ARAHURA ROAD BOARD.

Kumara Times, Issue 1130, 13 May 1880, Page 2

ARAHURA ROAD BOARD.

A meeting of the Arahura Road Board was held at the office of tile Board, Stafford Town, yesterday, at 11 o’clock; present—-Messrs Seddon (in the chair), Blake, Foldi, and Linuell. The Chairman, as Returning Officer of the Board, read the writ returning Messrs Blake, Linnell, and Foldi as members of the Board.

The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed.

Mr Linnell inquired of the Chairman as to the salary of the Secretary} passed at a previous meeting of the Board. The Chairman said that as there were new members on the Board, in the first place it would be his duty to explain its financial position; and the question of the Secretary’s salary would no doubt come before the meeting in another form before the proceedings terminated. In the first place, the debts of the Board under the old regime were £llO7 19s 2d, and all the debts incurred since 1878 had been paid. Of the liabilities of the Board the sum ot £970 10s lOd was made up in each case of amounts exceeding £2O, and the remaining sum of £137 8s 4d was divided in various sums of a smaller amount. He was not aware of any other liabilities except a sum of £25 due to Mr M'Gill who had lately sent an authority to sign the deed of agreement with the rest of the creditors for this amount. The assets might be roughly estimated at £l3O cash in hand j rates due, £3OO ; subsidy on same, £3OO j or total receipts for the piesent year £730. On the 18th of March last, Mr Byrne, by a resolution of the Board, ceased to Act as Secretary under the previous engagement, but was appointed seretary pro tern, as it was considered necessary under the Rating Act there should be a clerk to the Board, at a salary of £1 per month, with the provision that for anything outside his duties as Secretary ho should receive remuneration. When he (the Chairman) took office in 1879 the liabilities of the Board were £ISOO, and they have now been reduced to less than £I2OO as the Board have paid off several of the outstanding accounts. The accounts had been audited by Mr Patten, the County Auditor} and the bank and other books were before the meeting, and he might say that while he had been connected with the Board there was nothing he was ashamed of, and he trusted the new members would exercise the strictest scrutiny in looking into the accounts of the Board during his term of office. As the Board had now its full complement of members he trusted they would work in harmony and for the general good of the district.

Mr Blake was gratified with the lucid explanation made by the Chairman, and, as one of the new 'members of the Board, he thought a rate should be struck in the district, seeing that it was the business of the County Council either to have the functions of the Road Board carried out properly, or the Board merged into the Council. He trusted that the old and new members would pull together in the interests of the district. But still, rather than go to extremes, he would like to give the County Council one more chance to merge the Board, take over its liabilities, and satisfy the claims of its creditors in some satisfactorymanner.

Mr Foldi was of-opinion that, in the first place, as a Board they should do the best the could for the creditors generally, as that would show they were actuated with a desire to meet their liabilities. He did not believe in

seeing heavy rates enforced on the people, but at the same time ho wished to see the creditors of the Board paid. He moved “ that the sum of £IOO now standing to the credit of the Board in the Bank be distributed pro rata aoionj the creditors of the Board.”

Mr Blake had great pleasure in seconding the motion, as it would give a first dividend at least of 3s in the £.

The Chairman coincided with the spirit of the resolution, but said that itl event of old cheques being out and the ladders receiving a dividend, they would still hold the cheques for the original amount against the Board. Mr Fold! explained that if the cheques were endorsed on the hack with the date and amount of dividend received, this would get over the diffi* culty. The motion was carried unanimously* The Chairman.moved, “That applications be called for a Rate Collector, to collect the rates in accordance with the Rating Act; applicants to state the remuneration they required, and any previous engagements made by the Board in this respect to be cancelled from this date.” Mr Blake seconded the motion, as he considered it a necessary one, as in the event of the County Council wishing to collect a rate, the Board must have their collector ready to collect the rate, which the Court had decided coiild be legally collected by the Board. In this matter they had the whip hand of the County Council, and they could shew it provided that body did not come to terms amicably with the board. The motion was carried. Mr Linnell moved the adoption of the old rate roll, as that he thought would make all the requirements of the Board when they struck the'^rate* The Chairman explained ilhat it was not in the power of the Board' to take any roll they thought fit, as they must be content with the one handed td them from the judge of the Assessment Court. The valuator appointed by Dr Giles had conscientiously performed his duty in valuing miners huts* The reason they had always escaped valua* tion before was not because they were legally exempt, but simply that the valuator had not carried odt his duties, and the Board had taken no cognisance of the fact. However, although the miners' huts were taxed, there was nothing to prevent the Board instructs ing their collector to exempt all valuators under £5 as the costs of collecting was equal almost to, the amouiit col 4 lected, Mr Linnell withdrew the motion* The Chairman was empowered td procure the necessary rate and other books required by the Secretary to the Board. On the motiofi of the Chairman, seconded by Mr Blake, the sum of £2 2s was voted as remuneration to the Secretary for filling in the fate roll book. Mr Linnell moved “That the usual place of business of the Board as far as the inspection of the roll of the district is concerned should be at Mr Blake’s store, Main Street, Kumara. Mr Fold! seconded the motidri, which was Carried. An estimate was ordered to be pre 4 pared by the Secretary on the following basis :—payment of outstanding liabilities, £IOOO j salaries, nil; expenses £IOO. The Chairman moved “ That it is the intention of this Board, in accordance with the provisions of the Rating Act, to strike a rate of Is in the X on all rateable property in the district, and that a meeting of the Board be called for that purpose immediately on the receipt of the valuation roll.”

Mr Blake seconded the motion Which was carried. •

Mr Blake, in moving “ That a deputation wait on on the County Council, asking the maximum amount they would give in the event of the Road Board arranging with its creditors for part cash and short dated bills as payment of their respective accounts, such deputation to consist of Messrs Foldi, Linnell, Lock, and the mover, 5 ’ said that in his idea the creditors of the Board would gladly take two-thirds of the amount of their accounts as full satisfaction if the amount wss paid immediately. If the County Council would advance £SOO or £6OO, that, together with the rates and the money the Board had in hand, would meet all demands ; whereas, by only paying off a small dividend each year, it would take four or five years before all the creditors were satisfied. Of course if the Council refused to come to any arrangements or to assist the Board, then he for one would fight it that every creditor eventually got paid. .

Mr Foldi seconded the motion, and said that the previous speaker exactly expressed his own opinions on the sub* ject.

The motion was carried unanimously. The Chairman, at this stage of the 'proceedings, handed in his resignation to the Secretary, and in so doing said that he felt satisSed the Board was now in good working order, and that the interests of the ratepayers would not suffer at its hands. Probably it Would be said he shirked the responsibility of the chairmanship immediately he had succeedi d in getting three new members on the Board - } but, considering that he would be leaving for Wellington shortly, where he might remain some few months, and that the Board, at the present time especially, would ’suffer through the absence of the Chairman, he considered, under the circumstances, he was acting for the best in tendering his resignation as ‘Chairman of that body. After the resignation of Mr Seddon had been formally read and accepted,

Mr .Foldi moved and Mr Blake seconded “ That a vote of thanks be recorded on the minutes to Mr Seddon for the efficient manner in which he •conducted the business of the Board during his term of office.” The motion was carried unanimously, •and the Board adjourned sine die.

The Board met again at two o’clock, the same members present, and the ■Clerk to the Board in the chair. The Clerk having read the resignation of Mr Seddon as Chairman of the Board, and also the clause of the Act relative to the election of his successor, Mr Blake moved “ That Mr bander Foldi- be appointed Chairman of the Board,” and said he did so on principle, for he had not the slightest doubt that in Mr Eoldi they had a straightforward and upright man—one who would not only gain their respect, but one who had already the good-will of the community amongst which he lived, and he felt that if Mr Eoldi was elected Chairman, they could depend on his honesty of purpose. Mr Linnell had great pleasure in seconding the motion. *

Mr Seddon said that there were several reasons that rendered Mr Eoldi peculiarly adapted for the position, as in the first place he was a resident of Dillman’s Town, the capital, in fact, of the Arahura Road Board district. Then again, Mr Eoldi had been in heavy op-

position to the Board in 1878, and the fact of his now being Chairman of that body would give greater confidence to those who were the first to cry out at the actions of the Board under the old Vegime. He heartily endorsed Mr Blake’s motion and opinion. The motion was then put by the ■clerk, and carried unanimously. Mr Eoldi having taken the chair,

thanked the Board for the position in ■>' which they had placed him, and trusted by his actions that he should show he bad the interests of the ratepayers at heart. Of one thing, however, they ■could rest assured, that whatever he 'did • would be done straightforwardly and honestly. The Secretary was instructed to notify Mr Folcli’s election as Chair-

'man to his Excellency the Governor. Mr Blake moved and the Chairman 'seconded “ That Mr Byrue, the secre-

tary receive in addition to his salary of £1 per month, £2 for each meeting of the Board he may be called on to attend at Kumara, a month’s notice to terminate the engagement on either 'side.” The motion was carried.

It was unanimously agreed to rescind the resolution by which members were allowed £1 Is per day for attending the meetings of the Board. On the motion of Mr Linnell, se-

conded by Mr Blake, it was carried—- “ That the meetings of the Board for

the ensuing six months should be held in Mr Blake’s store at Kumara, and the succeeding six months at the office of the Board at Stafford Town.”

The Board then adjourned

For remainder of news see last page.