Manchester Road Board

Feilding Star, Volume X, Issue 52, 9 October 1888, Page 2

Manchester Road Board

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Manchester Road Board was held on. Saturday last. Present — MessrsBull (Chairman), Reeve, Wheeler, Jones, Macarthur, and Lethbridge. The Chairman proceeded to read the minutes of the previous meeting, and when doing soy he protested against a resolution there entered, moved by Mr Macarthur, which rescinded a resolution passed at a preceding meeting. Ec (Mr Ball) considered it irregular and illegal, and if he had received notice of the motion he would have made it his business to attend. Mr Maeartbur said the minutes were a faithful record of what had taken place, aad, therefore, should be confirmed. They were confirmed accordingly. The Chairman then said he considered all outward correspondence should be read to the Board. It had never been done before, and he thought it would be a good rule- to follow. Mr Macarthur said whea he was ; Chairman the outward correspondence had always been read. The Clerk read some of the letters from the press copies, and then the Chairman t ok tho letter-boot and finI ished it. Mr Macarthur asked if Mr Bull had read all the letters, to which he replied be had. Mr Maeartbur demanded to know wby a copy of a certain letter written by Mr Bull, as Chairman, to Mr R. Ward, R.M., had sot been copied in the letter- book of the Board. Mr Bull said he had not thought of doing so, as he did not think it of any great consequence-. Mr Macarthur said he had heard of the letter and applied to the Government for a copy which he now pro* duced. " Feilding, September 7, 1888. "R. Ward, Esq. -I see by a letter sent . by you to the clerk of the Manchester' Road Board, that owing to a communication from the Board, that you wiU not hold an enquiry re the boundary between, the Manchester Road district and the Manawatu Road District. I am verw '"" sorry that you have come to this decision, as the resolution was carried at the last meeting of the Board in my absence-, and in a most irregular manner, and was not unanimous, I quote you a resolution passed at a> meeting of the Board held July 7, 1888- — • Proposed by Mr Lethbridge and seconded by Mr Wheeler, That the chairman take any steps he thinks necessary to get the Bunnythorpe-Feildmg road on tbe south side of railway line proclaimed a. boundary road under tbe management of the Manchester Board. — Carried.* In consequence of the above I WTote to the Minister to have the matter done; The result, I heard, was to be an enquiry; by you to advise the Minister, &c. I was? not present at the last meeting of the. Board, and there was no notice of any iutention of rescinding the above resolution, and it still stands good, aad now I am consulting the interests of the rate*payers on the line of road m question by asking you to reconsider your decision and ask you to bold an enquiry as intended, I will be prepared to bring evidence before you I am" sure that will I satisfy you as to> the necessity of doing; something towards getting- ther road made. 0. Bull. - " Chairman Manchester Road Board.'" Mr Macarthur said he had asked it all the outward correspondence had been read, and the Chairman distinctly said it had, yet a most important letter from him, in his official capacity to an official of the Government, had been suppressed. He (Mr Macarthur) protested against this as an act unworthy of the position occupied by Mr Bull. Mr Jones here ejaculated that the Board had been guilty of a piece ot sharp practice in rescinding tbe resolution. Mr Bull, in reply, said he would have referred to his letter to Mr Ward in the debate which he expected to ensue on his motion, of which he had given notice. He then produced from his pocket Mr Ward's letter in reply,, which be (Mr Bull) bad forgotten toput on the table with the other correspondence. COKKEBPONDENOB DTWABD. From Commissioner Property Tax drawing attention to clause 7 in the Crown and Native Lands Bating Acte Repeal Act, 1888. From Rangitikei County Clerk, enclosing particulars of charges for Onepuhi Bridge. From Secretary to Treasury, stating £2672, balance of loan, would be paid at once. From Secretary Public Works, re boundary road— Feilding to Bunnythorpe. From Treasury, advising payment balance of subsidy, d 866 8s Bd. From Mr Hankins, applying to have two swing gates across Henaghan's line. From P. Cavanagh, re alteration in rate roll. From John Jarvis and P. Taylor, re alteration in rate roll. From Jones and Peters, re carting shingle out of Manawatu river bed. From R. Ward, E.M., acknowledging receipt of letter re boundary road. From H. M. Hayward, forwarding rates. From Gardiner Bros., calling attention to state of gateway across roadline. From G. Wheeler, informing the Clerk that G. Peterson, on the Stanway road, was in need of charitable aid. From John Campbell, asking perI mission to retain his rates until something is done towards road making in vicinity of his property. From W. Symmonds, asking the name of George Millner to be put on rate book. From Colonial Secretary office, re result of poll for £1400. From HP Jones, re repairs required on Cheltenham Cross road. From A. Gower, re drain down Uross road. £ rona A. Ferdsburg, applying to fall bush on roadline opposite his property. From J. H. Hankins, re changing name on rate roll. From H. Holland, stating he would attend this meeting of the Board. Joseph Wilson, applying to put gates across lower end of Wyndham From J. Cotter, enclosing cheaue forties 6d-rent. FromiX BuU, notice of motaon^

"That the resolution passed at tbe last meeting of tbe Board re boundary road — Bunnythorpe to Feilding — be rescinded." Mr Walter Bailey ' presented the following petition from the ratepayers in No. 5 ward : — " We, the undersigned residents on the Feilding-Bunnythorpe road and immediate neighbornood do respectfully request that you will without delay take Rome steps towards making this road. Some of us have been paying rates for the last 15 yoars, and that it is a disgrace that we should be in such a position that we cannot get along this road without positive danger to life, and that for some months m the year our children cannot go to school owing to the impassable state of the road and being liable to a fine if caught on the railway, we would respectfully suggest that the best and most economical way to get a passable road would be on the south side of the line for several reasons. " 1. That the road is a mam road and cau be made at a much less cost on that Bide. " 2. That some portions are made aud two or -three bridges would be available. " 3 That the two road boards, should unite to make this road and so lessen the expense to each individual board. " 4. That the road on this side would be protected from floods to a cortain extent by the railway line. " o. That the owners on the north side Jo not want the road on their side, and *;uld respectfully suggest that the road ne be sold to the various owners of iVo'itage, and the proceeds would help to defray the cost of making the road. W. A. Bailey, John Campbell, and forty others." Mv Bailey explained the position is •-?.;.<-« rdwd the previous petition ■*is<u.i::i by ol ratepayers. He was ; sure that any proposals to borrow the m Kjey f>r the works indicated would ' va accepted by the ratepayers. A deputation, consisting of Mr H. ■ Holland, Mr Masters, and another, J waited on the Board to see if there < ■was any chance of getting tbe road '• made from the Bunnythorpe railway ' station to Stoney Creek. 1 The Board promised to do the best < they could, and the deputation with- < ■dre .v. £ Mr Bull then proposed the resolution, 1 of which he. had given notice : That the "] resolution passed at the last meeting of > the Board re boundary road — Bunny- t thoipe to Feilding — be rescinded. Mr c Lethbridge seconded. ■ Mr Bull said the resolution was passed in a most illegal manner by Mr Macar- I thur who, from his long experience in \ the management of public affairs, should <J have known better than to bring forward c such a motion without notice. If he (Mr j Bull) had known he would have been j present. He explained his reasons for f, desiring" the enquiry to be held by Mr y Ward. l Mr Macarthur said he was not Averse ® to the road. He objected to taking any fc nsk by making it a boundary road. The t Manawatu Road Board was now in dim- o culties, aud no one knew when they s would be out of them. That Board a could not assist the Manchester Board if y any action were brought against them. The latter alone would have to suffer, There were influential settlers on both D sides of the railway hue who were natur- y ally biased, and desired to have the road *' made on the south side of the railway a live. Mr Macarthur was about to men- t tiou some names when i Mr Lethbridge said all personal feeling n should be left. out. v Mr Macarthur went on to say he had , no personal feeling iv the mattor, aud he only referred to tho individuals in tbe ' interests of the public. Even if the a Board passed the resolution it was wall- b known they would never get the sanction t of the Alanawatu Road Board to have « control over the road. He would advo- c cate carrying out that petition signed by i 51 ratepayers of No. 5 ward. n Mr Reeve asked if the resolution would make any difference to the roads going on. v In reply to Mr Macarthur, Mr Bull 8 said he did not take such a gloomy view r of the affairs of the Manawatu Koad Dis- r trust. He was a large ratepayer himself, c and believed a few years would see the c Board out of their difficulties. g A few unimportant remarks were made by some of the other members, and the resolution was carried. J Mr Macarthur said he would not ask ' for a division. < Resolved, That tbe name of Mr Thomas ( Parkins be placed on the rate book instead i of Mr Boddy for section 50. __ t Mr Reeve spoke of theinconvenience of { proposed contractors for work at Pohangina or Ashurst having to go to Palmeror Feilding to see the specifications, j The Engineer, Mr Bray, explained the ' cause of the omission in thi9 case. I Resolved, That Mr Wilson be given i permission to erect a gate across the \ lower end of Wvndham street, Mulgrave { terrace, to be removed at once on notice given by the Board- : Proposed by Mr Macarthur, seconded , by Mr Reeve, That teuders be called for all the work in No. 6 ward, which were ' authorised by the vote taken for a special < rate on tho 22nd day of May, 1888, and < for which tenders have not been accepted , at tbiß meeting. — Carried. Eesolved, That the sum of 10s per week be granted to Mr Petersen, on the Stanway road, as charitable aid, to date from September Ist, 1888. Resolved, That the tenders for the Pohangina road be not opened at this meeting ; time extended to next meeting. The notice of motion, re making tolls collected on the Manawatu Gorge Bridge general revenue, was then considered. Mr Macarthur thought the tolls ought to go to the credit of No. 6 ward, as at the end of two years the revenue would cease, when the railway opened. After some debate the motion was then put and lost. A deputation of natives from Kakanki waited on the Board re proposed road through to Mr Mcßae's property. After the objections of the natives to the proposed road had been heard, the matter was ordered to be left over until next meeting. Resolved. That the Engineer be instructed to interview the owners of tbe properties on the Pohangina road re drainage, with a view to make amicable arrangements, and to report to the Board at its next meeting. Eesolved, That the Clerk draw Mr Grammar's attention to the state of the gateway across tho road, between sections 15 and 16, Ashurst suburban, and request him to make it good. Resolved, That Mr "Pearson's request re culvert be granted. Resolved, That Mr Hankins be given permission to erect a gate across Hennaghan'g line, on tbe usual terms, as re* -quested in his application. Resolved. That Mr Fredsbury be allowed to fall bush on the road alongside his section on tbe Board's usual terms. | Proposed by Mr Lethbridge, seconded j by Mr Jones, That the Secretory write | to tbe Minister of Publio Works, asking \ that the enquiry re the boundary read— Feilding to Bunnythorpe— be proceeded with.— -Carried. Served, That three culvert* be placed

) on the Waituna road, provided Mr Man r son pays the third of the cost. , . Resolved, That Mr Shepherd's request for a gate on Penelope road b- grin ted. Tenders were then opened aud uccopied 1 as follows:- Painting Gorge bridge, R and E. linsey, £95. Work oh Valley road — No. 1 contract. Hislop and Co., £53 3s; No. 2 coniraoi, Culler) and Co., £72 18s. rialcomue-Sandon. roau — VV. iNewman, £47 12s. Feilding Halcombe road — Younger and Laing, £49 10s. Supply of metal— For 1, 2, 3, 5. and 6 ward, Fowler's ; ward 4, Belfit'*. Tim ber 'supply For wards Nos. 1, 4. and 5, Messrs P. and J. Bartholomew ; ward 6, Mr Wanie; no tenders for 2 and 3 ward. Accounts for the v onth were passed, and the meeting adjourned.