WAIMEA ROAD BOARD.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 38, 13 February 1877, Page 4

WAIMEA ROAD BOARD.

i ; _" C Satubdayi, Feb. 10. .The monthly meeting, was, by postponement, held on Saturday last, all the members present. YC'f ne niinutes of last meeting having been read aud confirmed, tbe Overseer made the following report: — "The sum of£lO, to be expended on the road leading to the new. cemetery site at Stoke, is insufficient to render tbe same at all passable; YMr Marsden should, have notice-. toC plear this road from gorse, which has proceeded from bis hedge, as it covers more than one half the road, and it is useless to do anything to that portion of it until tbe same is removed. I think it would be advisable to call public attention to the 98 tb Section of tbe Publio Works Act by advertisement, as heretofore tbere appeared to be some doubt as to the Board's authority to compel persons to remove this nuisance, and it ia essential in many places tbat it should at onoe be acted upon. As far as I have at present ascertained no serious damage bas been done to the roads by tbe late rama, excepting at Pretty Bridge stream where tbe protective works lately erected have been washed away, and the bridge, although standing, is unsafe for heavy traffic; a new one should be erected without' delay. Tbe Surveyor aod myself visited the works at Trass'; the breakwater is very little injured, and the race cut seems to answer well,nevertheless there was au overflow which has washed away several chains of metalling by Meare'. This damage might in future be avoided to a great extent by clearing out and widening - tbe channel through Mr H. Batt's land: in consequence of this not being open, the water ia backed up and flows. down tbe road. According to instructions the Surveyor and myself let the repairs to the Wai-iti horse bridge at Bell Grove to Mr Joseph Price, for tbe sum of £16, the protective works will have to be reconsidered wheu tbe river bas subsided. I have put on two or three .hands to make a fresh crossing place ,here, v and to make Pretty Bridge passable. It will be necessary to' send them up Spooner's Range directly they nage finished. I . have not had sufficient time to visit Pigeon Valley add Dovedale since the floods, so I am not prepared to say what damage has been done iv that distriot. The day man. has been employed on the bye'rtiads in Spring Grove, and tbe Fortyline was being widened through Mr Eden's, and the material used for gravelling; here the road is nearly choked up witb gorse. I bave visited the Wairoa Valley road and the hill, complained of is rather steep, but could be improved by makiog a fresh sidecutting about 12 chains long on tbe western slope. Mr Irvine offers no objection to the proposed deviation. Since writing tbe above I have heard from one of tbe members of the Board that communication is stopped in Dovedale, and serious damage done." Reeolved,Tbat notices to clear the roads of gorse be sent to Mr Marsden and others; and that the Overseer have tbe water course at Batt's cleared out, and such repairs done in Dovedale, as shall be absolutely necessary to keep up communication. Also that consideration of the erection of a new bridge at Pretty Bridge stream be deferred. Resolved, That the Secretary try to ascertain whether the difficulty of deal- ' ing with the Government reserve Poor Man's Valley and setting apart a portion as a publio cemetery has bean removed. . . The following tenders for carting gravel at Stoke were accepted:— J. Bradley, 5a sd, delivered at Rowbotbam's corner, and 4s 3d at slaughter house bridge; R. Ching and T. Cressweil, each 100 yards, at Wesleyan Chapel, 4s 9d; T. Cressweli, 100 yarJe at Burlace's hill, 3a 9d. -.--. Resolved, That in consequence of the floods having caused a delay in the transmission of the specifications for the woiks in Dovedale, the time for receiving tenders be extended to March 3rd. A letter was received from Mr Curtis stating tbat tbe amount promised by the Government for repairs at Bell Grove' bridge, will be handed to the Board on receipt of advice that a contract bas been let. The correspondence wiih the Government relative to an extension of time for completing tbe valuation list having been read, it was resolved tbat the list should be published immediately, and application made to the As cessment Court for an extension of time. Mr R. M. Smith, the vainer, delivered tbe list only just completed, and it was ordered to be placed at Messrs Hodder & Co.'s store for inspection. Resolved, That notice be given that all rates remaining unpaid after March 3rd will be sued for; and that Mr J. Win is authorised to receive rates in Dovedale. Two letters were received from the Clerk of the Waimea County Council, one requesting a statement of amount of rates annually levied by tbe Board; also any information which may assist the Council in determining tbe proportion in whioh mooeys payable to the - County shall be divided amongst tbe Beveral road districts and aoy outlying districts therein. Tbe other requested , a statement ot rates collected during the "year ending March 31, 1876. The Secretary was directed to furnish tbe -information required; also, a statement ol extraordinary works which, in tbe Board's opinion, will be required. A letter was read from the Secretary of the Upper Motueka Road Board,

stating, by direction of the Board, that he and Messrs Griffith were willing to lay out that portion of the Pigeon Valley and Stanley Brook road which is within the Waimea district, for the approval of the Waimea Board, and to accept whatover remuneration the Board might deem sufficient. Resolved, That as the Board have no funds to expend on that road, they have no present intention of having it laid out, nor of incurring any expense on it. Another letter from the same Board called attention to the state of the road on Spooner's Range. Tbe Overseer reported that previous to the late rains tbe road bad been attended to, and, as stated in his report, would be again. A letter and some printed forma for reports were received from the Central Board of Health, requesting that a report as to the sanitary state of the district shouid be furnished after tbe Slst March next, and annually thereafter. Messrs Wadsworth and Griffith attended wiih a list of subscriptions towards gravelling part of the road in Houit's Valley, and requesting assistance. The Overseer was directed to let work to the extent of £20, of which tbe Board will pay one half. Complaint having- been made, of timber being: dragged along the roads in Pigeon Valley, the Secretary was directed to give notice to all parties doing so ; aleo to publish that portion to the Public Works Act relating to injuries to the roads, the provisions of which it is the Board's intention to fully carry out. : . Mrs Higgs attended and requested assistance in improving the road adjoining her property, offering to contribute £10. The Board agreed to give an equivalent, and tbe Overseer was directed to arrange for tbe work to be done. Resolved, That in consequence of the great traffic on the Swamp road, between the railway station and BartleU's corner, that road be, until further notice, treated as a main road, as regards repairs. A letter was received from Mr Green, reminding tbe Board of bis application for an alteration of road near his property, respecting which nothing had as' yet been done. Resolved, That Mr Green be informed tbat the extra work consequent oo the valuation list had prevented the Surveyor from attending to his application. * Warrants were signed for £185 3s 6J.