TUARANGA COUNTRY BOARD.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume II, Issue 198, 29 July 1874, Page 3

TUARANGA COUNTRY BOARD.

ANNUAL MEETING.

Xhb annual meeting of the ratepayers of the above Board was held on Monday evening, the 20t.h instant, at the District School House, Cameron Road. *

The meeting was called for 7 o’clock, but it was nearly half-past seven before the proceedings commenced. There was a very largo attendance. Mr Koger Hill was unanimously elected Chairman.

The Chairman at once called upon Mr S. L. Clarke, Chairman of the retiring Board to report upon public works done in the district during the past year.

Mr Clarke gave an account of the several road contracts performed, instancing the Judea cuttings and the Otumoeti road. As Chairman of the Board, he had written to the Minister of Public Works, requesting that a grant might be given for forming and complef mg certain roads in the Military township of Grec-rton, but he regretted to state, the reply from Mr Richardson, whs in the negative. It was somewhat strange t hat a grant of money had upon similar application, been given to tho military settlers of Opotiki for road making.

Mr Clarke then referred at some length to the much vexed subject of the IX-iirini road contract: He could only say that if the Board had done wrong and acted foolishly in the matter : they had erred from an anxious desire So please all the ratepayers. The Board hud worked well together during the term,and had done their best to perform the trust reposed in t hem. Ho was not a candidate for re-election ; he had not the time to spare to attend to the duties of Trustee, neither had he the health sit times.

The Secretary, Captain Tovev, then read the following balance sheet :

T. Tcsks 7 , .. Eookk 11 ij„i» i Auduors. Mr Edgcumbo severely criticised the action taken by the Hoard m several contracts during their term of oflice ; referring more particularly to the Ifaii ini Hoad matter lie ron.ph-teh exonerated Captain Morris, M.P.C., from any interested motives: that gentleman had put his face against the proposed road. As, however, the Chairman had nek nowlccigcd their errors tie would not dwc-11 upon their “ lament able folly and ignorance.” He would ask Captain Tovey why the sum of £53, due to Mr Stephen Earl did not appear in the financial statement. The Chairman explained that the b dance sheet, according to instructions received from (lie Pro vincml Secretary, must only contain items of actuid receipt or expenditure, whereas the sum referred to was a liability. Mr Kdgcumhe: “ \ r r.v good, Sir. T only wan}, the rata*pay era to know that the next year’s rates are already mortgaged.”

Alter a oonTernutsmvn.lv in which Mr John Ot-ad wink Mr Stephen : or!, Mr Harvey, Mr H. Kirk, Mr Samuel Clarke, and others took parr, Mr Kdgeumbe moved pro forma , and Mr J. A. Chadwick seconded the adoption of the report. Curried. RATES. The Chairman informed the meeting that the next business was to tlx tiro nature of and amount of rate for the ensuing year. Captain Tovey proposed, and Mr L. e seconded, that the rating bo at value to sell.”—- Carried unanimously. Mr 8, JTj. Clark o proposed, emi Mr John Chadwick seconded, that the rate be ono halfpenny in the pound.” Mr Stephen Karl proposed as an amendment, and Mr t>. Bill seconded, “that, the rate bo one penny in the pound ” The original motion of one halfpenny in the pound was carried. TKTTSTKKB. The following gentlemen wore proposed as Trustees for the ensuing year - —Captains Tovey and Tanks, fc.essi's Kdgmtnbe, If. Hill, Campny, London. .1. - Chadwick, ami Bill, Cap: in Tunks and Captain Tovey declined the honor. The election was then proceeded with, Messrs Robert Kirk and Gravalt acted is Scrutineers Upon the pad being taken, the following was the result ; —Mr Kdgeumbe, 85 ; Mr R llill.30: Mrl). Lundou, 21 ; Mr Campny, 19 ; Me J. A. Chadwick. 18 ; Mr I). Bill, 15. The Chairman declared the first five named gentlemen duly elected. ATJ TUTORS. Messrs Sptoring and MeOaw wore unanimously elected auditors. BOr,N’I)iI!V 'LI yK. Mr S. Xi. Clarke, before the meeting separated, proposed, and Captain Toyey seconded, *• That in the opinion of this meeting the present, boundary subsisting between the Town and Country Boards shall not be disturbed for the following reasons : —l, That the Country Board ia already very poor, only the small sum of £U having been collected far rates this year, the difficulty'arising from Ills land being held very much by absentee -t, Tn proof of the poverty of the Board", nearly all the rates have been spent on repairs, re-forming and putting down culverts on the Judea Boad cutting—a distance of 30 chains. 2. To increase the size of the Country District would bo no compensation for the proposed alteration, there being but two settlors beyond the present out boundary, lha rest of the land belonging principally to absentees, the difficulty of collecting rates would J>o thus augmented without increase of funds. 3. If section No. 2, which is really country land, bo absorbed into the Town Board, a small minority of the ratepayers would bo left, and, in consequence, the roads in the country would ba almost wholly neglected. Though the General Government are now keeping the main roads they may bo thrown on the Board at any time. This meeting is of opinion that this resolution, passed at the present annual meeting of ratepayers should bo forwarded to his Honor the Superintendent rather than a petition with its doubtful signatures and that the chairman of this meeting forward the resolution to his Honor without delay,”

Mr J. A. Chadwick mavecT, and Mr,John Chadwick seconded. That the Gauntry Board line be extended.

Mr Chadwick afterwards withdrew the amendment, and the original motion was carried unanimously.

After a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Bogey Hill for his able conduct in the chair, and to Mr Bradley, the courteous secretary, the meeting separated.

Receipts, IS73 74 £ 8. d. In hand 7 3 0 September 4 : Grant from Provincial Government. GO 0 0 Grant from Colonial Govenment . 89 2 0 Hates collected 41 5 x Paid balance on erection of pound due by N T.D.H, B. . 14 7 G Error in amount of rates 0 2 <> Balance 0 10 0 Total £202 9 8 JSxpcndif tire. 1873-74 £ 9. d. September 13 ; Paid to X/ea and Haggerty Paid to R. Hill I . 50 0 0 10 0 0 S. Yercoe, Orumoetai Road Stephen Earl, Hairini Road .. 71 6 6 .. 17 i 5 6 Lea and Faggerty Jurtca Road . 33 8 10 James Young, engineering 5 11 0 W, i. Boot h, secretary 3 O 0 3 1'. J. Heushaw 6 7 Stamps 0 10 0 Account book 0 0 G Paid H. L. Skeet 10 0 0 Printing and advertising, Pennv & Co 2 1 o J. Redmond, repairing road 0 7 0 Mitchell and Clarke 1 30 0 In hand 0 *> 2 Total £202 9 9 Examined and found correct.