COUNTY COUNCIL AND TOWN BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 64, 6 September 1911, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCIL AND TOWN BOARD.

COUNTY CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT CONTRAYERTED. Mr. M. Fleetwood, clerk of (he St.! Aubyn Town Board, writes as follows:—j In the report of the meeting of the Taranaki County Council, held on Monday, September 4, and published in your paper of'the sth, the following statement was made:— "The chairman reported that during the inspection of the accounts by the Audit Inspector, the officer bad insisted that the Council must obtain from the St. Aubyn Town Board the .€IOO which had hern lodged for the metalling of the roads in the Veale estate. The board had declined to pay the money over, and the clerk had reported accordingly to him (the chairmaniin Wellington. Tie had instructed the clerk to sue the board immediately. This had been done, and the board paid up."'

Now, Sir, the above statement is, to asy the least, incorrect. The county clerk' knows verv we'll that the Si. Aubyn Town Board had no control over the money in question, nho that the Town Hoard was not sued and did not pay up. The facts of the case are as follows. On February IS. 1007. a firm of solicitors wrote to the Barrett Road Board, stating: "Mr. Veale is willing to pay to us or to your solicitors the sum of £3OO, such sum to be held until the plan is finally passed, when ii will at once be paid to your account, it being understood that the money will be held by you and will, when required, be applied in metalling and completing the roads as shown on the said plans. We shall be pleased to go into this matter with the board personallv should von desire us |o do so.''

Copv of resolution passed on March I. 1007. l'iv the Barrett Road Board: "Town of Lynmoulh. Vcah-'s l-Mate.-•'Tbat Messrs. - be informed, in

answer to their letter of February IS. j the Hoard will aeeept the .0)0 as' proposed by them, to be paid into the board's account al the liank of New Zealand, Xew Plymouth, providing; that the expenditure of forming and metalling- the road* now shown on Ihe plans o|' (he Town of l.vninoiith. known as Vcale':-, Estate, be left entirely to the board and its decision how and when a. the hoard may think fit. The board will sign the plans and accept tin* roads upon these conditions, and the money placed to the credit, of the board."--Carried. Moved and seconded: •'•That if Mr. Voale accepts (he board's terms re the £3111). tenders he advertised for forming Devon street, particu'ars to he supplied liv Hie chairman, and lendi -r. In be in by noon of the 'iTlh in.!, at the ofliice of the board." —Carried. A meiding of the I'arrelt lload Hoard was licit! oil March 27. lUO7. when (he following; resolution was earned:—'That. Mr. Vcale having- agreed to the board's terms by letter from hi- -olicilor. and handed ill the £:i(HI. the chairman wilh the clerk si.gn the plan- of the roads on the estate and put the board's seal on. March 15. 11107, and the action of the chairman is now confirmed." A meeting' of the llarrcl.t lioad Hoard was held on June ISO, lllli'l. when the j following resolution was carried: ''That out. of'the CMO standing (o the credit j of this board, tllffll be deposited wilh the Xew Plymouth Savings Dank, and balance to credit account." On March 13. 1007. Mr. -I. Vcale paid £3OO into the llarrett lioad Hoard's account, and on .Inlv 1. l!)Wi. Ulllb was deported wilh the X-w Plymouth Saving Paul;. The St, Aiiliyn Town Hoard was not formed till dune 11. 1!HII. [The statement was reported as given by the chairman.--Ed.]