ROCKS ROAD COMMITTEE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXVII, Issue 288, 7 December 1893, Page 2

ROCKS ROAD COMMITTEE.

AmM-tirgof! th ••• Rn ka Road Committee wis held ye.-t^rd.'iy afternoon, when tln."e were present : The M-.y .r of Nelson, Mr F. Trask. in the chair. the Mayor of Richmond, Mr T;»lb'it, a-'d Me-srs Graham, Baigent, Beat, It ut, I'iper, Bahwaite, J. Barley, C. J. Harney. Everett and fl widow.

Mr J. Hurley mov-d tl vy, the hearty congratu'ationsof the Rocks Road Committer be tendered to Mr John Graham, upon his being elected member for the city. The tMayor of Richmond seconded the motion which wai oarried unanimously. Mr Graham said it gave him great pleasure to receive the. unanimously e.irritd vote of congratulation. Jt was scarcely necessary tor him to state that he would do all he could for the advancement and welfare of Nelson, and particularly for the Rocks Road. He quite believed that before the work was finished it would be necessary to ask the Government for further help. Anything thai he could do to assist this, or any other work, would not only be his duty, but his great pleasure His best efforts would be used to merit the confidence the people had placed in him by electing him as their member. He only hoped and trusted that his action would prove that he was worthy of their conlidence. (Applause)

The total amount of accounts passed for payment yesterday afternoon amounted to £23 14s 2d.

The report of the Executive Committee was read which stated that during the month £113 10s 6d had been paid away for wages.

Cr J. Harley asked the Engineer what was the exact position of the work at the present time ?

Mr Jickell said that £1,300 had yet to come in ; £6,008 had been spent up tb date, and the Committee had in hand the whole of the cement necessary to complete the work. They had had to expend £600 which was not included in the estimates. There was £400 to come in from the Waimea County Council, and £532 was due from the Government. They expected to receive £125 from the subscriptions promised and there was *300 voted by the City Council. The last block of the wall would be laid that afternoon.

Mr Graham moved that the Mayor of Nelson be asked to lay the last block of the block wall, Mr Trask had ever taken a very keen interest in the work and was, he thought, the most suitable man for the honour.

Mr J. Harley seconded the motion, whicl was carried

The Committee were then driven to the Kicks, whence the members walked to the end of the wall to witness the ceremony. Ihe Last Block,

About twenty yards from the end of the wall a block had been left for the purpose. Besides the memhers of the Rocks Road Committee thero were present several ladies including Mrs and Miss Trask. Tbe spectators assembled on the beacb at the foot of tlie wall, whilst the Mayor, and Mr Jickell, Mr nooker, tho foreman of the works and Mr Heury, stayed on the wall itself. Mr Trask, having divested himself of his coat, was handed a trowel, with which to plaoe the mortar upon which the block was to rest. The necessary work was done in apparently a very workmanlike way and the block was duly plaoed in position, upon which the Mayor deolared thit it was well and truly laid.

Mr Trask then nddres-ed tho?e present, lie slid that it gave him grtao pleasure to declare th.it tho last blook of that nviguifioeot wall had beeu laid. They owed a debt of gratitude to the ratepayers of town aud country, tj the Waim a Couity Council, to the Richmond Borough C uiucil, aud to the City Council, and List but not leist to tbe ilou the Premier, why, when the ro id was started, was Miuister of Public Works. The speaker alluded to the good services of Mr J.ckdl, the engineer of the work, to Mr Hooker, the foreman, and to Mr iienry. The wall had been built by a mere handful of men, and the result reflected tha greatest credit on those concerned. Even iv the old country they Wi.uld feel proud at haviug suoh a will. It was his proud duty tj hy tho last block that day, but he hoped th'it before another twelve months had rolled away, the road would be declared open in tho presence of thousands of his towu and country friends, Mr Seddon, and their member, Mr Graham. Tnough the road might not be finished then, yet he hoped by that time that it would be completed 25ft wide, so that they could drive from town to Stoke without going over the hills. Proud as he was that day, he would feel prouder when he saw the road opened to the public, and he hoped all present would live tj see that dayi [Applause.]

Mr J. Harley called for three cheers for Mr Trask and one more for Mrs Trask which were heartily given. Tlie Mayor then called for three cheers for the engineer, Mr Jickell, Mr Hooker, and Mr Henry which were lustily given. Cheers were also given for the workmui employed on the work.

His Worship then invited all present to drive to his house to drink success to the Bocks lloadi