WELLINGTON COUNTRY DISTRICTS BOARD.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4770, 6 July 1876, Page 2

WELLINGTON COUNTRY DISTRICTS BOARD.

The usual meeting of the above Board was held at the Lower Hutt yesterday at twelve o’clock. Present Messrs. Mason (chairman), Smith, Taylor, Sinclair, Speedy, Frank, and Monaghan. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. A rate of one penny in the pound on the value of all rateable property within the district was struck for the ensuing year. Mr. Sinclair handed in a contribution of £ll 4s. towards repairs of the Wainuiomataroad. A letter was read from the Deputy-Superin-tendent, asking the Board to supply him with the names of places the Board considered most convenient for holding the next election for members of the Board, and also the name of the gentleman who would be proposed to act as returning officer, in order that a warrant may issue for the election. The information was ordered to be furnishe d. Mr. Ashton was chosen as returning officer by the Board. The tender of Thomas Morgan for formation of road in Upper Takapu district was accepted, the amount of the tender being £4B. The following amounts were ordered to be paid : —Travers and Ollivier, £4 14s. fid. No. 1 Ward—D. Dealy, £7 10s.; C. Short, £31105.; Hooper and Hawkins, £7 2s. fid.; Monk and Anderson, £27 55.; W. Longhurst, £l7 10s.; Jansen and Davis, £2 165.; John Morgan, £ll 2s. fid.; Thomas Morgan, £6 155.; J. Wilmshurst, £8 13s. 4d.; Fred. Belter, 175.; C. Siever, £3 9s. No 3 Ward—O. Stewart, £3O ; Woodman and Jones, £1 15s. 9d.; W. Gordon, £4 45.; Thomas Smith, £6. No. 4 Ward —D. and J. Judd, £11; T. T. Burt, £4 10s. No 5 Ward—llobert Hunter, £8 13a.; Messrs. Collis, £3O. No. 6 Ward—Henry Swain, £l2 6s. 3d.; Giles and Cowards, £4 10s.; A. Pringle, £l2 17s. No. 7 Ward —A. Martin, £8 Is.; Charles Lingden, 14s. Contingencies Wardens’ expenses, 10 10s.; salaries, £SO. Mr. Taylor proposed, and Mr. Sinclair seconded, that no accounts be ordered to bo paid unless they are tendered at least two clear days before the meeting of the Board.— Carried. Mr. Monaghan asked that the resolution prohibiting the expenditure in No. 3 Ward be rescinded, in order that some three chains of the South Makara-road might be formed. The resolution was rescinded, and the work was ordered to be carried out. Some discussion took place as to ■whether Mr. Monaghan had a legal status at the Board, the ward which he represented having been created a now ward on the 23rd of the last month. Mr. Monaghan contended that he had a status at the Board till its successors were appointed. According to the Act, the present Board was to carry on its functions till the next Board was elected. If it were illegal for him to sit at the Board, there must be no Board in existence. The Chairman and Mr. Smith were of opinion that the separation did not interfere with the functions of the present Board, but they were not clearly of opinion that the representative of that portion of the district which had been separated could take his position at the Board. After some discussion, it was decided that Mr. Monaghan should retain his position as a member, but at the same time, to prevent any legal difficulties, it would bo well he should abstain from voting on any question. After some formal business, the 2nd of August was fixed as the date on which the objections to the assessment would be heard, and the Board then adjourned.