PATEA WEST ROAD BOARD.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 187, 24 January 1877, Page 2

PATEA WEST ROAD BOARD.

(to THE EDITOR OF THE FATEA MAIL.) Sir,—l notice in yesterday’s Mail a paragraph devoted to the proceedings of the Road Board on Saturday last, but which is so entirely contrary to fact, that I cannot let it pass without comment. As I am not aware that a representative of the press was present, I must infer that you have been supplied with the information, and you have either been informed by some one who knew nothing whatever of the facts, or by some one who has perverted the truth for purposes which I will leave the public to guess, after I have stated what I know of the matter, and of which I publicly 7, challenge contradiction. It is a pity that these petty Road Board meetings should not be considered by the press to be as important to the public as ancient “ Love stories,” or modern Ghost yarns,” as if reports of preceding meetings had only been published, 1 should have been saved the trouble of writing this letter. Yesterday’s paragraph says, that, “ at the last meeting of the Board, a resolution was passed, depriving the Chairman of his vote, &c.” The first sentence is wrong. The last meeting (previous to Saturday last) was on Dec. 11th, 1876, and the resolution named was carried by a full Board, without dissent, as well as by an expresssd concurrence of the Chairman at the first meeting of the new Board on Nov. 27, 1876. Now for the truth (?) of the second sentence. At the second meeting, viz., on Dec. 11, the minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed, without the slightest comment, and business proceeded for some time, until a certain resolution was brought forward, when it was discovered that the Chairman wanted two votes to upset it, then, and not till then, was even the point raised. Subsequently, a letter was, I believe, sent to the Executive Officer, fer information in the matter (it is a pity you did not get a copy of the telegram in reply for publication) but this is the reply, almost word for word “ Chairman of Board Commissioners can only give one vote at a meeting of the Board over which he presides, the Chairman is in the same position as regards voting as any other member of the Board.” Now, Sir, I don’t know by what process you find out that a deliberate vote, and a casting vote, put together, only make one ; if it is so, my late schoolmaster must have been a consummate old dolt, as he persisted in making me believe that one and one made two, and I still do believe it. But, really, it is a miraculous age we now live in, in so much so, that, we must not be surprised at any new discoveries. Wo now come to the last two sentences, which, for convenience, we will join together. You say, when the next meeting took place (this was last Saturday’s meeting), “ the Chairman raised the point that the minutes should not be confirmed, and that, after consuming the afternoon in discussing ihe question, it was decided in favor of the Chairman,” &c. Now, I say, the confirmation of the minutes was opposed by two private members, who were supported by the Chairman. I mived, that, the minutes be confirmed; on being put to the. vote, three voted for my amendment, and two for the resolution,—to which the Chairman added two more votes, and declared it carried. _ I then denied the Chairman’s right to give the two votes, as long as the resolution passed at the first meeting stood on the minute book unrescinded. This brought on the discussion which consumed the afternoon, and which was, at last settled by the Chairman signing the minutes without again putting the question, and thus, I consider, deciding in favor of the “ opposition,” and not of the “ Chairman.” — Without any apologies, I am. Sir, yours, &c. EDWIN R. MORGAN. Woodlands, Kakaramea, Jan. 18, 1877.