WAITARA WEST ROAD BOARD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 209, 10 May 1912, Page 3

WAITARA WEST ROAD BOARD

I ANNUAL MEETING. THE QUESTION OF MERGING. The annual meeting of the Waitara West Road Board took place at Lepper- j ton on Tuesday afternoon. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. I The chairman, in his annual report, stated, inter alia"You are aware that a rate of five-eighths of a penny in the pound was struck, as against a halfpenny collected during several years past. This extrp. amount was not for increased cost of road maintenance, but for bridge repairs that I foreshadowed m my report of last year. . . . The l upkeep of metalled roads has been a greater drain on the finances of the Board than hitherto, owing to those roads metalled by loan money needing more attention than formerly. . . . j The amount of metal put on the roads f for the year is 1200 yards, as compared with 1100 yards last year. The bridge needing urgent attention was the Lower. Ivelly Road bridge, which was repaired j by Messrs Clare Bros, at a total cost of [ £47. We consider it good now for j eight or ten years. The new bridge I over the Mangawera on the Manutahi! East road, for which nn extra rate was • struck, is in course of construction, the J estimated total cost being £l5O. ... Metal is still to be had for most of the ; roads at a fairly cheap rate, althoup'- i the quality in some instances is not up > to standard. Several promising outcrops j need testing when opportunity offers. ] Our late member's efforts to sesure a Government grant towards metalling the hill on the Bertrand road were unsuc- I cessful, and Messrs Sarten and Honnor have agreed to be rated for a loan to | metal the worst portion of it, and residents on the other side of the river have agreed to contribute £2O towards , the work. The Sisson Terrace reserve I along the Waiongona river, vested in the Board for the use of posterity, continues to be an annoying expense for the keeping down of noxious weeds. Studying the interests of our ratepayers living on the Wortley road, and whose better'outlet is the Davis road, an agreement has been entered into with the Moa Road Board for the joint upkeep of the metal on this (Davis) road, with the Moa Board as controlling authority. Great credit is due to the clerk (Mr. Fussell) for the satisfactory manner in which the rates are collected every year. The Board have in him a competent and zealous officer. In conclusion, I should like to thank, on behalf of the Board, all the ratepayers who so generously helped with donations of money and free labor."

THE FINANCE. The statement of finances showed that the result of the year's working resulted in a loss of £34 18a, although the Board was in credit to the extent of £341 2s 9d, and there was no overdraft. Tn the general account the receipts, including a credit balance of £37G, totalled £1093 !)s Id. and the expenditure £751, leaving a credit balance of £341. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. Mr. N. P. Rickard, in referring to the credit balance of £341, considered it would be better spent/ on the roads than keeping it in the bank. The chairman pointed out, however, that before next year's rates began to come in there would probably be no balance. THE MERGING QUESTION DISCUSSED. Some time was devoted to a discussion on the question of merging with the Taranaki County Council. Those present included the chairman (Mr. ,T. Brown) of the County Council, the clerk (Mr. R. Ellis) and several councillors. The meeting finally decided to hold .the matter over for further consideration. THE COUNTY'S VIEWS. In addressing the meeting Mr. Brown said that although his opinion might be termed biassed, he was certain that many advantages would accrue to the district if the amalgamation came into force. If tlie whole of the road boards merged, there would be a great gain in the subsidy, which would be increased from £SOO to £2500. Mr. Brown also uombatteil the assertion that the byroads of the district would suffer by joining the county, and, further, that the bnckblocks settlers would be neglected. Ten out of the fifteen road boards had nqjy. merged into the county, and not oiw of them wished to revert to the old system. If the district joined the county he wanted it d : sl:i:ictly understood that the Council were not going to metal largo stretches of now unmetalled roads. On the other hand, where settlers desired to help themselves in formation work, etc., the Council could promise assistance by wny of giving the metal. Another advantage would be' that they would have the use of the Council's up-to-date plant, which was altogether too expensive for small bodies to purchase. Mr. Brown added that on the by-roads there were usually three tracks, which meant three water tracks in wet weather. With the use of the scarifier and roller, and a small amount of labor, the roads would want very little attention. Still another great advantage was that of finance. The county funds were naturally more elastic. As far as the different ridings were, concerned, wherever work was wanted to be done, it was done irrespective of the

amount of rates collected from the particular'district. Crs. Tate and Hill also addressed the meeting in favnr of the scheme, and a number of questions were answered. The meeting then adjourned.