ROOKS ROAD COMMITTEE.

Colonist, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7698, 3 August 1893, Page 3

ROOKS ROAD COMMITTEE.

Thb above-named Committee met yesterday, when there were present :— Messrs J. Best, Graham, Bethwaite, Piper, Rout, Talbot, Haddow. J. A Harley, Beuke, and Trask (in the ohair^. The minutes wera read and confirmed. The Chairman reported that the Waimea County Coanoil had a -reed to the wall being built of concrete instead of stone ; that, when in Wellington, be had managed to procure some old railway iron, and two or three truoks ; that as the iron was wanted at onoe, the City Coanoil had, by resolution, asked him to arrange for the freight, and he had done so with the Anchor Company. On the motion of Mr Haddow, seoonded by Mr Piper, the aotion of the Chairman with respeot to the rails and tracks, and the freight, was endorsed. Mr Piper asked from whom the rails and tracks were prooured ? The Chairman: Not from the Railway Commissioners, but from the Public Works Department. He believed if the Bailway Commissioners had rails lying idle, they would not have let the Committee have them. Mr Haddow said it was a fact old rails had been sent away from Nelson by the Bailway Department, On the motion of Mr Graham, seconded by Mr Talbot, the Committee expressed their appreciation of the aotion of the Waimea County Council in agreaing to oonorete being used instead of stone. On the motion of Mr Talbot, seconded by Mr Bethwaite, a vote of thanks was aooorded to the Minister for Public Works for the grant of the rails and truoks. On the motion of Mr Bethwaite, seoonded by Mr J. Beet, a vote of thanks was accorded to the Chairman for proouring the rails and truoks, wbioh had been so often applied for and refused in other quarters. Mr Haddow moved that the Waimea County Council be asked to pay over the balance of the money they hold for the work (£600), to the credit of the Committee, Seconded by Mr Graham. He saw no use in the County Council holding the money, and the Committee getting it in dribs and • drabs. Mr Piper moved as an amendment that the Waimea County Counoil be asked to place £900 at the disposal of the Committee. Seconded by Mr J. Best, and on a division, carried by six to four. In reply to Mr Piper, the Chairman said when in Wellington he was told a cheque from the Government had been made out for £225, but it had not reached Nejson yet. The Clerk stated the credit balance was £63. Payments were passed for £24 Is 9d. In answer to Mr Eout as to what had become of the damaged cement, the Chairman said all had been used but one cask. The Exeoutive Committee reported : - On July 12th the followiug payments were passed, wages, £59 7s lOd ; cartage of cement, £12 16s 3d : wages, re cement, £10 15s sd. Mr Wilson representing Messrs Duthie & Co. was present, and a statement was prepared by the City Surveyor and Mr Poison, showing the extra cost in connection with the cement to he. £2$ llg, M$ WtfSQft under.to.Qk, fa pay

this amount, and also to take all responsibility in respect of a claim of £7 7s— from the Railway wharf. It was unanimously re« solved to accept the delivery of the cement on these conditions. On July 29th, wages £65 13s 8d were passed for payment. The report was adopted, In reply to a question, tha Engineer said about £65 per fortnight was required to pay full wages. The Engineer reported that tha leather had been bad for the work. A small portion of the wall had had to be put up five different times. Since the Committee last met £185 15s 8d had been spent on the works, and the total expenditure to date had been £6,306 5s 6d. A letter was read from Mr F. A Riohmond, and the Engineer reported that he was attend" ing to what was required at the Cliffs. The Clerk said the subscribers to the work had been written to twice, but no replies had been received. Mr Piper said the time of twelve out of tha twenty-two prisoners working on the Books road would expire before December. Ha moved that they write for other prisoners to take the places of those who have left, and are likely soon to leave. Carried. The Chairman reported that the Government would not supply an extra prison warder, as it would cost £165 a year. The Committee then adjourned.