FOX CON LOCAL BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 40, 13 January 1880, Page 2

FOX CON LOCAL BOARD.

Thursday, Januawv 8, 18S0. The BoSrd met at 7.45 p.m , at the Athenteuin. Preseut— Messrs Gray (Chairman), Liudon, Coley, and Easton. Th-. minutes of last meetng we.ro read and confirmed. mack katks. Tho following letter from Johnston & Co. was read : — Wellington, Dec. 19,1879. In roply to yours of the Uth inst. we bog to point out that alchough you may have a legal right to recover the rates from Mr Barnett, it would nofc be fair to pufc him to the troube when you know that he had no interest iv the property when theso rates became due, and more especially when you can easily collect them from the present occupant, who is alone justly responsible for thetn.— Johns'-ou & Co. The Clerk explained that Mr Barnett was in possession of the property (Howe's Hotel) when fche ratebook was made up, but Mill owe was in possession when the rate was struct-, aud was therefore responsible. Mr Loudon said Mr Howe had his remedy against Mr Barnett, bufc tho Board could only deal with the hitter. Tho Chairman said the Clerk must insist on the rates being paid during each year. The Magistrate had recently thrown out several rate summonses, because they were for amounts duo over two yeirs. Mr Loudon sai I tho Magistrate, in so deciding, had ouly carried out tho iaw. Through negligence in collecting rates, the Board had lest a quantity of money. He had harped repeatedly on the necessity of more energetio steps boing taken for the recovery of rates, tvud thought the Board sliould in the future insist on the Clerk Bummoniug tring the first ye_,r rate 3 wero unpaid. The Clerk was instructed to sue Mr Bar nett afc one**, but at the same time point out to him that he hai his remedy against Mr Howe. .-LOCKING THE STUEETS. T)hQ following letter from Campbell' Bros, was read : — .*■'' Foxton, January 5, 1880. _ We Rre erecting for tho Government 150 railway wagons in Foxton, and we find the room at our disposal is far too small to carry on the work ; therefore, we pray that your Board will grant permission to occupy, parfc of the street coming down to the Main street, for about two months, merely for painting tho wagons.— Campbell Broa. Tho Chairman said he found Messrs Campbell Bros, had laid a line cf rails fiom Main -street to the river bank road. He and Mr Coley went and saw it, and found ono of thelast lengths of the rails on the footpath. He requested ifc might be taken up, and this was dove. Tho trucks would probably lie iv the street for two months, as the brakes hai not arrived, and the G-.---vernment would not accept delivery of the trucks until they were completed. Mr Coley said -Messrs Campbell Bros. asked in the firsfc plaoa for permission to lav a line of rails down the river bank road, but he had mado a lumber yard of tho wholo streot. He believed it was now somewhat improved, and thought the-Board should in .ist on the street being kept clear. Mr Loudon said at a fi-rraer meeting the Chairman promised to keep an oversight, and to him the Board looked for tho preservation of its rights. So long as public traffic aud convenience ware not interfered with, he thought they should allow Messrs Campbell tho privilege asked. He noticed that through the tramrails being laid down, part ofthe footpath was cut up, and consequently tho Board was deliberately allowing a breach of its own byelaws. Tho Chairman said ho had asked Mr Horore if ho waa incouvenienced, and jjjfc replied that he was not. ' , %-£' Mr Coley said if any action wero taSen for breioh of byelaws, it would not bo against Mr Ilonorc, but against the carter who was compcllod to cross the footpath to iea.li his store, Ho thought Messrs Camphell should b; ordered fco tike up another length of rails. Tho Board should set a good examplo in keeping tho byelaw**. Tho Chairman was requested to grant the permission asked for, and to see that no public inconvenience was caused thereby. Tho matter then dropped. the valuation. Tho following letter was read from the Valuator to the Board, Mr Thynno : — Foxton January 2, 1880. I have, in accordance with your wish completed my valuation of the Board district 9 dayf» before the time required by the Act. I wish todrawyourattentioi that singurly enough the total co;nca to fche samo

________=________=-_- ■■■ amount ns last year's roll, thou_Ji-JB»have reduced Mr l_oudon's rate, which _jaa previously been fixed at an exorbitant amount, by £70, yet by placing new buildings I have 4. increased too total by the same amount. Yon will notice there are seven more properties now ou roll. I have increased.no amount except where actual material alterr ations have been made. I trust your Board will be satisfied witli the result, as 1 have, I believe, succeeded in having every holding now included in the list. — Ernest S. Thynue. Mr Coley proposed, " That Messrs Whyte, Gray, and Loudon be a Committee to examine the valuation list." Seconded by Mr Easton, and carried. MOAKD IBIiEGULAIUTIEB. Mr Loudon said he felt it to be bis duty to draw atteniion to certain very. great irregularities that occurred in connection with the Boird. He had at first thought of writing to the paper, but on reflection had determined to ventilate the matter at a meeting of the Board. He referred at length to a contract for which tenders were ealied. He showed by documents in possession of tlie Board that a Committee consisting of the Chairman, Mr Coley, and the speaker brought up a report, advising the Board to form a road from the Avenue bridge to Racecourse Hill, if the cost would not exceed £10. The Board adopted the report and called for tenders, Mr Blake tendering to do the whole work for £9. This tender (which was sent in on Nov. 5) wag accepted, but a resolution was coupled to the acceptance, stating that owing to lack of funds the work should not be proceeded with, unless^ the property-owners contributed "half* cosfc; whereas the minutes showed that the sum of £113 15s 9d was that day lodged in the Bank, being the overdue subsidy. "That showed the work was hung up, not for wanfc of funds, but for want of will. Tha followin*" day, the tender having been accepted, the tenderer (Mr Blake) signed the specifications, but tbe Chairman refused to countersign it, and tlio day after scut biin_a letter actually calling on hira not to proceed with the work. The Chairman thus assumed the functions of the whole Board, which waa opposed to both the spirit and the letter of the Act under which they worked. He would ask the Clerk whether Mr Blake's deposit had been returned. The Clerk suid £2 was iv the hands of the Board. Mr Loudon continued that he never heard of a more unjust thing than for a successful tenderer* to be prohibited from going on with the work whilst his deposit was retained. Would the Board think of enforc-^ ing the penalty for noticomi letion of contract in time ? or were they going to throw over the whole specification P He thought these matters needed explanation, lest the Board be brought into public contempt by nol keeping faith with contractors. The Chairman said Mr Loudon had not a leg to stand op, as ho had been absent from several meetings (Mr Loudon denied this), and would not have attended the present one, but for the cbmplaints ho wished to make. The aumuueement of tho subsidy having been paid in was made only a few o.inutes before the Board rose, and hence the apparent contradietoriu ess of the resolution. He was opposed to -the work* being <_one 011 wifch when thore wass*" overdraft, and would not give his name toNho^rfßT to guarantee an overdraft for unnec^ary works, as the matter in question oouVtr^ith advan -age be held over for four months. V Mr Loudon remarked Mr "ray hiifljSli^ signed a report for the immediate prosecution of the work. Tho Chairman continued that tho contract was not ie .cinch* d, but as Mr Loudon had overhauled the books, und told Mr Blake to go on with tho work, he thereuoon wrote to him without consulting the Board to say if ho did so ii would bo at his own risk. After fche next meeting notico was given to Mr Blake to go on with the work, and if it were not finished withiu lh. contract time, he. intended to iulliot the full penalty upon Mr Blake. Mr Loudon replied. He said tho Ohair* man showed a disposition to override tho wishesof.the Board, and ac. independently of the other members. H. asserted he was presont at all the recent Board meetinga, though business made him late afc one. Ifc was a curious coincidence that the meeting for election of Chairman was suddenly called whilst he w;is at Wellington. He expected this would be done, and ifc turned out so. The Chaii mm at one time signed a report saying the work was necessary, and should be pushed on, and now he .said it was " unnecessary . ' Which was correct ? As a Commissioner it was his duty to look through tho books, and he would do his duty to the ratepayers in bringing up such matters. * \, Mr Coley supported the Chairman's gtatj^-. ments regarding the receipt of the subsidy, and Mr Easton thought the whole misunderstanding would havo been prevented if the business had been entered iv the minutebook iv the order iv which it occurred. Mr Loudoti then said he had oae other matter of which he wished to complain. Ho referre i to a letter the Chairman had 0:1 his own authority written to Mr Rockstrow, one of the County members, asking h'.m to get a subsidy of £50 for the Avenue Bridge. What right had he to <"?. soP Why did he assume any such position and usurp the functions of the whole Board P Also, why did he not write to himself (the speaker) as one of tho County membera, and ask him to assist if the work was necessary t '.'he" Chairman said he looked ovor the Estimates and found such a sum down upon them. Ho therefore wrote asking that ifc might be spent. Tlie reason Mr Loudon wus not asked was hecauso he did not draw up the Estimates. The matter then droppel. MIS-ELLA*. HOUS. Tho Board resolved to gefc three truckload, of gravel from Palmorston; The following accounts were passed : — J. W. Liddell, timber and nails for Avenue 13 ridge, £6 12s 3d ; A. Gruy, for rent of section for a road, £13 for one year ; H. Blake, deposit on Racecourse Hill contract, £3; ttussell Bro!., printing, los. The Board then adjourned.