WELLINGTON DISTRICT HIGHWAY BOARD.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4872, 2 November 1876, Page 3

WELLINGTON DISTRICT HIGHWAY BOARD.

The usual monthly meeting of the Wellington District Highway Board was held at the offices of the Board yesterday. Present—- , Messrs. Thomas Mason (Chairman), Bayliss, Dick, Smith, Speedy, and Taylor. MINUTES. ' The minutes of the previous meeting were c ■ read and confirmed. . THE BOARD AND THIS GOVERNMENT. The Chairman reported that in accordance with a resolution passed at the last meeting, he and Mr. Taylor had, waited upon the Deputy Superintendent in reference to the debt owing to the Government by the Board. At the request of the Superintendent, he had embodied the views of the Board, to which he . had received a reply acceding to the request. The correspondence was read as follows r •Wellington. OctoberlO, 1876. Sin -The Wellington District Highway Board has demited Mr. Taylor and myself to wait upon you and ask the Provincial Government to relieve the Board from the difficnltyunder which it is placed by having been called upon to refund the sum of £240 195., which was allowed temporarily by the Superintendent. The Board has never been able to more than nay its current expenses since the formation of the focal boards, and is altogether unable to regain Us former position : and, further, the separation of the Karori-Makora District has not appreciably lessened the working expenses, although the rates received are less. These circumstances combined render it hopeless to attempt to carry on the works of the Board if the amount advanced is required to be refunded.— I am, &c. _ . Thomas Mason, Chairman Wellington District Highway Board. Superintendent’s Office, Wellington, October 11, 1876. SlK,—I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, dated 10th inst-. and to state that having considered the position in which your Board has been placed by the formation within the boundaries of the district of local boards, and by the formation of Karort-Makara road district, whereby the amounts of rates receivable by the original district were very much reduced, I am willing that the amount of £240 IBs. shall remain as expended upon repairs of roads within your district, as allowed temporarily by the Superintendent, and that the Board shall not be called upon to replace that amount to the special fond from whence it was drawn.—l have, &c. Henry Bunny, Deputy-Superintendent. Thos. Mason, Esq., Chairman Wellington District Highway Board. POWER OF HIGHWAY BOARDS AS TO TAKING ROADS. The following opinion from Messrs. Travers and Ollivier, given in reply to a question from Mr. Smith, was read :—The Highway Board can only take land for thepnrposes of anew - highway, or for the extension of an existing highway, or for diverting or widening an existing highway, under the provisions of the Highway Boards Empowering Act, 1871. In cases where the reservation in the grant has not lapsed, the Crown sometimes exercises it in favor of Highway Boards, but in the Pahautanui Small Farm district this power has long lapsed. , -! - FINANCE. The following accounts were ordered to be paid : Ho. 1 Ward.—Thomas s , Morgan, repairs Sonth Takapu, £4 1 Os.; repairs North Takapu, £2 55.; James Floyd, construction, Porirua Bay, £25 ; John Wilmahurst, repairs Ohariu, ■ £8 13s. 4d.; Hy. Lewer, repairs Ohariu-road, £4 Bs.; Fred. Better, repairs, £1 4s. No. 2 Ward.—Edward Stewart, repairs Small Farm-road, £4 45.;.Wi1l Hovell, repairs Small Farms, £8 ; Fred Bills, construction, .Underhill-road to Mackay’s, £9 15a. No. s.—George Mcllvride, repairs, £1 10s. No. 6. Richard Morris, wheelbarrow, £1 as. No.la. John Compton, construction, timber for new culvert Karori-road, £1 7a. 6d.; contingencies, £2 2s. 6d. . ACCEPTANCE OF VALUATIONS. The clerk was instructed to inform the chairman of the Karori-Makara District Highway Board that the valuation of £3OO for sections 78,79, and 104 in the Ohariu district would be accepted. ' Whiteman’s valley. 'An extension of the line of road in this locality having been surveyed, it was resolved to request the Government to gazette the road. collectors’ bonds. " Several collectors’ bonds were accepted. ■ - THE NEW PLACE OF MEETING. ' ■ Tenders were opened for the repair of the offices of the Board, and that of G. F. and F. . Brown at £7 7s. 6d. was accepted conditionally on the tenderers performing some other necessary trifle at a slight increase in the price. EXPENDITURE IN NOS. 1 AND 2 WARDS. Warden Taylor obtained leave to expend £35 in continuing the Upper Takapu road ; and Warden Smith was' authorised to expend £5 in necessary work in No. 2 Ward. ■' ‘ALTERATION OF HOUR OF MEETING. It was decided to meet at 11 o’clock in ./future, instead of noon as heretofore. i The Board then adjourned.