WAKANUI ROAD BOARD.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1245, 5 May 1884, Page 2

WAKANUI ROAD BOARD.

The usual monthly meeting of the above Board was held to-day, there being pre sent Messrs Mayo (Chairman), Megson, and Bruce. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. Letters were read as follows .'- From Mr T. Walsh apologised for his absence. —From the Returning Officer of the district, stating that the annual elections had been held, and had resulted in the return of Mr Murdoch Bruce for No. 3 Ward. The election of No 8 Ward had lapsed owipg to no nominations haying been received, and steps had been faked to hold another election.—From the South Kakaia Road Board, enclosing resolutions passed by that body, and a thing the Wakanui Board to contribute hali the cost of forming a boundary road be: tween the metalled portion and the sea. Resolved—That 4 reply be sent, stating that this Board consider the work is not necessary at present, and- that they did not feel justified in expending the amount on account of the traffic on the road, besides having no funds at their disposal. From the Chairmen of public meetings held at Methven, Seafield, and Newlands, enclosing resolutions re local government. It was resolved that the petition of ratepayers be agreed to, and this Board fully authorises its Chairman to correspond with other Road Boards, forwarding the resolutions and asking their co-operation. surveyors’ report. The following report waa read:— i. Maintenance; The contractors have been repairing roads requiring attention.— 2. Culvert, Cochrane’s road : As instructed at last meeting we invited tenders for putting in a concrete culvert on this road where the wooden one had broken down. It has been put in and Completed as the road w«s Very hollow at this jilace, and at the culvert further oil 1 we have had it filled in, the dost being small.—jj. Filling holes on Denshire’s road : This work has been done at a cost of Lz. —4* Making drain on Seafield road opposite Giles’ J Arrangements have been made to have this done, and will probably be completed in a few days.—s* Cochrane’s road. No 3 Ward : The contractor has been at work on the western end of thi* road levelling the rough places. The work of levelling should have been finished whin the

contract was in hand, such a considerable time has elapsed that owing to traffic on the rad, sheep travelling, etc., it has become hard, and \ is therefore difficult to level now. The road is pretty fair, but should have been better, levelled.—6. Cambridge, Oxford and Church streets, Hampstead; These streets,: which were formed at the owners’ expense before being taken over by the Board, were not done to any levels, and consequently the drainage is not good; as there is' a probability of a considerable amount being derived from the sale of soil should these rads be re-formed. _ It would be as well for the Board to take into consideration the advisability of so doing, especially as this must be done before they can be metalled.—7. Smith’s road: We have had the gully in this rad protected by posts and - rails; as the culvert was slightly damaged we have also had that repaired. . Clause 6—Resolved—That the contractor be paid in full, providing he levels the Eastern portion of his contract. Clause 6—Resolved—That the Chairman and Surveyor call for tenders, with power to accept same. The other clauses were adopted as read. BK-FOMOHO KOAD. It was resolved that the crown of the , Seafield road opposite Giles’s be reduced and the aides re-formed. • CDLVSET. The Surveyor was instructed to have a culvert put in at the junction of roads at ... Mr Tyson Hodgson’s corner, water-table filled in, etc. ACCOUNTS. The monthly pay-sheet having been passed for payment, the Board adjourned. Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the Board took place at noon, the same members bring present. The Chairman’s report and balance sheet were duly considered and adopted. Meeting ofßatepayere. The annual meeting of ratepayer* in the Wakanui district was held at the Road Board offices at 1p m. to-day- Mr Mayo, Chairman of the Board, presided. Tha i minutes of the previous, mooting were read and confirmed. ■ 1 ohai&man’s export. The Chairman read'the following report ; In laying before you our fifth annual balance sheet it is needless for me to say much on the subject 2 The district being divided into wards, and ef course having members to re- . present those wards is a. guarantee that the \ funds will be expended Judiciously and eco* ■ nomically. Before rearing the balance-sheet f I may just touch upon one or two subjects. <■ Ist River protection,’ Wakanqi : The river is i still making great encroachments on the Rivers r road and the properties adjoining. The Board ' F seeing the necessity of immediate action being : . taken in the matter, called a meeting of ratei payers interested, when the subject was dig- . cussed, and it was determined to apply to the j County Council to make -a loan, and do- the work under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act. Of course as this . 5 took the matter out of the Board’s hands they 1 could do nothing further. Through different ■ c causes it seems that very little has-been done r to alleviate the anxiety fe't by the ratepayers in 9 that locality. I understand that the Council I intend taking the vote of the ratepayers on the 1 question of raising a loan, when no doubt it j will be brought to an issue, and. Rates: All B works in . the district are now paid outof rates, j and as the maintenance must be constantly looked after, we shall have very shortly to strike a rate tor the year, but 1 think it wonld be as well to await the issue of the question of , local government, whether the ratepayers de--1 cids in favor of the County Council or the - Road Boards before we do so, as, of course, it • will depend On this what sunount we must coli lect in order to cany out the good government i of the district In conclusion, I may state that r the ( card has endeavored to carry out its a duties, and conduct' its business as econoI mically as possible. Our officials’ salaries have , been reduced to 1450 a year, being under 9 1 per cent, of the total expenditure, which I . think is satisfactory to the ratepayers. . Mr J. Bennett proposed, and Mir A. Megaon seconded —“ That the report and , balance sheet as read be adopted,— _ Carried.

LOCAL doVEENMENT. The Chairman said that as meetings had been held in other parts of. the county to discuss the advisability of altering the system of local government as it at present exists, he thought that this meeting might, give an expression of opinion oil the subject. Mr J. Bennett had always thought that the Road Boards were perfectly competent to carry on the work, without the County Council. He moved the following:— ‘ ‘ That the Road Board be fnlly authorised to give effect to the resolutions already passed at other meetings held in the county. , . Mr Megson said that he was of opinion that dual government should badoneaway with. Double rating was ezoessivs, and the time had arrived when it was necessary only to have one body. He spoke as a ratepayer, and not as a member of the Board. He had had considerable experience in Road Boards, and he felt sure that they were competent, and the staff of the present was nearly all that was necessary to do the “work. His quoted the Counties Amendment Act to ehow the power possessed by the ratepayers. They were justified in acting a# a tatApayiqg body without considering any delicacy; He looked at the question as a ratepayer, and spoke for the benefit of the district. The Councils had an opportunity when bringing the whole of the Act Into, force, b.ut the Ashburton Conooil had not called the ratepayers together to see whether this should be done. He said that threefifths of the ratepayers could take the mattei in their own hands, and he asked them to think seriously over the matter before they decided which body should cease.

Mr Miller seconded the motion, which after some 'further discussion was adopted. The usual complimentary votes having been passed, the meeting adjourned.