ROAD BOARDS’ CONFERENCE.

Evening Star, Issue 3690, 20 July 1875, Page 3

ROAD BOARDS’ CONFERENCE.

The adjourned meeting of delegates from the different Road Beards throughout the Province was held at Murray’s Hotel this afternoon, Mr Rutherford presiding. . , . In answer to the foity-two circulars sent oj the secretary to the various Boards throughout the Province twenty replies were received, none of them being unanitnouson either side. Mr Begg referred to the conference a* a perfeet farce, and the proper si Ordinance as a great absurdity. The Ordi* nance they already possessed was ample in its powers, though it might perhaps be simplified.—Mr Hooper objected to the insulting remarks m ade by Mr Begg, which were quite uncalled for.—Mr Begg again stood up and said they were making a quasi-legislation shop of Murray’s Hotel.—Mr Anderson quite concurred with the object of the conference, regarding the remodelling of Ordinances. There were too many amendments and Ordinances, for which New Zealand was notorious. Though approving of the clauses generally in the Ordinance, he took exception to the fourth one, that the chairman of a District Road Board should be a Justice of the Peace ex officio. He instanced the case which recently happened in one of the neighboring Colonies, wher# the Mayor was a Justice of the Peace ex •ffieio. _ One person was elected who could not sign his name, and was obliged to appeal to the Town Clerk to affix his signature.—Other members having expressed their opinions, Mr Anderson moved —“That the Provincial Executive be respeetfullv requested to take steps to have tho present laws relative to Road Board powers codified, with a view of having new laws prepared; and that a draft thereto be submitted to the various Road Boards for consideration to enable them to make suggestions.” The resolution was carried. _ , ~ Messrs Begg, Anderron, Hooper, and the Chairman were appointed a committee to bring the matter before the Government.