MOTUEKA HIGHWAY BOARD.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 255, 4 November 1878, Page 5

MOTUEKA HIGHWAY BOARD.

At the monthly meeting on October 26tb, all the members were present but Mr Grooby. The Secretary reported : — " I have again been through the Sandy Bay track, and found it in a much worse stale than it was two- months ago. The driest parts might now be improved, but as the track in many places never gets any sun upon it, I would strongly advise that a strip of buah should be cut down on each side, so as to admit, (he sun and wind. I have been unable to make arrangements wilh several of the owners of laDd in Pargatolara Valley lor the purchase of land required for the new roud, and I believe the only plan now to adopt is take the land under " The Public Works Act, 1876." This will involve en imnoediata survey of ibe line, which will take a considerable time, owing to the great number of angles and short lines. Ihave inspectel Mr Chapman's land at PangaCoture, and as far ac I have been enabled to ascertain, the new road takes a small piece off one corner of his land, about the eighth of an acre, and does not necessitate any additional fencing. I have inspected the bridges on the by-road leading to Messrs J. and D. Druroroond'a mill, and found that the tops of two of them are very bad. 1 have written to Messrs Drummond, staling that the Board has no funds for the uoaintainance of such roads, and that if they choose to make uee of tha bridges, they do bo at their own risk. The work of opening the road between Pocock'a Bluff and the Dove river is progressing satisfactorily, and will probably be finished in another week. The contractor finished driving the piles for the Oronoco cart bridge last week; they drove very well, the three centre rows being in the ground ten, eleven, and twelve feet respectively, Mr Doncker, when in Nelson, made enquiries is to the possibility of obtaining dynamite for blasting purposes, and haß informed me that it can be obtained through Mr Webster, but in no smaller quantities than 50ib boxes, costing £15 eacb. I have made enquiries as to the probable cost of obtaining gravel from the Moutere western entrance, and from what I have been able to gather, I think it could be bonted to the Lower Moutere bridge at Is 9J per cubic yard, and a trifla more if delivered at the end of Myera' road, ihe Board providing a suitable barge. I am toid the gravel is of superior quality, and entirely free from soil and 6»nd. I should have invited tenders for more gravelling,- but thought it advisable to await the Board's decision respecting gravel being obtained by boating, good gravel being now difficult to get within easy reach, both in Motueka and Lower Moutere. I have purchased some birch limber on behalf of the Board fiora Mr Briton, which he had left over from the Motueka bridge, at 6i and 9s per 100 feet." Resolved, 'lhat men be employed by day work lo repair the Sandy Bay tra k, and that the Secretary make an estimate of the cost of the woik required to make a cart road to the Sandy Bay landing, and offer the woik to the persons interested, and who have a special interest iv the same. Resolved, That the Secretary prepare a memorandum of matJera of importance to tho district, for the Chairman to obtain information on when in Nelson. Letter from Mr Chapman read, respecting the new roud at Pangatotara taking a small piece of his land, and threatening legal proceedings unless his demand was paid within a month, Resolved, Thut as it appears to the Board lhat the value of Mr Cbepman's land ittken for the road does not exceed £l, he be offered £2 lor the same. ResolveJj 'Hint with reference to dynamite, if. is ndviaable to procure a small qnantity to test its eflieacy for getting down gravel on the Moutere hills, and la the event of no smaller quantity lhan n 50! b. box bsing obtainable, tlio JSecretury order a box of tliaf. size, fes it will couie in useful for blasting rock in various parts of the districf. Letter frctn Mr Salisbury ioiJ respecting the work required to rauke tbo Table Laud truck passable, the cost of which be estimated at £5, exclusive of bUsting some rock. Resolved, That 4Jie Wecretnry inform Mr Salisbury that Ihe Board's funds ore limitcJ, but with n deaire to keep tUe track open, the Board will contribute lha sum of £5 for the work required, provided thosa persons interested will uii'iertuk.) t) make the track passable for huise iiatllc . lo lite Board's aaiia/aclioa.

Resolved, That the persons interested in the Graham Valley road be atked to inform the Board what is necessary to be done to meet their wants, and what amount they aro willing to contribute towards the cost of work required, the Board's financial condition being such as not to warrant a large expenditure. Resolved, That the Secretary asaertain whether a barge can be purchased for boating gravel, and if not, make enquiries respecting the cost ot anew one ; and also iuvite tenders for boating gravel from the Moutere eutranca (o the Lower Moutere bridge. Resolved, That as the construction of the aow road atPangatotara is attended with so many difficulties, and some of the owners of land through which the roa 1 is required to pass are so exorbitant io their demands, the Board will tike into consideration at its next meeting the advisability of relinquishing the work altogether, and bantling the balance of the gronl back to the Colonial Government Letter from Mr Grattan Cook, of Riwaka, read, asking that a piece of road leading to his place should be grovelled, and pointing out that be pays a large roid rate, as a reason why such road should be improved. Resolved, That tenders be invited for gravelling the road referred to, to be sant in by next meeting. Resolved, That as it appears from statements made by the Harbor-master, Nelson, he has no authority to order the removal of anags or other impediments to the navigation of the liiwaka boat harbor, the Secretary brin^ the subject under the consideration of the Colonial Government. Resolved, That the Secretary ascertain whether the course of ths creek below Mr D. Beatson's hnd can be diverted at a small cost, so as to protect the road, and, if so, to get the necessary work done. Resolved, That the Secretary apply for a portion of the vote of £700 for Orinoco Valley and Stanley Brook road. Leters from Mr A. Mackay and Mr J. W. Parkes read respecting road and fencing in Paugatotara Valley. The Chairman undertook to see Mr Mackay on tha subject when in Nelsoo, the Secretary having explained that Mr Mackay gave his full consent to the road being made throuajht the land, altogether ignoring Mr Pjrkes'd claim to any compensation. Letter from Mr Christopher Remnant read, asking permission to erect a fence on the side of the road. Eesolved, that permission be granted, the Secretary to direct where the fence shall be put. Letter from the Colonial Treasury read, stating that £304; 6s 4d had been placed to the Board'd credit, being half year's subsidy on rates ; and from the Secretary! to the Takaka Road Board respecting broad tire wheels, also a bill from Mr Tucker. A pamphlet; from Mr F. C. Rowan on light country railways and street tramways was laid on the table. Orders for trimming and cutting hedges were signed by the Chairman. The Secretary read the conditions upon which he had purchased timber from Mr Briton, and the Board approved of the same. The following tenders were accepted: — Motueka sub-district: Carting gravel, W A. Herrick. Lower Moutere : Carting gravel, Thomas Tarrant. Upper Moutere : Gravelling cross road to iN'eudorf, J. Beusemann and Co., 24s per eliaia. Pangatotara: Buildingculvert, A Inwood, £3 17a per lot ; moving Waiwero bridge, ,T. "W. Parkes and Co., £51 per lot Riwaka : Gravelling road near Mrs Cook's, Samuel Fowler, 19s per chain ; building culvert, Lodder's road, Thomas Woolf, £4 15s per lot. Resolved, That fresh tenders be invited for carting gravel at Upper Moutere, Ngatimoti, Pangatotara, and Riwaka; also for gravelling road on Drummond's flat and widening centre of road, Riwaka. Warrants were signed for £-130 19s lid.