PELORUS ROAD BOARD

Marlborough Express, Volume L, Issue 83, 7 April 1916, Page 3

PELORUS ROAD BOARD

The monthly meeting of the Pclorus Road Board was held on Tuesday, when the following members were present: Messrs C. Nees (chairman),, J. Leslie, R. F. Crispin j J. Fulton, C. F. Hart, and J. S. Storey.

(JOVEHEMENT RECRUITING

SCHEME

'The Mayor of Blenheim (Mr J. J. Oorry)' and Mr J. M. Liglitfoot waited upon the Board and explained the plan now being, placed before the local bodies of Marlborough for the effective carrying out of the Government's new recruiting' scheme. Mr Cb'rry stated that each patriotic local body had passed a resolution to fall in with the scheme, but so far there had practically been nothing done in the direction of rounding up eligibles.l*' He submitted that the best thing to do was to form a central committee and appoint a paid organiser., whose business would be to eliminate the ineligibles from the national register rolls < and keep the good names to the front. There wei'e a number of men on ihe rolls who were not eligible, .and there were many noion who should be on. They had already fixed upon a man who, in addition to being a returned soldier, was eminently suited to take up the work. Tlie organiser would come into the district and seek out eligibles and ask them to recruit, and the Board members could assist him in supplying any information in their power. Thus the work and responsibility would be taken off the shoulders of the local bodies and the spirit of the scheme carried out effectively. He would ask the Board to vote a >mii of £15 as their quota towards the salary of the organiser, who would, of course j give his whole time to the woik. They had power to grant such a vote under the War Validation Act. This matter had not. yet been considered by the Borough Coimoil and some of the other Boards, but he felt almost^ certain that all would support it. Ho hoped the Board m ould see their way to fall in with it. Mr Lightfoqt endorsed the remarks made by Mr Corry, and urged that the appointing of an organiser was the only effective way to do this particular work.- It seemed an admirable scheme and one that would • carry out what was desired as no other method would do.' It would be necessary, if agreed to, for the Board to, appoint a delegate to represent 1 hem on the central committee! '

Mr Covry deprecated the action of those Boards the members of which had formed themselves into a recruiting body. The results in these cases Syero practically nil. The Marlborough. district, so far, had supplied more than its quota nnd hs was against this being done in the. future, and ■Hjiivelock. district had done remarkably well Of 1842 men sent from Marlborough and Nelson districts, 900 had been uupplied i from Marlborough and 942 from Nelson, whereas the/! right, proportions' should have been' Nelson 1112 and Marlborough 730. "We had-therefore sent 170 men above our right quota. We had,to,see that no more'than 40 men should go from our district with each. draft, so that Nelson would have to do its share. >■

The deputation then withdrew. After a, very short discussion, Mr Storey-, moved that the. Board support tho scheme outlined by the Blenheim deputation, and that a roun of £15 be voted' towards the salary of an organiser. This v>as agreed to unanimously, and on tho motion of Mr Hart, Mr Storey was appointed delegate to attend - the meetings of the Central Committee -to-be held in Blenheim.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Mrs Ada Pope ;Ronga Valley) wrote asking the Board to give attention to that part of the road in her district as no attempt had' been made to improve it Tor four years... She. also urged the necessity; of a bridge over the Ronga creek,' which had been promised by three members of the Board two years ago. At present the crossing is | unsafe for • little children who have to cross it to attend school. The necessity of a bridge of some kind hero was recognised by members, and on the motion of Mr Fulton, the secretary was instructed to inspect and iveporfc at next mooting. Mrs D. M. Edwards (Rai Valley) wrote drawing the Board's attention to the fact that the Government gravelling contractors were getting very -close to her fence.-^The secretary was instructed to1 send a letter on to the resident engineer./ Mr S. \V. Lankow ' (Waikakaho) asked for permission to enclose a small reset-re which ho wanted for a fencing line, and which would become a nuisance through noxious weeds, etc. « p "ot under control. On the motion ot Mr Fulton, tho secretary was instructed to inform Mr Lankow that tiie -/Board had no jurisdiction over the^flaiiii.

Mr H. Bennett (Rai Valley) wrote on beha,!f ot settlers, r© ihe condition oi. the. J inline road, which' wanted culverts and water-cables attended to before- Avinter .sets in>— -It was resolved, en the motion of Mr Hart, that, the inspector spend on the road whatever "thirds" «re available."'■ In reference to the Wairau River protective Avoik, a .oominunit'iatioii was road from the Government resident engineer (Mr A. B. Wright). On the motion of the chairman, the secretary was, .instructed to apply for the lull £ for £ Subsidy on the £100 &pent on the work.

A resolution from tho Blenheim Uorough Council Avas read sanctioning the loan of the borough tarboiler to the. Boartl ioi- use in, tho re-tarring and sanding of the Wairau bridge dfeking. A -oircular from xho secrotaj-1-- of the Recruiting Board (Mr J. D. Gray) afca.ted tliat the group commander of the Board's district had keen instructed to mark off the names of all men shown on tho register Avho have enlisted or gone to camp.

MOTOR TRAFFIC

( The secretary of the Levels County Council write enclosing copy of a l evolution, passetl at a ronfei-enct* of South Canterbury local bodies held on 19th February last re the licensing and regulation of speed of motor traffic.

Mr Hart considered that the only way to got at the motor traffic was ihe erection of a toll gate. Mr Fulton held that motor traffic was responsible for much of the road wear, as the fast cars lifted the surface broken by the slower traffic.

The chairman moved that a reply be sent to the Levels County Council stating that the Board Avould support a Dominion scheme for the proper regulation and taxing of the motor traffic.—Carried.

MINING GRANTS

The Mines Department, intimated that it was decided to grant the Deep Creek Gold Mining syndicate ?, subsidy of £66 13s 4d, beina; at the rate of tis Sd per foot for 200 feet, for driving on low level No. '4, ."in oosmeetien wit'fe. iheh' •prospecting a,t

operations at Deep Creek, payment to be made through the Board!

Advice Avas also leceived that a voucher for £27 6s 9d has Leon passed for payment for assisting the prospecting operations of A. B. Alford and party. /

The Urider-Secretary— through the Mines Department—fonv^rdetl for the information of tho Board an extract from the N.Z. Gazette containing iho following amendment of regulation 127 under tiie Mining Act:

127 [4J Under class 1 a subsidy at rate not exceeding £1 10s per week, per man be paid by the Minister in respect of, his party s if not less than tAvo men whilst prospecting in ,?iew ground. In' reference to the Board's application for a grant of £100 for a pack track tn Mountain Camp mining claim, the Mines Department Avrote stating that the claim had been duly duly reported upon and the Department is advised that the making of a trade as suggested AA-ould be premature at presejUj&v Tho kMinister, therefore, regrets- being unable to sco his AA ray to make tho grant applied for.

MAIN ROAD GRANT.

A letter Avas received from the Under-Secretory' advising that the Minister for Public Works has approved or the grant of £500 being avthorised for the improvement of the portion of th» main road— W-ai-rau bi-idgo to Havelook—which is being affected by the timber traffic from State forest- reserves.

OUTSTANDING RATES

The secretary, reported on the amount of outstanding rates. On the motion of Mr Storey, it was resolved, that notice be yent- to all ratepayers AA rhose rates ;.re still unpaid, Avith 10 per cent, .added, and that fourteen daysi be allowed for payment. . ■ -! l • -

STRAYING STOCK

Mr Hart said he had lati'ly receiy::.i several; rx>mplaints from settlers in regard to damage done to fences, etc., by straying stock. He considered that something should be done to abate the nuisance. He had an offer from a. settler to erect a pound and keep the roads clear in the Riti Vallov, Timatanga, and Opourr districts for £1 a month and ■pounding feesV;" He thought the offer worth a trial, arid moved that it be accepted during tli© pleasure of the Board. ;'■'."- ..,

The ohaii-man said that the Board wouldl h;ive to: k& veiy careful, as certain, regulations* had to be complied with. Ho'■'moved xn amendment that the secretary interview the s-c-.ttle]" .in question arid ascertain what ho is prepaivd to do, and the cost, ond report -<it next meeting.— Carried. •■■;■ MISOELMNEOUS.

Mr MoDougall Avrote in regai'd to an inipa-ovement to ■ his approach' from Itho main i-oad. Mr H^rt moved that, in *<\:iew of con■tem plated alteration is to the iroad, the inspector nnd Mr Crispin confer Avith Mr McDougali. and report at next meeting. ;

In connection with tho. suggested improvements at McDougall's Point, Mr Fulton moved that Mr H. M. Reader be AA'rittpn to 'thanking him for hisi offer of £5 L on behalf of Mr Cate, and to inform' hirii A that the

Board is contemplating carrying out the work, and Avould bo glad of assistance.—Carried.

A letter was read from tlio Ministor for Agriculture on the subject of field experiments and other instructive work among the farmers of the Marlborough district. On tho motion of Mr Hart, seconded by the chairman, it was decided that a copy of the letter be sent to Sounds, Canvastown, and Linkwater branches of the Farmers' Union to discuss and for- ; ward an opinion for next meeting. j The chairman asked for an inspection of the mam road near the battery at Deep Creek, where it, is at present unsafe. Almj the decking of Rocky Creek bridge. ' '{

Mr Leslie moved for "thirds" to ' jbe spent on Mortimer's road.—lt Avas ; decided that, the "thirds" available; be expended on. metal, .and also that j a, narrow portion of road be-widened, j Mr Fulton dreAV attention to the ; fact that Avhere tho road is shaded j by trees far more metal is required ; than at other jjaa-ts, and' he con- j sideaed that it would pay the Board^j to cut the trees Avhere they are I shoAvn to .be detrimental to the , roads. i

Mr Crispin drew attention to the i state of road filling ncaa* the foot of , Manx's Hill. The secretary ««i.id-he; intended to Reader's metal on j that.■ pieco or road. j Being the.'ast meeting of-the-pre-I sent Board the chairman ga.ve a}. short rev?eAv of t3ie work done and } the progress made during the yeai-j j which ho thought was fea-tisfactory. V —Members in turn oongiutulatod the - chairman on the impartial mariner \ in which, he had traated all matters i Avhich had come before the meeting, • and hopes Avere expressed that ho ; would .igain occupy tho position j during ihe forthcoming year. j On account of the elections taking place on May 6th, the next meeting of the- Board will nob take place fill the following Wednesday.—Guardian. ,