Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1204, 7 June 1872, Page 2

We have received a copy of the Bill that has recently passed the Nelson Council, by which the Provincial Government are authorised to make payments for public works in land. It was originally introduced with a view to having special application to the Ahaura and Arnold road, but since then has been so far altered as to be applicable to other trunk roads. Though there are many objections to this kind of payment, and though we do not think that the above road, in which we are specially interested, will be made on the terms, it is at least a step in advance, and we only hope that we are mistaken in reference to its successful operation. After the preamble and reference to " The Nelson Waste Lands Act, 1863," the first clause runs as follows :— " It shall be lawful for the Superintendent, in accordance with the provisions of the said recited Act from time to time to enter into one or more contract or contracts, with any person or persons or company, for the construction of the public works in the Province of Nelson, specified in the schedule hereto, or any or either of them or any parts thereof, in such manner and upon such terms and conditions as shall be agreed upon between the Superintendent and any person or persons or company agreeing to construct the same, and to agree to give such quantity of the Waste Lauds of the Crown in the Province as payment, or t part payment, for the same, as shall be 1 agreed upon between them. Provided always that not more than one acre of land shall be given for every pound sterling expended in the construction of any such work." The roads mentioned in the schedule are from the junction of the river Arnold and Grey to the township of of Ahaura ; from the junction of the rivers JBuller and Blackwater to the Inangahua Landing ; from the township of Ahaura to the Saddle between the Waiau and Ahaura Rivers : from the junction of the rivers Owen and Buller to the Lyell ; road or tramway from Westport to the jnnction of the Nine-Mile Creek with the river Buller. The second clause of the new Act provides that when any contract shall have been made, the land so agreed to be given shall forthwith be withdrawn from sale ; aud the final clause, for there are only three in all, orders that no grant of land shall be given over in payment till the contract has been completely fulfilled, and the work duly certified to. It is to be hoped, as the measure is now law, that the experiment will be at once tried in calling for tenders, under its terms, for the construction of the Ahaura and Arnold road, so as to perfect communication with Reefton.