Cable Bay Road

As an employment measure in the slump of the 1880's men were employed on road works under which scheme work was undertaken to build a road leading to Cable Bay. In 1888 the late Jonathan Brough was in charge and fortunately records which he kept have page 26been preserved. The work was carried out on the co-operative contract system organised in such a way that married men could earn up to 4s 6d per day and single men 3s 6d per day. While on this project word was sent to Brough to pick out some of the most deserving men to paint the Kohatu bridge. Brough's reply was to the effect that all of the men were deserving and that he was unable to do the choosing. The result was that he was sacked. The men came into Nelson and protested at his dismissal but nothing could be done. It was seven years before Brough was reinstated to Government works.