PELORUS ROAD BOARD.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 30, Issue 26, 5 April 1918, Page 2

PELORUS ROAD BOARD.

The usual monthly meeting of the above Board was held on Tuesday, the following members attending: Messrs J. S. Storey (in the chair), J. Leslie, J. Kcnnington, C. Nees, and E. F. Hcaly, Leave of absence was granted to Mr J. Fulton who was unable to attend, owing to the serious illness of his daughter. The chairman voiced the regret of members at the cause of Mr Fulton’s absence, and the hope was expressed that Miss Fulton would soon recover. SECRETARY’S REPORT. Finance.—The balance at bank as per pass book stands £2003 13s lOd. The month’s receipts from all sources total £540 11s lOd, and the month’s pay-sheet represents £268 8s 9d. Mahakipawa.—Work has recommenced on the Havelock-MahaKipawa road. Owing to Mr Fulton being absent from the district no inspection has yet been made of Mrs Beauchamp’s road, but this will receive attention at earliest opportunity. Slips during the month completely blocked the Mahakipawa road and extra men had to be put on to open the road up. A culvert was also scoured out and had to be replaced with pipes. Kaituna.—Metalling operations have been carried out along the main road during the month, and repairs to Wairau bridge effected. Pelorus.—A good deal of metalling has been done beyond Canvastown along Bown’s Flat, but floods and wet weather have delayed reading operations. Trees blown down across the Rai and Ronga roads during the recent gale have been cleared. The recent floods also caused several scour-outs along the Rai Hill road which require attention. The ford-way at Flat Creek also requires filling, and arrangements have been made to have this and other urgent work done as soon as possible. General.—As instructed a list of “thirds” were obtained from the Lands and Survey Department totalling £339 10s, and this amount has now been, pajd in to the Board’s credit. Applications have also been sent forward for payment of mining grant of £IOO, and Public Works grant, of £46, but these amounts are not yet to hand. ROAD BOARD RIDINGS. In reply to the Board’s request for a ■legal opinion on the question of the necessity or otherwise of a general election on the occasion of another riding being added to the board’s district, Mr F. Martin wrote as follows; ‘ ‘ Section 16 of the Road Board’s Act, 1908, refers to the case of an alteration of the boundaries of a road district, and not to an alteration within a road district or its subdivisions. The fact that the Counties Act is not in force does not bring you under that Act as regards your internal affairs, but gives you the powers of a County Council within your district. The Counties Act does not deal with the question of election of Road Board members, and reference must be made to the Road Board’s Act as regards such elections. The powers of a County Council as to the alteration of the boundaries of road districts and otherwise in relation thereto are given to the Governor-in-Gouncil. Section 45 of the Road Board’s Act, 1908, empowers the clerk to make new ratepayers’ rolls when a district is redivided into subdivisions, but there is nothing in the Act directing or authorising new elections to be held in consequence of the re-divisions. The Road Board’s Act is drafted on very general Lines, and possibly the Legislature thought that a redivision would bo made only when the time for a general election was approaching. But in any case there would be no extraordinary elections for subdivisions not affected by the alteration.” In the face of Mr Martin's opinion that an election was not necessary in the sub-divisions not affected by the new sub-division, the chairman declined to accept Mr Nees’ notice of motion that (in the event of a general election being necessary) the board make a special order to dissolve, Mr Healy questioned the chairman’s ruling. Mr Nees pointed out that the Counties Act does not apply, and when the Road Board Act directs a certain course of action it should be followed.

Mr Healy stated that the chairman was going directly against his former opinion, and insisted that the Road Board Act distinctly states that a general election is necessary. The chairman refused to reconsider his decision and the discussion ended, Mr Healy intimating tha more would be heard of the matter from a legal point of view. WAIRAU BRIDGE, The Town Clerk, Blenheim, wrote stating that he was directed by the Blenheim Borough Council to ask the Pelorus Road Board to convene a conference of all the contributory authorities to the above bridge on 6th April ‘‘ to consider and determine (subject to the approval of the Governor) the future exclusive care, control, and management of the Wairau bridge and its approaches.’ ’ The following report from Mr D. Gregg (Inspector to the Lower Wairau River Board), in reference to the protection of the Wairau Bridge and its approaches, was read: “Having regard to the Public Works engineer’s report that the northern approach be raised to within two feet of the decking of the Wairau bridge and protecting the end of the bridge by a groyne to prevent scour—as the river would naturally race round the end of the bridge—the approach would require to be raised above flood level and carried to the Onamalutu terrace, at a cost of net less than £2OOO. Against this large expenditure I would beg to report that a groyne on the lines of the Lower Wairau River Board's groynes be erected 20 chains above the bridge and having for its. base a clump of willows on the north bank and running out. approximately three chains from the bank towards the stream, at an average height of 6ft., and backed up by an earth bank running from the base of the groyne to the high ground. This would act as a dam and prevent the water coming in behind the groyne. This would effectually cope with the immediate danger and would lead the river back under the bridge, causing

the cutting away of present blockages in the rivcibcd and would eventually give a clear and permanent course to the waters of the Wairau river. It would also obviate the immediate danger of the river breaking through between the Onamalutu Terrace and the bridge. The total cost of this work would not exceed £250. This estimate is based on the work being done by day work, and not by contract, as day work would ensure a more solid job being done. ’ ’

The chairman said he could see no need for a conference to consider future control and maintenance of the Wairau bridge. As far as he was aware all the contributory local bodies were satisfied with the Pclorus Koad Board's control Mr Gregg’s report bore out the opinion of other competent authorities in regard to rue best means of protecting the bridge and its approaches. Mr Kennington said the report bore out other reports to a certain extent, but it did not bear out the original intention of the Board. He did not think the Board were doing the right thing in going back on the Government scheme. They had a £13,000 bridge to protect and it should not be left in its present state. He would move that the Board support the proposal for a conference to consider the future protection of the bridge, in order that some definite scheme may be arrived at.

Mr Nees referred to the manner in which the work of raising the northern approach had been shelved by certain members of the Board. He had pleasure in seconding the motion. The chairman said he would oppose the motion. They had two reports from competent men, and ne claimed that the alternative and cheaper scheme of erecting groynes (which he had proposed) was the only one tha- should be considered. Ho considered that the Government scheme —whien would probably run into £2ooo—would be a waste of money. Mr Leslie expressed the opinion that the position would not be much improved by the raising of the approach, and he was therefore in favour of the groynes. He saw no need-of putting up a bank costing up to £2OOO that would probably be washed away again. The groynes would be a permanent scheme and would Jiave the effect of throwing the river towards the centre of the bridge, which the bank would not do.

Mr Hcaly said lie must also oppose the motion and would move an amendment “that this Board is satisfied that, a conference of the local bodies concerned to consider the maintenance of the Wairau bridge and its approaches is not necessary and it would be of no common good in face of reports received from the inspectors of the Wairau and Omaha road boards and also the Wairau River Board, Mr Leslie seconded the amendment. The chairman said he considered the objection had come from one source only. It was a question of what was going to be a benefit to the country. All the local bodies had expressed their satisfaction that the control of the Wairau bridge should remain in the hands of the Pelorus Road Board, and he did not think the Board would be justified in calling the suggested conference.

Mr Nees, in speaking to the amendment, drew members’ attention to the fact that the Board had asked the Government for a scheme, and now accepted tne reports of uncertifi'cated men in preference to the one supplied by the Government engineer. The amendment was carried, Messrs Nees and Kennington opposing. Mr Leslie then gave notice to move at next meeting that the Board's original motion dealing with the Wairau river and its approaches be rescinded.

The chairman moved that a copy of Mr -Gregg’s report be sent to the Minister of Public Works, also that a copy of Messrs Boyle’s and Gregg’s reports be sent to all contributory local bodies, the reports to be covered by a letter stating that the Pelorus Road Board •considers that the groynes as recommended therein will be effective.—Caried, Messrs Nees and Kennington dissenting. BLENHEIM-NELSON ROAD. The Under-Secretary wrote stating that an authority for £350 would be issued to the Board when proposals for repairs and improvements to the section of the above-mentioned road affected by timber- traffic from the State Forest Reserve had been submitted to and approved by the Resident Engineer at Blenheim. Dn the motion of Mr Nees the secretary was instructed to forward a letter of thanks to the Miniser of Public Works for his prompt and favourable consideration of the Board’s application for the grant. The engineer was instructed to prepare a scheme of expenditure for approval. HEAVY TRAFFIC BY-LAWS.

In the unavoidable absence of Mr Fulton, the chairman submitted the notice of motion standing in Mr Fulton’s name that the Board make a special order to confirm the new heavy traffic by-laws as recently published. Mr Nees in opposing the motion, said that a lot was neard at the present time about the freedom of the seas, but not being a seafaring man he was more concerned about the freedom of the roads into which tiie proposed by-laws would make a further breach. He re- ‘ ferred to the clause doubling the wag-gon-tax, for which no request from the ratepayers had been received. On me contrary a petition had been presented to the Board against that particular clause, which, he was sorry to say received scant courtesy. He had looked up records and found what me mill he was connected with had been responsible for in the matter of revenue. In the last seven years the mill had paid in royalties £1149. Half that amount (£574 10s) had been received by the Board, £250- had been paid in waggon-tax, £l4 5s lOd rates on timber, £57 10s in subsidies, making a total of £896 5s lOd for the seven years. This works out at an average of £l2B per year—a fairly decent sum for one small mill to provide. It may be argUed that not all the other mills were cutting on Crown Lands. He would concede that, but against that the Government in four years have given special grants in lieu of royalties on State Forests totalling, £IBSO. Ho

maintained that timber contributed its fair share to the funds of the Board. Further he held that the Board was not spending money wisely in advertising the full text of the by-laws,- when a short announcement setting forth the purpose of the new by-laws would have sufficed. He reminded members of the benefits that sawmills bring to a district, both in the matter of bringing in outside money and in doing pioneer work for the settler. He instanced Nees and McLean’s mill, which in a small way had cleared the nuking timber off five areas, on four of which are smiling farms, and the fifth will shortly be available. He assured the Board that within a very lew months all the sawmills left would be cutting on Crown Lands. He instanced cases to prove that the bulk of the clauses of the new by-laws were merely packing, and that the only thing that mattered to the majority of the present Board members was their unreasonable (he was going to say venomous) objection to the heavy traffic. The Board deferred further sicn on this question in order to obtain a lawyer’s opinion on a technical point raised by Mr Nees. MISCELLANEOUS. A ratepayer wrote asking that a certain unproductive section, owned by a soldier now on active service, be exempted from rates. —The Board, after consideration, passed a motion regretting that they wore unable to acceed-tc the request. ' Mr Nees drew attention to several .water-tables requiring attention.