MOTUEKA HIGHWAY BOARD.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 142, 7 June 1876, Page 4

MOTUEKA HIGHWAY BOARD.

A uew kauri gjim field, 1400 acres in extent, has beea discovered ;ia thg Auckland Province. . .' . A little girl about eight years of age J in Canterbury, recently got hold of, some bread which was spread with phosphorus paste to - poison rats and eat ik, and was shortly afterwards taken with levere pains. When it was discovered what, the girl had eaten, a,doctor was sent for. .That gentleman! armed only just in time to save the child's life. It was a very narrow escape. It shows how careful parents need be when laying traps for mice where children are about. * ; Tho " Intelligent Vagrant " writes in the JV. Z. Times]: — Two gentlemen whom I shall call Noddy and Toddy, had a friend from the country in town this week, whom in a burst of generosity they invited to see life in Wellington, at their expense, by accompanying them to the pit at the opera. At starting for the theatre, Noddy neglected to provide himself with money, trusting to borrow what would be sufficient from Toddy. Unfortunately, Toddy had set out also filled with the same philanthropic idea. Consequently, when they got near the pay-box a mutual explanation took place, and they had to borrow enough from their country friend to take them into the theatre, (and to provide malt and spirituous refreshments in, the intervals. " Spirit of hospitality,! how are thy rites abused!" ? ■ A series of signals have recently been exchanged between Wellington and Sydney for the purpose of computing the precise difference in longitude' of the two places The result of these, as computed by Mr Russell, the, Government Astronomer, at Sydney, is shown in a recent Gazette, which gives a mean difference of time between the [two places of 1 hour 34 mins 15-9949 sees. In the seventh series, -in page 365 of the Gazette a serious blunder occurs, by Which a signal is reported as received in Sydney at the fifth minute of the ninety-fourth hour of the day. This should, of course, be at the forty-fifth minute of the ninth hour. The mechanical blunder is slight, but its effects are somewhat large, and it is nofc too creditable as an official record. It will no doubt be appreciated in Sydney. — Lyttelton Times. The Lyttelton Times, in reporting Mdlle de Murska's first -concert at Chriatchurch, says: — She began with Benedict's arrangement of the " Carnival de Venice." A simple introduction, ending in some florid passages, carried : her voice well up into the higher soprano register, and showed her hearers what to expect when she came,, to the aria and the exceedingly, fanciful, and brilliant variations that Benedict has given it. . These , were sung with perfect mastery of the voice, indescribable grace* and the most perfect tunefulness. The air disposed of, the voice flow into the variations, and wenfc on ascending and descending in rushes of melody, leaping over the most astound-' ing intervals, now lingering on the highest notes of the scale, now pouring' from the full throat of the singer in the clearest of trills, and the most birdlike, of shakes, and now rapidly accomplishing the most extraordinary 'chromatic passages with perfect ease and the rabst r natural grace. The effect on the listener was such as to make him doubt the presence of art. The music did not seem to have been ever written, but appeared to come straight frotn the heart of the singer. An Iri&h priest was travelling on a Friday from Enniekillen to Ballyshanhon, at the latter of whioh the coach passengers, only four in number, were to dine. At one end of the table was a joint of coarse fat pork, and at the other a large fat fried sole. His reverence helped himself at once to the latter, simply observing, " It is fast day with me, gentlemen," when instantly a great fellow with red whiskers reached across the table, and cutting the fish in two, took half of it, with the remark, ■"* Bad luck to ye, do ye think nobody has a soul to be saved but yourself ?"

The New York Times says that three cart loads of silkworm eggs, said to be worth 6,000.000 dollars, arrived in New York in one day, from San Fran<^isqo%pn their jvay^ to Europe. # *A -few days.sibce a. t man convicted of :;'.drunkehesß Bt6od up before- his Honor viat j ; ;tL Police Court,' and' his Honor: 4saip in his ; slow solemn \way. .-"I'll r £iVeyou lOdols.V 30'days.^Well I'll, tnke tha lOdols., equire, said the fellow. A French lawyer has left one hundred thousand francs to a madhouse, with the following remark: — * I got :th is money out of those who. pass their ■lives -in' litigation ; in bequeathing -it for the use of lunatics, I only make .restitution." Horaes past mark of mouth are proverbial,/ but horses of thirty-eight years of age are not often fonnd dying. Mr Alexander Sutherland, of Lyell's Bay Wellington, was the owner ef a horse which died at his station at Pahau lately, of the aforementioned age. Tlie animal, oe a good old servant, had lived in ease and clover for the last eight years, but had done his owner good service from the time he was five years old. at fair hard rough station work. Ah expensive love affair has recentlybeen adjusted in Sydney by the settlement out of Court of the case Post v. Donnelly, in which plaintiffs claimed. £4000 for breach of promise and sed uction. The following is the memorandumn dum of agreement :■— '* Albury Sitting, April, 1876. Miss Post v. Donj neljy, J. Post y. Donnelly. The above actions and, all claims in respect of any , clauSea of actiqns by eitber of the above plaintiffs againat r the . defendant^ are settled upon the terms of the defendant paying. £500 in eaoh, aotion (that is, £1000 altogether) in discharge thereof, 'and of all costs therein. T; ■ The force of the wind when travelling at high velocities is capable of producing the i' •, most extraordinary effects- on) exposed objects, such* as buildings, treesA animals, and even bodies' of Water. In March, 1875, a .. series of destructive tornadoes visited , North aod South Carolina and Georgia, and -Sergeant Calver,; of the Signal service was ordered to investigate their character and effects. Among other remarkable instances of witod foroe he i reported that " a rock weighing eighteen thousand pounds, ahd having thirtyfive square feet of exposed surface, was moved seven feet." "A piue log, weighing twelve .hundred pounds, and with thirty-five equare feet of exposed surface was carried a quarter of a mile." " A pine board was driven through a telegraph pole." " A bale of cotton weighing five hundred pounds, was carried a quarter of a mile." A rather remarkable and interesting educational experiment is about to be tried at Baltimore, in Maryland, where a university of a more advanced kind than the colleges and* universities of the States^ and endowed already with a capital of £700,000 (3.500.00q_lol), is to be devoted to the moßt. advanced university studies. The services of the most emient men, whether in America -or Europe, are to be secured for tbis nniversity in those departments of knowledge in which Chairs are to be immediately established. The new university was inaugurated at Baltimore on Feb; 22, and, as owing its origin to the bequest of Mr. Johns Hopkins, is tobe called the Johns Hopkins University ; already, moreover, one of the most original, if hot the most original, of English mathematicians, Professor • J*. S. Sylvester, has beeu secured for the Chair of pure mathematics. The university buildings, which are to be in a park in the neighbourhood of Biltimore, will only rise slowly as they are needed, the fund being meantime accumulated for. the further execution of the trust.

The monthly meeting of this Board was held on Saturday, the Brd of June. Present— All the members. _ After the confirmation of the minutes of last meeting, the Secretary read the following report :— V.',**' Since our last meeting, considerable progress has been made with road work, most of the contracts being nearly completed. The roads throughout the district are now in fair order; but owing to the absence of good gravel in many parts, portions will be cut up aB soon as. the wet weather sets in. ' "There is a considerable amount of heavy traffic on the lower end of tbe Moutere trunk road, and gravel from the pit by the Bridge Inn should te carted and deposited in heaps on the aide of the road so that it may be Bpeedily repaired ; the gravel to be got from the hills is not fit for repairing, as the, action of the frost and the wet very soon pulverizes the stones. "As instructed at last meeting, I have let the gravelling near the Wakarewa College at 30a. per ohain, but the contractor informs me that he cannot earn wages at that price, and trusts the Board will allow him a little more, t'llave also had the worst places on the road ati Ngatimoti, near Mr G. Remnant's, gravelled at a cost of £4 16s. The^fdad' up the Pangatotara Valley h^s)a%,hjeen .repaired, but will require a little" more gravel on the worst places. The bridge over the Waiwero river is finished/arid ; I have had the corner of (lbiB ! Wad : widened tO improve the approach to it. fc • ?)-*The -. Sandy: Bay track bas been improved at a cost of £4, the settlers interested contributing one-half. '' I HaVe invited .tenders for the first section (50 chains) of the new road, between, Orinoco and Rosedale, but as it is laid out through a portion ot the Messrs Beatson's property, the owners should sign an undertaking (which they are. quite willing to do); agreeing to give what land is required for the road before the work is begun. ;?" «« The very heavy gale of wind on the .19th ultimo blew down a great number of trees across the roads in the Ngatimoti district, completely stopping the, traffic even for horsemen. The roads have been cleared at a cost of £5 sa. "L have not laid out a road, as instructed, through sections Nos. 58 and 86, Ngatimoti, having received notice from, the pwqers of No. 58 not to do so, as they assert there is no rigbt of road through the section. The correspondence on the subject will be laid before the Board. X*f I forwarded to the Provincial Secretary, to be gazetted three weeks ago, a list of roads required to be altered, but up to this time I am not aware that they have appeared. K. "With regard to the important and essential workß in the district, on whicb I was instructed to report; the contemplated; new road between Orinoco and Rosedale appears to be of great importance, and is entirely a new work. I estimate the cost of a fair bridle-track, so constructed as to only require widening fpr a oart road, at about £200, tbe distance being about five miles. 8}" In the Riwaka sub-district a road is very much required up Brooklyn Valley, the cost of which I am unable to estimate, as the road would have to Wind about tbe whole length of a freehold section (the property of Mr. Jas. Mickell) in such a manner as to very much cut it up, and would also involve a' heavy cost for a double fence. V "A road is also. much required up the valley, at " Little Sidney " for Mr James Duncan, and the Messrs Fry to obtain access to their land — but here again a .road would have to pass through , freehold land, and the cost will depend upon what the owners wiU sell the required land for. " A considerable quantity of land has lately been taken up in Riwaka Valley, and a road is also very much required there. I believe in this case the freehold land difficulty would not crop up ; and I bave been informed that the lessees of tbe land taken up are willing to accept payment in land for making a road. I have not examined the route over which a road would require to be made, but the distance, I think, would be about 220 chains, and- from what I know of the country I estimate the cost of making a track suitable for riding or for .driving cattle, at from 10s. to 15s, per chain. "I consider that the lower en^i ofthe Moutere Trunk road Bhould have a portion of the amount accruing to the Board frbm the Colonial Government expended on it to pnt it into proper repair, and also the Swamp Roads at Riwaka, but bere the ditches will require to be widened and deepened to carry off the water. I find on referring to certain papers that bave been placed in my hands, that the Nelson College Governors, three or four years ago, remitted a portion of the rent derived from tbeir lands on condition that their tenant dug oertain ditches in various directions for the purpose of draining the land. Had the sobeme for draining, been carried out as the papers alluded to indicate it should have been, the roads would not be flooded as they ■ now are after heavy rains. "In my last report I alluded to tbd washing away of the bank by tbe new wharf at Riwaka. I have eince, in company with the chairman of tbe Board, and Mr Charles Pattie, inspected the place, and have prepared a rough sketch and short report, showing what I think will have Jto be done to remedy the evil."

Tbe Secretary's, report was read on the washing away of the bank by the new .wharf at Riwaka, recommending that a deposit of gravel should have a channel cut through it, so as to straighten the direction of the stream, and that the bank should be protected. Resolved, That the Secretary's report on the repair of the Trunk Road, Lower . Moutere, the Swamp roads, Riwaka, and the washing away of the bank at the new wharf be adopted. Letter read from the Provincial Secretary in reply to one from the Board, stating that £10 will be placed to the Board's oredit on condition that they will undertake the, repair of the Motueka and Riwaka Public Pounds. Resolved, That the Secretary have the Pounds put in good repair, if possible, for the sum of £10, but should this sum prove insufficient, an application to be made to the Government for what more is required. The Secretary stated that he had seen Mr E. Boyes with reference to, the plank that had been removed from the dam in the ditch po the Swamp road, Riwaka, and also that he had written to bim on the subject, as instructed, and tliat Mr Boyes had promised to replace the plank, but considered that the dam in the ditch should be removed altogether. Copy of letter to the Provincial Secretary, inquiring whether the Government intend to proceed with the construction of the new road between Riwaka and Takaka, and also stating that continual complaints are made by travellers about the bad state of the present track, and informing the Government that it is not reasonable to expect tbe Board to keep the same in repair unless they are supplied with special funds for the purpose. Reply from the Provincial Secretary read, stating tbat owing to the obstacles raised by the owners and occupiers of land contiguous to the line of proposed road, the Government abandoned all hope of proceeding with the work during tbe ensuing six months, and consequently made no provision in tbe proposed expenditure for the construction of the road referred to. Resolved^ That the Chairman (who is about to visit Nelson), wait on the Government and remind them that their letter is no reply to the last paragraph of the Board's letter, which refers to tbe state of the present track. Resolved, That the Chairman also confer with the Superintendent relative to compensation being awarded in land for forming roads leading to properties disposed of by Government. Copy of letter to the Provincial Secretary read, applying for the balance of the vole for the trunk road, Lower Moutere; the balance of tbe vote for harbor works, Riwaka; and the sum of £12 for repairing the dam in the Riwaka river. The Secretary stated that no reply to the above letter bad as yet been received. Letter read from Mr Jellicoe, pointing out that in his opiniou there is no right of road through section No. 58, Orinoco, and requesting that no road should be laid out through such section; also, oopy of letter to the DeputyCommissioner of Crown Lands, and a reply from that officer confirming Mr Jellicoe's opinion. Letter read from Mr oreo. Remnant, complaining of cattle running on the trunk road, Ngatimoti, and of the damage they are doiog to the new works on the road. The Secretary was instructed to inform Mr Remnant that it is quite competent for any person to lay an information against the owners of cattle trespassing on the trunk roads, and that the Ngatimoti sub-district can, if the settlers so desire, be brought under the provisions of No. 6 of the Board's hyelaws. Letter read from Provincial Secretary, stating that the sum of £51 16s 8d — namely, Moutere £20 lis, Motueka £16 6s 41, and Riwaka £14 19a 4d ■—■•being the amount received for dog tickets, leas the cost of collection, &c, had been placed' to the Board's credit. With reference to a letter from a resident at Ngatimoti, stating that the settlers desired a cart road should be made as far as possible in preference to the bridle track proposed to connect Orinoco with Rosedale, it was Resolved, That the object the Board have in view is to open communication (between Ngatimoti and the Upper Moutere, believing it will be for the general good to accept the report of tbe Board's Surveyor, as to the beßt line of road for the purpose.