Manchester Road Board.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 29, 3 August 1896, Page 2

Manchester Road Board.

Tbe monthly meeting was held last Saturday. Present — Messrs F. Y. Lethbridge (chairman) H. J Booth, D. Thomas, G. Wheeler, and W. G. Pearce. The mnutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed. Correspondence was read and dealt with as follows : — From Rangitikei County Council requesting that all copies of petitions asking Government to purchase the Wellington-Manawatu railway, be returned as scon as possible. From J. Purkiss, asking to be excused for non attendance. From same, stating that a man named H. McDonald, who was crippled by an accident, ought to receive charitable aid. — Mr Wheeler to make enquiries. From Treasury, stating that loan of £232 for erection of Stoney creek bridge is now available. From R. Cobb asking permission to erect a gate at junction of the Palm-erston-Ashurst and Kawakawa roads. From W. Cloggie, requesting that K. Mullins' name be placed on rate roll in place of his for the Royal Hotel, Bunnythorpe. From J. Hastings, requesting that the road leading to his place be repaired. From W. Maxwell, asking permission to plant a live fence and to put dead fence on the road line to protect the live one. From R. Lloyd, enclosing cheque for £1 for timber from Gorge bridge. From Ashurst School Committee, asking the Board to assist tbem to purchase a section of land to enable them to secure a right-of-way. from Bunnythope School Committee, asking tbe Board to provide an outlet for stagnant water near school grounds. — Engineer to supply pipes for purpose. From Jas. Cotter, asking permission to erect gates across roadline to his property. Messrs E. Gallichan and E- C. Saunders waited on the Board with a request tbat the settlers be givea some assistance to get a road opened up through Messrs Warne and Akers* properties to enable settlers from the other side of the Pohangina river to get to Ashurst. The road line at present existing was impracticable, and they desired to go higher up the river to a site recommended as the most suitable for a bridge. The length of road proposed to be made was 38 chains and led to the river. The Pobangina County people were willing to make tbe road on the other side of the river, and from here it was only nine or ten miles to Woodville. They wanted to know if the Board would give £ for £ if the settlers raised the balance by loan. The estimated cost was £200. The Chairman said the Board was always willing to help those who helped themselves and suggested that the settlers interested form themselves into a special rating district. The Board would give what assistance they could. This deputation expressed the opinion that Government should bear the whole cost of reconstructing the Gorge bridge, and that tbe Board should not have to provide any portion of the cost. Mr Cotter waited on the Board with reference to the Gorge bridge. He urged that if the Board undertook the woik by itself there was no poa* sibility of loss as it was probable the Government would grant a £ for £ subsidy, and this Board's share of £3500 would cost £175 a year for interest. This amount would be more than covered by the revenue from the toll, for wbich the present ferryman was willing to pay £300 a year. He offered, if tbe Board would undertake the work, to guarantee the Board np to £100 a year for five years to indemnify them from loss in case the revenue fell short of the interest charges. The chairman thought tbat if the Board had to raise a loan tbey would bave to take a poll over the whole district, and if so it would never be carried, but if the Woodville Borough or any other local body would consent to pay a portion of the cost this difficulty would be removed and they could build the bridge out of a loan. A s they had no portion of the Gorge road to maintain now, local bodies interested would object to any attempt to make them pay a portion of the cost of reconstructing tbe bridge. However, he would get legal advice to see if they could raise a loan without taking a poll, and if so would proceed with the work at once. Mr Cotter asked to be allowed the use of tbe punt free of charge, seeing that be had rendered tne Board all possible assistance in keeping up communication with both sides of tbe river. Mr Gardiner (of Gardiner Bros.) waited on the Board and requested them to construct a road leading to their property to give them an outlet as at present, they were dependent on tracks through private property. He was informed the Engineer would be instructed to inspect the road and report to the Board. Resolved, That K. Mullins' name be placed on rate roll in place of W. Cloggie for section 20, Mugby Junction. Resolved, That permission be granted to Mr Maxwell to erect fence three feet on road to protect live fence opposite his property. Resolved, That Messrs R. Cobb and Cotter be granted permission to erect gates as applied for according to the Act. n Resolved, That the Engineer be instructed to inspect the road complained of by Mr Hastings, and report on same; also to inspect the road complained of by Gardiner Bros. Proposed by Mr Wheeler, seconded by Mr Lethbridge, That this Board ia prepared to re-build (on iron bark piles) the bridge aoross the Lower Gorge ferry at an approximate cost of £7000, provided the Government will assist with a subsidy of 25s to tho Board's *£1.-^-Carried. Proposed by Mr Pearce, seconded by Mr Thomas, That the Clerk be instructed to call on Messrs Bartholomew Bros, to repair damage caused to the Bunnythorpe-Ashurst road by their waggons. — Carried. Resolved, That the Engineor inspect the proposed road at Ashursi, aud report as to cost, &c, at next meeting. .Notice oi motion was given by A|r

Pearce. That thia board pass a bye law imposing a tax of £2 per month on all timber waggons and £1 pei month on drays carrying timber on roads in the Manchester Road Dis trict. Accounts amounting to £248 were passed for payment, and the Board adjourned.