Road Board Legacies.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 32, 27 April 1915, Page 4

Road Board Legacies.

I TO THE EDITOB.] Sir,—ln your report of the County Council meeting held on the loth mat., 1 notice a reference made to "Koad Board Legacies." Your report in this matter is entirely misleading and unfair to the late memoera of the Paparata Road Board. First, you quote a letter from Mr Jas. E. Lock in which be states that £46 9s 6d is due to him for work authorised by the Paparata Road Board, and asks who is to pay him. It is quite true that the Road Board authorised this work but it is equally true that there is £46, balance of Government grant, available wherewith to pay for it, leaving a "legacy" of 9s 6d for the bounty Council to pay. Second. Referring to Mr P. £. dual's account for professional services rendered to the Beard in 1912 your report is equally misleading. The facts are: In November, 1912, Mr Cbeal surveyed a deviation on the Bombay-f aparata road. About March, 1913, the County declared this road a main road and shortly afterwards took control of it. At this time tbe Board had in hand £6O 2s Sd deferred payment "thirds" which tbe Land Board had authorised to be spent on this deviation and on some culverts near by. As the County Coucnil had taken over control of the road the Road Board asked them to take over the deviation and formation works, together with the £6O 2s 3d "thirds' and the liability of £l9 19s to Mr Cheal. After a long delay a letter dated May 18th, 1914, was received from the Council, stating that the work was to be undertaken by them and asking for the £6O 2s 3d. This was forwarded tbe following month, June. These sort of legacies should be very welcome to any local body. 1 may state that the Board fully understood that the County were taking over their (the Board's) liability to Mr Cheal. In the following August a bill for the £l9 19s was received from Mr Cheal. This was immediately returned to him with a note advising him that the Council were now liable and asking him to forward his account to them. Since then nothing has been heard from him and members of tbe Board thought he had been paid long since.—l am, etc., A. BEST. Bombay, April 20tb, 1915. [The report referred to by Mr Best was an accurate account of the matter as laid before tbe Council, actual decision being deferred until next meeting, pending enquiries being made as to assets and liabilities to be taken over by the Council from the Koad Board.--Editor.]