WAIMEA ROAD BOARD.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 147, 13 June 1876, Page 4

WAIMEA ROAD BOARD.

Wednesday, June 7. ' The Board met at Richmond, all the members being present. : The minutes of last meeting having been read and confirmed, The Overseer made the following report — -"During the past month a greater amount of work than usual has been, done to get the roads in good order before the wet weather sets in, as -later in the season; owing to the distance the gravel has to be hauled, the roads are much cut up is effecting the repairs. Stoke: The carting here' amounts to £25 4s. An extra band is employed to break stones. Waimea East;; J. Oaborne has finished his con' tract for 'brick culvert at Richmond,' ;£l4b 4s : 3d. Mr Hodder has offered! to contribute the sum of £20 towards a "covered > drain, 60 : yards ; long, on the south side of the' road opposite his 1 store, which/ should' you undertake | to build, will not only improve and *»idieri 'the street, but do away with the shfijrp : turn on to the. bridge as at present. [A new bridge on the by-road by Mr John r Button's; has-been put in, the old o ( ne ' f ' being rotten. The road through Richinorid from the Plough Inn to |j. Lammaa' blacksmith's shop required *. ( coat of metal and the 1 , sides : made up from the; pit. On the Appleby road, which was much damagad by the j late flood, the sum of £31 -has been expended. Spring Grove : Mr Hunter has finished his contract for filling! in the ditch on the south side of the 40--line; ; it has taken 800 yards, coating £46 J3a 4d. Aocording to your in- : structions, I made arrangements with Messrs Ricketts and Higgins for the ; construction of a bridge on Currin's line, which is finished ; the Board's [moiety is £18 15s. A few days' work has . been done on the Wairoa Gorge road, removing' slips, &c, and a new bridge by M'Murray's Wakefield. The approach from Wai-iti to Pigeon Valley has again been washed away; to repair it has coat £12 12s. This i^ a constant expense after every floods as the river sets in under the bank. After consulting with the chairman of the Board, it was thought the river might be diverted so as to run straight jfor - the' centre of the bridge, if a channel were cut, and so save the approach. As delay was dangerous, I had it done, ,'. and. have every reason to believe it will answer — cost, £8. After last meeting, -Messrs Baigent, Tunnicliff, and Bell, together with" the Surveyor and myqelf, . visited the . spot of the threatened irruption of the Wai-iti, by Trass's, : with' the intention of laying off and letting the necessary works. Notices haying been sent to all parties interested, a few met us there; and after having carefully examined the course ;; , of' the : river, certain Works Were .proposed,' but in consequence of (the ' many objections met with and the conflicting intereate, it was impossible! Jo; 1 come to any decision, haying no power to enforce the same. This fully shows , the necessity for. the formation of River Boards to deal with these matters.; I was ordered to get about 12 chains of gravelling done from the Railway Station at Foxhill towards the river. I let it at 25s per chain. The contribution to meet equivalent subscriptions in labor and cash in Trass's Valley amounts to £12 Is 6J. The deputatipmabove mentioned visited Holland's bank, and agreed with Midgley to fill , io two deep holes, and make the road the full width for the sum of £25. Mr Holland wishes that the approach to be made to his premises (as ■ promised) might at once be proceeded with, as he is put to great inconvenience from the want of it. The fordway at Bell Grove has had to be repaired, and a wing dam built to protect the northern approach to the bridge. Waimea West : The Moutere Hills road was very bad . during the late rains. It has been attended to, and two briok culverts put .ii in place of wooden ones decayed, iln . Redwood's Valley, one of the streams having brought down a quantity \ of gravel, it has choked up the original course, and is now flowing down and damaging the- road. The owner of the ,■ land- refußes to allow us to enter and -'turn the water into its old course.; I have supplied the inhabitants with timber v to build a new bridge in place of ' the old one. Mr Satherly has finished the new road through Armstrong's section — £44, together with some extra works which the Surveyor considered, necessary, to the amount of £5. The bridge by Mr L. Dron'e is barely safe. I should recommend that a 3ft barrel drain be put in its place; there are sufficient wedge bricks in store for this work. I am sorry to have to report the wilful damage done to several of the brick culverts. A reward . might be offered to any one giving such information as would lead to the conviction of the offenders. Dovedale: The bridge over the Dove river being unsafe, I have had it. closed, and a temporary one erected till it ia repaired. The attention of tbe Government should be called to the state , of tbe fordway on tbe south side of the Wairoa bridge, which requires fresh pitching." ; Resolved— That the Board's funds, will not admit of their entertaining Mr Hodder's paoposal. That tenders be . invited for nest meeting for a brick drain by Dron's, and that a reward of £5 be offered for. information respecting the damage done to culverts. Ihe Secretary reported that having laid informations' against parties who, .had neglected to trim and clear gorse, one summons was withdrawn, as the work wasf being proceeded with, and the other held over till next Court day,

the parties having promised the Bench to have the clearing done by that time. Resolved, That the tender of T. Hodgene, at £40, for clearing and forming a road at Ford's Hill, in Dovjedale, be accepted. , In reference to Mr Kenyon's application, the decision on which stood over from last meeting, the Secretary reported that it appeared from the '.minutes- that in March, 1872, it was resolved to invite tenders in two separate contracts for gravelling portions jof the road east and west of, the Dove river j that in April Mr Keuyon made one tender for both lots, and that tpe Board accepted his tender for the eastern portion, and also, for th& westeijn, provided that road were retained (there •being at that time a negotiation^ pending for an alteration of (road), but tHat Mr Kenyon at once declined to undertake the work unless he could be assured of both lots unconditionally. j A letter wae read' from the Secretary of the Mbtueka Highway Board urging the desirability- of the road between Orinoco and Thorpe i being completed as soon as possible, ' and inquiring how Boon the Board is likely to, have funds for suoh completion. .-.••• ! Resolved, That in consequence of the ; great press of business '."this ".day, . the Board will consider the matter more fully at their next meeting. : j A letter from the Provincial Treasurer advised that the sum of £124. lie Id has been paid- to the Board's credit, being the proceeds of the sale of dog tickets, less coat of collection, and made up as follows :— Waimea, East, £55 17s Id ; Waimea West, £40 16s 6d ; Waimea South, £27 17s 6dj Mr Holland attended in reference • to the approach to his land. The Overseer was directed to have the work done. ' ... Mr Hildreth attended, and stated the' terms on which he ig willing to sell a propoied road through his land. No agreement being bdme to, it was resolved that a written offer be sept to Mr Hildretb. Messrs Green an d Har ley atten ded as a deputation with reference to a letter from Mr. Thomas Har ley, reque>t r ing the Board's contribution towards making a half-tide road round ihe Rocks from Stoke to Nelson,' and, ' having explained their wishes in this matter, It ..was, resolved, That a reply be sent to Mr T. Harley, that should the project be taken up by the Nelson City Council, the Board's Overseer and Surveyor' are instructed to meet on the. ground such officer as may be deputed by the Council to explain the proposed work, and • thereafter report to the Board. . , .. A cheque from ,the Paymaster-@ehe-ral for £457 12s 6d, being i balance of grant to the. Board i for the financial year 1875-6, was received, and voucher signed by the Chairman. < A; letter from the Chairman of a meeting held at Wakefleld, respecting the Wai*iti overflow,' and making suggestions for the. remedy thereof, having been considered, after hearing an explanation from Mr W. Wads worth/ who attended as a deputation, it was decided that the subscibers should amongst themselves make the, proposed channel to lead the water, and that the Board expend an equal amount from their own funds, and also from the grant promised by the Government in erecting protective works. : Messrs Rickefct arid Higgin attended and requested some allowance on their recent contract for work ion : . . GurrinV road. . This ■ was , declined '; as being contrary to rule. . .... ! Mr J Holland attended, and requested assistance in gravelling the new-made road at Bell Grove. The Overseer was directed to let work to the amount of not exceeding £15 to meet equivjal- : onts » ■■ .- ... ,•■ f \ .■■ > .-.• : ' Resolved, that notice be given of elections to be held on Monday, Jul^3> i to fill the vacancies which will then occur in the sub-districts of Stoke, Spring Grove, and Dovedale, also that the next monthly meeting be held on Tuesday, July li; at 9.30. \ Warrants! were signed for £506! 8s •fod. '■■•" - ■ •- • . : „'■■" I