MOUNT PEEL ROAD BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2180, 26 March 1891, Page 3

MOUNT PEEL ROAD BOARD.

The monthly meeting of this board was held in the Eoad Board office, Peel Porest, on Priday the 20th inst. Present—Hon. J. B. A. Acland (chairman), Messrs 0. G. Tripp, R. Mackay, E. Thew, and G. J. Dennistoun, COKBESPONDBNOB. The following correspondence was read and dealt with : Prom the Commissioner of Crown Lands stating that while the Land Board approves of the board’s proposal to form the road along the west side of Section 27302 from the boundary of the Mount Peel Road District up to Section 36096, they cannot approve of the money arising from section 36094 being spent on this road, as it would not give suitable access to that section, and recommending the road leading from the Cattle Yalley road to the Opuha river as more convenient, also approving of the board’s proposal to form the road from the Clayton road to give access to Section 86092. — Resolved, “ That tenders be called for forming the road from the end of the present formed road in Section 27802 to the southern boundary of Section 36096, and to include forming a short length of the road in Section 28583 to the Opuha river.—To make application to the Land Board to sanction the formation of a part of the road in Section 30291 to give access to section 36093, and suggest that as sections 30092, 36093, 36094, and 36096 are thus supplied with roads that the road on top of the Main Spur should be closed, as the Land Board have objected to money being spent on it.”

From Mr W. Dixon, applying to have the road formed from the Cattle Valley road to the Opuha river to provide access to his land.—To inform Mr Dixon that it has been decided to call tenders for the work. From Mr G. J, Hamilton, intimating that a petition from the ratepayers of the Clayton and Sherwood Downs, part of the district, was sent to the Geraldine County Council, asking their consenttothe separation of that district from Geraldine and its being joined to the Mackenzie County, and requesting the consent of the board to the proposed alteration. —The consideration of the matter was deferred to next meeting of the board. From Messrs Smithson and Raymand, forwarding £2B 10a from the Timaru Borough Council in payment of abandoned road in reserve 2195. From the Property Tax Commissioner stating that a voucher for the payment of £93 15s had been passed to the Treasury as subsidy on rates for the year 1890-91.

From Mr A. E. G. Rhodes, in reference to transfer of abandoned road between sections 1372 and 330^. From Messrs Tayjpr and Flatman, requesting that the name of Mr E T. Button be substituted on the Valuation Eoll in place of theirs for sections 823, 1339, and 1372. —Mr Button's consent being attached to the application the alteration was made.

From the Property Tax Commissioner, in reference to rating land taken up on perpetual lease, stating that such lands should be charged to lessee on the roll, and should not be charged in the same manner as pastoral leases.

INTERVIEW. Mr TV. Smith had an interview with the board in reference to purchasing the timber on the road line along the top of the high terrace in section 3809. —The matter was left with the overseer to arrange. OEAEI TRAFFIC BRIDGE. A long discussion took place respecting the Orari Traffic Bridge, when it was proposed by Mr Tripp, seconded by Mr Thew and carried, that the following letter be writtten to the Geraldine County Council, “ That this board view view with regret the action taken by the Geraldine County Council in proposing to close the Orari Traffic Bridge and convert it into a stock bridge; the Council surely are not aware of the immense benefit of this bridge to the ratepayers in this district and to the public at large, and would strongly protest on behalf of tho ratepayers to the bridge being anything else than a traffic bridge, and would suggest that if made eleven feet wide it would answer all the requirements of the district, and as the piles and other parts are reported by the surveyor of the Geraldine Hoad Board to be quite sound and will last for 15 years, the cost of a new decking cannot be very considerable. The County Council have in their office a petition signed by 240 ratepayers, which it is hoped will be read by the Council before any decision is come to on the subject. The Council must be aware that the bridge is on the main line of road between Christchurch and Dunedin, over which a great amount of traffic daily passes, and besides that it is almost impossible to make a river crossing by the side of the present bridge without encroaching upon private land, as the reserve is only a chain wide, and if the crossing is made it will destroy the present protective works in the way of willow planting, which has taken several years to grow.” ROAD MAINTENANCE. Mr Mackay brought under the notice of the board the unsatisfactory way in which the contract for the maintenance of the roads in the Eaincliff and Sherwood Downs district was being carried out. The contractor had done nothing on them for several months, consequently they were getting out of repair.—lt was resolved that the overseer be requested to report on all the roads in the Eaincliff, Clayton, and Sherwood Downs districts and state which roads are out of order, and that Mr Mackay and Mr Thew accompany Mr Irvine to see the roads. ACCOUNTS. Accounts to the amount of £B6 13» 4d were passed for payment, after which the board adjourned.