MOTUEKA HIGHWAY BOARD.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 29, 3 February 1881, Page 4

MOTUEKA HIGHWAY BOARD.

Monthly Meeting, Jan. 29, 1881. All the memboro present. After the roßdicg cad confirmation of minutes of last meeting end passing the month's accounts, the Secretary made the following report :— The greater portion of my time since last meeting has been takeu up in making the valuation of the district and sending notices to ratepayers. 3 have also advertised tho valuation list for inspection as required by " The Rating Act." I have icspected the piece of road at Eiweko, which Mr Huddleston wrote' about- prior to loot meeting. The rofu', no doubt, would bo {ho better for a ccat of metal, but looking af. (he present financial position of the Board, and tbo very small amouut of traffic on the roa.l, I cannot recommend that this should be doua ; but there nre a lew low placer, near Mi Macmabon's sheds which bljouM be filled with gravel, the water tuble round the hill cleared ouf, and the outside of the road for a abort oistaoce lowered. Tbo culvert near Mr Macmahou'a gar.ien requires a little repair, the water having underlined it oa one side. Tbe bridge on tho sama road below Mr Dtumraond'a, which I reported last meeting as being in wout of a new lop, I found on in. j opection required replacing altogether. I have therefore invited tenders for building a new one. 1 have eleo iuvited tenders for gravGliin^ tbe piece of road lately formed between Mrs Cook'B corner aud M; Lewis's, Riwaka. i The gravelling contracts ot Upper MoiUero ere nearly coropleied, on-J also those first let in Paogatotara. The road at tbo crossing of ibe junction of the Motuekaand Baton rivers would be the better lor a little roore roptur, but this rop.d ia used almost exclusively by the Bfcton settlers. I fouud on visiting this part of the district that tbe work ordered by Mr Heath to be done was really necessary, but ihe question arises whether this is not the class of road that tbose interested in should be calleJ upon to contribute towards tbe repnir of. I have seen Mr Green with reference to the road being widened into his land' where tbe river has encroached. He offers to sell sufficient land for tbe purpose at the rate of £7 10a per acre, tbe Board lo pay the coat of moving tbe fence, or at the rate of £10 per acre if he is at tbe cost of moving the fence himself, and be^considera that immediate measures should be taken to prevent the further encroachment of tbe river. Letter from Mr Salisbury read, having reference to the trafßo through his land to (be Gridiron Quartz reefs, and pointing out (hat if he were obliged to stop tbe traffic the responsibility would rest with the Board, and not with him. Resolved, That the Secretory confer with Mr Salisbury, re tbe road through bis land, where the Graham and Motueka rivers have carried it away, when engaged at other work of tbe Board's in that part of tbe district. Letter from the Resident Engineer read, stating that be bad written to the Engineer in charge of the Middle Island, and would inform the Board of his decision on its receipt. Letter from Mr Jellieoe reaeJ, having reference to clearing roads of gorse. Letter from jMr Root read, directing tbe Board's attention to tbe almost impassable state of the road from the main road leading to tbe White Bluffs, and requesting that tbe same should be improved. Resolved, That Mr Rout be informed that tbe Board regrets its inability to comply with his request at present, having no funds that can be devcted to the work referred to. Letter from tbe Colonial Secretary's Office read, stating that it was ibe intention of the Government to subdivide the Motueka Highway district in accordance with tbe prayer of petitions received from ratepayers, but that the proclamation would not take effect until the annual election of members of the Boards on the first Monday in July Letter from Messrs. J. A. Gay and G. Lines read, offering to cart gravel on the Waiwero rood, by Parsons'e at *3b per load. Resolved, That Messrs Guy and Lines be informed that one more bargeload of gravel only will be carlei on the Waiwero road, and that the carting of tbe same will be open to anyone at 4s 6d per oart load. Resolved, That a snm not exceeding 30s be expended in repairing the road lending to Mr Huddleeton'e, Riwnko. Resolved, 'ihat tbe Board will purchase what land is required of Mr Green, at the rate of £10 per acre, Mr Green (0 be at tbe cost of removing the fence, and that he be asked to contribute towards tbe coat of protecting the river bank. Mr Simpson having had an interview with the Board re certain ditches at Lower Moutere, alongside his property, Resolved, That the Secretary, together with Messrs Bisley, Carter, and Chaytor, visit the locality on February 19, and report to the Board on the subject at the next meeting. Eesolved, That the Secretary endeavor to make arrangements with Mr H. Batt to repair the Riwaka-Takaka track, the cost to be defrayed with the £10 granted" 'by the Telegraph Department, and a portion of the amount accrued to tbe district from Ihe land fund. Resolved, That the Secretary take tbe neeeßßary steps to ascertain whether the water can be taken off Will's road by connecting the two portions of the Company's ditch lower down. Resolved, That the Secretary have the road between Mr Lewis' and the foot of Hill's, Riwaka, repaired and patched, where required, with grave). Resolved, That the sum of £2 be expended on the road leading to Mr Barrow's, provided be contributes a like amount, and also provided there is a right of road where the expenditure is desired. Resolved, That the subsidy lately received from tbe Colonial Treasury, be appropriated towards reducing the amount debited to tbe County fund account, incurred in the maintenance of the main trunk line of road running through the district. fa Mr Byrne bad an interview with the Board respecting the truck to the Grid-

iron quartz reefs, and requested that ss the Board's officer was so intimately acquainted with (be locality, having bad (be laying out. end supervision of the making of ihs greater part of the track over (he Mount Arthur Range, and also (as he had been informed) of other imporfant works, he (the Board's officer) might be allowed to visit and report upon the cost of improving the present track, also the beat way of reaching the quarlE reefs from the track and the coot of making the two miles of new track neceseury to do so. Mr Bryue offered to pay o»y oxpenses incurred. Tho Board, in reply, stated its great desire to assist the development of the reefs as far as possible, and after regretting its inability to give any pecuniary aid, stated that if its officer could manage to do (with his other work) what Mr Byrne requested, he had the Board's full consent to do so. Mr Byrne then withdrew, haviDg thanked the Board for tho courtesy with which he had been received and also for the readiness with which his request had been granted. Eesolved, That the Secretary take immediate steps to enforce the payment of all rates due. Besolved, that no eligible tender having been received for building the bridge near Mr Drumrnond's, Itiwaka, fresh tenders be invited. '1 he following tenders wore accepted, viz : — forming Douglas' Eoad, Motueka, R. J. Goodman, 83 per chain ; gravelling road from Mrs Cook'a comer towards Mr Lewis', Biwaka, Alfred Fowler, 12a 6d per chain. Warrants were signed for the payment of £171 2a 9d.

After the conclusion of the Highway Board business, the Board sat as a local Board of Health, when Mr Bisley was appointed Chairman. Resolved, That the members of the Highway Board act as Inspectors of Nuisances in their respective sub-dis-tricts. Complaints having be«3n made of the state of Messrs E. Bojes' and Hunt's premises in consequence of pigs being kept thereon, and of the stench arising from the ditch by Mr Buchholz's, it was resolved, That notices be served on the persons named, requesting them o abate the nuisances complained of.