The matter was in the hands of the Commissioner Crown Lands, who wrote re the same. From Mr W. M. Howe, Gapes’ Valley, staling that ha had made eight sowing* of the 101 bof poisoned wheat, and had picked up on his own land 153 birds.— The result was considered Very satisfactory. From Messrs Fcrguason and Meredith, asking for .the road to be completed to section Nd; lOOSimWaiht Bush to allow of their gelling timber from their mill.— Overseer to report on the same. From Mr Geo. Jeffries, offering a rental of £1 per annum for reserve No, 2153. Granted, From Mr O. M. Brooke, Ashburton, re the best means of poisoning small birds.— Read. From Mr J. Bennett, engineer to the Government radways, offering to supply the board with 5 tons of iron rails at £3 per ton,—Accepted. From the S.O. Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, requesting the board to pay the sum of £94 10<, being the first moiety of the board’s coutribut on for the year.— Amount piid. From the Property Tax Commission#! 1 , Wellington, in reply to n letter from the board, suggesting certain alterations in tho manner of compiling the valuation roll, regretting that be could not see his way clear to adopt the suggestions. From the same re certain alterations required to be made in the valuation roll. Attended to. From the Receiver of Land Revenue, Christchurch, asking the board to sign and return certain orders to enable him to pay to the board’s credit any sums that might become due to it under the payments to loci bodies.—Attended to. From Mr S. F. Smithson, asking to have the name of Mr H. Coulter placed upon the rat© roll for sections No. 21572-3-4, 22296, and 28178.—Mr Coulter having counter-signed the request, it was agreed io. overseer’s repost. The overseer’s report was read and dealt with as follows ; “I have the honor to report for the information of the board as under :

"Satisfactory progress has been made with the contracts in hand, two or three of which are on the point of completion.

“ Reserve at Orari—The reserve at Orari Village Settlement has been surveyed, fenced, and the agreement forwarded to the Crown Lauds Commissioner. “ Abolished Roads—l have offered the land contained in the closed roads to the adjoining owners in areas as shown on the plans. 11 Works Required—-The road between Sealey’s and Morris’s wants re-forming to the top ef the Downs, and the road leading over the Downs from Hilton to the Rangitira Bush also requires repairs. “ Works Attended to—The teams have been at work carting shingle for repairs on various roads during the month, the following roads having been attended to ; —Main Road, Boundary Road, Orari Station Road, and Belfield T.S., Woodbury, and Gould's roads, and others. “ I have ordered five tons of iron rails for the work above the Orari Bridge, and called tenders for driving the same, as 1 j expect the rails to hand at anytime. “ Gorse—l have issued a number r of gorse notices since last meeting, which have had a good effect. “Poisoned Wheat—There has been a good demand for this article, half a ton of which has been given out this season to date, “Shingle Repairs—The road leadingte the coal mines at the Kakahu and the road near Opnha Station require shingle repairs. “ W, Shiiks, “ Overseer.” It was decided to offer the c’ossd roads to other occupiers adjoining where they hud not been accepted by those to whom first offered. It was decided to re-form the roads mentioned as requiring it when the gorse was cleared by the owners adjoining. It was also decided to procure some willows, if necessary, for the protection works above the Orari Bridge ; also to call tenders for shingling the road leading to Kakahu coal mines, and tbs road near Opaha Station. SMALL birds’ q«ESTION. Mr Dell*nzy spoke very strongly on the small birds nuisance. He would like te see a wholesale raid made on the birds ♦ his year, and woeld be in favor of giving the poisoned grain to the ratepayers, and so have it laid all over the district. He considered the small birds nuisance was becoming a very formidable one, A conversational discussion followed, and it was finally decided to adhere to the present plan of selling the grain at Is the 101 b bag. The price to the board was shown to be 3s per bag, WAIHI FOOXBBID4E. Mr Metcalf stated that he had obtained the permission of Mr Groundwater for a small wing dam to be erected to send the water under the Waihi footbridge, but Mr Weaver would not give his consent to the work. Mr Metcalf pointed out that at present a plank was placed over the stream running round the end of the footbridge, bat there was considerable danger in a small fresh of the plank becoming unsafe and precipitating children or other* into the water.

Mr Melcalf h d nf», lied at the previous meeting for the work to be done to allow of children in the district getting to the school, and his request had been granted provided the consent of Messrs Groundwater and Weaver, the adjoining property owners, could bo got. Members thought the board could not do the work without the stipuhted consent. It was decided thsfc should nny change occur in the river before next board meeting the chairman, Mr Metcalf, and the overseer should visit the spot, and see what could be done. DEPUTATIONS. MrJ, Hutfey waited on the board and asked to buy a small piece of road near his property, as it was impossible to keep the gorge down without ploughing and harrowing. The road, he stated, was of no use to anyone but himself.—Members were of opinion that the cost of closing the road would be considerable, and (bought it would be better to lease (he road to Mr Hnffey at a small rental. —lt was decided to let the matter stand over till next board meeting. Mr J. Grogan waited on the board with regard to the track leading to the footbridge over the P.Y. Hirer.—Mr Gregan was informed that the matter was now in the bands of the Commissioner of Lands. When bis report on the subject came to hand the board would take tbs steps they considered necessary. 60ESI ON EOADS. The olerk reported that most of those persons who bad received notice re their gone had oommeneed to clear the gorse, and seme had completed the work. Members were decidedly of opinion that no relaxation should be made in this matter, and a further batch of names were drawn, and it was resolved to give them notice, and if the same is not complied with by the September meeting to issue summonses. ACSOTJNTS, Accounts amounting to £196 IBs 7d were passed for payment, and the board adjourned.