, 1884-04-09
P L @ &c 3 D N & s
OF THE
FOR ST.. ROIX
Continuation Of Meeting Of 24h March 1>S4.)
End Discussion on Draft of Ordinance
concerning Public Road
Continuation Of Meeting Of 24h uarch 1884.

Ah1 1fUtf mum pibNO'l l. al L. ~ S'ANAA
mentS under discussion.
Ord Member for Christians'ed WaSsdrdb
as Speaker OF the Committee, i'll reduced
the Committees Report. He lid, it would
be seen from the Report that the Commit
tee proposes several alterations Ill the
Draft, as it is before the Council. Some
of the proposed amendments are OF greater
import ance; therefore the Committee had
had a conference with His EXcellenCy the
Governor, who had given his consent to
the alterations. The motives for those
alterations are given i'll the RepOr to
which he would refer; when the different
sections come under discussion he would
beg to add such further calculations as may
be required. AS regards Pa t |. section l,
it would be remembered, that during the
lst discussion His Excellency had express
ed some doubt az to how fa it was correct
to fix a certain width Of road, since the
roads have not the width r qulreu III the
Draft the same considerations have led the
Committee to propose the words "aS Il rule"
added in this section, i'll order to allow thu
Road Officers the necessary latl ude III this
respect. The Commit ee next proposes a
new 3, to empower the Superior AuthO-
rity to grant permission to lay down tram
ways on the public roads, Suhiecl to cer, ain
conditions. There is no d0ult that The
Superior Authority is already in possession
Of such power when there is no questiO Of
q monopoly; but as now the whole matter
Of the public roads is the subject of Iegi,la
ton, it was considered best to give an
express rule in that respect
No one reques ed the word further.
The amendment nd 5 |, and for Il new 81,
were t'citIy adopted; ! S II N3 in ID aft
altered to 5 4 were also taclt'y ad0ptel |.
The Chairman plnc d Chap. IL. with
amendment new s s ) Is under discussion.
The Speaker WaSSard! said that the
amendments proposed by The Comm tee
to this part Of the Draft contained the
most important alterations called forwa Il
by the Commi tee. During the discussions
Oh this important part of he j. aft 1t
appeared that the present organisation OF
the control with the road work is the point
that had given rise to the most frequent
complaints on the part Of those ON whom
the work is incumbent. He was, of course,
only speaking Of the organisation itSe +,
not referring to any person holding app int
ment as Road Officer. The Chief Road
Inspector has at present d pretty conSl-
derable discretionary power i'll all questions
Of the performance of rOad-WOrk, and The
present system, according to which fines
for neglect OF the work are intlic' el by the
Road Authorities themselves, has always
been considered Objectionable and has
given rise to frequent diSagreeableneSS.
If the dul les as Chief Road Officer could be
given to a technical man, who would devote
his whole time TO the road business, there
wOuld certainly not he he same obj r%ctiOnS;
parties would no doubt read ~ attend to
given orders, at the same time as such an
organisation would have several other
advantages to the present system. But
financial considerations render it nereSSa Y
to give up the plan Of such a technical man
at the head Of the ROaI-Servicr; the Com
mittee hal then preferred an organisation
under which all questions concerning road
work and the performance thereof be left
to Il Body Of men, who, if not technical,
will at least be acquainted with all cases
coming before them. There can he no
doubt that decisions taken by such a body
OF men, chosen, as a rule, from among the
prOprietorS OF landed estates. will be more
acceptable by parties whose interest is at
stake, and the organisation itself also give
far less occasion for diScOnrent than at
present is the case. These are the chief
reasons that have prompted the Committee
in its proposals in this respect. When it
is proposed that half of the number of
Members constituting the Road Commits
sion shall be elected by the Colonial
Council, this is in conformity with rules
followed i'll other similar cases, and gives
the Colonial Council a just influence on the
matter. He would furthermore mention
that by the Committees proposals the
posts of Quarter officers will not, as such,
be abolished, as to these posts there are