GREY ROAD BOARD.

Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 386, 4 July 1868, Page 2

GREY ROAD BOARD.

The usual weekly meeting of the Board was held yesterday afternoon, in the Engine room^ Present ; Messrs Fox (in the chair), Xseach, and Wickes. I The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. A letter was road from the County Secretary's office enclosing a draft for £400, being the amount of surplus revenue due to the Board for the month of June. (It was explained that this was a. mistake, and should have been May.) A letter was read from Messrs Lcthman, Blackmore, Glenn Bros, Barkley, M'Kinty, J. Taylor, and D. Maclean and Co, with respect to the condition of Albert street. They stated that the street could be formed for <£20, and they were willing to pay the half of this sura for the improvement of the street, if the Board paid the other half. Mr Kilgimr wrote stating his intention to extend his tramway, and asking for the proper levels from the Board's Engineer, The following report was read from the District Engineer : — I have the honor of submitting to you the following report on the progress of works under my superintendence up to the 30th. June: — The extras to Saltwater Protection, ordered by the Board, have been completed at a cost of £52, the certificate for which I have furnished. Tha Landing Steps contract is progressing favorably, and will be complete about the end of next week. Rae and HaworthY contract, No. 14, for 24,000 feet timber, is completed. Kelly and Co. 's contract, No. 16, 100 piles, is completed. Squared Capping contract is also completeu. J. Henderson and Co.'s contract fo^ Capping and Planking i 3 progressing favorably, and will be completed in about four weeks from date. I would again, draw your attention to the urgent necessity of having more contracts let for supplying scrub to fill up behind the protection works. If some means are not adopted of having the space filled before the end of September the spring floods may do more damage than years of revenue could repair. The correspondence was received. The Treasurer (Mr Wickes) stated that during the week he had paid into the bank in all £410 18s 6d, and there had been paid away £131 8s 7d, leaving a balance to the credit of the Board of £287 9s lid. A labor sheet, salaries, and accounts amounting to L 241 13s 5d were passed, and ordered to be paid. A deputation, consisting of Mesgrs Parkinson and Masters, from the Wesleyan Church, waited on the Board with respect to the improvement of the road from Mawhera Quay to the Church, especially opposite the Hospital. The residents and others were willing to subscribe half the cost of the work, which would only amount to some £30, if the Board would subscribe the other half. Mr Wickes agreed to the necessity of carrying out the work, but he pointed out that the money they received from the Council could not be applied to the making of roads. Two-twelfths were set apart solely for the protective works, and the other two for the country. They rushed into a similar work in Gresson street, before they understood clearly their position in this respect. Besides, they had no money whatever to apply to the town roads, unless they levied rates in the town. He suggested that they should wait until the Municipality came into existence. Mr Parkinson pointed out that in the meantime some serious accident might take place in that street. ; The Chairman supported what had been said by Mr Wickes. He was very sorry to have to give the deputation a point blank denial, but it was impossible to do otherwise. When they knew whether there was to be a Municipality in town or not they would be able favorably to consider the matter. They had no power whatever to make a road in town. Permission was given to the deputation to make a temporary track to the Church, and the services of the engineer were granted for the purpose. Authority was given to the Sub committee to erect a set of landing steps at ! the wharf ; and it was resolved to place at the disposal of the engineer the sum of £15 for any works of emergency which might arise, and the same may be rescinded at any meeting of the Board. The letter of Mr Kilgour was then taken up for discussion. Mr Wickes thought the Board should have been itsked for leave to extent the tramway up the Quay before the work was commenced. If this was not to be done there was an end to the power of the Board, and he, or any other person, might next week commence tearing up the Quay, and there was nobody to prevent them. He did not believe in a person first commencing work on a public street, and then asking the permission to do it. Mr Fox said that if the proprietors had the power to carry it up the Quay, it was for them to show their authority to the Board. The powers of the Board were equal to those of a Municipality ; they could prevent any encroachments on the public roads, and they would not allow every person who chose to tear up the streets. He believed Mr Kilgour had some claim or lease with respect to the laying of a tramway from the shed up to the end of the town, but the Board knew nothing about it, and they were not supposed to know. It was for Mr Kilgour to put them in possession of his information to show them how he was empowered to lay a tramway up the Quay. They had received no instructions from the Government, and were they to allow Mr Kilgour, in the face of all law and order, to break up 'tie road as he thought fit ? The moment Mr Kilgour satisfied him that lie had the necessary authority, he was perfectly willing to abide by it. Mr Leach was of opinion that Mr Kilgour should have been left alone, and if he was doing wrong to sue him for any damage he might do. If they were not sure about their powers they should do nothing until these were properly defined, and then, if Mr Kilgour was wrong, they would have him under their thumb. Mr Fox moved " That Mr Kilgour be written to, respectfully requesting him to stop all furtheroperations until the answer of the County Chairman to the Board's telegram could be received." Mr Wickes seconded the motion, which was carried. The meeting had adjourned when a telegra^ was received from Hokitika. A special meeting was then held, when the telegram was read. It asked the Board to pass a. resolution saying where they

wished the terminus of the tramway to be fixed. It was resolved that the tramway terminus should be fixed in the centre of the town, and that the tramway ought not to be allowed to run along the- Quay. This was telegraphed to Hokitika. It was further resolved, on the motion of Mr Leach, that the Town Sub-Committee be empowered to deal with Mr Kilgour, on receipt of the County Chairman's answer to the telegram sent that day. The Board then adjourned.