WAIROA HIGHWAY BOARD.

Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 397, 5 February 1879, Page 2

WAIROA HIGHWAY BOARD.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the above Board was held on Saturday^lst February. Present : Wardens Fleming, Lupton, AlcLean, lon, and G. S. Bridge (chairman). Correspondence included—Letter from T. Harris, requesting the Board to remove a rata tree that had fallen across the road. Air AlcLean informed the Board that the tree had fallen across the road through his bush lire, and that be would remove it ; letter from Minister of Public Works, that the station at Waitotara was not definitely fixed. Tenders for office of Foreman of Works were received as under—W. C. Wright, £l5O ; W. Harre, £7B ; T. P. Henley. £3 10s per week ; A. Stewart, £IOO ; J. Bowie, £SO with assistance, or £75 without ; W. Alike, £GO. Proposed by Air McLean, seconded by Air Fleming, and carried. “ That W. Alilnc bo appointed Foreman of Works.” Proposed by the Chairman, .seconded by Air Lupton, and carried, “That the Foreman of Works be instructed to prepare specifications and estimate of cost for improving the .Middle Alangitangi Eoad, by putting in a new culvert, raising the embankment, and improving the grade on present cutting, and making cutting by Allan’s fence.”

Proposed by Air Lupton, seconded by Air lon, and carried, “ That the Foreman of Works bo instiuctcd to prepare specifications and estimate for forming and gravelling the Waitotara river bank road, from the boundary between Kells and Duric, to the end of the side cutting near Durie’s wool-shed.

Proposed by Air Fleming, seconded by the Chairman, and carried, “ That the Foreman of Works report upon certain culverts, &c., required in No. 2 Ward. Proposed by r Air lon, seconded by Air AlcLean, and carried, “ That Taylor’s hill be improved at three bad points, and the slips cleared off the Karahaki cutting.” Proposed by Air Lupton, seconded by JVIr lon, “ I'hat the following- objections be made to the Valuation List—

W. Lind’s assessment, No. 1 Ward, too low. G-. Johnson’s assessment, No. 2 Ward, too low. James Durie’s assessment, No. 2 Ward, too low. J. Lupton, omitted to be rated for Recreation Ground. G. Aiken, omitted to be rated, in No. 5 Ward. T. Wicks, omitted to be rated, in No. 2 Ward. 11. Asup, omitted to be rated, in Maori Reserve, No 5 Ward. J. Alexander, omitted to be rated, in section 27G. J. Henson should be Hy. Johnson. W. Parsons should be J. Duncan. Andrew Hunter should be David Hunter. Dr Curl should be Mrs Bracey. Section 250, Owner, should be Jas. Alexander. Section 142, N. Bradley, should be John Bradley. Section 303, J. Wilkie, should be Dan Wilkie. Section 350, D. Peat, should be W. Wilson. Proposed by Mr McLean, seconded by Mr lon, and carried, “ That the Chairman represent the Board at the Assessment Court. Proposed by the Chairman, seconded by Mr Lupton, and carried, “ That a meeting of the Board be held at the nest sitting of the Assessment Court. Account passed for payment —Winchcomb, Jils Is. The meeting adjourned.

NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR.^ Major Atkinson, and Air T. Kelly/ M.H.K.’s, addiessed a public meeting in the Odd Fellows’ Hall, New Plymouth, onSaturday evening, the 25th January, , on Harbor administration, &c. The Hall was crowded. Colonel - Trimble in the chair. The Herald publishes a full report of the proceedings. Major Atkinson explained that: the reason the Harbor Board members re-elected themselves, on an .attempt being made to upset the last election, was to prevent a total suspension of Harbor business, as if the election bad been upset, another election could not have been held until the ordinary „ time of election, about fifteen months later, during which time there would have been no Harbor Board, and therefore all business in connection with the Harbor would have been entirely suspended. He said that he took it for granted that the question of whether a harbor should be constructed or not was settled years ago, and the real question now for consideration was the practical means whereby the work could be pushed forward as far as possible. He said—“ I hold that the harbor is possible to be made here, and that we have enough money in hand to begin it and carry it out to a very effective purpose. I believe the money is amply sufficient to provide us very useful accommodation—it will greatly increase the prosperity of the whole district. I should be very much shaken by the firm conviction of my honourable friend the Chairman that we were only throwing money into the sea, if I had formed my opinion simply upon my own knowledge, but in life I have followed this rule—that where there are authorities —tradesmen to do a particular business —I select a man for the class of work I want to be done, and follow his advice upon the matter, (Loud applause.} Now gentlemen, we have done that. Wo got years ago the best engineers we could, Mr Balfour and Air Doyne, then Alessrs Blackett and Carruthers, and now Sir John Goode,, and to my mind, whatever my private opinions might be, I say I would be absolute!}' justified in giving effect to their recommendations, and if they tell me that the harbor can be satisfactorily built, wc should be very unwise if we did not try to build it as quickly as possible.” Air T. Kelly, in reference to whether or not it was desirable for members of the Assembly to be membeis of the Harbor Board, said ‘‘All the Harbor Board battles have been fought in the House. In 1877 there was a groat battle in the House ; but it may be said that has gone by and there is no necessity for that to take place again. That may or may not be true. Of course the land revenue given us to construct the harbor is now the property of the Board. It was given to the Board by the Legislature of the Colony. The Legislature that gaxe it can take it away if it thinks fit. If it considers Unit it is not being properly administered, or can be devoted to any more deserving object, it would be competent and able to take it away again if it thought proper, so that I think, looking at the question impartially, the electors would not do amiss if they returned members of the Assembly to represent them.” In speaking of the present position of the harbor works, Air Kelly said : —“ Arrangements have been made with the bank that as soon as wo receive the report of Sir John Cooclc and the Board and the Government approve of his recommendations, we can commence proceedings at once. We have arranged to get an advance of £50,000, pending the negociating of u loan of £200,000, so that we s hall be in a position to commence operations. The Board has not been idle in the matter since Sir John Coode left the district. They have taken the necessary steps to open quarries so far as they could get information from Sir John Coode. He was reticent, but let out a certain amount of information which enabled the Board to commence proceedings. The work is finished and if wc receive Sir John Goode’s report nest mail the opening will be commenced at once. The nest proceeding would be after the report is received from Sir John Coode, to get the sanction of the Government,, because according to Acts of the Legislature any works once approved of cannot be altered without the concurrence of Government. The plans already in possession of the Board have been considered by Government and approved of, but there are plans of Messrs Carruthers and Blacxott, and if Sir John Coode alters them materially or slightly, then the concurrence of Government would be required to be obtained before this modification could he accepted by the Board. But that would not cause very much delay. Of course the question of site has been one that has created a groat deal of feeling in this district, but I think that would be got over now to a grreat extent, as both parties liave pJacrod themselves as it were by arbitration in the hands of Sir John Coode, one of the injajfc eminent marine engineers in the worS r and I think both sides are satisfied that when his report is received we can go to work at once. There is no necessity for delaying operations beyond getting the sanction of Government before the work can be proceeded with.”