Pelorus Road Board

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 26, Issue 64, 6 August 1915, Page 4

Pelorus Road Board

The monthly meeting of the Pelorus Road Board was held on Tuesday. Present : Messrs C. Nees (in the chair), J. S. Storey, R. F. Crispin, J. Fulton, C. P. Hart and J. Leslie. THE WELLINGTON .DEPUTATION The chairman reported that Mr Fulton, Mr W. K. Matthews (secretary), and himself had visited Wellington the previous week on behalf of the Board, and had been successful in obtaining interviews with the Minister of Lands (Hon. W. F. Massey), and the Minister of Pubiic Works 1 Hon. W. Fraser), and were very courteously received by both gentlemen. . A request was made to the Minister of Lands for a renewal of the £SOO grant from timber royalties. It was pointed out that the Board had difficulty in maintaining the forty miles of main road between Nelson and Blenheim used for heavy timber haulage. The Minister said that if the royalties received from the district amounted to £3OOO yearly, as represented by the deputation, he could promise that the grant would be made. The Minister of Public Works accorded the deputation a sympathetic and favourable hearing. He said the grants chiefly rested with the reports furnished by the resident engineer, but it was largely a matter of finance. The secretary paid a jiribute to Mr McCallum, who had gone'considerably out of his way to arrange the interviews. Mr T. A. H, Field, M.P. for Nelson, had also joined them. On the motion of Mr Crispin, it was resolved that Messrs McGallum and Field be thanked for the courteous manner in which they had received and introduced the deputation, A “DAM” TROUBLE

Mr B. Wiffen, representing* the Darkies’ Terrace Sluicing Company, Wakatnarina, waited upon the Board in reference to the damage done to the road at Little Deep Creek through the Bursting of a dam. •

For the information of other members of the Board the chairman explained that the Darkies Terrace Company had built two dams, one above the other. It Was the upper one that had given way, and the water sweeping over'the top - of the lower one had brought down I quantity of debris and logs against, the culvert. The water thus blocked had caused the gradual carrying, away of the embankment.

The secretary reported that after consulting with the chairman the old road had been cleared and made passable for traffic, and he had notified the secretary of the company and also Mr Wiffen that the road would be repaired by the Board and that the'company would be held responsible for the cosh The work of repair was now in progress, and up to the previous Saturday about £3O had been spent. . The action of the chairman and secretary was endorsed. Mr Wiffen said he had inspected the wash-out, and held that as the mishap was the result of flood conditions it should be regarded as an act of God.

The chairman held that the flood conditions were not exceptional. The bursting was due to the poor material used in its construction, lie had inspected the remains of the dam and, he could stick his penknife into some of the timber that had given way. He held also that the existence of the lower dam was a further danger. This would have to be,seen to or the same trouble may occur again. Mr Wiffen. did‘not further dispute liability, but stated that-he would get a meeting of the directors called for the following week when the matter would be placed before them. The chairman said by that time a full statement of the cost would be available, and he expected the amount would be in the neighbourhood of £7O. GROVE WHARF

The matter of the control of the Grove wharf, further consideration of which was deferred from the previous meeting, was again discussed. The wharf is in need pf repair, .and the Picton Road Board had declined to accept any responsibility. The chairman proposed that this Board dpes not see its way to take over the control of this wharf as it would be under the necessity of drawing up a scale of charges for i's up-keep which could not be conveniently carried out. This was carried without dissent. Mr Fulton said that in connection with this matter he had taken the opportunity when in Wellington to interview the Minister of Marine (Hon, W, H. Herriesl, who bad asked to be supplied with full particulars. He was hopeful that |ho Minister after reviewing the position, would favourably consider the matter of a small grant for its repair, MINING TRACKS In reference to Mr G, Humphries application for a grant of £SOO for the construction' of mining tracks, the Undersecretary wrote stating that he was now in receipt of the report from the Inspector of Mines, who states that the whares on Mr Humphries’ prospecting area are about one hour’s walk from the main road and the intervening ground is land of moderate slope. If _ two men worked for a week in removing a few logs a pack horse might be taken to within half a mile of the pamp. Only four men are employed at present, so that even if the supplies had to be carried all the way from the main road it would only take two men half a day per week to transport all necessaries. Under all the circumstances of the case the Inspector is unable to recommend any grant, other than that already promised to Mr Humphries on account of his prospecting work. Mr Bishop will, however, be visiting the I district again very shortly and will further report on the work which Mr Humphries is engaged upon. RAI-TIMATANGA ROAD. A letter was read from the Assistant Under-Secretary stating that the Board’s application for a grant for the roading of the tram-line between Eai River and Timatpnga would be duly noted, and will receive the Minister’s careful consideration when compiling the Public \yorks Estimates. This intimation was forwarded to the Board through the member for the district (Mr F. A. H. Field), who has interested himself in the acquisition of the road in the interests of the settlers concerned. The Minister pf Public Works also wrote stating that he was obtaining a report on this matter from bis responsible offiqere. MISCELLANEOUS. A resolution from the Patea Chamber of Commerce, forwarded through the

Blenheim Borough Council, that it be d recommendation to all local bodies to specify that all material used in their contracts shall be of British or colonial manufacture, was endorsed. The proposal was agreed to that the ferry reserve at the Wairau bridge bo handed over to the Forestry Department for tree-planting purposes. In reference to the controversy re the control 'bf the Wairau river at d its tributaries, the Chairman moved that this Board fails to see that it has any interest in the Wairau river schemes, and therefore will not send a delegate to the conference to be held in Blenheim on 25th August.—Carried. Mr Hart took exception to the delay in replacing a broken culvert near Mr Forrest’s (Pelorus), authorised at a previous meeting. He. held that had the work been done before the ' recent rains the Board would have been saved much expense in repairing the road. He was on the Board in the interests of the rate: payers, and be objected to work authorised by the meetings not being carried out by the inspector. A warm discussion ensued, but the explanation given by the inspector that the delay was caused through the difficulty of getting the necessary material was accepted by the Board, Mr Fulton resented any reflection being cast noon the inspector, as his ex* I perience was that he always pushed on work which be deemed to be urgent. The resolution fixing the general rate at Id, and a Special rate of l-7d in the £ was confirmed. Mr Hart said he would like to know the Board’s position in regard to the small birds’ nuisance, and the secretary was asked to look up the section in the Act and read at next meeting. On the motion of Mr Hart it was decided that notices be issued for the removal of all trees overhanging and. shading to the detriment of the roads. The renewal of slaughterhouse licenses to T. A. Dillon, Mabakipawa, and J. E. Buncombe, Havelock, was approved. A letter - was received from Jas. Davies, Kaituua, requesting the Board to metal the very bad holes in the Waikakabo road between Badman’s and the upper end of the valley, as the road bad become nearly, impassable in many places. granted, to be expended on the western side of the river. v

Mr E. H. Smith’s letter, asking the Board to me its influence in urging the Government to acquire Brownlee’s tram line in the Pelorus was again discussed. It was unanimously resolved, on the motion of the Chairman, that this Board favours the procuring of a report on the advisability of the Government acquiring the tram right-of-way. Mr W. Twidle, Pelorus, waited upon the Board to urge that farther attention be paid to the road across the valley. Mr Hart pointed out that the road was • used and cut up by the Board’s metal drays, and it was pot fair to the settlers - to leave it in its present state.—-The < matter was left in the inspector’s bands to repair as soon as possible. Mr Leslie asked that something be done to regrade a section of the road on the Havelock side of Mr Jakes’ property, where the metal had banked up at the sides leaving the centre thin and bolioW. The matter was, noted by the'inspector . for attention* and other minor road repairs were authorised. Accounts amounting, to £360 IBa 7d were passed for payment.