MOTUEKA HIGHWAY BOARD.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 51, 28 February 1879, Page 4

MOTUEKA HIGHWAY BOARD.

Monthly Mm- ting, Ffb, 22, 1879. Present: Ihe Chairman and Messrs. Bisley, Burrell, and A&kew. After the coi flrmution of the Minutes of the previous meeting, and peseta? accounts for the last month, tbe Secretary made the io^o^ing repoit : — Very little progms has been made with road work during 'he last month, but now that harvest operniior.B ore over, contractors will he able to push on with t!i6 woiks. No crovel ha? been delivered from the Moutere entranca since the last meeting, elihouph the Spricir tid«s hnvc i>een very high and consequently favorable lor the work. I ti.iuk the heard should ineiet upon work xvlen let to be completed within a specified time beinjr Guishe<s within fluoh time, unless on (Xtens-ion of the perioJ ia applied for nnd granted. Some contractors (trastinjj I suppose to the leniency of tin: Boor.) appear fo psy no regard whitvrr to the penalty clause in speeifitaiiona. I have arrunpe 1 with Mr John Rochfort to maky a Burvey of the uew road at Panjjatotara, as will be s»en by the correspondence to be laid before the Board, and he purpeses beginning the work almost immediately. I have not yet bean able to invite tenders for clearing Iho sand out of the ewamp ditches in Eiwaka, aB until Mr E. Boyes has completed the work in the watercourse through bis land, ony work done to the road ditches would be to no purpose, as they would enly refill again with sand. Mr Boyes has informed me that he has let tbe work through bis land, hut (I soppose owing to" the busy season of tho year) very little progress, if any, has been made. A sitting of the Assessment Court was held on the 19th instant, when three Appeal cases cams before the Judge. In two cases the objectors bad a slight reduction made in the amount of their valuations, an'i a third case was withdrawn. Correspondence between the Secre. lary and the Commissioner ot Crown Lands read, having reference to tho land required for the new road between Eiwnka and Tekaka. Resolved, That the Chairman nnd Secretary, when in Nelson, endeavor to arrange with Mesers. Thomas Bros, agents, as to tho amount of compensation to be paid for making the road through their land. Correspondence between the Secre lary nod Mr Rocbfort read, respecting the survey of the new road at Pangetoiara, showing that Mr Rochfort would begin the new rond about the oad of the present month. Letter from (ho Under Secretary for Public Workfl read, offering to place tbe sum of £500 at the Board's disposal for making a portion of tbe Biwaka-Takaka new road on certain conditions. Resolved, That tha Minister for Public Works be informed that the Board will uudeiiake the work suljact to tbe conditions laid down ia the letter referred to. Circular from Co'ouisl Secretary read, having reference to local bodied applications for extention of time for prepariug Valuation Lists under the " Rating Act, 1576." Tho Chairman stated that at the lost \ meeting of the Waimea County Council it had been resolved that the Chairman of the Council and Mr Wells on behalf of the County invite the Chairmen of the respective highway districts, or such other persons 88 the Boards may appoint to a Conference, with a view of of discusEing and securing the most advunte^eous and economical mode by which tho several bodies represented at such Conference may co-operate for the general welfare of the County und of the several highway districts therein, and that he (the Chairmen of thie Board) being a mtraber cf tlie Council would prefer that tha Board should appoint some other person to represent it at the Conference. Resolved, That the Board be repre■ented at the Conference by the Secre l»ry. Letter from tbo Chainnao of the Waimea County Council re«<?, requesting that a copy of the Boards Valuation Lilt should be forwarded to the Council ao as to enable that body to have a Coqnty Electoral Roll prepared at the laast possible expense, also tbe copy of a letter from the Secretary to tbe Board in reply read, promising that tbe List should be forwarded as soon as possible, but submitting that a copy of tbe Valuation List in detail would not be required for the formation of the Electoral Roll. Resolved, That tbe Secretary forward a copy of what is required to the Chairman of the Council. Letter from Commissioner of Native Eeserves read, having reference to the new road beitier tbken through the Native sections at Poogatotara. ' Resolved, That the consideration of the letter be postponed until next meeting. Letter from Messrs Hewefson end Senior read, stating that as the road by Satherley's leading to the Moutere Jetties would require repair before the wet season of tbe year, they are prepared to contribute one half the coßt of aach repair provided tbe Board will get the work done. Resolved, That tbe road referred to bo repaired on condition that the Board defrays one half of the cost only. Letter from Mr Tate of Ngatimoti read, stating that there are some places os the road near his pUce (bat should be repaired. The Secretary said that be intended M won ib he could get ■ suitable man

«o bnve come slight repairs done to the road i D the neighborhood of Mr Tale's pjorerty. Copies of letters from tho Secretary to the pound keepers of Motuek* and Riwaka rrad, asking for n return of any amount they tni^ht have in band due •o the Board for catiie impounded off tlie public roads. The Secrelnry stated thit Mrs A. Pmker, the Molueka pound keuper, hnd oske.l him to 10..k over her pound book wh'ch he lind promised to do. She alsu nibbed to he relieved of her appoiu!njent as pcundkeepf r, Retoived, That Mr Joseph H. HhII, provided lie j« willing 10 act, \-.q recommended as a fit person for PounJki:eper particularly as bis house is very ne?ir the Poun-1. Lciler from Mr Dttick: r read, stating thai, owing to his lr.te Biriosis iHura?, ha did cot like to venture out, in the wet and asking tin 1 , letve of absence nii»ht be i«rft»teJ him, Resolved, That leave of absence by grunted iq Mr Deiicker. Eeeolvad, That with reference to the swamp ditches iv Kiwakn, the Secretary ascertain whether Mr E. Boyee intends to have the water course running through his land cleared out immediately, and if not, to write to the Secretary of the College Governois rcspeciing the same. Resolved, That as the subaiJy pail by the Government to the Board ia calculated upon the amount of rates actually received up to the 31st of March of each year, the Secretary is hereby instructed to sue for any rates remaining unpaid, so that judment may be obtained at the next sitting of the Magistrates Court. It having been reported that Mr W. A. Herrick was not making satisfactory progresß with the road work he has in bund. Resolve J, That the Secretary inform Mr Herrick that unless he proceeds &t once with the work ha Las to execute for fhe Bo&rd, nnd usea proper und satisfactory despatch in tho execution of the same, the Board will enforce the penalty and that his tenders for the future will not be entertaiied. Resolved, That the briJ^e on the gr vel road Riwaka hi replauked, it not being safe in its present state, and that the road from Wilkie'a corner towards the river westward ba repaired. Resolve!, That the next meeting of the Board tr.ke place on the 22ad of March ioetesd of the 29 h. r lhd foilowing (eutkra were accepted. Widening road near Parson's, Waiwero, J. E. Willsot), fl2 per lot; gravelling road on Druramonn's Flat, Upper Moutere, C. Nagel, 12s per chain; work by Double Bridge, Ngatiraoti, E. Grooby junr., £4 15 per lot; work on road between D. Beatson's and G. CBntou's, Ngutiuaoti, G Canton, £9 10a per lot; gravelling road near Flour Mill, Riwakft, A. M'Lew, £1 3* per chain. Warrants were signed for £139 la.