Pohangma Road Board District

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 62, 11 September 1893, Page 2

Pohangma Road Board District

MEETING OF RATEPAYERS IN NO. 1 WARD. A meeting of ratepayers was held in Mr Frank Brown's woolshed, Pohangina, on Saturday last, to consider the question of raising a loan for the purpose of forming new roads in the ward. There was not a very large attendance, only about 25 ratepayers putting in an appearance. Amongst the number we noticed,. Messrs J. G. Browne (Warden), Rutherford, E. T. and J. S. Harrison, Pollock, Finnis, Sweet, Philpots, Meyers, L. Browne, H. Stewart, Taylor, Henagan, Jefferies (3), Currie, Bailey (2), and Randall. Mr E. T. Harrison was voted to the chair, and called upon Mr J. G. Browne, the Warden to address the meeting. Mr Brown stated that when the ratepayers elected him to the honorable position as their Warden, he determined that he would be the tool of no particular set or clique, but that his sole object should be the looking after the interests of the ratepayers to the best of his ability. The rateable value of property within the ward was £78,624, yielding JB4BI 9s in rates, and the Government subsidy, etc., brought their income up to about £560 yearly. When he took office, they were overdrawn £215; the overdraft is now £ 11 9, against which there were outstanding rates amounting to £180 which, with the Government subsidy, was increased to £240. The expenditure had been £402 since the formation of the Board (9 months) so very little money now remained for new works. As regards maintenance of roads, he was in favor of contract rather than day labour. With respect to the question of advertisements, he thought that the Board should only pay 2s per inch, and give their advertisements to those papers which would only accept that sum. He always considered that the Engineer's payment by commission, rather than by a fixed salary, was a mistake. He I would prefer to call for tenders, and accept the lowest, if a competent man. He considered that the offices of Engineer and Clerk could be worked by one man. There could be no doubt but that it was absolutely necessary to raise a loan in order to open up the country. Should these loan proposals be accepted, the question to discuss was whether they were to levy a separate rating district. His opinion was in favor of the latter plan. The speaker stated that he recently wrote to the Minister of Works asking if a special valuation could be made over the district for loan purposes. The Minister replied " That the valuation must be on the present rate roll." The Warden then submitted the following loan proposals : — (1). To construct 5 miles 19 chains of road, from the township to sections 14 and 17 (northern boundary) Block V 1. —£1371 Is. (2). To construct 8 miles 6 chains of road, from the township to junction, with Zig Zag road at sections 25 and 26, Block V 1. —£977. (3). To construct 4 miles 12 chains of road, from junction with Branch road at sections JO and 22 to northern boundary of the Harbor Board Block at the corner of sections 3 and 9, Block V._ £loo3 Bs. (4). To construct 3 miles 40 chains of Zig Zag road, from corner of sections 22 and 70, Block IX., to Main Ridge road at the corner of section 10, Block V., and section 22, Block Vl— £96l 6s. (5). To construct 2 miles Branch road from corner section 10, Block V., to the Oroua River. — £499 12s. (6). To construct 3 miles 60 chains Awa road from corner section 12, Block V., to junction with Main. Ridge road between sections 6 and 9, Block V.— .£897 14s. (7). To construct Pollock's road from end of metalled road to junction with Zig Zag road, corner of section 77, Block 1X.— £696 7s 6d. (8). To construct 1 mil© 25 chains Finnis' road (to alter track from 6 feet to 12 feet).— £27s. 11s 9d. (9). To construct 1 mile 30 chains Finnis' road from township to corner of sections 71 and 72, Block IX.— £412 2s. (10). To construct and metal mile 20 chains of road from the end of metalled road corner of section 56 Block XIII., to the township. — £222 6s. ( i 1). To construct a road to give an outlet to sections 27, 21, 19 and 13, about 1£ mile. — £422 12. Making a total of £7516 13s 3d. Mr Browne went on to say that he had drawn up the following special rating distnct list, which only included the names of those ratepayers who would benefit by the proposed loans. The list was read as follows : — Block 11., section 1, 2, and 3 ; Block V., sections 19, 20, 21, 61, 62, 65, 66, 68, 71 to 77 inclusive, together with the township ; Block X., sections 1 to 18 ; Block XI., sections Ito3o ; making a total valuation of £24,000 to £25,000, and an interest charge of £375. After the Warden had answered one or two questions to the satisfaction of his hearers, the following resolutions were put to the meeting : Proposed by Mr Bugg, seconded by Mr Henagan, That a separate rating district be formed for the purposes of raising a loan of £7526 13s 3d to be appropriated as set forth in the Warden's loan proposals, and that a special rate of three pence half-penny in the £ be struck, to be levied over the whole of the proposed separate rating district. — Carried. Proposed by Mr Jefferies, seconded by Mr J. G. Browne, That a separate Ward be formed, to include within its boundaries all properties as proposed for the separate rating district. Carried. Votes of thanks to to the Chairman for presiding, and to the Warden (Mr J. G. Browne) for his lucid and satisfactory address, closed the proceedings.