MOTUEKA HIGHWAY BOARD.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 103, 3 May 1877, Page 4

MOTUEKA HIGHWAY BOARD.

The usual monthly meeting of tbe above took place on the 28th of April. Present, all the members except Mr James Druoamond. After tbe confirmation of the minutes, of tbe previous, meeting, the Secretary read the following report As instructed last meeting, I have inspected the place where Mr Wallis asked permission to dig a ditch across tbe public road, apd found it already dug, as I believe it was at the time of Wallis asking permission; but as tbe ditch has been dug through a raupo swamp, it is quite possible that the public road, escaped Mr Wallis's observation until after the work was done. I see no objection to the ditcb, and coneider that it crosses the road at a very good place," being close to the foot of the hill, but am of opinion that Mr Wallis should put some sort of a bridge across it, so that cattle Can get to Mr Hale's section. I have prepared a plan and specification fbr the new bridge across the Wai wero. river, on the Ngatimoti road, and laid out the continuation of the bridle track bet ween. Orinoco and Rosedale, and haye invited tenders for the r various works, ordered last meeting. The road baa been made passable for a cart down the Dove VaUey- 'and 88.-%. as the croesing of the Motueka river, towards the Baton; also round the Bluff: between, the Orinoco river and Mr O'Brien's land. The latter road, although passable with ordinary care, must be 1 regarded as anything but safe 1 for an inexperienced or careless driver. Mr J. G. Blsckett has been dent by the Colonial Government to visit thb*" district, and to report on the amount,, required ;ta defray the l cost of iW\ ( establishing the roads and other works * destroyed by the flood in February last, I accompanied hinY, on Thursday" last, -through the Biwaka and partly through tbe Moiueka sub-districts. I have been un. ble to get. the works ordered to bedoneih Riwaka executed, owing to most of the farmers requiring all the available labor for threshing, but, most of it is now in hand, and witb Sna weather will soon be completed.. , I have inspected the Company's ditch, through Mr Walter Funnell's land, and found, it completely dammed up in several places, the manuka and flax growing vSo thick on the banks aa; to collect almost everything that comes down it. The 5 ditch requires clearing in many places for about 25 chains, and the vegetation ; destroyed on the banks ; for, a distance, of at least 9ffc back oo either side. I estimate the cost of the flratVneceaaary work at about £50, and I have been, informed that most of the persons interested will contribute largely towards it. I have arranged with Mr Akersten for, tbe purchase of his pile-driving machine for £20. . Mr Coombs, the contractor for the Saltwater Bridge, asks for an advance T of £40, this I think he is quite entitled" to, being SO per, cent, on amount of workxlone. Mr Morleyasks for a further advance of £9 on. tbe amount of his con tract for - tarring.l I would: recommend tbat a few of the.; worst places on the Moutere truuk road be gravelled before the rainy, season sets in, and I think that some of the. roads about Motueka Village;' should: be prepared. There is aleo a place on theNeudorf road which should be gravelled for a few chains, where! same filling has been done, otherwise it will be very eoft during the winter. A copy of a letter from tbe Secretary waa read, applying to Mr Curtis for the. sum of £20, for the purpose of erecting a public pound at Upper Moutere, also, a reply from Mr Gartis, stating that there are no funds over which be has any control from which- 1 lhe application can be complied with. A circular from Mr Curtis was readj informing the Board that tbe balancer of the sum applicable to tbe mainten- - ance of bridges under ihe Provincial Appropriation Extension Act, which remained unexpended at the end of 1876, is now exhausted, and that all completed bridges must henceforth be ? maintained by, and at tbe cost of, the local bodies having charge of the roads leading to them. A copy of a letter from the Secretary was read, applying to the Native Commissioner for tbe sum of £40 due to the Board from the Native Trust, also a reply from the Native Commissioner stating tbat although fully alive to tbe importance of liquidating tbe amount I due, in aid of meeting the heavy expenditure caused by the damage done, by tbe late, floods, he is precluded through want'of funds from paying the amount as promptly as be could wish, or as the Board might desire, but hoped to be ia a position shortly to make tbe payment; and aiso tbat the Board's implied threat of coniainnicattug with the Native Minister on tbe subject was not likely to accelerate the payment, the Native Minister not being likely to direct bim to perform an impossibility. Resolved — That the Secretary acknowledge the receipt ol the Naiive Commissioner's letter, aud iaiorm him that the Board, being iv need oi funds, trusts tbat thu amount due will shortly be paid. Kesolved — That with reference to Mr J. G-. Blackeit's visit to the district for the purpose of forming au estimate of the damage done to roads and bridges by the late flood, tbe Board feel gratified to learn tbat tbe Government baa taken into consideration tbe representation made respecting tbe damage done to the public roads, and the in-

ability of the Board to re-construct them with the means at their disposal. Resolved— That ; as Mr Waltier hasT made a Mih acftisa :% pobWroid ;be|foiie applying for. authority Jo do so, be be] requested to place a suytanttal brjdge across Such ditch imt_e_TatefyY'V ; • : Resolved — That the Secretary take tthe necessaify steps to have theYroads .gravelled^^^ as^ecpmmended ih M : ; , ;Res6lved— That this Board recognises the watercourse-! known 1 the Company's ditch, Mpdjtere, . a public, drain under "The Public Works Act, ' 1876" '-"• ' .'. ,„: iSesolvedTrrThat in tbe event, of. satis*}; factory; arrangements being; made : with Messrs T^homas BroaV for a right of r road through' their land,' where laid.out last,' year by the Secretary, tenders}' be invited hy next meeting for making fa portion .of Vthe.same. 'Letter from Mrs Wise read, draining the attention, of the Board to the injury her land sustains by the culvert ron the: Beach road being left in its present sttke; iEesolved-— l. That it ia no ; jjJarfc of the duty of >hejßoard t to drain Mrs; "Wife's, land. . 2 -, . /Ir-at^ as there js nooccasion, for the- culver^ alludes}, .to, in her letter (as far as, the drainage of .the .road is concerned), a resolutiont 'p-ssed ; iby the Board on the 30th, September test with reference to the same benqwj rescinded. •-■.->. n .' Complaints having been made that cattle are ' constantly feeding* oto tbaT sides of the roads, 'tothe i'njury Y o'f :? th"ef J roiads', it vras resolved— -That the? "con -^ stablp'sV attention be directed "to the same, with a request', thaif^eTv? ill attend toj bid ;duty..in this respect without p^Hitig- the Board to furthest trouble [ Q the jdjaifter. .'' ''■■'. ' r lA^'oj^ej^That.about.lQ^hainß of the new milLro&d be rounded on^ the si|le'_e_t Mr-Fry's land,and< that- the crloes-road leading .'t6 the ""river be Cleared of the timber deposited by the flood,: •; : . ; Resolved— That aa soon as tbe wrater from Brooklyn flowing into tha swamp-road ditches has been taken across the road so as to flaw in tbe easterly direction, the' ditch on tbe nbrth side' of (be mill-road be,deepened, pjrovjjded ; Mr ; R. ]?ij il\\l : 'contri*oute i fvor thirds o(, tho cost of, sueh deepenii|g. /,'.:. ;•••■ :; ti „ |R,esolve,d, That heaps Vof gravel be deposited at convenient V places on tbe trunk roads, tot-bY: used; for repairing toe same during the winter months. I Resolved — ■ Thftt . fin|»]Br-pos;8 be placed at the corners of pertain crossroads, for the, convenience of the pjubUO.V ... - '-'■', ! Rfe^ojve^-^Tbatthe ! Repretary „obtain from tne Board's Solicitors' v a wri'ttenf opinion as , to the. legal . i^te^ retati,oa r of that part of section;. 9S of ; Public Works Act, 1876,'? < having reference to the spread, of goree on -roads.- . The following tenders were accepted, ,vjiz. :-r J./ Qopmbgrrtiinber forjWaijwero , bjridge, £f 2 10s '$i; : C. Holdaway" and' Co. — building the Waiwero bridge, 106| |G. Grooby and Go.-^-forra-C ing Orfh'bco-Rosedale track, side--cut-ting 103 per chain, flat ground 2 fsa per j chain; Thbnjas M'F4rl„ne — work be-, tween Wallis' and the beach, £3 155. . V : ' Warrants were eigned!for£ls9i 3^. : |

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