WAIMEA ROAD BOARD.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 241, 11 October 1877, Page 4

WAIMEA ROAD BOARD.

Saturday, Oct. 6. At the monthly meeting, held this day, all the members were present. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed, and the Overseer reported as follows:— ~ According to instructions I have done as little as possible the past month,, but found it necessary to employ some extra labour to keep the road on the Moutere]hilla passable. With reference to inviting tenders for gravelling there. I consider ifc would prove cheaper to eujploy some one by the day and gravel the worst places. The occupiers of bush land in Pigeon Valley have, with one exception, declined to sign a written consent for the proposed clearing of roadsides, but have mostly given a Verbal consent on certain conditions. From the information I have received, it appears that one of Marsden's stonecrushers can be procured from Leeds for £150, ready packed, also that a similar machine is for sale in this colony at £130, and two of Appleton's at £225 each, in all cases freight and charges will have to be added. Messrs Holdawayj of . Richmond,, offer, in case the Board should import a machine, to supply steam power. .Resolved — That the consideration of the gravelling on the hills be deferred till next meeting; that the Overseer put men on to clear the bush in Pigeon Valley where permitted ; that the City Council be asked if they are willing to join in importing a stone crushing machine, and that application be made to the Minister for Public Works for permission to take 10,000 yards from the gravel reserve near the Wairoa. A letter was read from the Secretary of the Upper Motueka Road Board, stating the length, within the district, made and uumade, of the through road from Motueka to the Baton ; also requesting that as the road from Stanley Brook to Pigeon Valley is laid out on their side* the level at the boundary ridge' should be marked off. The Surveyor reported that in consequence of a press of other work this had not been done, but^will be attended to next week. He also reported that in reply to communications received from Mr. Eichmond, being unable to ascertain whether any survey and estimate for the Wairoa bridge has been prepared, he had forwarded his own estimate of the cost of rebuilding the same. A petition signed by nearly every ratepayer in the district was laid on the table, and ordered to be sent to, Mr. Richmond for presentation. Plans and sections of various alternative hills surveyed for a road to Spooner's range having been considered, together with the Surveyor's report thereon, it was decided that the line from the foot of the spur to the west end of Clarke's cutting, which affords the best obtainable gradient, viz., 1 in 17, should be adopted, and that a copy of the plan be at once forwarded to the Waste Lands Board for their approval as required by the Public Works Act. The Surveyor also produced a survey plan of Mr. Dron's land in Waimea West, showing the portion which, for a consideration of os., he was willing to allow Mr. Simmonds to use as a road, ie order to reach the main road, until such time as Mr. Dron may require to enclose it. The correspondence with the Board's -Solicitor, relating to some difficulty in preparing the rate-book as required by the Hating Act, having been read, it was resolved that the rate-book be completed as soon as possible. A letter received from the Minister of Public Works requested a return of the Board's expenditure for the year ending March 31, 1877, and states that a similar application had been made in June last but not attended to. The Secretary, reported having already transmitted the return required, and having replied that the letter alluded • to had not been received or it would have been attended to. Mr. Webby attended and requested assistance in fencing a road which he has given through his land where there was no right of road. Mr. Webby accepted the Board's offer of £10 10s in full, to be paid when the fence shall be erected.

Air. Deucker attended with reference to his application for assistance in repairing the road to Mount Wellington, stating that the estimated cost is £GQ, of which the applicants were willing to contribute £20, and hoped the Board would make up the balance. It was resolved — That, as in other cases, the Board can only contribute an equal amount, but that, in order to secure a good thorough road, they will give the larger sum on condition that the offer made some time since to Mr. Hilbreth to give, under certain conditions, a road through his land into Pigeon Valley be accepted Mr J. Taylor requested that the road near his property in Pigeon Valley should be at once gravelled. This the board could not promise to do at present but wouH fell the buah on the adjoining land as soon as possible. . Mr H. Lankow attended and requested assistance in forming part ot tbe road by his property, one half the cost was promised.

Complaints having been made about cattle wandering on the public roads, and that the constables declined to impound them on the ground that they have no instructions to do so, it was resolved— That enquiry be made from the Government as to whose duty it was now to keep the road clear from cattle, i 6 having been customary, under the Provincial Government, for the district constables to do so.

"Warracta were signed for £214 9b 9d.