GREY VALLEY ROAD BOARD.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1807, 21 May 1874, Page 2

GREY VALLEY ROAD BOARD.

A meeting of the above Board was held at the Board Office, Fraser's Building, Aliaura, on Tuesday, 19th insfc. There were present — Mr J. W. Jones (in the chair), Messrs Robb, Cunningham, Lash, and Alcorn. The minutes of the last meeting were read arid confffrffeaT

The progress report of the Chairman of. business dune since last meeting was read. The report had. reference principally to the efforts made by the Chairman to induce the Government.to place, funds. at the disposal of the Board. Representations had been made repeatedly to the Government, drawing attention to the position in which the Board is placed, having a nominal authority, but no real power to effect any good for want of funds. To these sometimes ambiguous and evasive replies were sometimes received, but generally no notice was taken of them. The report then alluded to worJiß done on the main road, and to, the track to Half-Ounce ; a bridge had been built at Noble's Creek ; the necessity of making a track from" Nelson Creek to Kangaroo Creek, Red Jack's district was pointed out ; and also that a track to the ferry at Moonlight was required. The Chairman also stated that arrangements had been made with the Union Bank of Australia,' Grey mouth, for an overdraft to meet pressing emergencies. The report was received.

The report, of the Secretary and Overseer of Works was, read , and received. The Secretary's report referred in detail to the works in progress and completed, and called attention to the several localities where repairs, to tracks were required. . The correspondence was then considered. Letters were read from the manager of the Union Bank with respect to an advance. From Messrs Corbett arid M'Guire, with reference to the unfinished portion of the main road between Square Town and the Little Grey Junction. The letter stated that the Grey Valley riiembers, with Messrs Boase and Ivess, had interviewed the Nelson Executive on the subject, and that the Government would not hold out any hope of the road being made until the quarter million loan was eftected. Mr Corbett and his colleague informedthe Board that a petition was to be presented to the Provincial Council from the inhabitants of Antonio's Flat, and other portions of the Upper Little Grey praying that their district might be separated from the Inangahua Road Board district, and annexed to that of Ahaura. The members asked . the Board for an expression of opinion on the petition.

Another letter was read frr.m Messrs Corbett and M'Guire, dated 15th May, informing the Board that the Provincial Treasurer had placed LIOO to the credit of the Board on the 2nd May, and that LSO more would be available on the 19th, to meet pressing liabilities until the Estimates were passed. Mr Corbett and his colleague promised that they would use every effort to have the items set apart for the Grey Valley on the Estimates passed and appropriated. The Provincial Engineer, in his annual report to the Council, had recommended that L3OO should be expended in widening, the No Town road. The Superintendent had promised that the work should be done as soon as possible. An Amended Local Revenues Bill waa about to be brought forward, and the Grey Valley members asked the Board for: suggestions as to the most desirable amendments or alterations required. The letterconcluded with a belief that the Nelson Government seemed at present very anxious for the welfare of the Grey Valley, and was disposed to render every assistance to the Road Board. The letters were received, and a vote of thanks was passed to Messrs Corbett and M'Guire, and those gentlemen were to be asked to convey the thanks of the Board to Messrs Ivess and Boaae, for their co-operation.

The following accounts were passed for payment— Kerr, Arnott, and Co., for advertising ; Edward Fraser, office fur niture and fittings ; workmen on the main road ; M'Lean and Wilson, building a bridge at Noble's ; Pridgeon and Horwood, making a dray track to HalfOunce ; John Magill, office furniture ; John Evans, work done on No Town track; C. C. Sommers, stationery — the latter account underwent a trifling revision ; George Willis, salary as secretary and overseer. The total amount passed for payment was L 166 17s 6d. An account of Messrs Gilmer Bros., for horse hire for the Chairman while engaged on the business of the Board, was presented, and gave rise to discussion. It was the unanimous opinion that the price charged for horse hire, 30s per day, was excessive, and the account was remitted for reduction in the first place. A lively discussion then took place as to the necessity of the Chairman incurring expense in future for doing work which properly belonged to the Overseer of Works.

Mr Lash said that if the Board at every sitting was asked to pass accounts for horse hire it would be better that the Board should, in its corporate capacity, purchase ahorse for the corporate convenience. It would be a seemingly expensive luxury, but seeing that about LlB was already spent on horse hire, it would be a saving to the public if the Board became a livery stable-keeper on its own account.

Mr Alcorn said that now the overseer was fairly installed at his work the interference of any member of the Board with his duties was not required. If, as was the case, the overseer understood his work, he did not require assistance in the performance of his duties, and if he required personal supervision on the part of the Chairman or members of the Board, he would be unfit to hold his position. The Chairman, with Messrs Lash, Robb, and Cunningham, concurred in these re-i marks, and it was decided that the account should be passed, subject to a reasonable reduction, and that no similar expense should be in future incurred without the special permission of the Beard.

The Chairman moved that L3O should be spent in repairing the track from Hatter's Terrace to Kangaroo Creek. Mr Alcorn did not doubt the necessity and usefulness of the work, but as several applications ot a like nature were to be made from different parts of the district, it would be as well if the Board remembered that, under the terms on which the Bank made an advance, the overdraft, would have to be pr >vided for on the 26th June. He would therefore suggest that instead of the Board committing itself to further expenditure out of a revenue which was merely prospective so far, the overseer should first examine and report upon all these proposed new tracks and iniike an

estimate of the approximate cost of each, before any of them were actually commenced.

This suggestion was adopted, and the 1 Overseer of Works was directed to examine and report upon a track to Kangaroo Creek ; also, a track from Duffer to Noble 3 Creek ; a track from the bridge Callaghan- Creek- at M'Kenna's brewery,,, to ferry at the Grey, at Moonlight. Creek; and' from Pott's ferry into Hatter's Township, Nelson Creek. The Secretary . was also to report ur on the proposed track from No Town to Red Jack's, over the ranges.

The question of the maintenance s of tKe main road was then discussed. It was Bhowri that out of the L&&30 placed on the estimates to be spent in the Grey Valley, a sum of L2OO was ostensibly for the Ahaura Road Board. As there was a doubt as to the exact manner in which this money should, be spent, or, the source from whence it came, provided it ever came to hand, it was decided to have a clear understanding on the matter, and the following resolution was proposed by Dr Robb, seconded by Mr Lash — " That the Secretary be instructed to write the Provincial Government, requesting to know whether the sum of L2OOO set down in the estimates is intended as a special grant for the partial maintenance of the main" road, or whether it . is intended to represent the entire revenue of the Board derivable under the Local Revenues Act." Carried.

The letters of MesSrs Corbett and M'Guire were then considered, and with respect to. the request of the representatives for suggestions 6n tne proposed new Local Revenues. Act; the following resolution was proposed by Mr Alcorn, and seconded by Mr Jones—" That the Secretary be instructed to Answer the letter of Messrs Corbett and M'Guire in reference to amendment of Local Revenues Act, stating ihat the, Board' would recommend the 'additional grant of half the gold duty and half the land revenue to the funds of the Board^ arid unless there is some such material change it will be useless remodelling the, Act, without special subsidies are provided for maintenance of main road through the district." Carried. , . And with respect to the petition of ihe inhabitants of Antonio's Flat to be annexed to the Ahaura district, The Chairman moved — " That it is not advisable that the boundaries of the Ahaura Road- Board district should be further extended in the direction of the dividing range." Seconded by Dr Robb, and carried.

The Secretary was instructed to 1 transmit copies of the above resolutions to the GoVornmerit and to Messrs Corbett acd M'Guire.

The Secretary was directed to apply again to the Warden for certain district revenue returns, and also to apply for information as to the tenure, terms of occupation, rights and privileges of holders of ferries in the district.

A motion wa3 also passed — "That in future all work under the Board should be done as far as practicable by tender." After the transaction of the routine business, tie Board adjourned to Tuesday, 16th June.