Meeting of Ratepayers at Kiwitea.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 311, 11 May 1894, Page 2

Meeting of Ratepayers at Kiwitea.

♦ ■ - A meeting of ratepayers in the Oroua riding in particular and the county in general was held in the Kiwitea Hall last 'evening, as convened by Mr Jacob, to consider a proposal to make a new road from Perry's line, to connect Haine's line therewith, and to close Taylor's road. There was a good attendance and Mr Corry was voted to the chair on the motion of Mr Taylor, seconded by Mr Perry. He read the advertisement calling the meeting and then asked Mr Jacob (member of the County Council) to explain his reasons for calling the meeting. Mr Jacob who read an apology from Mr Williamson for non-attend-ance was glad to see a good attendance, that evening. At the last meeting but one of the Kiwitea Road Board Mr Taylor carried a resolution that the road through Mayfield be taken under the Public Works Ac*. Mr Jacob considered the Board were acting hastily as there was a conflict whether this road should be done or Haine's, and after placing the matter before Mr Williamson, chairman of the Kiwitea Road Board, that gentleman recognised the justice of the application and postponed the proceedings till a more definite opinion of the ratepayers had been obtained. It would be folly to undertake opening up new roads or closing old ones unless there was some unanimity amongst the ratepayers. There was also a movement to shift the Board's office from Feilding to either Waituna or Birmingham, but he did not think the time for the removal had arrived. He agreed with Mr Taylor that some connection between Kimbolton and Mackay's line was necessary. The Government had reserved the right to take a road through Mayfield and Mr Dundas was sent up in 1885 to survey a road, which was to take up fifteen acres. After some difficulty in selecting a route, as there were so many hills to be traversed, the road shown on the map was the one selected and an extra four acres had to be taken, it being proposed to take it under the Public Works Act. To get a good grade it would be necessary to make ah expensive side cutting, as out of the 180 chains in length only 30 chains were on the flat. The present track was not the one on which the road was to be made, but was altogether off the line, the route being very hilly and liable to slips. A road would be useless without a bridge and to erect one across the creek would cost about £120. Mr Taylor must know this road would be useless and the speaker coneiderei the former's remarks at the Board's meetiug misleading. The cost of the land and other expenses incidental to taking it under the Public Works Act would haye to be taken into consideration, besides the heavy expenditure that would be necessary to remove slips. It would cost over £400 to make a bridle track, and the cost of a metal road would be, according to the Engineer's estimate, £880 This could not be made out of the rates and the riding was not going in for a loan. There was an alternative proposal to this, viz., a number of ratepayers would like to see Haine's road made through to Mackay's line. It was proposed to start the new road in Mr Perry's, into Messrs Buchanan and Levett'a and through Mr Corpe's to strike Clifton street where Haine's road would meet it and then to be continued out to Mackey's line opposite Mr Buchanan's house. Mr Jacob read the Engineer's report on both roads, which showed that the one through Mayfield was 196 chains and the one through the township 267 chains. The only reason that he had against the latter was that it was the longest by 7 1 chains, but even then it was better as it was not so hilly. The road through Mayfield would cost £880 and the proposed new road £820 according to the Engineer's estimate. Mr Jacob bad waited on Mr Perry, who said that if the ratepayers generally were in favour of the deviation he would not stand in their way. He had also seen Mr Buchanan and informed him that he would have to pay some of thecost. This Messrs Buchanan and Levett agreed to do and they are also willing to pay £100 as compensation. With respect to Mr Corpe be thought that a satisfactory arrangement could be arrived at with that gentleman. The cheapest way to make a good road would be to borrow £1000, for which they would have to pay £50 a year as interest. He was sure the ratepayers would support a proposal to form the new road, which would be level with the exception of 40 chains. By this scheme there would be a great saving in maintenance Mr Perry said that in the conversation with Mr Jacob he understood the distance would only be 30 chains, and not nearly a mile. The Engineer had told him that the bridle track could be put through Mayfield for a little more than was already spent on the road, He would not stand in the way of the deviation as one ratepayer. Mr Taylor said that out of the £140, the £100 included the cost of purchasing the laud. He thought it might be 15 or 20 years before they wanted a road through, but a cattle track was required now. The Government plan was there and the steepest grade was 1 in 15. The Engineer had told him it would cost £1 per chain for an eight foot track and when dug iuto the metal would not Blip. If Haine's road was put through it would cost £1500 aud besides that 'the road through Mayfield would be shorter. He did not wish to injure Messrs Buchanan and Levett, but the Government had put this road through and it was the best they could get. Mr Jonea suggested the road joining Haine's line as a compromise and he had no hesitation in saying that £1000 would make a good road. There, was not much difference in the distance between the roads where they came out on Mackay's line. Mr Morton thought Mr Jacob had placed the matter (airly before the meeting and loft nothing for him to say. He considered it would be an advantage to put Haine's road through. Mr li. Moßeth thought the road proposed by Mr Jacob would cost much more than the one surveyed. Mr Phynn did not think it possible to make a good road through Mayfield and it would be better to make Haine's road, Mr Jacob was not anxious to go on with the work if it cost more than £380. The cost of maintenance on the Mayfield road would be the greater. He would not commit the riding to any unnecessary expenditure until the estimates were gone into and if it were a failure they could fall back to the Mayfield roadProposed by Mr Jacob, seconded by Mr Morton, That this meeting requests the Kiwitea Count j Council to take steps to :

ascertain whether a road can be opened from Perry's line to Mackav's line through the Beaconsfieid township, , and that th« present proceedings under the Public Works Act be temporily suspended to allow of such enquiry being made.— Car* ried The usual compliment to the ohair closed the meeting.