MANAWATU HIGHWAYS BOARD

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 10, 5 October 1880, Page 2

MANAWATU HIGHWAYS BOARD

The Board met at Palmerston on Thursday, when th.»re wese present Messrs Dalrymple (chair man), Bruce, M'Pherson, M'Kenzie, Farmer,' and Gilford. Various letters bearing upon the proposed separation of Foxtou, Sandon, and Carnarvon Wards, were read, including Mr Ward's letter of advice to the Colonial Secre'ary as to ihe awards to be made between the proposed new Boards and the old Board ; also a lelter to the Chairman covering copy of Mr Ward's letter, and stating tho Governor would be advised to carry out his reoommendations. Both these leiters were published in the Slanawatu Herald some time ago. A letter was read from the Under Secretary, bearing date September 15, stating that In compliance with the peti tions received, it had been decided to constitute tbe Foxton Ward and the Sandon and Carnarvon Wards into separate Highway Districts, and requesting to be famished with tha number and boundaries of tbe wards into which it wae desired that the new Highway District of Manawatu should be divided, as it was intended that the proclamations constitutirg the three new dis tricts should be issued without delay. It was resolved — 4< That tbe Secretary be in. structed to reply to the Colonial .3e< rotary that the Board consents to separation on the terms of the award made by Mr Ward; and also that he forward to the Government the map of the boundaries of the new Manawalu Board." It was further resolved that the Fitzherhert. I'aonui, and Stoney Creelc Wards be cut up into five new Wards, and that the present Kiwitea Ward be the sixth Ward of the uew Manawatu Highways Board. A petition from the Moutoa settlers, asking that steps might be taken to lemove water from the Moutoa road, was left over for the new Foxtou Board to deal with. The Provincial District Auditor reported that the accounts for 1879-80 were correct. Mr Frecklington wrote, complaining of the state of the road called after his name. The matter was left over for the new Carnarvon Boa*d to deal with. The Bank of Australasia intimated by lotter that interest on the current would be discontinued. Accounts amouuting co £254 were passed for payment. Engineer's Report. — I have very little to report about thid month as there are only 2 or 3 contracts being carried on. The works of formation, bridge, and culverts on Hickford's line, Carnarvon, are finished. Buchanan is pushing on with his work at formation on Banks' line, Campbelltown. The formation on the Motoa road, Foxton, is just upon finished. Bismarck anil Co. have finished the bush felling clearing on the Kiwitea road ; this is the balance of contract left from last year. The whole of the bush felling and dealing within, and leading to, the 70,000 acre block, Kiwitea, is finished, and the formation on the Kiwitea road is being pushed on with, this work is done under the Manawatu County Council supervision. There should be something done on the road line between Cheltenham and Mac>. kny's iine, for an outlet for settlers on to the Kimbolton road, as at the present timeMuckay's line is almost itr passable for horse traffic, and only with the greatest diffi "ulty enn a dray be got along the same. Either tbe above connecting the road line should be formed, or Mackay's line should be properly drained and met lied. The settlers up the Kiwite.a have just cause to compl tin of their hnrdships. The contractors for bush fell ins; and clearing at Fitzherbert are pushing on their works, under the County Council. I expect in another month the road lines will be cleared throughout from the north to the southern boundary. I have a man on to do some alight repairs on the ■ oad lines, and to make a ford at a creek near Mr A. Stewait's property. The roads generally throughout the district are very much cut up, and in some cases almost impassable. Supplementary Report. — According to instructions received from the chairman, I have prepared a rough tracing of the new Munawatu Highways District as it will be after the separation of Foxton, Carnarvon, and Sanson. I have also divided the rernuinin<r four wards into seven wards, which I submit for your approval. In dividing the wards I have endeavoured, as far as possible to equalize the rates in the vaiious wards. I have also prepared a memorandum of wards flio. 1,2, tf, 4, 5, for gazettiug, but Nos. 6 aud 7 I havo not prepared till the board decide as to whether the Kiwitea Ward shall remain as one ward as previously, or be cut up into two wards. I have also piepared a statement of liabilities of this board for bush-felling on road lines in wards No. 5, 6, 7. Scanlon and party have completed the Motoa Road contract and Buchauan is pushing on with the Banks' line contract.

Statement of the various ward at Sep. 30 No. 1 Ward .. .. Dr. £171 14 9 No. 2 „ .. .. Dr. 519 6 4 No. 3 „ . . . . Cr. 363 16 5 No. 4 „ .. .. Cr. 118 2 7 No. o „ „ .. Dr. 204 11 3 No. 6 „ .. .. Dr. 112 1 5 No. 7 „ . . . . Dr. 64 14 3