NORTH RAKAIA BOARD OF CONSERVATORS.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1658, 13 June 1879, Page 3

NORTH RAKAIA BOARD OF CONSERVATORS.

A meeting of the Board was held at Mr Deaborough’s office, Southbridge, on Saturday, June 7th. Present —Messrs E. J. Lee (in the chair), Chas. Bourn, and A. Stony. A letter was read from the Under Secretary for Crown Lands, in answer to the Board’s letter of November 29th, enclosing “ Gazette,” in which a notification permanently reserving two parcels of land, containing in all 520 acres, for the improvement anti protection of tke Rakaia river, appeared. An apology for the unavoidable absence of Mr L. White was read. The secretary laid on the table statement of special rate and general rate 1878, and copies of receipts and disbursements for the year ending 31sb March, 1879, forwarded to the Minister of Public Works, and returns under Financial Arrangement Act forwarded to Registrar General, which were approved. Also table showing estimated“receipts and expenditure for the year ending 31st March, 1879. The secretary was directed to instruct the overseer to reduce the staff of hands to one gang. The question of lowering the rate of wages was considered, but ultimate decision was deferred until the next meeting. A petition from Mr Storry and others re opening a road across north-east boundary of reserve 1344 was read. The Board referred the petitioners to the Road Board, as they had no power to deal with Mr Wall’s lease. They would be happy, however, to forward the matter, and would consent to the alienation of their interest in the land whenever called upon to do so in furtherance of the request of the petitioners. Mr Lee stated that the sum of one thousand pounds had been them by the Solwyn County Council out of the funds set apart for distribution in the Ellesmere district, and that he had instructed the secretary to write to the secretary of the Council for an early payment. Pay sheets Nos. 21 and 22, as paid by the chairman, were examined and approved. Pay sheet No. 23, for wages to May 21st, was examined and passed for payment. Messrs Bourn and Storry were empowered to sign cheques for the pay sheet No. 23, as passed; also to pay accounts shown in schedule prepared by the secretary, Mr Desborough, as the returning officer for the Board, was instructed to take immediate steps for the election of two members to serve on the Board, in the place of Mr E. J. Lee, who retires by effluxion of time, and of Mr J. J. Loe, whose seat has become vacant. A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the meeting.