KARAKA ROAD BOARD.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 121, 15 December 1915, Page 1

KARAKA ROAD BOARD.

Monthly Meeting^ The monthly meeting of the Karaka Road Board was held at Karaka on Saturday last, the members present being: Messrs J Batty, chairman, J P Kidd, J Macpherson, G 0 Sutton, J Schlaepfer and the clerk, Mr H b Glasson. WOUNDED SOLDIERS' FUND Ibe chairman ot the Xaraka Land Company, Mr Hugo Frieolandtr, wrote with reference to the patriotic and very sensible step the Board has taken in contributing to the Wounded Soldiers' Fund by way of direct taxation and forwarded the sum ot £SO, instead of £ll ss, the amount of rateß due by bis company. The writer stated that he strongly supported the Board's action and hoped thtit the Government would follow the. wise examine. It was resolved that a letter of. thanks be forwarded to Mr Fried lander for the company's generous gift. The chairman also reported that the amount of £196 18s 6d had been forwarded to the fund, while more had yet to be collected, and the Board should not be satisfied until this was in the hands of the clerk. COUNTY COUNCIL MATTEKS t The chairman of the Franklin County Council, Mr J Flanagan, wrote enquiring how much the Board wanted for its road grader. He stated that tha Council needed a grader almost immediately. The letter also stated that the question of the Council taking over the machinery at the Board's quarry was discussed, and it was practially agreed to take over the same when the Beard bad finished with it. The chairman informed the members that he had replied offering the use of the grader at 40s per week or 10s per day. In the event of the County purchasing the grader at a later date the amount of hire money paid would be deducted from the purchase price. A further letter to the Board stated that the terms were not satisfactory tu the Council The chairman qaid the wanted its grader for another couple ot years, and therefore did >not want to sell. Mr Sutton was of the opinion that the suggested charges should be reduced. Mr Macpherson thought 10s per day on the present coot of a grader was a fair price. It was decided to reply that terms could not be altered. With reference to certain road works which are proposed to be carried out in the Karaka Board's district, near Glaßson's creek and Walker's bridges, it was resolved to endorse the chairman's letter recommending that unless the tenders were reasonable that the work should not to he gone on with. If it was advantageous to wait for another year, then the Board was agreeable; in fact, it would rather that it was left, and other metalling worK gone oii with. MERGING INTO THE COUNTY A long letter was forwarded by the Franklin County Council relative to the matter of the merging of the Board into the County. It also pointed out a possinle gain in subsidies which mght accrue to the County in the event of amalgamation. The letter concluded, "the merging of your Board in the County would also enable the Council, when the next adjustment of riding boundaries' is being made, to give effect tu the wishes of ratepayers regarding such boundaries; there is no power for a part of a road district to be in one tiding and part in another, and if your Board was merged the riding boundaries could be more readily adjusted as desired by the ratepayers." Mr Macpherson: I don't think we can trust them yet. When they give us that which they took from us, then we'll talk to them." The chairman: Shall we call a meeting tr discuss the matter. Members generally thought the time was hardly ripe for merging. The wish for the formation of a new riding, or an additional member, was expressed, members thinking that the Board had done more for the County than the latter had done tor the Board. It was decided to reply stating that the Board wan not at present disposed to entertain the idea of merging.

OVERHEAD BRIDGE Tbe Railway Department notified the Board that it intended to erect an overhead bridge over the main road crossing the railway line at the north end of the Runciman station. The Department ask what width the Board considered the bridge sfcoula be. It was decided to leave the matter in the bands of the chairman. METAL The chairman stated that he had arranged for a contract for 1000 yards of metal from the Board's quarry at 'Ja 7d per yard with J Barraclougb. lo connection with proposed road writes Mr Batty recommended that members should show caution in soggesting other than absolutely necessary works for tbe coming year. Contracts were now extremely costly, and therefore any roads that are considered to be passable in tbe winter should be left until labour is more plentifol. . Be. personally, was at present offering 35s per week, and board, and could not get men. PAERATA ROAD Mr Scblaepfer was empowered to get certain metalling work on tbe Paerata Station road done, and alto to attend to the matter of shifting soft lock at the quarry.