GERALDINE ROAD BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2554, 12 September 1893, Page 3

GERALDINE ROAD BOARD.

The above Board met yesterday. Prepent—F. R. Flatman (chairman), K. Brophy, Deßenzy, Metcalf, and Kellaud. TENDERS.

Tenders were dealt with as under :

No. 385, formation and shingling Car rig* s Road, Pleasant Valley Road— Daniel Gregan, jun., £24 10s; John Sugrue, £23 4s 6d; W. F. Bennett, £2O 10a (accepted). No. 386, cutting gorae fences Orari, Fiat —No tenders received. No. 387, cutting gorse fences on reserves near Woodbury—One tender. —Tender -too high ; fresh tenders to be called, to be accepted by Chairman or Overseer. No. 388, gorse grubbing etc., Geraldine Flat—No tender. No. 389, formation and shingling Cemetery Road, Woodbury John Fifield, £l4 17s 6d; E. Bennett, £lO 15s; John Sugrue, £9 18s. (Accepted.) CORRESPONDENCE. From Ballance Memorial Committee, requesting that list be sent in. From Mr Richards, Geraldine, applying for renewal of lease of reserve, and about .30 posts to repair fence. —Granted. Ik From Mr T. Godwin, asking Board to Bridget Godwin’s name on the roll of his own. —Informal applica-

Vrom Mr A. B. G. Rhodes, M.8.R., copy of a letter from the Lands MTrvey Department, which he thought Bfore satisfactory than the previous one lent, re section Board wished for reserve. From Mrs K. Quaid, offering to pay £2 for transfer of piece of land from Mrs Buckley to Board if Board will not alter present roadway by her house.—Offer refused. From Mrs E. Buckley offering to sell piece of land at Pleasant Valley, near Quaid's, for the sum of £6,cost of transfer to be borne by board.—Offer accepted. From Mr Jameß Shaw, Rangitata, applying for water race crossing on Rae's Road.—Jranted, subject to approval of overseer.

From Timaru Harbour Board, re advance made by shingle. From Mr Robert Taylor, Woodbury, drawing attention to unsatisfactory state of the road over the Geraldine Downs by his farm. —Work to be done when weather permits. From Lands and Survey Office, stating that the Land Board had approved of payment of " thirds " for expenditure on roads in the Belfield village settlement in the manner requested by settlers. overseer's report. The overseer reported : " Contracts: Owing to various causes little progress has been made with contracts during the month, with the exception of No. 383, which has this day been passed for payment. No. 382 : Formation and shingle Boundary road, near Tripp's, has not been commenced, No. 384: Driving iron rails for groyne at Orari river has been delayed through the river frequently being flooded, but job is now in hand, and will be completed thi3 week. Roads at Orari V.S. : As instructed, I have inspected the roads applied for at Orari. They are in two sections. The first is named Black Street, and runs through the V.S. to the main coach road, a distance of 56 chains. This Btreet covers the worst piece of ground in the township for a road ; about 4 chains are under water after heavy rains. Large drains will be required on either side to get stuff to raise a road above water level and keep it dry. The formation of this street will cost—. The lower section alongside the railway is 140 chains in length, and has been cut up a good deal with heavy traffic, during late wet weather. There are also several hollows and pools. Cost of formation Have examined track through bush leading up from old station, and find road to be covered with scrub from 12 to 14 feet wide. Will require to be resurveyed through Mr Studholme's section before any work js done, as, there «$ no ppad pegs to be found for that distance. fj?}ie' }in!e of road, although steep in plaeigs. is not difficult, excepting at one pitta**' whore solid rock §vom out oo * K * , - Ther<? is uq timber ■-« *»"«?»• * v,v w over 3 mcneg m uiamsler on the road, all having been cit off many years ago. The cost for dewing road aud making track would bo «^—. Bridge at Skinner's Creek: To build a single plank footbridge with wire an one side and hand rails would cost &'—, or a suspenison bridge with one span £ —. A stock bridge on timber piles would cost £ —. Orari River: A few Ghaauels have been scooped out with the desired effect of diverting the water from the crossing at Sugrue's. Bridges Haoto Moana : Willow stakes have been pUnted at the bridge near Burke's, and near wing rails erected for the crossing of sheep at the bridge near McQuillan's. Owing to numerous small ireshes and deep water I have, not boea able, to get

the willows fixed above the Orari Bridge; they are on the spot ready to put in when the water recedes. Poisoned wheat As requested by the County Conucil two men were engaged on August 16th to distribute poisoned wheat on the public roads throughout the district. Ten fourbushels sacks of wheat have been sown on the roads, and 160 small bags given out to the farmers from the office. From enquiry made, and from personal observation, I am led to believe that the birds are rapidly destroyed. lam opinion that the system adopted is a good one, especially if started earlier in the season. —I am, etc, " Wm. Shieks, " Overseer."

The report was read, and it was decided to hold work over at Slack Street Orari, and to form the road at lower section alongside railway. It was also agreed to have survey work done at Wreathall's road, and to erect a suspension bridge at Skinner's Creek. THE PROPOSED NEW BRIDGE.

No communication was received from the Geraldine Town Board re the proposed foot bridge for the Waihi crossing, near Mr Morrison's, bat the board decided that the overseer wait on the town board with a plan, and state that hip board will do the work necessary and pay half cost. The Geraldine Road Board are also in favor of the bridge being at the present crossing. PAY-SHEET.

Accounts amounting to £135 14s 6d were passed for payment. GORSE. The question of gorse-clearing came up, and members concurred in the opinion that some steps should be taken to make people clear their gorse; also that in clearing gorse it should not be allowed to lie about the roads for any length of time, aB it was dangerous to shying horses. Resolved—" That the overseer report on the worst cases of neglecting to clear gorse, so that the board can take proceedings." The board then rose.