Waimate Road Board.

Opunake Times, Volume II, Issue 53, 4 January 1895, Page 3

Waimate Road Board.

(IlawciH S'ar.)

I A special meeting of the Board was held for general business on Monday, there he.ng present Messrs McK'own (chairman), McCarthy, Borrie, She-t, and Watson. ACKOA ROAD METALXIXG. The action of the foreman was confirmed in accepting -the tender of C. Sorrenson of £2 7s Gd f >r metal broken to seven inches to be laid ou G 5 chains from the Elthain Road upwards. The foreman explained that through someone's error there would bo 15 chains of the lower part of the road unimproved for he found there were 15 chains longer than the authorised length. He suggested that perhaps he could get work done of a less expensive kind so as to cover the whole length. The matter was not dealt with. The clerk, in answer to, an etiquisy, said that he applied for a part of the loan, hut as only £BOOO could be raised this year out of £4OOO authorised it followed that .each loan would have to go 25 per cent short until next year when the balance could bs taken up. ROWAN AND MANGAWHERO ROADS. Contracts were let on these roads to Messrs Dale and Chubiu and Kisack respectively at £3 10s. NEW ROAD BOARD. The chairman thought that the number of members for the new Board should now be fixed. He was in favor of five being the number. Mr McCarthy and others thought that seven would be better. JResolved, that the number of member'S'ln the new Board be seven, four to fonn-a-quorum. [McCarthy-Borrie.] MANGAWHERO ' ROAD. The foreman said he did not like to 'undertake the grading of this road, and would be glad >if the Board would appoint someone. Resolved, That Mr Twigg be requested to grade the Mangawhera road for the purpose of gravelling. [McKeown-Watson.] f PUKETAPU ROAD. An application was made by Mr Pearce for some work to be done on the Puketapu road. Referred to foreman with power to spend about £2. [McKeown-Borrie.] NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR REPRESENTATION.

A circular letter was read from a committee formed in Opimake asking this Board to co-cporaLe with other Boards throughout the country distriefs in the Now Plymouth harbor rating area, for the purpose of getting more direct representation of the views of the great majority of the ratepayers. The circular, which has already, been referred to in these columns, advocated the holding of public meetings and the choosing of nominees for a "ticket " at the forthcoming elections on the 22nd of February. The particular objects to be attained are the gradual extinction of the rate by confining the expenditure to ab.-olukdy necessary amounts, and the abstaining from borrowing in any way. The chairman thought that the Manaia Town Board should be asked to take the matter in hand, and to ascertain the feeling of the ratepayers. Something should be done, but the question whs, Who should do it ? . Mr McCarthy said that he was of a different opinion. He thought that meetings should be called through the district, and he was sure that thty would be well attended. People were heartily sick of paying the harbor rate, and' if by a little combination they could put in men who would reduce the annual expenditure of the Board until it came very much under the income then the rate could be reduced very considerably. At any rate it was worth while trying to see what could be done. In the course of a general conversation it was suggested that as the main object in calling the public meetiugs was to induce the people to nominate a couple of gentleman to represent the district of Wairnate on the Board, and to promise to support those two, together with those nominated by each of the other country districts in the harbor rating area, that that object could be attained much more easily by this Board nominating the two gentlemen and asking the ratepayers to support them. Thi3 course was finally agreed upon, and the necessary steps were taken to obtain suitable representatives, the names of whom will be published in the course of a few days. ACCOUNTS. Christie, 15s ; McLean, 15s; Town Board, £1 8s 8d ; Robertson' £5 8s ; County Council, £169 19s lOd ; Tindle, £8 Gs 8d; Sexton, £3 18s ; Nichols, £2 9s ; Kelly, £2 9s ; Monro, £2 16s; A. Cave, £1 15s ; Blackhall, £10; Rogers and Julian, £2O; Cave, £9 12s; Holme3, £26 19s ; Chubin, and Dale, £42; Simpson, £BS ; Catanach, £ll Os 2d.