WAIMEA ROAD BOARD.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 192, 11 August 1873, Page 2

WAIMEA ROAD BOARD.

Tuesday, August 5. The Board met at the Bridge Hotel. All the members were present. The minutes of the meetings held in the several sub-districts on July 7, to elect members, having been read, Mr Baigent was chosen chairman, and Mr Barnicoat treasurer for the current year. A lot beiog drawD, it fell to Messrs Baigent, Rout, and Win to retire in July, 1874. The minutes of the last meeting were then read and confirmed. The Overseer reported •'* The Contracts under Payment to Provinces Act," viz., Riokelt's forming on Spooner's Range (£77 13-** 4d.), and J. Stagg's forming Stanley Brook road (£44), are completed. The barge requires tarring and painting; some repairs to the sails have been done, and a new oar procured, the amount expended being £3 ss. Mr Martin is open to treat with the Board for the sale of gravel at Stoke. I think it would be advisable, with his permission, to take a barge-load to try the quality, and to get some idea as to the cost. In Waimea East, the road through Richmond as far as the Red Horse Hotel is being repaired, a sum of £29 10s has been expended, and it will cost a similar sum to complete the same. Tbe approaches leading to the Star and Garter Hotel impede the flow of water, and are besides in a dangerous state; new ones should be put in at once. The covering of the ditch opposite* where the " Wheatsheaf" stood is a trap to foot passengers. The " tutu line" is mteh. broken along the crown for a few cha^jfhere and there; it requires a coat, about nine feet wide. I have had the 200 yards of screened metal at the pit carted out; a contract might be let for screening another 200 yards. The gravelling in Spring Grove amounts to £38 16s. I have made enquiries concerning a site for a gravel reserve. The only favorable spot was on Mr Jabez Hill's property, but he declines to sell, so that gravel will have to come from the Wairoa River ; and persons having property abutting on the same ■ — not only here, but elsewhere — consider that damage is done them by removing the shingle. Now, as the Government are the conservators of rivers, application should be made to them to point out, from time to time, such places where shingle can be taken from. Five chains near Mr Hodgson's, ten chains near the Pound, and from Mr Hooper's store to the foot of the bank, want gravelling. Mr Woolley requests permission to place his post and rail fence ahout two feet on the by-road, to enable bim to remove the gorse fence and to plant quicks. In Pigeon Valley, I estimate the cost for patching will be £34. As there is a heavy traffic here, it is necessary to have it done at once, to preserve the road. The road through Upper Wakefield has been put in order. On Spooner's Range it would be well to send up a couple of men for a month or six weeks, to lower three pinches close to the water-tables along Clark's cutting, and also to widen the road in a couple of places on the cutting, to enable two drays to pass, which they cannot do at present. In Eightyeight Valley, a foot-bridge is wanted over tbe stream near Mr Wadsworth's. In Waimea West, the road from the Waimea Bridge, past Mr Redwood's to Ditchley Farm, has been mended, costing £22 12s. The road from the ford-way here to Mr E. Thomas's is much out of repair, and wants metalling; A sum of £4 has been spent in repairs in Eve's Valley. Portions of this road require gravelling, but it cannot be done before the spring, In Dovedale, a bridge close to Mr Thorn's having given way, I have had a much smaller one put in, and the road raised by lowering the banks; this has been done by road«men, with extra labor to tbe amount of £10 Notices to cut fences should be sent to the following persons :— Mr G. Parker, Eighty-eight Valley; Mr Foy, Stoke*; Messrs Pratt and Trask, Ranzau; and Mr Carvel, Foxhill.

Resolved, "To defer getting gra?el from Mr Martin's; to keep on with* all necessary patching of roads; to invite tenders for supply of horses and carts to have gravel when wanted, also for receiving gravel at Ransau, and for gravelling at Lower Wakefield; to send notices about the approaches to the Star and Wheatsheaf, and about trimming fences; to request Government to point out where shingle can be taken to proceed with repairs on Spooner's Range; and that Mr Woolley's request be granted.'^ The Hst of roads, reserves, tte, acquired by the Board at various times having been produced, it was resolved to request the Superintendent to confirm the Magistrate's order for the road at Allington. The paper sent for the signatures of parties interested in the road to Trapes' Valley, having been returned signed, it was resolved, " That the Board will give an equivalent to the amount subscribed, which is to be placed in the Treasurer's hands, or else some party to undertake the work, and arrange with the subscribers for their quotas. Also, that previous to the commencement of the work, tbe Overseer and Surveyor go up and arrange about it." Resolved, " That until further notice, the pay of the day men on the roads be 5s per day, instead of £6 per month, as heretofore." A letter from Mr Jervis, Foxhill Inn, calling attention to the state of the road by his place, having been read, the Overseer was directed to attend to it. A letter from Mr Hunt, Quail Valley, in reply to notice sent, stated that he oould not thoroughly exonerate his pigs . for having injured the road, but thought his neighbors' pigs had done the same, and expressed his willingness to repair any damage that may be pointed out. A petition from the inhabitants of Waimea South, that the Board will proceed without delay to have the road intended to connect Eighty-eight and Quail Valleys with Foxhill, and for which £200 was voted by the Council, made, it was resolved, " That an application be made for the amount voted, and tbat tenders be called for the work as soon as it was received." Mr H. Martin, jun., attended, and produced a clause in Mr Hastilow's contract, whereby it appeared that he was only entitled to deal with the timber standing on the fourteen feet which he had to form. It was resolved, " That Mr Newth have the balance of the trees purchased from the Board provided he removes them, including tops, &c, within three months, and that Mr Martin shall have the privilege of removing any other trees he likes on the road, provided he takes them away, including tops and stumps, within twelve months." Mr Martin applied, that some repairs which were urgently required on the road in the Wairoa Gorge should be done. Resolved, " That the sum of £20 be deToted to the repairs, it appearing from the report of the Overseer, that at least £10 of work has been done by Mr Hastilow and others on that road, by virtue of an unfulfilled agreement with the Board, the Board's contribution not having yet been given." The Secretary was directed to apply for the amount voted for the road on the Moutere Hilis, and to invite tenders for the work as soon as the money is likely to be paid. Messrs. Baigent and Win were deputed to examine the line biassed by Price's, preparatory to its being surveyed. The Secretary was directed to advertise for a good brickmaker, who understands moulding and burning. Mr E. Sigglekow attended in reference to the road purchased from him. The Secretary was directed to forward to the Superintendent a plan of the road as amended. Warrants were signed for £427 17s 4d. In the nuptial column of one of the daily jouanals is an announcement of the marriage of two gushing creatures whose conjoint ages amount to exactly 150 years. So proud, indeed, are these young people of their silken fetters that they indulge in that especially inane request, ''Home papers please copy," as if home papers had nothing, better with which to occupy their space than the record of people on the other side the globe agreeing; to afflict eaoh other for life. The age of the bridegroom in this instance was about that of a former official of the colony of Victoria— an unmarried and very wealthy manwhen he received a letter from a nephew in England. This nephew regarded himself as the natural heir of his aged uncle's property. He had become attached to a bright young English girl, and deemed it prudent to have his rioh uncle's approval. In bringiag the matter uuder the old gentleman's notice, he urged in every possible way, and with considen&bte force, the desirability of matrimony. He was a little taken aback by the receipt of a letter by return mail, in wbich the venerable relative dryly said, "Dear Tom, — You will be gratified to learn that your arguments in favour of matrimony were co convincing that I got married at once. My wife joins me in wishing you every happiness, &c." The old gentleman has now heirs in the direct line, and Tom doesn't pride himself on his skill as a letter writer.—^ taforfastan.