Free Press July 10 1875

PONTYPOOL AND USK HIGHWAY BOARD. – On Monday the monthly meeting of this board took place at Usk. Mr James Powell presided over a full Board. It was resolved that the district surveyor’s expenditure and receipt book should be balanced every fortnight. The surveyor was ordered to pay Mr Wrenford for stones when he had funds. Col. Byrde asked the Board to perform a promise to vote the sum of £5 from the funds of Llanvihangel and Goytrey towards the formation of a road and bridge leading to Goytrey school. Mr Morgan, of Little Mill, strongly objected; he contended that the bridge in question was private, and the landlord ought to keep it in repair and passable; the members of the Board were not there to dispense gratuities, but to pay just demands, and he considered it would be culpable of the board to order the sum to be paid over, and if it were, he should call the special attention of the auditor to it. – A claim of Mr Jas. Lucas for £1 11s 6d for haulage of stones was ordered to be paid, subject to reduction of 3d per load, which brought the claim to £1 6s 3d. – Mrs Roberts applied to have a quarry on her land filled up, as it had not been used for several years. On the motion of Col. Byrde, £2 was allowed towards the expense of filling up the quarry. – Mr Jones of Trevella farm, in accordance with notice given, brought forward very serious charges against the surveyor. After a long and animated discussion, the proposal for his dismissal was negated by a majority of 9. – only 3 voted for the proposition and 12 against it. Mr Gething moved – “That this meeting is of the opinion that the charges made against the surveyor by Messrs Jones and Mackintosh have not been proved and that the surveyor stands without a stain on his character in respect to those charges.” This was agreed to unanimously.