The Arai Road Board.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 35, 11 February 1901, Page 4

The Arai Road Board.

A LIVELY MEETING. The meeting of the Arai Road Board held on Saturday, was attended by Messrs C. J. Parker (Chairman), C. White, Jex-Blake, U’Ren, and Lucas. A |letter was received from Mr Beaufoy, late Chairman, with regard to the offer said to have been made by the Board to the County Council in connection with .certain road works, but as it threw little light on the matter, Mr White was appointed to interview the Council on the subject. • A deputation consisting of Messrs Gay Porter, H. Smith, G. Morrison, G. Osmond, and J. McMichael waited upon the Board concerning the Arai road deviation. Mr Porter asked if the Board would reconsider the petition addressed to them by the Tokonui settlers with regard to the proposed deviation of the Tokonui road. He pointed out that the deviation would be a great improvement in every way and not more expensive.

Mr White asked if the petition had been laid before the Board. Mr Porter: Yes, two months ago. The Chairman stated that the petitioners had been written to on the subject. Mr Smith said that he had received the Board’s letter to the effect that the Board had no funds for the proposed deviation, and was also informed that all the settlers had not signed the petition. Mr Morrison pointed ont that the two who had not signed the petition were present and were willing to sign. The Engineer, he said, had expressed the opinion that the proposed deviation was advantageous and would cost no more than the original route. Mr Balneavis, the Engineer, was called in' and stated that in his opinion the deviation would be a great improvement and not more expensive. The Chairman said that he was an interested party and proposed to vacate the chair, but at the request of members he remained. Referring to the subject he said that in addition to the cost of making the deviation there would be the cost of transfer. He would claim compensation if the deviation were made as it would deprive him of water rights. Mr Porter replied that the deviation would cut Mr Parker's property off from the river, but there was another supply available. Mr Parker said that the latter supply failed in summer.

The Engineer stated that Mr J. Wilson,

who held the adjoining property, was perfectly agreeable to allow the road to run through his property without any compensa-

The Chairman said that if the deviation were made, the Assets Company would have something to say in the matter. Mr Jex-Blake asked if the settlers were prepared to put their hands in their pockets to obtain the deviation.

The Engineer expressed the opinion that the Board would be in pocket if they made the deviation. After considerable discussion it was resolved that Messrs Jex-Blake, C. White, and J. Lucas should visit the_ locality and report to the Board. It was also resolved that the Engineer should make estimates of both routes. The Board went into committee whilst tenders were considered for road works, and the following were accepted : Contract No. 3, Hamilton, 20s per chain; No. 4, J. Gibson, 20s; No. 5, Hamilton, 193 lOd ; sa, Hyde, £52 10s. Upon resuming, the members of the deputation were again present, and Mr Smith asked if he could see a map of the Tokonui special rating district, but this was not forthcoming. The Chairman said that one copy of the map had been given to the Government, and the other retained by the Board, but was not in the office. He asked “ What the deputation were getting at." Mr McMiohael said that he noticed that a road had been formed into Mr D. J. Parker's residence, and he wanted to know if that gentleman’s residence was included in the special rating district. The Chairman said that Mr MoMichael should have secured information on the subject, and had no right to come and question the Board.

Mr McMiohael asked where he should go for information on the subject, if not to the Board.

The Chairman; You should go to the Clerk.

Mr Smith stated that he had gone to the Clerk’s house at Patutahi, and asked to see the map of the special rating district, but had been unable to get any information on the subject. A map was presented to the meeting, and with the aid of the Engineer the boundaries of the special rating district were defined, and it was discovered that Mr D. J. Parker’s property was included in the special rating district.

The Chairman at this stage demanded an apology from Mr McMichael because of reports that he alleged had spread about him (the Chairman) outside. Mr McMichael denied having made any such reports, and refused to apologise. He said that in the action he had taken in the matter he was merely seeking information which he could not obtain from the Clerk. He wished to know if Mr D. J. Parker’s property, and the thousand acres owned by Mr C. J. Parker were both included in the special rating district. The Chairman said that he would not pay rates on the thousand acres until forced to, because he considered that he was not benefited by the road. A heated discusston ensued, during which the Chairman again asked Mr McMichael to apologise, but the latter said that he had nothing to apologise for. Mr Jex-Blake thought that it was most irregular that important documents bearing on the business of the meeting were not on hand when the Board met. He considered that the ratepayers were justified in seeking information at the Board’s meeting. The Chairman said that it it would take a dray to bring all the Board’s papers to the meeting. Mr Smith asked if there was any truth in the rumor that the recently-formed bridle track between Mr Dan. Parker’s boundary and his house had been let for construction in one of the Board’s contracts. The Chairman: Yes. Mr Smith: Did the Board approve of the work being done ?

The Chairman; Yes. Mr Porter said that it wa3 understoood that the road should only be formed to ,’the boundary of each section. The Chairman replied that Mr Porter was the very man who had moved at a recent meeting of ratepayers that the roads should give access to each property. Mr Porter said the arrangement, as he understood it, was that the road should only go to the boundary of each property. The Chairman: Mr D. J. Parker’s property pays heavy rates. Mr Morrison: It is the most valuable property in the special rating district. The Chairman said that the road was surveyed to go a mile through Mr Smith’s property. Mr Smith gave an emphatic denial to this statement, and said that the road did not go a foot into his property, but only skirted the boundary; and, further, that it was a Government surveyed road. After further discussion, the subject dropped. Accounts amounting to £l5O were passed for pa/ment.