ARAHURA ROAD BOARD.

Kumara Times, Issue 1366, 16 February 1881, Page 2

ARAHURA ROAD BOARD.

A meeting of the Arahura Road Board was held at Stafford Town yesterday, at noon, for the purpose of deceiving a committee of the County Council relative to the question of merging the Board into that body. A large number of the creditors of. the Board were also present during the proceedings. There were present— E. Blake, Esq. '(chairman), Messrs Seddon, Linnell, Lock, Burgess, and Murdock. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed, and the following account passed for payment^—Secretary’s salary (one month) £l, and attendance at meeting, £1 Is. Air Seddon reported that in accordance with a resolution of the Board* he had telegraphed to the Government relative to the subsidy, and also that the Board’s credit at the Bank to date was £99 12s lid. The following members of the Westland County Council, being a committee appointed by resolution of that body to arrange and carry out all matters in connection with the merging of the Board were then introduced by the County Chairman :—Messrs M'Wbirter, Lang, Jack, and Hirter. The County Clerk (Air Rae) was also in attendance. Air Blake thought that it would be advisable to make a statement to the committee of the liabilities of the Board, when Mr Jack rose to say that the County Chairman had called this meeting without his knowledge, and he (Mr Jack) for one was totally unprepared to go on with the business. He thought it was an act of great discourtesy on the part of the County Chairman to call the committee together without first consulting them, as the committee should have had time to consider the matter, and have come there prepared to deal with the Board. Too much steam had been put on, and there was not the least, necessity for so much hurry in arranging between the Council and the Board, and he was not prepared to say what steps the committee might think fit to, take. He should like to hear what proposal the Board intended to make in regard to this matter. Air Seddon said he deeply regretted that Mr Jack should labor under such a misapprehension in regal’d to the meeting, which he (Mr Seddon), as County Chairman, had simply done his duty in convening, Mr Jack was well aware that he (the speaker) had to proceed sou th in a few days ou the

business of the Con noil, and that was one reason why the meeting Was edited prior to his departure. He had Seen Mr Jack on the previous day, and tlieVi he said he had rid Abjection to attend. When ii\ Ross he informed Mr Hirter, Wh6 quite understood that the committee were td meet in Stafford ToWri ton that day; He coiiM assure Mr JVtck that he meant no discourtesy. The committee appointed by the County Council had their powers clearly defined by resolution of that body, and it simply remained for the committee' to carry out the resolution. The Board were a consenting party, and thto creditors of the Board were bound to a certain extent by their actions. He trusted that under the circumstances they would consider the, matter fairly and wtork harmoniously in getting over the difficulty. Mr .Hirter sale! that He was fully prepared to deal with the question. He understood that the confererice would take place at Stafford 'Town on that day, and that the committee were appointed to ndakto arrangements with the Board and report to the Council sfich. arrangements at its hext sitting. He understood, in the first instance, that the liabilities of the Bddrd were about £9OO, but he subsequently learned that they amounted to £llOO. lie thought Mr Jack’s resolution in the County Council a most ambiguous fine, arid although the committee were favorable to amicable terms and effect a Settlement, he felt confident that the Council would not give 20 per cent, cash and bills for the balance in full. . The soard had collected no rates, and consequently could not claim the subsidy to which otherwise they were entitled. Tlie Board had only £IOO to its credit, and it yet asked the Council to take over and pay liabilities amounting to £llOO. He thought the creditors of the Board Shorild look at the question as business men, and should jump at the offer of ts fid in the £ in liquidation of the claims [AToice; You might jump at it in Ross*] He considered this would be far betltot than waiting for years before they received payment of their accounts. Mr Blake said life Ciirie there thinking that the committee Appointed by the Westland County Council had fairly made up* their mirifis to deal with the question definitely* as the committee were appointed,,to <jatfy tout the following resolution passed at the last meeting of the body they represented :—“ Tliat this Council will, on the Arahura Road Board handing over any moneys now in hand, and assisting the Council to wind up its affairs in a satisfactory manner, pay 20 per cent, in cash to the Board’s creditors, the balance by two bills at six and twelve months, and will merge the Board when the necessaiy process, as provided by law, has been complied with.” This appeared to him a clear foundation for the committee to work on and abide by. The Board had nearly £IOO to its credit, and he thought in equity they, were justly entitled to the subsidy which the Government through a misconception had forwarded to the Council* His opinion, he was sorry to say, in regard to the Council dealing with matter satisfactorily, had been greatly altered since he had heard the views of two of their number, and he began to regret that the Board and Council had been put to the trouble of the meeting. To prevent any misconception in regard, to the wording of the resolution passed by the County Council relative to the Boaiti, he would ask the County Clerk to read a Copy of the original resolution as it appeared on the minute book of the Council. [Mr Raa read the resolution, which was almost word for word the same as the one quoted by Mr Blake from the report of the proceedings of the Council which appeared in the West Coast Times of the 10th inst.] He considered that the resolution was worded as fairly as could be. The Board had made a statement of their liabilities previously, which had been endorsed by the signatures of the creditors; they were prepared to hand over moneys they had to their credit; and they asked the Council to simply carry out their own resolution. He looked upon it as ridiculous that they should have two governing bodies in such a small district. The Westland County Council was the premier body, and the Board would only too gladly to hand over their functions to that body. .He must say he was very pleased when he first saw the resolution passed by the Council in regard to the Arahura Road Board’s affairs, and he was sorry that Messrs Jack and Hirter could not see their way to act as the resolution was as plain as could be. He thought in attending, and naturally thought, that the committee had come there perfectly prepared to carry out the,spirit of the resolution of the Council. He heartily thanked the committee of the Council for attending

6s he considered the Board should havß bud the c'Oiirtesy to wait on the committee 6t Hokitika. The Board x at present #jsre cohiphiled, to pay for actual expenses 'tlul't would "ire saved by amalgariiatiori with the Council-, the airtotint to ’their.'credit in the bank with the subsidy would more than pajr the §0 per cent, on all the accounts, and the Council would, by the time the bills became' due, be in a good position to hleet thelo. If they could come to no arrangement this time, he did not know wtiat the Board Id do, hs they* had tiled every means to fairly and honorably meet the liabilities with lihicft tile Board was encumbered. Mr Seddori was of opinion that the Board should pass a resolution agreeing with the proposal of thb Westland County Council. ,■ Mr Jack did dot think sd, although he #as prepared td wipe out till the Road Boards arid BdroUgh Councils, Mr M‘Whirter thought Mr jack WaS in error in regard to the resolution of the Council, 6S it gave fdll power for the committee to deal with the question. Would the Board agree to the terms proposed by the Council ? Mr Blake thought the Board would agree. He was prepared to chance the creditors’ opinions, as they must abidO by the actions of the Board; A letter froni the County Ohairmaii ttas read, enclosing copy of resolutions , passed by the Westland County botincil at its last meeting relative to the merging of the Arahura Road Board. Mr as, a member of the Read Board; moved —“ 'fbat this Bodrd will accept the terras offered bv the Westland Coiinty Council re riiergirig the Arahura Road Board, paying tli.e debts of the Board; handing over cash in hand; add assisting the Council td make all the necessary arrangements id connection therewith. The motion wjb seconded by Mr Lock, and carried unanimously. At this stage Of the proceedings, the committee of die bounty Council ieffc the Board room and, adjourned td a room at Cribbiiis’ Hotel; to consider what further action they wfeVe prepared to take in the matter, the Board rHeanwhile adjourning for half-ah-honiv On the Board resuming, the foflo'wi- *' ing resolutions passed, by the committee' ’ of the Council were handed in td the chairman, in writing : 1. That the Council will, on the Afanura Road* Board handing over- ,any r, iUOheys in hand, and assisting to wind upf .-!•* its affairs pay 20 pet cenfci in . Apfilj ; to the Board’s-creditors, andvgiveT' two MIS at 6 and 12 months fromklst April, for the balance. , 2. That the Board hand over all raOneys v - in hand to. the Council on or before the 10th March. ' v • ' J 3. That the Sjcdretary hand in his resig- - nation of all offices hold by him excepting that of valuer. , - 4. That the County -Chairman and Messrs Jack and M'Whitter hand over the bills to the creditors of tile Board, duly signed by them on bdhalf of the XJouncil. 5. That the members of the Road Board and the Returning Officer thereof resigfi their respective positions, on the and bills being handed over. 6. That no expenditure on the part fif the Board be recognised after the iMi day of February. 7. That the foregoing resolutions be agreed to, and be reported to the Council and Board. On the motion of Mr Seddon, the 1 resolutions were considered seriatim, and were eventually all agreed to, with a few slight additions. Messrs Blake and Lock were empowered to sign the conditions proposed by the County Council on behalf of the Boat’d, and to enter into a contract with the Council for carrying out same as provided by law. Mr Seddon, as a member of the Board, said he could but express the thanks of that body to the committee of the County Council for their attendance on the occasion, and the satisfactory and amicable result that had attended the meeting of the two bodies. The Road Board was the first public position to which he was elected, and on those grounds he wanted to see it die an honorable death. Before the Bbard and its creditors then present, he could distinctly affirm that he had .not one penny interest in any of the Board’s liabilities, and the action he had taken was simply ,in the interests of the ratepayers. Mr Blake also thanked the,committee of the County Council, on behalf of. the Board, for their attendance, anA congratulated both bodies on the sucA cessful result of the meeting. Mr Gilbert, one of the creditors to • the extent of a third of the. Board’s liabilities, thanked the committee and ' Board for the trouble they had taken in the matter, which he felt assured would meet with the approval of the creditors generally. Mr Jack briefly replied oh behalf of 1 the committee.

Mr Hirter thought it •was necessary 'that the creditors’ consent should be obtained in. Writing. Mr one of the creditors, the last speaker that the Stafford Town people’s word was their bond; h'e was not aware how they Managed these things in Ross. The Chairman was authorised t'O conVey to Mr Byrne, by letter, the Board’s ’appreciation of his long and faithful "services aS Secretary to the Board, and The meeting then concluded.