CONFERENCE OF ROAD BOARD CHAIRMEN.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 188, 15 January 1875, Page 4

CONFERENCE OF ROAD BOARD CHAIRMEN.

A conference of the chairmen of the various Road Boards:was held at Warner's Hotel yesterday, n Present—Messrs Bridge (Ellesmere), Higgius (Oust), Paul (Oxford), Waaoa (Rakaia), Lance (Waipara), Pbtta (Port Victoria), .Cunningham (Ashley), Brett (Courtena*^Woodt(Temuka), Bailey (Ternpleton), :Toßswill;(Lincoln), Fisher (Heathcote), Boys. (Mandeyille and Rangiora). The Chairman . brought up the report of the committee appointed at the last meeting, which was read as follows: £.' "SThfi:jßoramittee appointed by the meeting cof Road Board Chairmen,. June 25th, 1874, have the honour, to report, that during, the last.session of the Colonial Parliament, the anomalous position of Canterbury Road Boards, with respect to theiri powers of dealing rwithf the roads, Ac, under their control, was brought under the notice of. every) member of the Colonial Legislature, with, the view of obtaining an improved system of Road Board legislation/That the early prorogation precluded action being taken to obtain amended legislation during the last session of the Colonial Parliament. That in making use of thia delay with tbe view of s obtaining information,-every Road Board in the jmovißoewatinvited to suggesfcalterationa for improving tl>e; present Ordinance; that the-auggestions reeeived were most carefully, considered by the committee. Your committee desire to record its opinion that the present Ordinance is too cumbersome, and that simpler machinery for regulating the control of roads,. highways, &c, is most desirable. That in the smaller road districte it is especially a matter of concern that the law relating to Road Boards should be of a plain and simple character, easily carried out by the unpaid services of chosen ratepayers, in accordance with the spirit of the original Roads Ordinance. That the present cum-brous.-Ordinance, vague as to some of its clauses, exacts an unnecessary amount of "labour from members of Road Boards, and almost necessitates the occasional employment of professional assistance in interpreting and carrying out its provisions. That the uncertainty that attends the attempted enforcement of the provisions of the present Ordinance has been exemplified by the case of the Ellesmere Road Board v Fisher. That the information collected by your committee has been placed in the, hands of the Provincial Solicitor, but the illness of that officer prevented the committee from ascertaining that official's views as to the desirableness of reconstructing the Roads Ordnance. That the attention of your committee has been directed to the difference in the extent of powers conferred by,'several Provincial Ordinances on road or highway Boards ; as an example, it may be stated, that "Wellington District Highway's "Act, 1871," gives powers under clause 25-, .to an , extent unknown in the' Canterbury' Ordinance. • That the attention of the committee has been directed to the present system of rating ; that, your 'committee does not express any opinion on this point, believing that the question as to the mist equitable system of rating should be reserved for the consideration of the several bodies of ratepayers. That in the prospect of impending constitutional changes, and after a careful consideration of."au matters relating to the -norkiug of Road Boards which' have come to the knowledge of the committee, "your committee recommends that the Road Boards of the province should give their assistance towards the. promotion of a simpler and better defined sjrstem. of road legislation in the ensuing session of the Colonial Parliament. Chas.'.' J. Bridge, Chairman of Conference of Chairmen of Road Boards." M!f Paul'moved the adoption of the report. Mr S. Bailey seconded the motion. Colonel Brett thought it would be very unadvisable.to adopt the report of the committee until the Road Boards generally had had an opportunity of considering it. He attended as chairman of hi a Board, but only on the condition that he had to lay the proceedings of that meeting before the Board. He - thought it would be far better to leave the" matter until after the Boards themselves had an opportunity of expressing their opinion. '"' ~ . Mr Tosswill pointed but that the course advocated by = th£ feolboel had "been, followed." There bfca "been a preliminary meeting 'of the chairmen of 'Road Boards, and a sub-Committee"had been appointed, who had sent circulars to the Boards throughout the province' l asking % for suggestions. Those suggestion* had come in to the committee in due course, and the report of the committee was based generally' Upon those recommen-dations,-so that really 'the report embodied the opinions of the Road Boards generally throughout the province. Mr Higgins said the great point and question to be decided was the title to the roads —that was the soil over which they passed. THi waeda'very-vexed question, and one upon-Which'no twoiawyers were agreed. It seemed to him that they 1 could fair back upon ihe'Highway Boards Engineering Act an* 1 'the < ; Tram way- Act, which could be brought into operation easily. He did not f he expression of 'opinion that the Roads Ordinances required legislation by the General Assembly, but else he agreed generally with the report. Mr Waaon pointed out that the Legislature had given power to the Road Boards to alter, lower, or raise the roads, and he did not see that they required any further legis ab'on* iui Boys said that the result of the alteration by Road Boards of the levels threw the water somewhere, and then the Board would be liable. A case had occurred in his own district, in which the case had been given against the Board. Mr Tosswill pointed out that the committee did hot wish to upset provincial legislation ; but rather to have the power of Road Boards with respect to the soil over which the roads passed settled by the General Assembly. This was the real question at issue. - This chairman said ■ that Mr Tosswill bad hit the right nail on the bead when he said that the question was the settlement of the powers of 'Boards over the soil. The other matters were mere details, which might easily be settled. ' The motion-for the adoption of the report was then-put and agreed to. ' The chairman then read a letter from Br Rayner, of .Tenruka, informing the meeting that Mr Wood had been selected to repre" sent the Temuka Board at the conference. Mr Wood said that he desired to bring under the notice of the conference the necessity of the elections for the Road Boards being by ballot, tie had been requested to bring this matter before the conference, with ft vitw of eliciting the opinion of those pre-

sent. He would move—" That it be arecommendation that at 'all elections for members the voting shall take place by ballot" Mr Paul seconded the motion. Mr Potts pointed out that it would be far better if this ratter were left over until next meeting, so that the various Road Boards might become acquainted with it, and consider it. He thought that the motion of Mr Wood might be put as a suggestion only, for discussion at next meeting. Mr Paul would like to see the matter settled now, as it was a question which would not wait for further consideration. He had seen the necessity for it in his owndistrict; and trusted the conference would adopt the motion, in Victoria all these elections were carried out by ballot, and done quite simply aind effectually. , The motion was then put and carried. Mr Wood also brought before the conference the necessity of some legislation to ; 'compel the farmers to clear out the ditches cut by thesidebf the road. Mr Tosswill moved the following resolutions i —" 1. That in the opinion of this meeting the present system.of taxing property for Road Board purposes in proportion to its annual letting value, is injurious, having- a tendency to retard'occupation, and ch'eok the outlay of'capital upon buildings and other improvements of a substantial character. 2. That property should be taxed for Road Board purposes in proportion to its actual value, irrespective Of improvements. 3. That the above resolutions be embodied with the other recommendations assented to by the committee." He was aware that in moving these resolutions he was introducing a matter of great importance throughout the colony. Rating was conducted on the basis of the arnual letting value, which he thought came from an English Act where the practice prevailed. Things were however very different in the colony, and the resolutions which he proposed were certainly open to discussion and argument. The more as a colonist a man did towards beautifying his estate and rendering his farm a credit to himself and to his district, by planting, &c, the more he had to pay for it under the present system. [Hear, hear.] But take the case of a man who took no trouble with his land, but simply let it go ; he got off with a slight rate, and indeed a premium was offered to a man to neglect his land. It was true that the legislature had given a bonus for planting trees, &c, but on the other hand, if they increased the value of the estate the rental value was thus increased, and the owner, therefore, while receiving a bonus on the one hand was fined by a heavier tax being inflicted upon him. This would be obviated by the valuator, instead of assessing the property on Hb annual letting value, taking the selling value at the time irrespective of improvements, and upon this basis th« rate should be struck. They would probably soon be called upon to pay a colonial tax, and to rely more upon their lncal taxation. Therefore it was necessary that they should see the future tax settled upon the right ground. Colonel Brett would like to second the motion, but he thought the Boards should be allowed ro express their opinion upon it. He fully agreed with all that Mr Tosswill had said, but he would like to see a clause exempting land within a certain radius of towns or cities. Mr Bailey pointed ont that by Mr Tosswill's resolutions the result would be that a laboring man buying half an acre of land and putting up a cottage would be rated as much as a man who was in an independent position. Mr Higgins opposed the resolutions. Mr Lance pointed out that the man who improved his property had had to pay heavily at first for these improvements. Mr Boys spoke in favor of the resolutions. Mr Wason pointed out that the man who improved his land used the roads far more than the man who merely held his land as an investment. The first principle of Road Board Government was that those who used the roads Bhould pay for them. He would most strongly oppose Mr Tosswill's resolutions. Mr Tosswill obtained leave to alter his second resolution, by the insertion of the words —" Irrespective of improvements necessary for its occupation for agricultural purposes," after the.words"actual value." Mr Potts considered that the matter would be better deferred, as it was one which affected the whole body of ratepayers throughout the province, and they should th« refore be allowed to consider it before its being finally disposed of. Mr Fisher spoke in favor of adjourningthe consideration of the question. Mr Potts moved as an amendment—" That the consideration of the resolutions proposed by Mr Tosswill be adjourned until next meeting, and that the chairman forward notice of their intended consideration to the various Road Board chairmen by circular." Mr Boys seconded the amendment, which was agreed to. Mr Fisher moved—" That it is expedient that some legislative action should be taken for the prevention of present injury done to the roads by overloading narrow tired vehicles." Mr Cunningham seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. The meeting then adjourned.