RATEPAYERS' MEETING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1553, 9 May 1887, Page 2

RATEPAYERS' MEETING.

WAKA.NUI. The annual meeting of ratepayers was held at the Road Board office on Saturday at 1 p.m. There were about 13 ratepayers present. Mr Murdooh Brace, Ohairman of the Board, presided. The Surveyor mad the balance-sheet, which has already appeared m these columns. The Chairman's report. jras as follows:— I have but few remarks to make to you. (Since our laßt annual meeting works have been carjcied pat as hitherto, thatiiyffith due regard to the exigency of tno*caie and the requirements or the district. The matter of erecting a bridge over the Wakanui Creek on the Wakanui Township Road has not yet been carried out. The resolution, you Will recolleot, was only carried., by, the casting vote of the Chairman, and there being much opposition to the scheme it was deemed advisable to let the matter drop. —In No. 3 Ward we have bad the sideß of all the qn> formed roads ploughed. , The Board has had a number of petitions to form the roads, the object being principally to prevent firo destroying the fenoes and plantations, the outlay for such being very considerable, they considered the,interests of the ratepayers would be served by the aotlon they took which was a small cost.— The Board made endeavors to restore communication along the River Road m No. 2 Ward, but finding it expensive and useless, and on the petition of the ratepayers took steps to conneotthe River Road with Wilson s Koad. Tour Board has been asked to make a grant towards the Imperial Institute, but though considering it worthy of private support, they had no power to expend publio funds for such a purpose. lam glad to record that the remarks made by me at last meeting with regard to the Board's maintenance have been fully borne but. There seems to be general satisfaction at the manner m which this work has been carried out, the cost of which after allowing for depreciation of plant is barely 10s per day. Of course allowance must also be made for the small works whioh were previously done by contract, the profit of which (a considerable sum) is now saved to the Board, Mr Brown moved the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, whioh wan seconded by Mr lill and carried. The Chairman asked if the" ratepayer! present were desirous of discussing any matters m connection with the district Mr Meredith Wilson wished to know what steps had been taken to oonneot the River road with Wilson's road. The Chairman stated that toothing further hai been done than what had already been decided at the reoent rate* payers' meeting at Wakanui. Mr D, "Wilson asked if the Board intended t j again plough the roads m No, 3 Ward and lay same dowa m grass. The Chairman said this was the Board 1 ! Intention, - Mr M. Wilson brought; forward the Bubjeot of opening up a road lately dii« cussed at the ratepayers' masting at Wakanui, and reiterated the statements he made there, and moved— 1 ' That the road running through seotion 1?16^ ba oontinuei straight to Wilson's road." Mr T. Thompson seconded. Mr D. Wilson protested against ths matter being brought before them; the meeting was only a small one, and as it had been . decided by a meeting of ratepayers oalled to specially consider this question and they had expressed their opinion, ke did not sea how they could now go outside it. He considered that if a petition had been brought to connect the River road where the breach occurred the ratepayers generally would have agreed to it ; though it was more expensive It would benefit a larger amount than the proposed one. He moved as an amendment, " That no action be taken m this matter until the ratepayers of the district have been called together to oonsider it." Mr Walsh oonsldered it only just and right that this" ratepayers ahonld have the question put before them. He for one, considered that after the expression of opinion lately given by the ratepayers the question should not have been brought up at this meeting, He would second the amendment. Mr Jamea Brown said that Mr D, Wilson had been speaking of a different matter than was now before the meeting. He explained that the Wakanui meeting was called to consider whether the road ahould be stopped and exobanged for another piece of land. The meeting had decided not to close the road, now the question was whether the road should be continued on so as to eonneot the two roads. He depreoated the idea of taking a road round the river as being unsafe and expensive. H& maintained that it was the duty of the Board and the ratepayers to restore communication when out off, and he would be no party to the rights of any ratepayer being infringed. The present case was one of hardship to a few ratepayers, and he considered they were m duty bound to alleviate it. The Chairman then put the amendment, for which the voting was equal. The Chairman said that he felt diffidence m giving his vote, as It was a question effecting a ward m whioh he was not Interested, but he connidered that they should deal justly with all ratepayers, and if they did not restore communication m some manner this wonld not be the oase, he ahould therefore give his casting vote against the amendment. The motion waa then carried. The meeting, whioh at times was rather animated, then broke up.