MINING NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1316, 17 October 1872, Page 2

MINING NEWS.

NEW RIVER DISTRICT. ; " [from our own correspondent.] October 14. . Great interest was taken during the last session of the County Council to proclaim the track from Marsdeh to Clifton ,. a main road, . so that tolls could be legally collected ; and it was also provided that it should be repaired. Tenders were duly- - called for at the time, and one accepted— so low in price that the contractor soon found it to be his bestpoUcytogiveit up after about a week's trial j 1 since then nothing has been done to it.'. The road is in such a disgraceful state that too strong language can hardly be used to waken up the County authorities to a sense of their duties. Who is to blame for this neglect ? or, whose duty is tt to look after it ? One thing is very, certain, they did not forget to make it legal to charge tolls on the. road or lose any timer in doing so, although it was in such an abominable state that it was not safe fora horse to travel on it. Surely it would have been time enough to charge tolls -' after it had been repaired and put into a passable condition, instead of doing so at present when there is no knowing howsoon an accident may occur, When ife was first constructed, some portions of it were done in a very slip-shod manner, and show but too plainly that the surveyor was very, remiss in passing; it, for - it is perfectly absurd to suppose that it was made according to specification. Of course when it was finished and passed, the surface appeared well done, but wear and tear have disclosed the imperfection* beneath. This is very apparent between Marsden and Cockabulla, and points out the necessity of an overseer being always present to see public works properly performed. Many hundred pounds were spent in making this road, and it is now -- in such a condition that it will cost a gooi round sum before it can be considered passable and safe for horses to travel, along it. It is asked, what is the cause' of the delay before tenders are again called for repairing it ; and it is also r asked who recommended the last tender to be accepted? A tender ao far below what the work can be done for was - only doing an injury to the district. Did'-.i the County authorities make an estimate . themselves what the work would. cost? . If they did so, why accept one which they *. knew could not be carried out, and which ' must be abandoned, to the detriment and injury of the district. If they did not cause an estimate to be made, they ought to hsve done so. How, could they form an idea of what the work would cost. In either case the County authorities have been remiss in their duties, and this will teach them a leßson before they again accept the lowest tender.; If it did not f do a public injury it would not so much - matter, but here is a district that has to. depend on supplies being packed on horses and sold at prides that will enable ' men to get a living and something over, This cannot be done if the 1 communicai tion becomes interrupted and recourse again had to the old original track. Is f it because the County r Chairman is in Wellington that this matter is being neglected ? or is it because the New River people are very patient and can endure taxation for the chance of an accident through the negligence of the County • authorities? And yet in the face of all this, they have the audacity of demading tolls. The public wish to: know when tenders are likely to be again called to put this road in order, or whether it is necessary that some dire calamity must } occur, before the dignitaries of the County awake to a sense of their duties ?