New Goldfields and County Road Works.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4730, 5 March 1884, Page 2

New Goldfields and County Road Works.

From the two following letters, received this morning by (be County Chairman, it will be seen that Government, through the Ministers for Public Works and Mines, has agreed to assist the Council in making several important roads and tracks:—

Public Works Office, Wellington, 27th Feby., 1884, Thames Covsxx Council.

Proposed deviation of Road at Soda Water Springs along the line of Telegraph poles.

Sib, —With reference to the deputation from your Council which I had the honor of receiving when in your district recently, relative to the above subject; I find from the records here that this work was included in your original application of the 30th June last, under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act; but that when you reduced that applicatioD, in terms of the Act of 1883, to £5000 (as per your letter of the 15th October) you intentionally omitted the works at tho Soda Springs altogether from your list; of proposals, so as to obviate the necessity for taking a fresh poll as you would otherwise have had to do. It would appear therefore that the decision of the case rested with the Council rather than with the Government, and I regret that it it now out of my power to do anything in the matter under the grants for this financial year. If the Council, however, will make application nest June for the work in question, and is then prepared to take the requisite poll, I will assist you as far as I can.—l have, &c,

Edwjn Mitoheison, Minister for Public Works.

Mines Department;, Wellington, 29th February, 1.884. Sir, —1 am directed by the Minister of Mines to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 13th instant, submitting a list of works which the Council proposes to execute with assistance from this year's vote in aid of the construction of tracka, &c., upon gold* fields, and in reply to inform you that on the understanding that the works are put in hand as soon as possible and pushed on to completion, a subsidy not exceeding two-thirds of the estimated cost of the following tracks will be allowed upon plans and specifications being received and approved ; but that the Government is unable to grant assistance, from the present vote, in aid of the ether works mentioned in the list accompanying your letter:

The subsidies will be payable when the plans and specifications have been approved, in progress payments upon the certificates (in the printed forms supplied to you) of yourself, the Mining Inspector, andj the County Engineer, as to money expended and value of work performed. I may add that the plan and specifications of the first two miles of the Karangahaki road extension towards Te Aroha, forwarded with the County Surveyor's letter of the 20th instant, are approved, and that this portion of the road can be" put in hand at once.—l have, &c, OilV£B WiKEPIBM), Undersecretary for Gloldfield?;

Works approved. cost. - £ s. d. ?rospecting track to open up Karangahake Gold field extension towards Te Aroha 1,600 0 0 Crack up Mang'akirikiri Creek 100 0 0 detailing road Kauuerunga Valley to Otimui Creek Boad ... 650 0 0 Prom Tapu Battery to Mines 160 0 0 Total estimated ca^t ... £2,510 0 0 Total Government eubeidy of two-thirds... ... £1,673 6 8