MANAWATU HIGHWAYS BOARD.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 39, 26 March 1879, Page 3

MANAWATU HIGHWAYS BOARD.

Thursday, Mabch 20, 1879. Present^Messrs. Dalrymple. (chairman) , Farmer, M'K&zie* M'Eweri, M'Pherabri, and Bruce. Himrriß. The^minubM.of^ last meeting were read From tH^Crown Tiand» Office, stating that the Waste Lands Board, had no power to deal with the matter referred to m the Highways Botrcl'f letter 61: the- 17th Feb*u*tt>, preference [tin. certain road lines having been cleared by .the jGbverament on private land m the -Kiwitea Blo'ok. From Isaac Gfria£ Kiwt&a; drawing attention to the road being felled on his section inside- the front pegs, and asking the Board to have the mistake rectified. Fronvß. C. Dpwling,. Fading, to the ■ame offeW- J* "i /i -I v ■ ■. <: ■■ ' i , It was decided that, as the Waste Lands Board could grant no redress to the settlers, the Minister Tdf' Public 1 Wbrke iJhould be communicated with on the- subject. From the Public iTrusteeV stating that he had.no ; funcU m Jband m the estate of the late H. Elkins,— Lef t in the hands of the Board's ipUcitoril^.j^aljW^b^v^ From" the -yreMury department, stating that £57'5s.'ha^^een lodgetl to the Board's credit on account' of works connected with the bridge at Fitzherbert. .., From Q-. H. Bliindanj Sanson, inquiring if Cffisßolrtl^nteiided" falling" the bush on the road fowaias the Dduglaa Settlement, and offering to fall m front of his section at a reasonable price.— Offer accepted, the cost not>to£xceedr£2 per acre."* s a ' r ■.-.>. From a number of residents on the Douglas Block, petition drawing attention to Jhe bad state of the road known as Campion's line, and stating that unless something was done before the .winter set m, great hardship would be inflicted on t the residents.,.. ( The petitioners-did, not think the cost' would ;be more than ' from £10 'to £20.— After one or two 'members of the Board had drawn attention to the fact that some^fi the si«naturesitb the' petition ?were not those of residents m the /district, the Engineer TWimsto^c^d^visjt the locality, •ad report' at next meeting," as the request •pSeared a reasonable one. -^^nj EiiieivS. Thyniie, Foxton, asking, for the formation of a piece of road;along Jus boundary, as the track; at present m use is not on" the road line, and stating that the T o !^^* fot cost ,more than £2p £ at the ouwide."-— Left m the hands of the Engineer to report. :>'. .: : . —: inginebr's bepobt. The Engineer's report was as foUows : — "-I am happy to say the works generally thn^ghoiit the Highways District are pror greasing satisfactorily, arid nearly all the oontracts will be., completed at or near the contract time. No. 1 Ward— l hare had a roadman emp|ored. during the month getting roads m repair. Have called fprten--4^ .%* .feUing Speedj's line, formation /and inetalli^g 'WilsohV line, arid rffltalHngJßatley's line. Nq. ! 2 Ward— For tWward Iliave called for tenders for bush felling Waitui and^Taipp road lines. GontHWtor* is working at CampbelltoVn road lute. Hosioa line is let Hi Mr, M'Kenaie. I have also called for tenders for necessary •tfork.on Jones? line. .' No. 8 Ward— ln M'Xenzie's road] line the contractor has" &u«h*.d :the ;■• w.ork ' ;of ? felUng and; clearing. Cori^ctors,fp> A Cemetery andiMotpa roads; •re progressing with their respective contracts. I have called for frosti tenders for clearing out iaairi/ /drain and repairing Motoa road, v No. 4 Ward^Contracfcor for W»l3<*gi*ve's ;road line is pushing on the work; I would recommend the return of j4SP°?^'./ fs onfcr *S*?w: for Gaskin- s road line has finished/ the work <>f clearing iri^a ■atisf actiory mariner, Oontiactor for Bandolf and Walker's bridge has not yet started work. I have spoken to h'im'on the subjf^> "Wd^He informs me the, deky has been cauWed'thrpugh' non-delivery of Hie tiinW TSti.l sß Witd—Jdi; -worki "we' progressing * Qo*VtawMßto» pushing onthework m the Fitiherbert bridje-trapk. I arranged with the ' v^ntnfcfi>r 2 tb : fetf and clear the of Fltzherbertfor £1. 6».. f per, chain. . I, expect before noxt iqißeting t-hat'the^hole of the bridle track •»fai; as the bush will be finished^ Bassett M.flnishing , the^oynjafcion and metalling on road line contract 12, section 1. I hare J^^P 11 . "everat occasions to oaution contsactor about the stripping being carted on to the voadi,; Collins is pushing on the work at Newcombe's swamp, and making a : .good job' of ifci ; Thfo work will be finished m about a fortnight. Even at the present time a cart carij^e drawn across the swampy parts. No. 6 Ward— The bridle track and rid^ Pfe^ n^V^° »w S«^ finyhedl Sheenn has finished his contract of "formation. I allowed the contractor for Skennari's ' *»d-.2os.fJfor r aaditioi^ i jarid iaisiag and ■trengtheningTa. bridge,; .which I fomid to be necessary after the formation was finished. The contnactHon, Parr and Gore's road is *i?j»hed> .s;J ; orderjßd.aft extra log culvert, at a cost, of £2. No.J? Ward— l have called for^tendew for s bush felling on. Riwitea ' '*" *nrre^oVt adopted/ ~ = ; The jC^aibmak informed the meeting that 1 tbe a;ifaburit ; in Bank' to the credit of the Board was jeodiOs. 6d. The rates collected since last meeting amounted to £47 ;■: C A .;. "'. /. "]■', . " .-■ r ' . TflK ASSESSMENT COUET 1 / The Chai^ak statg4;that he had waited . that morning upon tfie Judge of the- Assess' men^urt >: aud'inpustpdi out that if the ralufttion lists could be left at the different F*^? $ be.more convenient for the Ratepayers ' than 'Saving. them. ali ;; fcft *t Balmerstori. , His^ Honor Judge Ward ex- . prised 'hitaself-williug to meet the views 6f>th# r ßo«^,'and;would;cause thp advertisement to ba altered m whatever mauler the roenibers thought 'fit/ 1 - /■ "\ It wa9 thereupon resolved that copies 'of •' the listi-fdr NossTliahda Wards should jbe at Mr. Bevan's store,;Sandori ; No. »,»t County Council Office, Foxton j-Nos. 4, ;5, >■ W&&A #^^ ,s'ghways Board Office, Balmer•tdri 5 and Nb; 1, at Stessrs. LouaoajT aid .Jfa^yb^ttle'ssto^ Feilding, , v .' '.';. \". ■. * CEFATT^TINCJ BAMipATBHg- " \ . ;T-hi6 GHAiBMAw saiditKat iri hisiintervie.w with the Judge of the Assessment Court he , had mentioned the subject of posting notices r : <>«■■- the land of- defaulting ratepayers/ and his. Honor quite approved of the aciipnofl*fiSWv^ wnsidered they had teken the. wisest fc cj)ursft under, the. oircuinsta^ces. TH^» Vote -rob ilk* iiaxax boad. ' >i's£v!. W'?*?^.^ •"* Mat fe'R^ tueEnjjineer, and pot^iiat r'ofs the *° wa< #*^ considered *b#^giving ,pf c money, under such a condition w*s' an, $t- j yivtrjfi tofigncfre 'the- Board ! ak6g#ther. ' i

should refuse to accept the vote under such a.condition as that, stipulated for by the County Council, the money was voted m that manner m order that it might be s*pent near the properties of those persons whoße interests were most strongly represented m the Council. The Bjard generally concurred m the remarks madt . i TRBBOWm MAKAWATU BOAD. Mr. EBtrcis wished to bring a very important matter under the notice of the Board. Some time ago Mr. Rutherford, who; had a block of land adjoining that of the Feilding Corprationj near the Pohangina River, waited on him* with the. object ,of asking the co-operation, of the Highways "Board towards forming a road through the Fitzherbert Block: to where the, Board's boundary ended. He held a paper In his hand, which stated that Mr. Rutherford was willing to contribute £300, and the. other settlers m the neighborhood had. promised subscriptions amounting to £240,; towards the formation of the road. They were aware that that amount would not go very far towards making the road, but for •the present ' they would be content with having the road fallen and a bridle track cut; He (Mr. Bruce) was unwilling; to plunge his Ward further into debt, as he was already overdrawn to the extent of £100,' whilst he had taken it over clear of debt. He thought, however, that the matter was well worthy the consideration of the Board, and he considered that if the members could see their way towards aiding the settlers m opening up the road, they ought to do so, and should not, if .possible, throw such a large sum of money as that now offered away. He would move that the matter be taken under consideration by the Board. .;.: Mr. M'Ewbn seconded tht» motion, which he" thought was well worth discussing. He considered 'the making 'of a road on the south, side of the Manwatu River was of far greater importance to Palmerston and the country generally than the road on the north side. If the Board could grant a subsidy towards it, they should? certainly do so. But, at the same time, he was much afraid, like his friend Mr. Bruce, that at present the Board could only give its hearty •Bympathy,!as their nurse was rather short, and they had but little funds to devote even to such a worthy object. The Chaibman said that he had heard a great deal about the North road versus the South road, but he was strongly of opinion that the Palmerston people, m opposing the making of the South, road, were standing entirely m their own light. ; If the South road were; made, tbe traffic would naturally come over the bridge; into Palniereton ; whilst if it remained unopened, there was a very great probability that, the trade would :find its way into . Feilding instead. He held as much land, as, perhaps, any person on the south side ' of the river, but ne did not consider that he would be taxed to the extent of more than a halfpenny or a penny per acre for the -road proposed. He suggested that the Minister of Public Works should be written to, drawing his attention to the fact that the settlers had no outlet, and asking.f or a 'subsidy towards making the road. Mr. Bbuoe moved, and Mr. M'Ewen seconded -r-" That .the^Chairman be. instructed to write' to the Minister of Public Works, stating the importance of the proposed road, and .asking for a grant-in-aid towards . its formation."— Carried unanimously. THB VALUATION BOIXS. Mr. M'Ewßy asked if the valuation rolls were yet made put! , As the Board had appointed 1 the valuators, he coiißidered that ro&' ought to be ready' for the inspection of the members. The Chaibmak pointed out that the rolls were taken' out of the. hands of \ the Board by the Judge of the V.A.ssessment Court ; bat he believed ' they would tbe \ready by. the '. end of the present month. f HABIIiITIBS 08, THE BpABD. ; Mr. M'Ewen thought, as they were now approaching the' -end' of ; the 'financial year, that a statement should be made out by the Secretary, showing the amount expended, and the liabilities of each Ward. ■•" The' Secretary was; instructed to furnish the statement asked for by .next meeting. • . THE BABBIT NOISAIfCE. The Chaibman informed the members that he had been asked to britfg the question of the great increase of rabbits m the district before -the, '... Board, iri^ order that some active, steps might be taken, m conjunction vfith the Borough and County Councils. , ... After spriie discussion, Mr.; M'KEifZii moved, and Mr. M'PHBBBbir : seconded-^- --" That the' Chairman be instructed to communicate w.ith the Mayor of Palmerston and the Chairman of the County Council, with the view of taking steps.for the eradication of the rabbit pest from the district." -^Carried 'unanimously. • ACTS , OP Mr. Bbtjcb suggested that the Colonial Secretary should be written to, asking that seven copies of the Rating Act and the Highways Act should be forwarded to the Board. The Secretary was instructed to write accordingly!. 1 > .! ADYBBTISIUO, Mr. M'Phebson drew the attention of the Board to ;the; fact of some,, tenders for work m the Carnarvon Riding npt having been advertised m tbe Manawatu Serald. The Chaibman explained that it must ihavei been an oversight. • Besides, he believed tne "SlANAwA^ir TiMEb circulated pretty freely m that district, ' TBITDEBB^ The following tenders were accepted: — For : bush falling and clearing Speedy's line, HI Peter, at £1 6s; per chain v For clearing out. main drainj Fos;ton, T, Robertson, at Is. 10d. per chain. For bush falling and clearirig'Kimbolton road No. 1 contract, J. Hocking, at £1 7?. Sd.per^bhain. ' ' For bush falling and clearing Kimbolljon road, Nb, 2 contract, J. Hocking, at £1 %s._ sd. per chain. > r ! For bush 'falling and clearing Taipo au ; d Waitui road, J. Gueriri, at £l,4s. perchaiy. '"'■■ For landing Mptoa rood, J. Guerin, at £1 17s. 1 6d. per cha,in • ; for repairing dq., 19s; j«r ohain, ' . ■.-,-. V . For* scriiblbing swamp,., Jones's line, J, % Guerin, at £3'los t pc» chim. . For formiHg and metalling No. 3 Bailey's, Krie,- Ti;-M6tersVat £2 10s. per chain. For bush falling-and clearmg Curran'a road, G, D. Younger, at. £l l^s.perchainl For bush falling and clearing Kiwitea roadi' Nbi g contract, Brust /arid' Bismarck^ at £1 6»i per chain, ;■..?, '„. 1 - : . For, b.usb. falling and clearing Kiwitea, road, 'No. 4 contract', Brust and Bismarck,. at£l7s:.pe*rchai». „; >v . r ~i : .. .For bush; falling and clearing Kiwitea road, No. 5 contract,' &\ p. Youoger, at £1 ! 12si 6d. perohain. j / ;' „ y ;■.., . ; , For ' bush failing and clearing Kiwitea ' *oad, No. contract Wi' Phyn, 1 at £1 3s. per. chain. ; i ' I-/-/, • ' ACCOUKTB. Acfounts, amounting to £364 13s. 4d., were passed 1 for paymbnt. ;■'.. f ; Tbe Board ad jouracil i;iU Thursday, the. 24th Apjfife as,ila.m~ v