PARNELL HIGHWAY BOARD.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 376, 24 March 1871, Page 2

PARNELL HIGHWAY BOARD.

A numerously attended meeting or rarepayers, convened by requisition,-was held on Thursday in the I'arnell Public Hall, for"the purpose of considering the proposal made by the trustees to extend the bridge at the foot of the Manultau and main roads in Mechanics' Bay. Local feeling had been a good deal agitated on the subject, many ratepayers being in favor of a large expenditure on the by-roads in preference to tbte main A little excitement was apparent at llie commencement of the proceedings, owing; to ar» attempt by Mr. .Robert Shaw to move My. Bargaville into the chair. The Chairman of the Board (Mr. Smart), however, stood upon his right to preside, which was admitted by the meeting. The proposal of the majority of the Board to expend some £500 upon the bridge and road was made. A sum of £1200 will be available during the year.

Mr. Bbiqht was about to address the meeting, but the Chairman ruled that the proper order was that some gentleman whe signed the requisition should submit a resolution.

Mr. Yon deb Heyde proposed the following resolution :—" That it is the opinion of this meeting that the unmade and dilapidated streets of Parnell ought to be a first charge on the funds of the Buord, and that any expenditure on the main road, except for repairs, until the other streets are formed and re paired, is a misappropriation of the funds of the Board." For his own part, the street to his house was nearly made the whole way, but he was quite willing to confer the same benefit upon the other ratepayers as he had himself, He mostly walked by the main road into town. It was a well-made road. He thought that Mr. Crowther, with his splendid cattle and civil drivers, and so on, would bo induced to wait another twelvemonths. He did not think the hardship on the cattle was very great. He thought that the back streets ought to be the first. (Hear.) Mr. Foegie seconded the resolution.

Mr. Biott wished to give tbe meeting a fair statement. The balance in hand was about £400. The total amount of rates was £330 in lound numbers. Of this amount £125 had been paid. The commission for collecting, and the uncollected rates, were £50 and £25. Deducting these from £330, there was £255. In April they would have a subsidy of £198, and £198 in July. This would make a total of about £951. Reports had been circulated that the Board had funds enough to do both works —that is, to repair both main road and back roads. Mr. Saber's estimates had proved to be rather under than OTer the contract prices, so that his figures could not be objected to. He (Mr. Blott) had always done his best to improve the approaches to Parnell; but he believed he would have the experience of all who kept horses in saying that the wear and tear of the back streets was greater than all the pull up the hill. The estimate for the work proposed would amount to £440. Could they, in such a state of things as he had described, say that they could carry out both works ? He did not see, to adopt the language of tbe resolution, why the funds should be " misappropriated," until the streets in which the ratepnyers had the more immediate interest should be made. Supposing they made the main road, it would no doubt benefit Mr. Orowther, but would anybody in the meeting benefit by having a three-penny ride for a less sum ? Was there any justice in asking the ratepayers to give up the prospect of their roads. The sum that would be required for the bridge, the main road, and a few adjoining streets, would be £880. , What was left for the back streets ? (Hear.) Mr. Daboavilee said he was pretty much in the position of Mr. Yon der Heyde. He understood, however, that the Board was about to expend £500 on the main road, and only £300 on the Bide road. Last year they all knew what occurred. At the same time, he confessed his views had been modified since he had learned the real facts of the case. The bridge at the foot of the hill was in a very disgraceful state. Unless something was done it was not improbable that "an accident would occur there. The City Board was to give £80 towards the making of the bridge. He regretted that he had been misled. (Cheers.) He asked for tho facts, and if these were the facts, he thought a good many had been brought there on a fool's errand. It should be remembered that the inhabitants of byroads themselves used the main roads, while those on the main roads did not use the byroads. Mr. Blott had not treated them ingenuously. Ho confessed that his view of the matter had appeared to him in a different light when he learned the real facts. Mr. Dieb, M.P.0., reminded the meeting that the trustees had the whole and sole control of the funds of the ratepayers, and that they were not bound by any single meeting of ratepayers, and from this followed that they might hare one meeting of ratepayers of one side and another of the other. He thought the best way would be to leave the whole matter in the hands of the trustees. With them was tho responsibility. (Hear.)

Mr. Heskbth said the trustees were not bound to call the meeting. As he understood it, Messrs. Blott and Leßoy were on one side, and Messrs. Smart, Kisslmg, and Pike on the other. The fact was that the ratepayers were nailed together to settle the dispute between the trustees. Those trustees who would not take the responsibility of the work to be done had better resign. (Cheers and laughter.) He would agk whether the contract had been signed. The OHAinMAN: The contract has been signed. Mr. Hesketk : Then the meeting is at an end.

The Chairman : I will explain all that lias been done before the meeting separates.

Mr. Leßoy would not have the meeting understand that he was of the same opinion as Mr. Blotfc. For himself he believed that the condition of the bridge required to be improved. It was not correct that there were two of the Board on. one side and three on the other. He was as one with the other trustees in a great many matters.

Mr. Pike said Mr.l)argaville had put the question correctly. They-,had got £BuO from Government to meet-subscriptions. It was proposed to expend £500 on the back streets. One member had aefPhimself up against the whale public opinion of Pariiell, and ho was merely a weekly tenant. (Cheers and hisses.)

Tue Chairman explained why he called the .meeting. lie felt obliged to respect the requisition of ratepayers. But he almost felt as if he was calling them together on the first of April. They placed the trustees in a position to control. their funds, and if they

did not trust them, let them elect others. ; The contract had been taken and signed by " Archard and Brown. He believed that improvement would be a permanent one, and, moreover, that the b.-ick streets would nlso be made. He hoped the meeting would be satis- ! (led with this nssurance. Mr. Yon deu Ueyde asked to be permitted to withdraw the resolution. Since he had heard the real facts of the case his view of the whole ense had been altered. He believed those who had been brought there had been misled. The resolution was withdrawn, and after a vote of thanks passed to the Chairman, the meeting separated.