RANGITIKEI HIGHWAY BOARD.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4514, 8 September 1875, Page 2

RANGITIKEI HIGHWAY BOARD.

(prom our own correspondent). The usual monthly meeting of the Eangitikei Highway Board was held in the office of the Board, Marton, on Saturday last. Present : Mr. G. Yates Lethbridge (in the chair), Dr. Curl, Messrs. A. Cameron, J. Bull, A. Milne, 0. M. Galpin, and E. K. Simpson. MINUTES. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. correspondence. The Secretary read the correspondence, which comprised the following : Letter from Messrs. J. and E. Mcßeth, notifying that, now that Messrs. Milne and Galpin, with the Inspector, had decided on the line of road to connect Fern Flat with the Tutaenui road, they (Messrs. Mcßeth) are prepared to fence that portion of the same which runs through their property at 13s. per chain ; and for all land required for the same they would be willing to take at the rate of £4 per acre. After some little discussion, during which several members of the Board expressed an opinion that the offer was a very reasonable one, it was resolved that the terms offered by the Messrs. Mcßeth be accepted. Letter from Mr. C. P. Hamuke, applying for allowance for clearing flax, toitoi, &c., while clearing the furze off the road side along his boundary. ,It was resolved, —“ That there is not sufficient scrub and toitoi, &c., on the side of the road referred to, to injure the road, and that the Board wish merely the furze cleared off that particular part.” Letter from the. Commissioner of Crown Lands, forwarding two copies of a map of the province of Wellington, showing the boundaries of the respective highway districts and their subdivisions into wards. I THE INSPECTOR’S REPORT. 1 The Inspector read his usual monthly report. In this reference was made to the damage done by the late severe weather. The Inspector detailed the measures he had adopted to remedy the same, and, incidentally, the great inconvenience the inhabitants of the district were subjected to by the delay in ‘forming the approaches to the Tutaenui bridge cropped up. The report was received. GENERAL BUSINESS. It was resolved, —“ That the action taken by the Inspector in the matter of the Tutaenui culvert, near Pauline's, in No. 1 Ward, be sanctioned,” It was resolved, —“That the Secretary be instructed to write to the Provincial Secretary, pointing out that the Board has already requested the Provincial Government to make the approaches to the Tutaenui bridge, and as they have failed to attend to the matter, the Board now urge upon the Superintendent to allow it to get the work done, the Government guaranteeing to the Board the necessary sum required for the work. It urges this upon the Government as the expenditure already incurred for the bridge, while as now it stands .in the middle of the stream, is perfectly fruitless—that high freshets in the stream render it impassable, and low freshets render it dangerous. If the Government sanctions this .expenditure, the Board will undertake to get the necessary work done without delay.” It was resolved,—“That the road to connect McHardie’s line with the Tutaenui line, through Major Willis’s laud, and along Dr. Curl’s boundary be decided on, and that Major Willis be permitted to erect a gate on either end of this line, to be opened within a fortnight.” i It was resolved, —“That the necessary power be conferred on the Inspector to open the McHardie’s line where closed up by Mr. Harper.” It was resolved, —“ That the sum of £2O be placed at the disposal of the Inspector, for filling up and improving the cuttings on the Bonny Glen road, near the church.” It was resolved, —“ That the action of the Inspector, in respect of doing some works on the Porewa line, rendered necessary by the late severe weather, be sanctioned. It was resolved, —“That the sum of £25 be voted to pay Mr. Howie for work done on Howie and Wall’s line, in consideration of his opening the line through his property without further compensation.” It was resolved, —“ That, satisfactory terms having been offered by Mr. McGregor for road through his property, the Board rescinds the former resolution bearing on the same, and now decides to pay Mr. McGregor the sum of £22, in lieu of his expenses connected therewith."

It was resolved, —“That the road to Mr. Lawrie’s land, being section No. 225, be taken over by the Board, on condition that Mr. Lawrie bears all expenses connected with the opening thereof ; and that the width of the same be confined to half a chain.” It was resolved, —“That Mr. Charles Cameron be paid the sum of £ll, on condition that he waives all claim for compensation in the matter of the road .through his property.” It was resolved, —“That Mr. Charles Cameron be permitted to erect a gate on the line running through his own and Mr, Charles McKay’s properties." It was resolved,—“ That the officers of the Board be authorised to take the necessary steps to open the road through Mr. McKay’s property.” It was resolved, —“That the sum of £SO be voted for procuring timber for the bridges and culverts required on the bridle track.” It was resolved, —“ That the Warden and Inspector be empowered to spend the sum of £lO in clearing the slips off the side cuttings on the Manarapa line.” It was resolved, —“ That the offer made by Mr. D. McLean to clear thirty chains of the Williamson’s lino, at Ss. per chain of half a chain wide, be accepted.” treasurer’s statement. The Treasurer read his usual monthly statement, from which it appeared that there was, at date, a credit balance of £276 7s. ACCOUNTS. The following accounts were passed for payment:—Pain, £6 65.; Clarke, £7 35.; Chronicle, £9 165.; McMillan, £ll 11s. 6d.; Edwards, £2 25.; Nicholl, £5 65.; Snellgrove, £7 75.; McNaughton, £5 25.; Lee, £llls. 6d.; Slight, £2 Is.; Howie, 155.; Cameron, £7 195.; Lawrie, £6 10s. ; Stevens, £2 2s. ; Hentor, 19s. ; Bolton, £7 Is. Cd. ; Hancock, £5 Ba. ; Sylvester, £6 10s. ; Newman, £l6 ss. ; Advocate, £6 Os. 6d. ; Sutherland, £5; AVatkins, £5.; and Polgreen, £l4 4s. VOTE OF THANKS TO THE CHAIRMAN. The following resolution, proposed by Mr. Milne, was carried unanimously:—“That as this is likely to be the last meeting of the present Board, and as the chairman has not seen fit to offer himself for re-election, the members cannot separate without expressing their thanks for, and entire satisfaction with, the able manner in which their chairman had conducted the business of the Board during the term that had just expired.” The Chairman, in acknowledging the compliment paid him, observed that though he did not consider that he was altogether deserving of it, ho could not refrain from expressing the gratification he experienced in reflecting how harmoniously they had all worked together. The meeting then adiourned until Saturday, October 2, at half-post 10 a.m.