MASTERTON ROAD BOARD.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1544, 26 November 1883, Page 2

MASTERTON ROAD BOARD.

Tee usual monthly meeting of the above Board was held on Saturday last. Present—Messrs Meredith, Ben,, (Chairman), Dagg, Chamberlain, and Maoqaarrie,

The minutes of previous meeting were «* read and continued, .' - Inward Correspondence was reaaSnd daalt with a> follows: <

From the Cashpoint Boad Board, re the expenditure of £lO on Millar's road, being the Board's portion of the turn ti £52 6s, expended on that road, and agreed to be paid at the late conference. From Messrs Holmes requesting that the balance of the money obtained under the Roads and Bridges Construction Aot, be expended on the Matahiwi road. It waß decided to invite tenders for work to the amount available.

From Mr Connal, assistant'engineer, requesting a list of contracts entered into by the Board under tho Roads and Bridges Construction Act, The Clerk stated that the return as requested had been sent,

From Mr Hugh Jackson and othets, as to the road leading through lands lately sold by the Government at the Kopuarangi and requesting that Bomothiug might bo done to make it passable, The Clerk was instructed to inform Mr Jackson that the road wps still under the control of tho East County Council to whom he should Bend the application, and that his letter would be forwarded to that body. From Mr J. Stuokoy, re the closing of the road to his property, and intimating that he would hold the Board responsible for the action, Tho Chairman stated that tho old road had been abandoned, and in consequence of tho delay in obtaining money from the Government under the Act; the work on the naw road could not be proceeded with, The engineer was instructed to expend the sum of iUO to enable Mr Stuokoy to get to and from his proporiy, until the money applied for can bo obtained. The Clerk was instructed to write to Mr McLachlan, and request kirn to erect a gate in the fouce between his property aud Messrs Wrigley From The Treasury, notifying that tho sum of 1345 had been paid in to the credit of the Board.

From Mr Blalohford stating that he would not bind himself to pay tho £6O for fencing &c, on Mr Martin's lino of road, unless the arrangement was completed within a month. It was resolved that the Board's Solictor be Instructed to prepare a transfer of the land necessary for the road, and that in the meantime the clerk request Mr Blalohford to pay the £6O.

From tho Sheep Department accepting tho terms of tho Board re letting two rooms on the Board's premises for offices, The chairman was authorised to make the necessary arrangements with the department, EESOLYEn That fresh tenders be invited for work on the Upper Opaki line, the one received being considered too high, and that Messrs Meredith, Dagg, and Chamberlain be requested to moot on Saturday, Bth December, to decide on those reciived, That the clerk write to the Castlepoint Board and request payment of the £7O granted for repairs to the B|airlogie road, That the radius from which tho ranger oan impound stock be oxtendod from fonr to six miles on all unfenoed lands.

That the clerk write to the Treasury for information ro money on deforred payment settlements to credit of the Board, ENGINEER'S REPOBT,

Sir,—l have tho honor to lay before you "■ my roport on tho works of the district for the past month, as follows :- No, 2 Ward-The two road contracts, Vk the Fernridgo and Weraite works, whicWh reported last month as approaching comply tion, havo been finished during the past week, and in all respects may bo said to havo been satisfactorily performed. I havo there, foro released tho contractors from further liability therewith, and recommend that the respective balances duo on a coount of same may bo paid over to them. The material for the culverts proposed to bo substituted for the womout Midges on the Tauoru road has been partially delivered on the sites, and I anticipate shortly being in a position to proceed with their construction and the earthing of them in. I will suggest that the obstruction to public traffic caused by tho fencing erected in connection with tho Te Ore Ore toll be removed, and that the County Council bo advised to retain possession of the toll house, it being a very suitable cottage for a maintenance mari.'Und conveniently situated (for the supervision: of tho lower sections of the Masterton-Bideford and Mas-terton-Waimatamain roads.. I have,as yet, taken no steps in tho direction of painting the Upper Waipoua and Kopuaranga bridges, the recent broken weather having been unsuitable for such work. No, 3 Ward—Miki Miki Valley road.— This contract has been recently completed by Mr Wyeth in a creditable manner, the work throughout showing care and precision in tlwir execution, The bridge over tho Waipoua river, at the entrance to the abovo line, is fairly well advanced, and, I understand, will be open for traffic in the course of ten days or a fortnight, Tho materials and workmanship in its construction are true to specification, and the works generally are of a satisfactory nature. Messrs Ras> mussen & Co. have recently commenced operations on the Upper Feroridge road, line. Tho felling of the standing bush along tho gravel sideling on the'intermediate section has been undertaken, where it is proposed to start the formation works, the lowto lying flats being too wet at present to' admit of their burning off the large stumps and roots wbiob form a close network over the whole surface of the ground. Complying with my instructions I have defined the boundaries of the laud proposed to be taken from MrMackay's Opaki!property in ordsr • to give aright of access into Mr Donivan'j ' land. I also accompanied Mr Elkins, and indicated to him the places at which tho line intersects his fences,-and understood from • him that the gates will be erected at these points without further delay, No. i Ward-The formation of the Waipawa Valloy road is progressing slowly, and owing to the necessary suspension of the " operations on the centre section until Hitat Beetle's bosh ii burnt [off, fhf ftft Of

OOrapletion of the. contort is, I feat, in the remote future, I havo recommended to Mr «««, vitha view of accelerating matters, that he sublot the bridge works in connection with his contract, to some person the Dam may approve of, and am anxious that this section of the work, which Mr Parker agrees to, shall bo transferred to' ilio subcontractor at a price to be agreed upon won himself anil bis siuVcontractor. •Inis, I feci euro, is the only satisfactory manner in which to ensure tho works being pushed forward at once, and I will, therefore, ask the Board to support the carrying out of tho proposal. When last inspected, the greater part of the earthwork had been broken, and many of the culverts constraotcd along the line. The works throughout are fairly well executed, Th'o remainder of the materials for culverts and bridges will ahortly bo delivered on tho ground, and with nioro favorable weather, the works may be finished in about six weeks' timo, The dams on this lino are being carried out under the direction of tho Warden, and are in a forward state of construction, The cottage for the accommodation of tho rcadman in tins ward lias been completed by Mr C. Daoiells, The whole of the timber for the

„. construction of the Whakatamahino bridge ( is all but prepared, and the piles for tho Waintiioru bridge are also squared. The works in connection with both bridge's will shortly, be proceeded with, ■•; No, 6 Ward-A gang of men, under the the direction of Mr McKenzio, aro at present opening up tho Blairlogio road, and arrangements are proceeding for the delivery of tho necessary timber to construct additional culverts required on tho line. Tenders will be laid before tho .Board for works advertised on the Upper Opaki line.-I have, &0., £ E, Bremner. . Tho report was adopted and n resolution was peseil approving of tho engineer pushing on tho work on tho Bloirlogio road,

Tho engineer was instructed to see to m some work required on tho Mauricevillo toad, JrUt Macquavrio was authorised'to expend the aum of £5 on the road between his place and Brannigan's. ' THE EONUS QUESTION. Mr Oy Osborno made an application to the Board for a bonus of £lO on account of extra work on tho contract ho took oil the Upper Fcrnridgo road, through tho large boulders in tho material not being anticipated by him or tho eugineor, con- • • sequently the grade had to bo lowered,

Tho engineer reported iliat owing to the natuio of tho ground tho contractors had to do extra work to iho amount, applied for, and that llioy lmd finished the work faithfully. Bo.tho lowing of the grade, thia was douo to savo extra work, for if it had not been done, the material for tho road would havo ■ had to bo obtained from a distance, thus involving extra expense. The question was discussed at some length, the genoral opinion being that the practice of granting bonuses to losing contractors was.an unfair proceeding, and ■ calculated to encourage careless contracting, and if contractors undertook to do work at a coi'tain emu the loaa, if any, should fall npon themselves. The Chairman proposed that a bonus ot £§ be given to Mr Osborno to compensate him for his loss, Tho motion not finding a Booondor was declared lost. APPLICATIONS. Mr Robinson, of Towhili, applied for something to bo done to the road leading to his. property. Aa Mr llobinsou had beeen paying rates for about twclvo years,-and has had nothing done since he has been there it was decided that tho sum of 112 be expendedon tho road in question, Mr' Btiick 'handed in a requisition Bigned by eleven ratepayers on theAkura and Pairau lino of road, calling attention to thn heavy and muddy stato of the road during the winter, and requesting something to be.donc during tho winter months to improve it,

The Engineor aud Messrs Chamberlain Buick and Evorott wo requested to go over the road and ascertain tho work to be done, WOKES AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, Messrs Chamberlain,- Dagg, and Beotham, 'with the Chairman as ex-officio member, were elected Works and Finanoo Committee to moot on the Friday afternoon preceding the usual monthly meetings of tho Board, at 3 o'clock, MISCELLANEOUS. The Clerk was instructed to apply to tho Government for rales due, and to inform Mr Anderion of Ekclahuna (in ansiver to hiß application) that as his rates only amounted to a very small sum, it was not in their powor to do tho work ho required but that they would allow two years rates of his property to assist in making a road to his place,

• The Chairman undertook to reply to Mr Eutherford, ro the' forming of tho Wairere road and borrowing money undor the roads and Bridges'Giiiistriicti on Aot. • Accounts amounting to £982 8s lOd, wore passed for payment. The meeting then adjourned.