MOA ROAD BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 84, 18 July 1910, Page 3

MOA ROAD BOARD.

MONTHLY ELECTING. The usual monthly mooting of the Moa lload Bouril was held at tne Board's office, inglewood, on Saturday. There were present: Messrs. H. Trimble (chairman), A. Corkill, Anderson, Lawrence, Bishop, J. Williams, J. Collingwood, R. T. Williams and F. J. Virgin.

DAVIS ROAD. _„,.,. The committee appointed to inspect the work on the Davis road reported that they found the complaints as to the nature of the work were sustained, .and they had accordingly dispensed with the foreman's services and invited applications to fill the position. The committee's action was approved. PROPOSED MANGANUI BRIDGE.

The superintendent of the New Zealand State-Guaranteed Advances Office forwarded provisional approval of the Board's application for a loan of £2700 for building a ferro-concrete bridge over the Manganui river at the Bristol road, the term of the loan to be 36 y 8 years, bearing interest at 3y 3 per cent., and to be secured by a special rate of 1-5-lOd in the £.

Mr. F. A. Haverbier forwarded a copy of a notice that he had sent to the State Advances Office, objecting to be included in the rating ' area for the aoove special loan. In regard to the application of the Board for a Government subsidy to the bridge, Mr. J. B. Hine, M.P., wrote on July 5 that the petition was in xhe hands of the Hon. R. McKenzie, Minister of Public Works; He had also enclosed a letter endorsing the application, and asking the Minister to receive a deputation consisting of Mr. Jennings and himself on the question. On July 8 he forwarded a memo, from the Minister of Public Works, in connection with the subsidy. The reply, he stated, was the usual Ministerial one, but he trusted further attacks would find an entrance with the Treasury. The nwmo. from the Minister of Public Works was to the effect that the application would receive consideration when the Public Works Estimates from the current year were being compiled. , MONTHLY BALANCE.

The monthly balance-sheet showed that receipts during ' the month nad amounted to £lB9 lis 7d, rates £5.3 6s 4d, and Government subsidy £9O, contributing the larger amount. The expenditure had amounted to i 219 lis 9d. The bank balances were: £757 ,3s 4d (general) and £249 9s 6d (loan).

MOTUKAWA ROAD.

Mr. Virgin stated that when uie bridge on the Motukawa road was replaced with a tunnel, he was under tne impression that the Board agreed to subsidise it to the extent of £SO out of the bridge fund, provided the settlers raised £IOO, and any additional expense was to come out of the general rate. So far only £lB had been granted out of the bridge fund. It would cost £3O to metal the filling, aad he moved that the Board grant £ls for this purpose out of the bridge fund. There was no seconder, members being of opinion that metalling could not be done out of the bridge fund.

STRIKING THE RATE. The chairman moved that a general rate of %d be struck for the ensuing year.—Mr. Corkill seconded. Mr. Virgin said that when thu i;..--ter was discussed a: last meeting, he seconded the proposition ot a %d rate abeing levied instead of, as previoush, a general rate of 2-3 d and •.>„ rate of l-16d to provide inures-. . u the £OOOO loan. He had since thought the matter over, and was of opinion that they ha'd better go on as formerly. There was the danger that if they once struck a %& rate, it would never be taken off. Besides, it would come too heavy on sections abutting County roads. Most ratepayers were dissatisfied with the present bridge fund. It! would be better to do away with this and pay the money out to the various roads pro rata to the amount ot the rates -received. Mr. Lawrence remarked that tney were only striking the rate for one year. The chairman thought there was no course open but to strike the %d general rate. He had notified the memoers two meetings ago that the question of striking rates was coming forward. The matter was discussed at last meeting, and a three-farthing rate agreed to. They had advertised that such a rate would be struck at that meeting. If an alteration were made it .meant re-adver-tising, as well as the delay of a month. When the £6OOO loan expired, a different Board would probably be in power, and they must trust the ratepayers to elect members who would levy a suitable rate. As regarded dividing the rates received from the properties abutting on the County road among all the roads, instead of in a bridge fund, what he proposed to do amounted to the same thing. Another advantage in striking the rate in this way, instead' of separately, was that a larger subsidy would be received. In regard to settlers on County roads paying more rates tlian, those residing away on bye roads, he thought no, reasonable rate that could be struck would take away, the advantages such settlers derived in being alongside good roads, etc.

Mr. Corkill remarked that if memners started backing and filling in this way, no business would ever lie clone. Mr. R. T. Williams said the objections came from people living on County roads. The big majority of settlers lived on bye roads. He himself had travelled that morning over a bad road. Mr. Virgin's amendment was not seconded, and the* three-farthings rate was carried. The chairman and Mr. Corkill were authorised to sign the rate book.

Mr. Trimble moved, in accordance with notice of motion, that the resolution that the resolution passed in July, IS'JG, dealing with rates from properties abutting as County roads, be rescinded. —Seconded by Mr. -Corkill and earned. Mr. Trimble also moved that the rates accruing from these properties be set aside for payment of interest 0:1 the £■oooo loan. "

The chairman's resolution, as reported last meeting, dealing with the unexpended balance of the bridge fund and the balance of rates that will annually accrue from sections abutting on County roads, after the loan interest has been paid, was passed. It was also formally resolved that any balance to the credit of the bridge 1 and on September 30 be paid into the new fund, to be expended as above. FOREMEN'S REPORTS.

The reports of the various foremen were read, and the following business) arising out of them was authorised:— Twenty yards of shingle are to be provided on the Dudley West road; water tables arc t,c be attended to on the Eg-

Mont South, Lepper North, Hursthouse, Upland South and Ross roads; patching Is to be done on the Egmont South and Durham West roads; metal is to be put on 'the Hursthouse and Kaimata South roads; the culverts and bad portion of the Mangaone road are to be attended to at once; pipe culverts are to be put in in the Bedford road, west of the Lepper road, and also on the Rugby road. GENERAL. ' :V

Letters were received from Messrs. R. 0. Clark in connection with the supply of 24-inch pipes, and also from Onaero Pipe Works, quoting for pipes. The clerk was instructed to apply to the Parihaka Road Board for information to the manufacture, etc., of large concrete pipes. Mr. G. T. Murray, resident road engineer, wrote that he did not consider the closing of Cambridge road, between ,Dudley and Durham roads, advisable, and was recommending the Department accordingly. Mr. Guildford, Tarata, is to be informed that the Board has no objection to him putting a gate at the gravel reserve on the Motukawa road. N.P. Sash and Door Co. forwarded a cheque for £29 7s Id for timber carted over Egmont and Lepper roads.

The Board went into committee to consider applications for the position of foreman, and on resuming reported that F. Ludeman had been appointed foreman of No. 3 Division. It was resolved that Mr. W. J. Bennett be offered the pqsition of foreman in No. 4 Division.

Accounts to the amount of £lO2 5s Id were passed for paymeit.