WAIMEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 51, 28 February 1877, Page 2

WAIMEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The Council met at 11 a.m. to-day. Letters were received from the Secretaries of the various Road Boards, showing the amount of rates received last year, which were as follows :— Suburban North, £132; Upper Motueka, £162 12s Ud; Waimea, £1159 3s 6dj Motueka, £613 2s Bd. These letters also referred to other matters, and contained statements of tbe requirements of the respective districts. The Secretary of the Motueka Road Board called attertion to the great length of the County trunk roads in the district, being about 28 miles, and pointed out the great cost of keeping up thai" portion in the Moutere sub-district where there should be an expenditure of £800. The cost of repairs rendered necessary by the flood would be £4000, besides which there were works of minor importance. He also called attention to the fact that a large quantity of land was under lease from the Crown to which there were no roads, and that the Board had not the funds to undertake such roads.

The Secretary of the Upper "Motueka Road Board stated I hat the length of the road between Pigeon Valley and Stanley Brook requiring $o be formed was over 8 miles, 3 of which were in the Waimea district, and 5 in the Upper Motueka, and that the Board was of opinion that the Upper Motueka district was entitled to five-eighths of the sum allocated for the construction of that road. He also drew attention to the state of the main line from Motueka to the Buller via Orinoco, Dovedale, Stanley Brook, Motupiko, and Hope. He recommended to the consideration of the Council that part of the road in Hope Valley aud stated that if funds were available for making the road from Newport's to the Buller, the Board would ascertain the probable cost. A tabular statement of the mileage of the roads in the various districts was enclosed showing the total to be 85 miles, and the estimated cost £4070. The Secretary of the Waimea Road Board furnished the following estimate of extraordinary works required :— Maintenance of four Waimea bridges, £100; Protection of approaches, £300; Bridge over Stratford's Creek, £200; Protection of river banks, £200; Provision for new Wairoa Bridge, £7000. The Secretary of the Suburban North Road Board .stated tbat £326 would be required for main lines, and £38 for branch roads. Mr Oliver moved—" That the Council do proceed to the consideration of Clause 68 of " The Counties Act, 1876," so as to determine whether the division of the County Fund amongst the several Road Boards shall be in tbe form of a subsidy in aid of extraordinary public works, to be first approved of by the Council; or whether the same shall be based upon the mileage aud condition of the main lines of road within the respective Highway Districts." This resolution, after Mr Oliver had spoken, was lost sight of, and a lengthy conversational discussion (which had not concluded when we went to press) took place on the following, moved by MrJMacmahon and seconded by Mr Wells:—" That the subsidy be allotted in tbe following proportions : to the outlying districts, one-tenth; to Subur ban North, one-tenth; to Motueka, threetenths; to Waimea, three-tenths; and Upper Motueka, two-tenths.