OMAKA ROAD BOARD.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 184, 3 August 1909, Page 5

OMAKA ROAD BOARD.

'The Omaka Road Board met this morning, when there were present: Messrs R. J. Bell (chairman); S. Tapp, A. Mackay, J. BarjK, R- Hani and W. B. Parker. JUBILEE, CELEBRATIONS. . The committee to draw up a programme for the Jubilee celebrations wrote asking what support the Board would be prepared to give the committee towards carrying out the celebrations. ■ ' ■ - . The Chairman moved, and Mr Tapp. seconded, that £10 be voted/ ,• '■' . Mr Mackay asked if it would be consistent with the programme tho Board had in hand to vote £1. He stated that the Board would be called upon for a payment towards the ferry bridge, and probably other bridges in the near future. Mr Tapp said the voting of £10 would not affect the bridges question one way or. the other. Mr Bary said he was not in favour of voting £10, but he held the same view as did Mr Tapp, as far as that amount would affect the Board's contribution towards the cost of any bridges in the district. The celebrations would only benefit the business people of Blenheim. He moved as an amendment that £5 be voted. j Mr Ham seconded the amendment. , Mr Parker asked Mr Bary to increase the amount to £7 10s, and he wou'd support the amendment. The Chairman said that really it meant that the Board should give £10 or nothing at all. The amendment was defeated, and the motion carried on the casting vote of the Chairman. MEETING DAY. Mr Bary, in accordance with notice given, moved that the date of the meeting of the Board be altered to the same day as the Hospital Board, at 10 a.m. The Chairman seconded the motion. Mr Tapp approved of the alteration. .-•-■''■ Mr Mackay did not think that it was right that the day of meeting should be changed to suit the convenience of one or two. He moved as an amendment that the meeting be ■held at,2 p.m. on the samer day as at present. Mr Ham seconded the amendment. The amendment was lost, and) the motion carried, Mr Ham saving, that it was not right to change the' meetings about as the Board was doing. THE RENWICK BRIDGE; A deputation for whom Mr Lambert acted as spokesman, waited upon, the Board; and asked it, as the controlling body, to take the; initiative in the matter of having a; .RoyaJL Commission set up to apportion the cost of the upkeep of the proposed bridge at Renwicktqwtt. He pointed out that .the Minister for Public Works practically promised a certain' subsidy towards the bridge. He, pointed out that a bridge with con- ! crete piles and iron girders could be built for. £8 per foot. He wanted the work -got under way as soon as i possible. '■;. Over 40 years had been wasted in not getting the bridge an established fact, and every month brought them nearer eternity. M«r Bary read a telegram to the effect. that Mr Williams, District Road Engineer; had commenced the work of surveying the site, with the object of: preparing a plan of the work, and framing an estimate of the cost of the bridge. The Chairman moved, and Mr Tapp seconded, 'that the Board considered taht the Pelorus v Road Board, should take the initiative, as it was the interested party. Mr Mackay said it was a national work, and should be carried out by the iPublic Works Department. , The motion was carried. Mr Bary was appointed to represent the Board, and to meet Mr -Williams in conjunction with the Pelorus Road Board's representative to discuss the question of sites. GENERAL. It was decided that Mr O'Dwyer's offer of £3 towards the cost of repairing his road at Renwicktown be accepted. . The Inspector was instructed to call for tenders for metalling 50 chains of Dillon's Point Road, and also to construct a footbridge at Redwobdtown. - NOTICE OF MOTION. Mr Bary gave notice that, he would* move at the next meeting of the Board: ."That gorse, broom, briar, blackberry, oxeyed daisy, Californian thistle and winged thistle be declared noxious weeds within the Board's area." NELSON STREET. Mr Mackay moved, and Mr Tapp seconded: "That the attention of- the Blenheim .Borough Council be directed to the state of Nelson Street, east of the bridge, and that it be given immediate attention."—-Carried. HEAVY TRAFFIC. >::•" Mr Bary asked for information regarding heavy traffic fees, and upon being informed of the number of waggoners who had paid their license fees, he gaye the secretary the names of a number of persons who were carting over the Board's roads without having paid their fees. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £481 4s lOd were passed for payment, and the meeting rose.