Manchester Road Board

Feilding Star, Volume X, Issue 117, 9 April 1889, Page 2

Manchester Road Board

The ordinary monthly meeting' of jth* above Board was held, oa Saturday after' noon last. Presents-Messrs 801 l {chairman), MacartntffV Keeve^,and Lethbridge, The minutes: of the previous ordinary meeting were read and confirmed. COKREBPOUDRNCE, From C. Fanthoirpe, applying: for renewal of slaughter license. From F, Th*badge r askingfor a changeof name on rate roll. From P, Hanlori, re-finishing contract. From Leslie; Wheeler, asking for change of name on rate 1 rolL From chairman Kangitikei County Council, re apportioning, cost of maintaining Onepuhi bridge, statfiig'thff Council's intention to resist any share of same beyond that hitherto borne,.. From Colonial Secretary's Office,-re- ' porting gazetting result of poll for loan. From Mrs Derby, re change of item* on rate roll. From R. Cobb and S. Browne, asking- for assistance to- provide means of getting: access to certain properties, at present impossible through backwater. From Property Tax Department, re rates, i' 64 Is 10d r on Native lands. From IL Cobb, applying- for a slanghter license. From W, and T. Greenhow, re change? of name on rate-roll. From H. W. Byers, asking" permission: to get gravel. , From B. Currie, asfiuig. permrasiraT to> fell road line. ' ' From J. Wilson (junior), re change of name on rate roll. From J. A Wlntehead, enquiring: re the right of a road. ■'.;-:-. From J. T. Benge, re change of name on rate roll. '.= ...'. . From the derk Bangitikei County Council, re of contract for Onepuhi bridge. From General Survey Office, stating it was proposed to vest Qhgltenbam Cross Boad in the Kiwitea Boad' Board. From the Engineer, a memorandum of expenditure on each road in No. 6 ward to 81st March^ 1889; From Auditor-General's Office, a circular re the auditing of accounts for Boad Boards. .'.'.. From Colonial Treasurer's Office, a circular re applications for loans. Proposed by Mr Macarthur, seconded by Mr Beeve, That a slaughter licence be granted to C. Fanthdrpe,-— Carried. Proposed by Mr Macarthur, seconded by Mr Beeve, That Mr Byers be informed that he must apply to the Government to whom the gravel in question belongs. — Carried. Proposed by Mr Beeve, seconded by Mr Lethbridge, That Mr F. Thorby's name be placed on the ratebook in place of that of F. Thebridge for section 16 8.F., Makino road ; L. Wheeler for section 14 Ein place of G. Wheeler ; Joseph Wilsoa (junior) in place of Bi Tremewan, for section 27 Ashurst suburban; and J, T. Beage in place of G. H. Hart, for 29 suburban Feilding. — Carried. Besolved, That a .slaughter license be granted to B. Cobb. Besolved, That the surface man, Blixt r be put on again to keep roads in No. & ward. A petition from seven ratepayers of No. 5 ward was read, protesting against any particular road being chosen to be doneout of the loan in preference to others, and asking that all roads be formed as far as possible this year, and finished, next year. Another petition of a similar nature from settlers on Beid's line was also read. Both petitions were supportad by dep% tations. ''" " '- Mr Benson spoke to the petition from settiers on Beid's line. -The chairman explained that as the Engineer had already plans and specifications of certain portions of road prepared he had thought it advisable to have this metalled at once. Mr Macarthur thought it better to have all the formation possible done this year. The matter of the schedule for the expenditure of the £4000 loan in No. 5 ward was then brought forward, and by this time some 9 or 10 ratepayers were in attendance. . Mr Macarthur said it was his intention ■- to test the feeling of the Board upon the matter. He then proposed, and Mr Beeve seconded, That fresh tenders be called for the construction, the metalling; excepted, of all the roads mentioned in; the schedule of the loan of £4000 for No. 5 ward, except that along the railway line between Feilding and Bunnythorpa, which last cannot be legally proceeded with as it is at present a railway res rye, and legislation is necessary before it can become a legal road line. In speaking to the motion Mr Macarthur called attention to a former resolution of the Board to cancel tenders for certain' works and giving the chairman: power to take steps to raise a loan for constructing all the. unmade roads in Nor~'~~ 5 ward, and reminded the Board of his. former protest against, doing anything on the Feilding-Bunnythorpe road, on the ground of illegality of such Work, it being at present no legal! road, and beyond the jurisdiction -of the Board to deal with. : He again pointed out the position of those ._ members of the Board who supported the " proposed expenditure, and quoted the Act to show what was their individual liability. It was clear that if they attempted to spend money on the road in question-, before it was constituted a legal road they would each be subject to a heavy penalty, and he for one was not goinglb incur ths responsibility imposed by the Act. Apart from this, by the time the contractors started the wet weather would be here, and even for this reason, as well aB for the protection of the Board he should advise the carrying out the resolution he had proposed. He should oppose any expenditure on the said road at present, as it was no road at alias far as the Board waa concerned, and the chairman had no authority to put it into the loan schedule or to call for tenders for it. Mr Bull said he had not had the road scheduled without duly ascertaining at the Survey Office. He had been informed by a clerk in that office that there was a road on the south aide of the line, and he was satisfied on the question. As to legal liability it was all bosh and bunkum. He contended they must spend the money on that road, and it was scandalous that this, road had been left bo 4ong unmade. Mr Macarthur, by his present action, was acting quite contrary to the interests of the Board. It was nothing but malignant opposition and was .dictated by feelings of personal spite. Mr Bull then proposed, and Mr Lethbridge seconded, as an amendment to the motion, That as the vote was taken in No. 6 ward in good faith that the road from the Oroua river to Bunnythorpe should be made, that unless this road is made no money out of the loan be spent. Mr Macarthur spoke to the amendment and rephed to the remarks of Mr Bull on the motion, repudiating Mr /Bull's attack as to his motive?. He again argued the adviseableness of waiting for a few indnths, when by legislative enactment they would gt^u, have authority to go to work,, rather. thaa4|P to incur heavy personal responsibility." He was not speaking without book, haw ing searchedevery document bearing da the subject the Survey Office '{possessed and he was perfectly satisfied <£fca£there was ho legal road on the south side of the line, but that it wa« railway ~ressrve, He

had not trusted to any clerk, and any o those who possessed land on the soutl side of the line could see for themselve: that the word railway was on their gran aud not road. It was, of course, an un fortunate mistake, but nevertheless a fact He had moreover obtained the best lega ■advice ou the subject, which he then read pointing out that the Railway Comrais sioners could not divest themselves of anj land for roads without legislative author ity. The Commissioners could, however stop any attempt to make roads by th< Board. The document read cited cases to show the personal liability of those members of the Board who were parties to making such roads as that proposed. The. idea of his motives being dictated by feelings of personal spite was perfectly ridiculous, as personally, for his own inter- " " ests in Feilding property, he would much * rather see the work done. As to the other roads he should urge their being gone on ■with, as because they could not do this one road legally was no reason why the others should be neglected. The amendment was a thoroughly " dog in the manger" otre, as it declined to go on with other works which were legitimate because the illegitimate one could not be proceeded with. On the other hand, there had been no hesitation on the chairman's part in leaving the legitimate works till next year, while he" called for tenders for the construction of his pet road. The fact was that the whole matter had been muddled. Mr Bull, by his own admission, knew before the vote was taken that the Railway Commissioners could not divers themselves of their property in the railway reserve, and he should have told the ratepayers so. He (Mr Macarthur) was not aware of this fact until after the vote was taken". In anj' case the resolution authorising the raising the loan only authorised a loan for unmade roadi in No. 5 ward. The advertisement also referred only to a loan for works in No. 5 ward, and so did the voting papers, so that there was no authority whatever for the inclusion of this road, -and practically the ratepayers did not vote for it as they only voted for works in No. 5. The chairman professed to desire the construction of the road and no doubt he did, but twice he had muddled the management of the vote so that his own desired object could not be legally carried out. Mr Lethbridge said a few words in support of the amendment, and advised the waiting till the said road was legalised, and that the whole question of the works be hung up till this matter was settled. The amendment was then put, and carried by the easting voto of the chairman. A good deal of desultory argument between members of the Board and several of the ratepayers present. The latter then retired. Proposed by Mr Ede\e, seconded by Mr Lethbridge, That permission be given to Mr Currie to fell bush on road in front of Ins section as requested, on the usual terms. — Carried. Proposed by Mr Macarthur, seconded by Mr Lethbridge, That this Board objects to the proposed apportionment of the cost of maintaining Cheltenham Cross road as a boundary road, because the ratepayers of the Manchester Road district do not use the road in question to anything like the extent of the apportionment contemplated. — Carried. Proposed by Mr Reeve, seconded by Mr Macarthur, That 300 loads, or thereabouts, be expended on Pohangina road at the discretion of the Engineer. — Carried. Proposed by Mr Macarthur, seconded by Mr Reeve, That two miles of Kimbolton road be metalled as soon as possible « feet vvide and 4 inches thick, tenders to be in by Saturday April 15, and to be dealt with by the Engineer and Mr Macarthur. — Carried. Proposed by Mr Bull, seconded by Mr Macarthur, That the Engineer enquire as to the complaint of Mr Whitehead at Halcombe, and report at next meeting. — Carried. Proposed by Mr Bull, seconded by Mr Lethbridge, That the Cierk take the necessary steps to legalise the deviation of Watershed road. — Carried. Mr Lethbridge said he should like to see the Chairman's name in the resolution instead of the Clerk. Mr Bull suggested that Mr Macarthur should, as he understood these things, undertake the work in connection with this deviation ; but, on Mr Macarthur refusing to do the Chairman's work, which he (the Chairman) felt himself incoinpe- \ tent for, the motion that the Clerk carry j it out was put and carried. The accounts were then passed for payment, after which the Board adjourned.