ROAD BOARDS.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 180, 6 January 1875, Page 4

ROAD BOARDS.

RIC CARTON. r The ordinary meeting of this Board was held at .the office, Cashel street West., Present —Messrs H. J. Hall (chair'it man>, Nunweek, Patterson, and Hack, f The minutes of the last meeting were read £ and ioofirmed. ’ ‘Abetter was received from the Secretary . forrnblic Works, enclosing report from Mr fW. fj. Bull (assistant engineer) on reserve 93Ayind rural sections 2457 and 4414. i Ailetter was read from the Assistant- } Secretary for Public Works (in reply), I stating that the notification proclaiming the / footpath on the south side of the Riccarton / riad would shortly appear in the Provincial J A letter was received from Mr T. H. FieldIr . i n g ( of Dunedin, enclosing prospectus of “Wise’s Directory of New Zealand,” and asking for particulars of note and a lithographed map of the district; also if the Board would become a subscriber. The surveyor was directed to furnish particulars as requested, and state that the Board would take a copy of the work. A letter was read from the Spreydon Road Board, enclosing account for £65 13s Id, being half cost of maintaining boundary roads to December Ist, 1874, Ordered to be paid. It was decided to procure a new tip cart, and to sell the old one. The surveyor reported thatF.T. Partridge, having made a mistake in bis tender for supplying gravel on the Fendaltown road, refused to undertake the-work, and that it had been let to the next tenderer (Thos. Letham), who was now carrying it out. The collector reported that the whole of the road and river rate for the past year had been collected, and that the contributions towards cleansing the W aiararapa had been paid in. It was decided to hold the annual meeting of ratepayers at the Riccarton Hotel on Thursday, the 7th instant, at noon, to Dominate and elect three members to serve ou the Board, in place of Messrs Nunweek, Hack, and Inwood, who retire by rotation. After passing accounts for work done, the Board adjourned. r j MANDEV ILLS AND RANGIORA. The-annual meeting of ratepayers of the above district was held in the Road Board office, Rangiora, on Monday. Mr Blackett, chairman of the Board, presided, and read a statement of accounts for the past year, which he thereupon laid upon the table for the perusal of those present. . The following gentlemen were then duly nominated; to serve in the room of Messrs Blackett, Duncan, and Wilson, who retire by rotation, and the show of hands was as attached to each name, viz :—H. Revel), 9 ; T. Harrison, 27; H. Hinge, 18 ; Captain Parsons, 28; Thos. Wilson, 14 ;H. Blackett, 22. ~ Messra.OpQfi.and Ivory were nominated, . A poll was thereupon demanded, and after short addresses from the various candidates the proceedings terminated, b The poll takes place between the hotua. 0 f 21 a.m. and 4 p.m. to-day. ELLESMERE. The annual meeting of the Board was held in Road Board office, Leeston, on Monday,, January 4th, 1875, pursuant to public. vertisement. Present— O, J, Bwnge, Esq (chairman}, Messrs R. LooKUead, J, Rennie, G. B. Woodman (members of the Board), and thirty ratepayers. The chairman, on opening the proceedings, staled that he took the chair ns returning officer, and would commence business by reading the minutes of Mny 6th and July Ist last. The meeting of May sth being held in consequence of a portion of the district being handed over to the Rakaia Road Board, thus making the Great South Railway the western boundary of ' tbe Ellesmere district, and thereby necessitating a fresh election. The meeting of July Ist was held owing to tbe resignation of Mr C. A. Fitzroy. Both of these minutes were unanimously confirmed. .

The chairman then read the annual report a* follows:—“The Board, as customary, present this their annual report to the ratepayers, and beg first to state that the meeting is called together for the purpose of electing two members in the place of Messrs Woodman and Knyvett, who retire by ballot, both gentlemen being eligible for re-election. The Board are happy to congratulate the ratepayers on the near completion of the railway to Southbridge, and are of opinion that it will be completed in time to convey a portion: of this season’s grain to Christchurch. The Telegraph and Post Office in Southbridge has been: finished for some time, and the chairman is informed by Mr Thompson, the manager, that it will be opened within the present month. Prior to the general election of May stb, the district had been divided into wards, but after the election, this ceased to exist according to clause 16 of the Provincial Ordinance. As you are aware, the Boad Boards have found the existing Ordinance unworkable, and deficient in many ways. There is therefore now formed what is called a conference of Boad Boards (of which he had the honor to be chairman), by whose instrumentality he hoped that some substantial alteration would be made in the Ordinance, so, as to place the Boad Boards on a surer footing, During the past year, in order to meet the influx of immigrants, barracks have been erected at Southbridge, and also six cottages, two on reserve 808 near Southbridge, two on reserve belonging to the Ellesmere Agricultural and Pastoral Association near Leeston, and two at Brookside. The cottages have been built by the Provincial Government, by whom .they have been handed over to the control of the Boad Board, the following being the terms of tenancy: occupants to pay 6s per week rent, and to work for the Board at the rate of 5s per diem. 'Mr Lunn, the overseer, has prepared a tabular statement of the number of miles formed, number of miles metalled and amount expended in each subdivision of the district. A statement of accounts furnished by the treasurer is laid on the table for inspection. The Board beg to take this present opportunity of thanking Mr Lunn, the -overseer, for the very efficient manner in which he has carried out bis dutiee. Notwithstanding the large increase of work in connection with his office, he still performs his work with the same ability and zeal as heretofore. The Board have now only to thank the ratepayers for the trust reposed in them, and hope that during their term of office they have earned the approbation of the district.”

The chairman then called on the ratepayers to nominate candidates to fill the vacant seats' Captain R. B. Willis—Proposed by W. Gebbie; seconded by P. Campbell. Mr G. B. Woodman Proposed by G. Stevens; seconded by W. Nixon. Mr T. Acland —Proposed by J. J. Loe; seconded by J. Osborne. Mr Moorhead was likewise nominated, but declined standing election. A show of hands was then called for, with the following results:— G. B. Woodman, 18; R, B. Willis, 11; T. Acland, 10. A poll was demanded by Mr Loo on behalf of Mr Acland, which was forthwith opened by the Returning Officer, and duly closed at 4 p.m. as follows: Mr Woodman 134 votes Mr Acland 131 ~ Mr Willis 59 „ Messrs Woodman and Acland were therefore declared duly elected. A vote of thanks to the Returning Officer was proposed by Mr Acland, seconded by Mr Woodman, and carried unanimously. The successful candidates having addressed the ratepayers in suitable terms, expressive of the appreciation of the honor conferred on them, and the unsuccessful competitors having likewise made a few remarks, the meeting terminated. SOUTH RAKAIA, A meeting of the ratepayers of the South Rakaia district was held at the Road Board office to elect two members to serve on the Board in place of Messrs Mackie and Aliagton, who retired by lot. Messrs Mackie and Alington were re-elected nem cori. The newly elected Board held their first meeting at 2 p.m., when it was resolved—- “ That the sod cottages be plastered within and without, the gables painted, &c ; that the clerk be instructed to employ the roadmen in sinking a pit into the shingle, with the view of draining off the water at a point on the main Rakaia road as indicated ; that the pay sheet be paid ; that Mr Fargan’s contract of formation on the Acton road be rc, let; and that the clerk’s resignation be accepwj.” MANDEYILLra AND RANGIORA ROAD BOARL» The election for three memXiors to serve on this board took place on Tuesday, a Q d the result was as follows : Blackett 186 Parsons 160 Hinge ... 114 Harrison 112 Revell 106 Wilson ... 89 The Returning Officer at the close of the poll, therefore, declared the first three duly elected, and those gentlemen having addressed the electors, the meeting adjourned. OKAINS PAY ROAD DISTRICT. The annual meeting of the ratepayers of the above district, was held in the school house, Okains Bay, on Saturday last, for the purpose of electing three members to serve on the Road Board in the room of Messrs iiioore. Wright, and O’Connor. In consequence ot tv»e inclemency of the weather, there was only a wmll attendance of rate.payers present; sixteen *. orn ni--- — *-’»y, ana only three , , j£ r ..\vrrnam Moore, late chairman of the tso'ard, presided, and also acted as returning officer. An abstract of the accounts for the past year was read, shewing the receipts for the past year, including the balance from previous year, to have been £2412 16s 2d; and the (xpenditure for the year. £2190 4s 2d; leaving a balance in hand of £222 12s There was also a more detailed account laid before the meeting, shewing the amount allotted to each subdivision of the district, and the amount spent upon each road separately. Mr Thacker moved—“ That the Board publish a detailed account of the expenditure of the past year.” The resolution was almost unanimously rejected by the meeting. The following persons were nominated : Messrs Moore, Wright, Fiuerty, and Boleyn, and the following votes were given by show of bands :—Mr Moore, 14 ; Mr Wright, 14 ; Mr Fiuerty, 9 ; Mr Boleyn, 9. A poll was demanded for Mr Fiuerty, and was taken the same day, closing at 4 p,m., with the following result; —Mr Moore, 29 ; Mr Wright, 26 : Mr Fiuerty, IB ; Mr Boleyn, 16. The Returning Officer declared Messrs Moore, Wright, and Boleyn duly elected. At a meeting of the Board held subsequently, Mr William Moore was unanimously re-elected chairman.