GREY ROAD BOARD.

Grey River Argus, Volume V, Issue 348, 7 April 1868, Page 2

GREY ROAD BOARD.

The usual weekly meeting of the Board was held on Friday evening at the Mechanics' Institute, Gresson street. All the members were present, Mr Fox in the chair. The following correspondence was read : A letter from the County Secretary, relating to an application from Mr Coates, for protection to a track known- as Meehan's Track, and stating that if it be approved by the Road Board, the Government 'had no objection to grant protection and authority to charge tolls, to be approved by the Chairman of the County Council. A letter from Messrs G. Smith and Co., contractors for the repair of the Cobden Wharf, applying for the use of one of the pile-driving machines for one week, and stating their willingness to pay for its use. Mr Whall moved, and Mr Wickes seconded, that the letter be referred to the sub-committee for consideration. Mr Leaoh moved, and Mr Baknhill seconded, that the Secretary communicate with Messrs Smith and Co., and inform them that the machines are engaged. Mr Whall opposed the amendment, because the Board had an engine to spare, and they ought to oblige the Nelson Government in a matter of this kind. After some remarks from Mr Leach, the amendment was lost, and the original motion carried. The Treasurer's account was read (it was simply the Bank-book) which showed that L 654 14s 2d had been paid in to the credit of the Board, and LIBO had been paid by cheques. The Treasurer (Mr Wickes) moved that ■ the following accounts be passed, and ordered to be paid : — Howie, LlB 2s 6d ; do., Ll2ss lOd ; Staging, LlO ; Rickard's L 3 ; R«ie and Co, LSO ; Labor, L3O 9s 6d ; I Stone, L2O ; Noy, L 9 0s 4d— total, LI 52 173 2d. Carried. The report of the Paroa Sub-committee on the oiler of Messrs Hartley, Hamilton and Co., the proprietors of the Rutherglen Tramway, to sell the tramway and the track to Welshman's Terrace to the Board was read as follows : — Public Works Office, Greymouth, April 3, 18GS. REPORT OF PAROA SUB-COMMITTEE. To the Chairman and Members of the Grey District lload Board. Gentlemen — Your Committee met on April the 3rd, for the purpose of considering the course of the proposed road to the New River, and have the honor to report as follows : — We have had au interview with the proprietors of the Butherglen Tramway, and also with the proprietors of the Welsmau's track, in which they signify their intention in writing to sell the tramway and track to the Board, at a valuation . Your Committee, after a careful consideration of the above proposals, have come to the conclusion that the present financial state of the Board does not justify such au expenditure upon a road which, with reasonable charges in even' way at present, suits the public convenience ; nor Ccin your Committee entertain a hope of the lioud Board having sufficient means at their disposal for a considerable time to come to justify such an outlay. We would prefer leaving the subject before the whole Board in Committee, before auy furthei steps are taken m the matter. On the motion of Mr Whall, the report was adopted, and the Secretary authorised to inform the applicants that their offer could not at present be entertained. The Sub-Committee for the Grey Protection Works reported that they had accepted the following tenders : — SOOO fascines, at 10c! per bundle, Fowler and Thompson. Gravel, at 2s 4d per cubic yard, Fullarton. They had also given permission to Mr Dale to make certain improvements requested by him. The weekly report from the Inspector of Works was read and received. The following tenders for the protective work at Saltwater fvere opened : — W. Heaphy, L 125 ; F. Pearce, Lllß ; Michael Kelly, L 10 5; D. Macfarlane, Llll ; Thomas Hudson, LUG ; Jas. Reid, L 122 ; R. Sutherland and Co., L 10 4; G. P. Fellows, L 95 ; Campbell and M'lntyre, L 132 ; I<\ Weedon, L 124 ; Thos. M\Leod, LlO5 ; L. Stephen, Llls ; Smith and Co., L9B ; M. O'Connor, Ll3O. Mr Leach moved that the tender of Mr G. P. Fellows be accepted, conditionally on a satisfactory guarantee being obtained for the payment of the proposed subsidy by the inhabitants. The motion was carried. Mr Fox moved that the opinion of Mr Aitken be taken as to whether a main road by the Grey River or New River would tend most to open up the country. Carried. By permission, Mr Wickes moved, without notice, that an application be made by the Road Board to the Nelson Government for a subsidy towards the Grey River Protection Works. This was seconded by Mr Whall and carried, and \ the Secretary was instructed to communicate with the Nelson authorities on the subject. It was moved by Mr Whall, and seconded by Mr Leach, that the Secretary be instructed to write to the Chairman of the County Council, to ascertain the amount of surplus revenue available for j the Board for the month of March. Carried. Moved by Mr Whall, and seconded by Mr Leach, that the Secretary do make application for the payment of the second moiety of the subscription by the inhabitants of the Lower township towards the bank protection. Carried. On the motion of Mr Whall, a resolution was carried directing the Secretary to apply to Mr Cooper, the district surveyor, for the loan of a theodolite or other instruments to Mr Johnston, the Board's Inspector of Works. Mr Leach moved and Mr Fox seconded, that Mr Barnhill's name be added to the Sub-committee. Carried. Mr Wickes moved and Mr Fox seconded that the Secretary do write to Messrs Hindmarsh and Garside to ascertain their terms to act as auditors once a fortnight for six months. Carried. Mr Whall moved that the contracts for iron work be cancelled, and that the Sub-committee be empowered to make fresh contracts. Seconded by Mr Wickes, and carried. The following is the report of the Sulcommittee for the Grey Protective Works on Mr Rochfort's letter : — Gentlemen — We beg to report that we have taken into consideration the letter received from Mr Received from Mr Rochford, County engineer, and referred to us by the Board, and find in our proposed plan of cai •

rying out the protective works that we have made provision, namely, the land ties 40 feet apart of which we informed you at a former meeting, to prevent the piles or protective work being forced out, the same as occurred with the work now standing above the wharf, and that part which has been carried away, originally constructed under Mr Rocbfort's plans and advice ; *nd that we find it necessary to keep the work 15in. higher than that which has been carried away to obtain a uniform gradient to ensure the protective work being at a sufficient height at the lowest point to be of any service for what it is intended. With reference to planking, we are of the same opinion that it is necessary to be done, as we have suggested ; if not, the work would not be braced and secured sufficient to keep the fascines and top ballast from being carried away in the event of a scouring taking place at any part of the work which would, if it occurred at any time, necessitate the removal of the top ballast to prevent the loss of the same. The Board then adjourned until 12 noon on Friday, the 10th hist,