MOTUEKA HIGHWAY BOARD.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 93, 6 April 1876, Page 4

MOTUEKA HIGHWAY BOARD.

The monthly meeting took piece on j the Ist instant, r all the members being • ;; presentr ''„•• ' * j After the confirmation of the minutes, the Seoretary read the following re- j port :—" Since last meeting I have j had men with teams employed filling j up low places on tho trunk line in the \ Moutere sub-districts, and otherwise : improving the road. I bave aacer- • tained by levelling, that a good, fall can ''. be got to oarry off the water from the road) knqiwn ;as Wills's road, by digging a large ditch for about five chains, and > aV'the i Messrs." Hy lands have expressed'their willingness to contribute £srin labor towards improving this road, I have invited tenders for digging the;, ditch, for unless it is dug before the rainy. season sets in, it will be impossible to drain the road until next summer. The bridge on Drum-mond-'s road has been built, at a cost of £20, £10 being contributed in cash and timber by persons interested in this road. The sum of £7 10_. has been placed in my hands by persons interested in the improvement of the road leading ; to Schildbauer's and other settlers' properties. Considerable progress has been made with the gravelling in the 'sub-district of Motueko, and I have invited tenders for about 36 chains more in different parts of the district, and, for about 12 chains on the new rpad; betweea Herrick's and Waiwero. Aculvert having fallen in on the Pangatotara road, I . have ordered a new one to be built. I have let the work by' Harford's, on the Ngatimoti road, for the sum of £2 ss. The top of the bridge over Waterfall Creek having become,. very, rotten, and consequently dangerous, I have invited tenders for repairing, the same. Some of the timbers of the Orinoco foot-bridge are getting decayed, but as long as tbe supports that were put underneath this bridge Jast. year, continue in their proper position, it is not unsafe for traffic. Tho new store house at the lower wharf, Riwaka, is finished, and the old storehouse repaired. The dam in fhe river Riwaka has been repaired, and although stil leaking a little, it is not now so likely to sustain damage from floods as it was'Hbfore. ■ I have invited tenders fer making, up portions of the gravel rp^ad, Riwaka, where the high tides flow across, and also fbr widening the ditch on tbe north side of the new mill road., Mr Edward Ery has accepted the offerT was instructed to make him of: £60, tor making the rood through IngHs's land, and has been engaged in preparing the necessary timber required fornbridges and culverts. I have made considerable progress with the tracings required 1 * for the alterations of roads throughoot the district, but shall not be able to complete them without visiting the Land Office at Nelson, as I am under 'the impression that some of the alterations surveyed by one ef the Surveyors sent over by the Provincial Government for the purpose, about two yea^s ago, are incorrect. I have also given notice, as instructed at the last meeting, of my intention to visit the vari6uß:Bub-districts, for the purpose of receiving the rates." The, {Secretary read a letter from the Provincial Secretary stating that the sum of $37 lOs. had been paid to the -' Board's; credit for compensation for land 1 ; for roads on the banks of the Ormocp Bnd Motueka rivers. pTh'e Secretary produced a list of the ratepayers who had paid the current year's rate, as required by sections- 3 and 4of an Act to amend the law relatingyto thejßegistration of Electors. The Chairman of lhe Board countersigned the same, and the Secretary was ordered to forward it to the Registration as required by the said Ao¥^- f> ''- : . Secretary stated that he had prepared aod forwarded to tbe Regis-trar-General certaia returns required by tbe- Cdloriial Government up to the month Jof'Junei 1875. A ietter was read from the constable of Motueka and Riwaka, in reply to a letter;}: from/ the Board, stating that he had received instructions from the Chief Inspector of Police, to impound all cattle trespassing on the roads, and that she5 he intended to carry out the said instructions J to the best of his ability. Resolved tbat the constable's reply be accepted as satisfactory to the Board, with .the hope that he will faithfully carry out theTinsftructions of the Chief Inspector of Police. Applications were read from certain settlers^in the) Upper Moutero subdistrict, for assistance in improving the by-roads in j which tbey are interested, and offering to contribute certain sums towards the same. Resolved that the Secretary examine the" roa'ds'referred to, and report to the Board next meeting, with a view of the above applications being granted in accordance with previous resolutions of the Board. The, Secretary stated that he had not invited tenders for- building a footbridge on Diggens' cross road, in consequence of having, on inspection, found the, river" much wider than he expected, and the work likely to be more: costly than was anticipated. Resolved that Messrs Dencker, J. Drumrapnd, and Guy, form a subcomiiihteeT to inspect the site of the propu>ie-l. bridge, that the Secretary accompany them, and act on their suggestions. A letter was read from certain landowners at,. Brooklyn, Riwaka, stating thartfee^wjere,- put to great inconvenience" by ■-.-. having no public rood to their 5 prober tiesj and requesting that the Secretary should be instructed to

; visit tha locality, and report on the : desirability of a road being laid out. Resolved, That the Secretary take jau early opportunity of complying ; with the request of the landowners of | Brooklyn. j The Secretary stated that certain I men at Riwaka had sent in an account | for work done, charging Ss per day. | Resolved, Tbat as tbe work done by j the men referred to was only ordinary laborers' work, the Board will not pay ! more than has been previously paid, namely, 7s. per day, this being ls. more per day than iB paid in either of the other sub-districts. Resolved, That the following he added to the scale of charges at the Riwaka Wharf: — 1. All goods stored, per ton, 6J.; 2. All goods landed or laid down for shipping on the beach or roads near the wharves be liable to the charges stated in ihe regulation of wharf charges. Resolved, That the Secretary inspect the road through the swamp, Riwaka, from the school, westward, with the view of having the same repaired. Resolved, that Tenders be invited for renting the wharves and stores at Riwaka for the term of one year. ", Resolved, Tbat tenders be invited for rounding up the remaining portion of the swamp road (about 13 chains). Warrants were signed for the payment of £384 6s 9J.