MOA ROAD BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 171, 23 August 1909, Page 4

MOA ROAD BOARD.

The Moa Road Board held its ordinary monthly meeting at Inglcwood on Saturday, when there 'were present: Messrs H. Trimble (chairman), A. Cornill, Lawrence, Mundt, Williams, Capper, Stead and Jones. DAMAGE BY TRAFFIC.

Mr. James Tarry wrote offering to pay 12s for alleged damage on the Toi Toi road caused by him. The culvert which" was alleged to have been damaged by him was absolutely rotten. He considered 12s would cover the cost of repairs to the road over which he had travelled for a couple of years.—lt was pointed out that 10s hail been offered previously, and that this was only a fair amount.—The chairman further mentioned that people had no business to have traction engines on the roads at tins time of the year. He had given permission to Tarry to go to one farm, on the owner agreeing to pay 10s to cover the cost of damage. He had charged another a shilling for every ton of chaff carted.—Mr. Corkill would not be in favor of fixing a charge, for if there were a fee the traction engine folk would not be likely to take any care of the road. The man on the side road, too, should be considered. —The matter was referred to the chairman. A QUESTION OF COST.

Mr. J. W. Henwood acted as spokesman for a deputation asking for repairs to the Davis road. He also complained that the Board was uselessly expending money in engaging an engineer to pass the Davis road metalling. The overseer's supervision should suffice.

The chairman explained that the engineer had charged 5 per cent, commission on the Lincoln, Richmond and York contracts. That was his schedule rate. The Board asked him to supervise the Davis road, a small work, for which the engineer wa6 justified in charging 1.0 per cent. But ho had charged on)v '5 per cent, for the difficult part, and it was only a fair thing for the Board lo give him the supervision of the remainder of the -work, if he would take i: .it 5 per cent. The Board had to trea. Ju pngineer fairly. Without an cngin. er there was greater responsibility on members, and particularly on the chairman, but the ratepayers didn't think of that. Again, this proposed work was in a locality where there was no member of the Board available to keep an eye on it.

Mr. Corkill complained tliat the engineer was not treating the Boavd fairly in regard to metalling. The ratepayers paid for their metal to be properly spread, not dumped down in dray-loads and levelled oil', giving bumpy roads. That was the way ft had been done latterly. Mr. florkill complained that it would not be fair to the foreman, or at all busines6-likc, to put the engineer to watch the foremen spreading metal. The foremen were spreading hundreds of yards each year, and were capable of doing this. Mr. Trimble explained that this Board's letters to the Waitara Wejt Board showed that the Board bad intended all along to have the engineer's supervision. No action was taken. THE LEPPER EOAD.

A deputation of settlers waited on the Board in support of a petition protesting against a proposal to include part of tie Lepper road in the Egniont Toad account. The petition set out that the ratepayers were not in a position to have the burden increased, considering that they had to maintain the road for tourist traffic as well as timber-carting. The petition was signed by twelve ratepayers. Mr. Shoemark said that already the Egmont road people had to maintain a piece of road from the Egmont road to the Lepper road creamery, and it was unreasonable to add the bridge to the burden. The Egmont road would j-ojn need re-metalling from end to end. Mr. Mundt pointed out that the Lepper road was the Egmont road peopVs outlet to Inglewood, but they paid no thing towards upkeep. It was pointed out by the deputation that the Lepper r oad cream came down the, Egmont road, but paid nothing for that. The creamery had been placed hi its present position by the Lepper road people, and it was right that thay should keep the road open to it. Later in the meeting Mr. Mundt mo\'cd, according to notice, that portion of the Lepper road south from the Kaimiro creamery in future be included in the Egmont road account. He pointed out that the upper end of the Lepper road (10 chains) was not used by the Lepper road people, and they should not be called upon to keep. it. Mr. Jones seconded. Mr. Williams "pointed out that fie road had always been maintained by the Egmont road people. Then there was a bridge on this ten chains, and if the motion were carried the renewal would have to be borne by the Egmoi't road people, who found the timber anl tourist traffic sufficient to cope with. The Lepper road cream traffic came down the Egmont road. Mr. Mundt replied that the Leppsr road was used as a general outlet by the Egmont road people. In reply to Mr. Williams, the chairman explained that road accounts hid no legal standing, but they were adopted for the convenience of the Board, so that the roads would not receive more expenditure of rates than they were i-a-titled to. H2 was in sympathy with the motion. He was aware that the Egmont road people had maintained the road.

Mr. Mundt pointed out that the Lepper road was almost impassable at tile bottom end. Mr. Corkill objected to the motion, on the ground that it would abuse the system of road accounts. The motion was lost, only the moier voting for it. ANOTHER FOREMAN.

The chairman moved, according to notice, that an additional foreman be ap< pointed. The necessity was apparent. It had been suggested that the ncv foreman might be a sort of general foreman, to be sent wherever required. He, however, favored giving the man a delinitc district whose roads should be his care. Mr. Lawrence seconded. Mr. Williams believed each foreman should have his own roads to look after.

Mr. Capper suggested tint the additional man should be :•• ..iident "out east." The district subdivision would have to be revised. The Board discussed the matter h a conversational manner, and eventually the motion was carried. Applications for the post will be received up to 'ho date of next meeting, and a schedule o:' the duties, etc., will be prepared at a special meeting on Saturday week. GENERAL BUSINESS.

The chairman moved that a separate road account be kept for the Davis road. It had hitherto been included in the Wortley road, but now they would not regularly use that road, and their rates should be kept separate.—Mr. Williams seconded, and the motion was carrvd unanimously. The Receiver of Land Revenue notified that £8 2s Id, "thirds" accrued lo Hist March last, had been paid to the Board's credit, and that the Board's proposals for expenditure had been approved—The "thirds" from the Surrey road will be forwarded to the Stratforl

County Council, together with the' pr"vious half-year's amount. The Valuation Department notified that the Board's subsidy on the rates of £1730 8s collected was £2lO Cs, a similar amount going to the County Council.

Tt was decided to write oil uncollectnble arrears of rates amounting to £B6 10s Bd. llr. Douch forwarded a cheque for £t 10s 7d, heing the tax on logs carted by him on the Durham road west.—To be credited to that part of the road above Bedford road.

The report of the chairman and Mr. Lawrence upon the state of Norfolk road east and the necessity for ditching and culverting was adopted, and the work will be attended to. Tenders will be called for cleaning out 22 chains of ditching and six chains of new drain. J. Neilson's tender was accepted for 30 yards of metal for Dudley road cast, at Ok 3d a yard, to toe taken fnu Clark's pit, and to supply an extra 30 yards at the price. llr. Schneider will be instructed to remove his fence from across the Upland r oiid within a month.

A resolution was passed to the effect that the clerk should not recognise any orders for pipes except when signed by the chairman or a member of the Boaul. Foreman (J. Ward reported that during the month he had cleared away a slip on the Toe Toe road, and fascined the bad places. Four pipe culverts had been made on the .Motukawa. 'roul. These two roads required further attention. Kaimata road north was in a frightful state, and would need al>-iut 300 yards of metal. 'Jlangalea and Kaimata roads were also in need of attention.

Foreman 11. Join's reported that the repairing and strengthening of the Waitepukc bridge o n the Devon road had been completed, and minor rcpiirs attended to.

Foreman Iloskin 'hrought under the notice, of the Board that W. Lehnrt was tipping firewood all over the Lepper road south, and seemed to be making a wood-yard there.—The foreman is to have the wood removed at once.

Accounts amounting to £163 8a fjd were passed for- payment,