ROAD BOARDS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2145, 10 January 1881, Page 4

ROAD BOARDS.

BICOABTON. The annual meeting of ratepayers of this district was held on Friday, January 7th, at the office of the Board, Upperßiocarton. Mr H. J. Hall, ohairman of the Board, presided. The Ohairman read the balance Bheet and statement of receipts and expenditure for the year, duly audited and certified by tho district auditor. Tho reoeipts were as follows : .—Balance from last year, £SOIO 9s 4d ; Government subsidies and land fund, £1473 18i 9d ; rates, £835 17s 2d ; contributions, £504 15s 5d ; interest on fixed deposit and current account, £247 6s 3d; other sources, £33 19s. The expenditure was:— Oontraotß, labor on roads, &o, £3117 lis 2d j salaries and office expenses, advertising, printing, &o , £314 13* 9d ; timber, plant and materials, and genernl expenses, £492 12s lid; leaving a credit balance of £4lßl 8s sd, of whhh Bum £3500 was at fixed deposit. The statement of assets and liabilities was as follows, viz.:—Assets, £5877 4s 9d ; liabilities, £9O ; estimated credit balance, £5787 4s 9d. Mr Wilson proposed that the accounts as submitted be accepted and passed, which was seconded by Mr Amyes and carried unanimously. Mr Thos. Wilson proposed a vote of thanks to tho retiring membors, which was seoonded by Mr J. T. Bell and carried. The following gentlemen were nominated to fill tho vaoanoieß of tho retiring members, viz., Messrs H. Nunweek, Boag, Munnings, Gregg, and Stanley. A poll was eubsequently held, and resulted as follows : —Wm. Bong, 264; H. Nunweek, 240 ; John Stanley, 164 ; Joseph Munnings, 145 ; JamoD Gregg, 130. The Beturning Officer declared Messrs Boag, Nunweek, and Stanley duly elected. It was resolved—" That the Biccarton Boad Board be requested to take the necessary steps for bringing the district under Local Elections Aot before tho next eleotion." Seconded by Mr Wray. A vote of thanks to the Returning Officer terminated the meeting. . A meeting of the new Board was held immediately afterwards, when Mr Hall was re-elected chairman for the ensuing yoar. The following correspondence was read : From Messrs Daans, Olissold, and others, requesting that tho Board will change the namo of that portion of the Fendaltown road between Tod's and Dalton's bridges to the name of Prinoess street. It was resolved to oomply with tho request of the petitioners, and that the Board strongly recommends them to givo a few feet to widen the street, and to moke a footpath, so that it may be worthy of tho name. From Messrs Harper, Harper and Soott in roply, ro encroachments on roads. From Mr calling attention to the damage done by overhanging trees in his locality. The surveyor was directed to servo notice to have the trees removed in accordance with the Publio Works Aot. From the Bcoeiver of Land Eevenue, re rent of reserve No. 93 A. The clerk was directed to make inquiries at the Selwyn County Council Office and report. The Board took into consideration the correspondence re footpath on Fendalton road, and it was resolved—" That Mr Williams be requested to convey the ditch opposite to his property so that the construction of tho path may be proceeded with." Tho Board adjourned until Monday, the 14th February, at 1 o'clock. LINCOLN. An ordinary meeting of this Board was held at Frebbleton on the 6th inst., when all the members were present; Mr H. W. Peryman in the chair. Correspondence was read, the consideration of whioh was deferred until after the annual meeting had been held. The pay-sheet having been passed for payment, the Board adjourned until 4.30 p.m., when tha new Board met. Mr Feryman having been re-elected chairman, thanked the members for conferring this honor upon him for the third time, and said that he hoped the present Board would work as harmoniously as tho previous one. Mr W. Ellmers interviewed the Board in reference to Sharp's drain, which he was informed would be duly considered. A letter was read from the County Council stating that £IOO had been granted to the Board for drainage of certain parts of the district, and that as coon as the work was done the money was available. The ohairman was requested to seo the chairman of the Oounoil in reference thereto. Mr Marshman wrote explaining the position in which the strip of land running alongside the Drain road now stood in reference to the Board, and that before it could be disposed of it would be necessary to get legislative authority. Advice was received from the Treasury of the payment to the Board's credit of £143 7s 2d, being subsidy of 7s 6d in the £ on general ratoa collected to March 31at, 1880. A circular was also received from tho Ashburton County Oounoil re Bailway Tariff. The clerk to reply that this Board would give the action of the Aohburton County Council its most cordial support. The clerk was directed to take out summonses for all outstanding rates at onoe. The surveyor wbb instructed to report on the state of certain drains by next meeting, and Mr Thompson was asked to visit reserve 955, South road, with a viow of fencing it. On the motion of Mr Feryman, seconded by Mr Overton, the salary of the olerk was reduced by 10 per cent. Other business of a routine character having been transacted, the Board adjourned to the 10th February, at 1.30 p.m. The annual meeting of this Board was held at Frebbleton on the 6th inst., Mr H. W. Feryman presiding. The Ohairman read the financial statement, and laid the balancesheet upon tho table, by whioh it appeared that the balanoe at the Bank on the Ist January was £1229 7s 2d, added to whioh were assets amounting to £66 2s 6d, making u total of £1295 9s 8d; against which worn liabilities of, say, £163, leaving surplus assets of £1132 9s 8d to the Board's oredit. Tha total reoeipts during the year had been £2033 lis 9d, and the expenditure £1309 7s Id, of whioh £393 5s 2d was for contracts let and liabilities incurred in the previous year, leaving £916 3 s lid as the actual expenditure during the past year. On the motion of Mr Toss will, the accounts as read were adopted. The following resolution was then carried: —" That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable that the maintenance of the main roads of the district shall be lot in small contracts of not more than four miles, by publio tender." A question of as to whether it was desirable to bring the provisions of tho Local Flections Aot into force in the district having been raised, the chairman put it to the mooting, when it was decided in tho affirmative, and the chairman promised that the wishes of the ratepayers should be attended to. It was then proposed and seconded and carried—" That a hearty vote of thanks be accorded to the chairman and members of the Board for the able and impartial manner in which the business of the district had been carried on during the past twelve months." A vote of thanks was also given to Mr O. L. Davies for the able manner in whioh he had performed his duties during the past twelve months. The Ohairman having vacated the ohair, the Beturning Officer called for nominations to fill the three vacancies caused by the retirement of Messrs PerymaD, Overton, and Ladbrook, when the gentlemen above mentioned were nominated, as well as Mr Wim. Thompson. The show of hands being against Mr Ladbrook, a poll was demanded on his behalf, the result of which was the election of Messrs. Peryman, Overton, and Thompson. At the clcse of the poll the candidates addressed tho meeting, an j a vote of thanks to Mr Davies, the Beturning Officer, totminated the proceedings. COTTBTENAY. A meeting of this Board was hold on Tuesday, January 4th. Present—Hon. Colonel Brett (chairman), Messrs Mathiue, Coutts, Gough, and Anson. The survoyor read his report on the different works completed and in progress during the past month. The following correspondence was read, viz. : —From tho Selwyn County Oounoil, informing the Board of a special meeting of the Council to bo held for the purpose of considering the advisability of tho Council assuming the sole control and management of all pounds within tho limit of the county. The clerk was instructed to write to tho County Council and forward copy of an instrument under the hand of his Exoellenoy the late Governor, handing over the management of, with power to appoint or remove poundkeepers, appropriate all fees, &c, arising from, the pounds in the Courtenay Boad District to the Oourtenay Boad Board. From the Ashburton County Council, forwarding «opy of correspondence, •srith the manager of railways re tariff charge. From tho manager of the Bank of New 2!ealand, with regard to the Board's banking account, and stating the highest rates of interest that would be allowed by the Bank for sums placed with them as fixed deposits for definite poriods. From John Turner, informing tho Board that he is hindered from com-

pletiog his oontract on _ Sharp's road, owiDg to the fencjs overhanging the same and gora ) not having been removed. Having explained that the time allowed by the notices delivered to the occupiers of adjoining sections for the cutting and removal of the gorsfl had expired, the surveyor was instructed to have the necessary work done, and recover the cost of the same from the occupiers in due course. The pay Bheet, amounting to £2Bl 5s 9d, having been adopted and passed, the Board adjourned. The anuuai general meeting of ratepayers was afterwards held, in accordance with advertisement, the chairman of the Board in the chair. The clerk read a report of the Board for the past year. The chairman laid, on the table a balance sheet giving a detailed account of the receipts and expenditure on the various roads in tho district, for the inspection of the ratepayers preeent. The balance sheet showed the receipts to have been, from the General Government, £3941 Os 7d ; interest, £1097 Is lid ; rents, £6l 10a ; other sources, £63 is 5d ; with a balanoe at the beginning of the year 1880 of £17,751 5s sd, making a total of £22,913 19s 4d j the expenditure amounting to £5324 18s 3d, together with liabilities for works authorised and at present in hand of £382 7s Bd, leaves a balance in favor of the Board of £17,206 13s sd. The account showed thirty-nine miles of new roadß to have been formed, and seventeen and a half miles of roads metalled during the past twelve months. The Chairman having explained to the meeting that it was highly improbablo any further subsidies would be granted by the Government to Road Boards, called upon those present for an expression of opinion as to tha advisability of a rate being struck and levied during the ensuing year. The majority of the meeting were of opinion that there is no necessity for such a measure baing adopted, taking into consideratien the amount of funds at the disposal of the Board. The following resolutions were proposed, and carried unanimously:— "That the report as read and the balancesheet be adopted." "That the manner in whioh the duties of the Board have been executed during the past year entitle the members to the thanks of the ratepayers." The ohairman then called upon the meeting to elect three members in the room of Messrs Matthias, Anson, and Gough, who retire by rotation, but were eligible for re-election. Mr Bevoly proposed, and Mr Nicoll seconded Mr Mathias; Mr Sanderson proposed, and Mr Stevenson seconded, Mr Anson; Mr Henderson proposed, and Mr Jones seconded, Mr H. MoCttelland; Mr Bainger proposed, and Mr Fairburn seconded, Mr J. Gough j Mr Tweedie proposed, and Mr MoNae seconded, Mr BrabazDn. On a show of hands being taken the numbers were as follows: —Anson, 21 j Gough, 16 ; Mathias, 14; MoOlelland, 9 j Brabazon, 8. A poll being demanded on behalf of Mr MoOlelland, the chairman stated tho poll would take plaoe on Thursday, January 6th, aa advertised. A vote of thanks to the ohairman being carried unanimously, the meeting adjourned.