BRUCE BAY IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 January 1917, Page 4

BRUCE BAY IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE.

Saturday, Jan C. A mss'iog o? the Didriest Improvement Committee was held iu the library room, Bruce Bay at 8 p.m. Present: —Mes-rs J. Ritchie (chair), Condon and Vincent. The minutes cf the previous meeting were read and confirmed and outward correspondence read and approved. INWARD CORRESPONDENCE. From County Council, enclo&iDg replies from Hon Ministers of Public Works and Mariners new expenditure of vote on Bruce Bay Landing and road, also replies to Mr Grimmond from Hon W. Fraier on same.

The Chairman srid the replies to t e e fferent ante h were »ha* the •7,0 k most new stavd over till after the war is over, in the ioterv-t of

economy. This was most unsatisf. ctory aud unfair to :his district. Continuing, he said money could ba provided for far less urgent works—the bridging of tbe Copsland River for instance, (to prevent the very few tourists getting their feet wet that o:me over into Westland every gammer). That in tbe eyes of the powerr-ihat-be, seems of far more in'erest and importance than constructing A small piece of load and area ring a lirdiug stage at Bruce Bay to enable tbe settlers to get their wool shipped and their goada landed dry. When Mr Scddorij the Member for Westland, volunteered for the front, Ministers promised that Westland would nob be neglected during his absence, but we ali know how these promises have not been carried out.

Mr Condon said the aotion, or want of action, of the Government in not putting tbiß work in hand, was most unfair to the settlers, after the money to carry out the work waa placed on the Estimates. Every time a boat visited Bruce Bay either landing goods or shipping wool, more or less damage took place to the cargo.

Mr Vincent said the settlers in the Bay district were very heavily handicapped through getting their wool and goods damaged. Correspondence between the County Council and Resident Engineer, Greymnotb, re Committee’s report on condition of Mahitahi track in September last, was read. Mr Vincent said that the Resident Engineer seemed to think that the Committee in their report made the state of this track worße than it realfly was. Such, however, was not the case. He had personal experience of its condition. Some time before the report was sent iD he had gone through once, and some time after ha attended the Mahitahi social, and though the night was dark and rain fell, he took good care not to tackle the track. Thera were a good crowd with him and they a'.l took the riverbed as they did not consider ths track was safe. Mr Condon said everyone in the j district who was travelling up and j down knew the state the track waa in i for weeks before the,report was sent 1 in, and he knew personally the report ] was not overdone.

The Chair ..an said he thought the curtain had been let down on this subject some time ago. It was a very small tbsre was a priu-

oiple involved. The Resident Engineer by his hostile line of oommaat seemed to think this Committee only existed for tbe purpose of finding fault with Government expenditure, which Wiiß quite a mistake. The Com mi;, tee’s position, however, was v*ry o'e‘».r. They we;e brought into

exritdoca in 'be infect**!s of the r*?.*“pay. r-i of thn Brr.ee Bay district o report to the County Council on any or all tracks Within thair district that required repaits, and ia connection with the Mahit&hi Track report tho Committee had the satisfaction of knowing that their action was approved, the Council's repiy to the R?sident Engineer of Dec 15th was a complete answer to his previous litters on the subject and a vindication of the Committee’s action throughout. As further correspondence on the matter would serve no useful purpose he moved that the matter be closed. —Seconded by Mr Condon, eupportby Mr Vincent And carried,

RE MAIN SOUTH ROAD, WAIHO TO COOK’S RIVER. The Chairman said he learned that there was only a couple of miles of this road unwidened at Waikukupa Saddle. If this were done wheel traffic could be oarried on Jietween Mahi* tahi or Bruce Bay to Robs. He understood the money had been authorised by Parliament last session for the completion of this moßt desirable work and he moved tbat the Counoil be asked to approach the Hon the Minister of Public Works to havo tba vote expended on this woik as soon es possible.—Seconded by Mr Condon, and supported by Mr* Vincent and carried.

REPAIRS TO HAHITAIII TRACK THROUGH m'gloin's. Mr Condon reported that owing to scarcity of labor the repairs fo this track as authorised by the Council could not be carried out. Ha also reported that the cleaning out of the Blue River oattle track had been now completed.—Approved, The Chairman moved that authority be obtained from the Council for expenditure cf £7 17j on urgent repairs as follows, viz :

Seconded by Mr Condon, and supported by Mr Vincent, and carried. The Chairman repotted that all tie tracks within the Com-nittea’ii d s rict were in fair order, and would ri quire Very little repairs act. l coming on the winter. The splendid snell of fia@ weather they had ex’erienoad o? late hid cintribntsd r o >\ l*. g, extant to ibis satisfactory st.va of affa r*.

Ihi* concluded the burines* belo/e the meeting.

£ 6 d Protection of culvert., Main* tahi Track 1 13 0 Repairs to Vincent Track, Karang-rrua ... 1 2 0 Repairs to old trsck, south -bank, K.<racg u .r r :a ... 11 0 Repairs io decking culvert, Murphy’s Track; repairs to lo ser end Mahitahi to Bruce Bay Track and gravelling l 11 0 Re fencing and repairs Bruce Bay Cemetery 3 0 0 TotJ £7 17 a