GERALDINE ROAD BOARD

Temuka Leader, Issue 2566, 10 October 1893, Page 2

GERALDINE ROAD BOARD

The above board met yesterday. Present —Messrs F. R. Flatman (chairman), Metcalf, Kelland, and Brophy, Mr W. Deßenzy, through the chairman sent an apology for non-attendance. TENDERS. Contract No. 386, Corse cutting, Orari Flat—No tenders received. Contract No. 390, formation road, Orari —J. Fifield, £B3 ; D. Gregan, £6B 10s ; Thos. Oorkery, £6B; T. Sugrue, £6O (accepted). STRAY OATTIiE. Resolved attention be drawn to the fact that too many cattle are at large on roads, especially on Sundays.” CORRESPONDENCE. Correspondence was received as under : From Mr O. G. Bradley, Hilton, on behalf of himself and several residents, asking board to have road made passable for a light vehicle from Henderson’s to top of bush at Maxwell’s. Mr Henderson would do the work for use of plough and scoop for a week.—Mr Henderson to make road passable. From Geraldine County Council, requesting board to arrange with men to start distributing poisoned grain on Monday, October 9th inst., and continue for a fortnight.—Board considered that the poisoned wheat sent was not properly dried, some being mildewed and bad smelling, and also containing noxious seeds. Board suggested that only good wheat should be used, and would like to know if the council intend to purchase eggs and heads.

From Geraldine Town Board, stating that they would pay half cost for footbridge at Morrison’s crossing when erected —Tenders to be invited.

From Mr J, T. Smith, Timaru, saying that he would get tracings for surveys iu Kakahu bush, which he hoped shortly to finish.—Read.

From Mr George O’Neil, Orari, offering to |ease a plantation reserve adjoining his section in Orari Village Settlement.— Board will probably be using the reserve for shingle shortly. From Me Henry Woodley, as chairman of Arundel School Committee, re the need of a footbridge over the creek crossing Rangitata road, between Mr G Patrick’s laud.—Foot-plank to be erected. From Mr Daniel Gregan, asking extension of ten days’ time for completion of contract for work on road, as he was unable to finish through wet weather.—To be considered when the contract is finished.

Prom <Jeraldine County Council, that Boards moiety of the hai’bour rate, £l9O 8s lid, was due.—Amount to be paid From same, that board’s application for refund of money for protective works done at Orari bridge cannot be entertained. —The board considered they had been unfairly treated by the council, aud that it was as much the duty qf thg Levels Road Board to protect the Tengawai bridge as for the Geraldine Road Board to protect the Orari bridge. From the Mouut Peel Road Board, re refund of £4 19s 2d, rates, to Hon. L. Walker, that they did not feel sure that they could legally make the refund, aud had written to the Auditor-General asking him if he would pass the item —Read. From Mr Thomas Godwin, asking that the name of Bridget Godwin bo placed on the rate roll in plage gf hia ows

sectious at Waihi Gorge, Woodbury.— Granted. From Mr S. W. Bladder, Pleasant Point, asking the board to attend to creeks on the bye-road from Borrell’s past Coppin’s old place.—Overseer to attend to the work. From Commissioner of Crown Lands, stating that the Land Hoard had approved of proposals submitted for expenditure of i thirds ” from rural sections 36103 and 36334, and “ thirds’' accruing would be paid over for improvement of road frontidg these sections. —Read. From the same, stating that the Department is in communication with lessees of river conservation reserves in the Oraii and Hae-hae-te-moana riverbeds to obtain definite expressions of opinion as to the removal of shingle from reserves; also asking board for plan\ of proposal to form road leading to Rural Sectious 36103 and 36105, on Waitohi Hills.—Read plan sent. From the South Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, showing expenditure of money on charitable aid in the road district for October, viz., £ 118 s; two recipients. INTERVIEW. Mr R. H. Pearpoint waited on the board, on behalf of the Geraldine Cricket Club, offering to buy the board’s roller for keeping their cricket pitch in order.The board agreed to sell the roller for £2. Mr G. Booker, Oraii, waited cn the board asking that an unused road in his property be closed.—The board decided that the overseer report on the matter, and advised Mr Booker to write te the Commissioner of Crown Lauda if he wished the road closed. As it would cost the board more to close the road than they would get for the land, they could not undertake to close it. gof.se. Carrying out their previous resolution re gorse, the board chose 11 of the worst cases of negligence with regard to gorse clearing. The 11 names were placed in a hat, and it was decided to take legal proceedings against the six persons whose names were drawn first, viz. : —Messrs Murdoch McLeod, Daniel Guthrie, Daniel Gregan, A. W. Naldor, A. W. Macdonald, and J. Breen. The five lucky persons who escaped were Messrs Wm. Patrick, juu., Thomas Hall, P. McCaskill, J. Lewis, and A. E. Foster. It was resolved that persons who have cut gorse lying about the roads also be summoned.

overseer’s report. The overseer reported : “ Contracts : The works in hand, with one exception, have progressed very slowly during the past month. No. 384, driving iron rails at Sugrue’s crossing, Belfield—This work has had to stand for the past two weeks on account of the Orari being too high. One day’s work will complete the pile driving, which will probably be done to-day. No. 385, formation and shingle, Oarrig’s Roa«), Waitohi Hills—l forwarded an estimate of this work to the commissioners. This has been approved of, and the work is iu hand, and will be completed this week should the weather permit. Nos. 357 and 388, cutting gorse at plantation and gravel reserves on the Geraldine and Waihi Flat, were let during the month, tenders being let by the chairman. The work is now iu hand. No. 389, formation and shingle, Cemetery road, Woodbury— This work has been completed and passed for payment. Works attended to : Have been repairing side rails at Orari bridge, and deck of bridge on Geraldine Downs, shingle repairs to roads iu the Orari village settlement, Lewis’, Hawke’s, and Simpson’ roads, reserve 389, and the Orari Gorge and Cook’s roads, Orari Flat. The two latter roads were a good deal cut up with heavy timber traffic during the wet weather in the early part of the past mouth. Bray’s road and Wells’s road, Gapes’s Valley, have been repaired. The drain on Gould’s road has also been cleaned out, and the river crossings have required a good deal of attention on account of constantly recurring small freshes rendering them very rough with boulders. Suspension bridges —As directed I had an interview with the members of the Town Board at their last meeting, and submitted a sketch plan of proposed bridge at Morrison’s crossing. This was unanimously approved of, and the Town Board agreed to pay half cost of bridge. I have therefore ordered the piles for this bridge, and also for the bridge at Skinner’s creek. Poisoned grain : Since the county council took charge fourteen fourbushel sacks of wheat have been distributed on the roads, and 240 small bags issued from the office to farmers for sowing on the land. To anyone travelling round the district it is evident there is a great reduction in the number of birds, particularly the larks and linnets. The sparrows appear to be more wary, and don’t take the grain so readily as the others. The council purpose commencing sowing again this week, and continuing for 14 days during the sowing season There is a good acreage of oats yet to be put down in this road district, Kakahu Bush ; Owing to illness the resurvey of the road through the bush has not been carried out. I expect the surveyor to be on the ground shortly, as I have a letter to that effect. Rates : The amount of general rate collected to date is £342 4s 6d. The rates are now coming in very slowly. Rents —There are also a few rents in arrear which I have endeavored to collect,—l have, etc., “ Wm, Shiebs, n Overseer,”

The report was read axid considered satisfactory. It was resolved that tenants be asked to pay their rents at once, PAY-SHEET. Accounts amounting to £332 7s 10c! were passed for payment.