MOA ROAD BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 242, 22 March 1915, Page 3

MOA ROAD BOARD.

MONTHLY' MEETING. The ordinary monthly meetings of the sioa Road Board was held lit the Board's i.ifice, Inglewood, on Saturday, when there were present: Messrs H. Trimble (chairman), J. A. Bridgeman, W. <!. Slioemark, Beauchamp, A. E. Lawrence, . J. Williams, A. Smith and M. Hopson. An apology was received for the absence of Mr. Gei. Capper. OVERSEER'S REPORT. The overseer (Mr W. R. Davies) reported that pit metal and boulder- contracts had been completed on the Richmond, Kaimata North, Rugby and Egrnontl South roads. Bristol road contract would, weather permitting, be liuished next week. Grylls and Lawrence expected to complete the Mangaotea boulder contract about Monday, and would then commence on the, Dudley road contract. He had formed eight chains on the Windsor road, where there were some very bad I'iits, at a cost of £!) Is (id. lie would also like li chains of mctoKat a place, where settlers found it difficult to get their milk to the. factory early in the season. A start had been made with the work authorised at the top end of the Dudley road west. On the Upland road general maintenance work had been carried out at a cost of .€5 12s. On the Egmont road south, the contractors had delivered 254 yards of metal. Messrs Shoemark and Williams had asked for 20 cubic yards extra between the old mill site and Kaimiro. Referring to the dispute between a settler and Ccmractor over the fence pulled down and renewed, ho could make no comment, as he liad not been over the King road, which was very rough. He recommended that Mr Longstaff's offer to repair a very bad portion fur £2 '"h should be accepted. A good job had been made of the water tabling and crowning up of the formed portion bv free labor On the lower portion of tie? Lopper road south practically liviv watcriab'cs had to be made, An old '.vutver. culvert required renewing and til" outlet would run the water tlirough a settler's pig yard. The tunnel on the Norfolk road east had been put in good oivi t and widened at a cost of £4 (Is lit!.. Slabs for rcdecking Bedford road, soutl) of Norfolk road, had been delivered. Eighty-two yards of metal had been spread on the Kaimata. road north and IS ya'rds had been stacked for future maintenance. Fifty yards of metal had been .spread on the Richmond road, and ?A yards on the Bristol road. Some bad holes in the Everett road had been patched. Earthwork on the Ngaro road had been attended to, and SO chains of general maintenance effected at a cost of £25 4s 4d. He recommended that this should be roiled, if the roller could be procured before the wet weather. Earthwork had been completed at the junction of the Kupara and Ratapiko roads. A tunnel on the Kupara road required attention. A start had been made with metalling this road. General maintenance work had been attended to on Norfolk road west (10 chains) Johns road (IS chains), Norfolk road east (80 chains), Durham road west (20 chains), Bristol road (327 chains), Kaimata road south (130 chains). Kunara road (8 chains), Mana road flS'/ocliains), and Lepper road soutli (202 chains). Fourteen n-inch, twelve 12-inch, three 18-inch and three 2ft pipes were manufactured at the depot during the liionfh. The overseer was authorised to procure the metal recommended for the Windsor Road. The action of the overseer and Messrs Shoemark and Williams in procuring extra 20 yards of metal on the Egmont road south was confirmed. It was resolved to grant Mr Loiigstnl" a subsidy of £2 10s to do work at tiie King road. The foreman was instructed to see that contractors do not injure fences when taking storte out of any property. Tin- foreman was also instructed to put in a pipe culvert on Lepner road .south, provided the settler will consent, to allow the water to run through his pig yard. THE BOROUGH ROLLER. The Inglewoocl Borough Council notified that it could not undertake to hire the roller until after the arrival of the newly appointed borough overseer. The hiring was left in the hands of the Board's overseer, as members were doubtful whether it would be advisable to roll the new earth work on the Ngaro road, if the weather continued wet. Mr A. E. Lawrence stated that settlers on the Surrey and Johns roads would like the roller tried on their roads if obtainable. This matter was also left in the hands of the Board's overseer. ALLOCATION OF BOUNDARIES.

Tlie county clerk (Mr R. 0. Ellis) notified that as the boundaries of tho Moa road district had been altered, it would be necessary for the Taranaki County Council to dissolve tile Moa Road Board and make provision for tiie election of a new Board. He asked the .Board to suggest a date and place for the election, and the person to act as deputy-returning officer of such election. The valuation roll of the Moa outlying district had been forwarded liy the Valner-fieneral for the purpose of compiling the election roll of the amended Moa road district, and this would be available to the deputy-returning olliccr to erase the names from the present roil.

The members were of opinion that the matter was premature.

The chairman stated that the Board's solicitor had informed him thiit the matter could not be proceeded with until the objection to the meTgcr had been decided.

Mr Bridgeman said that he had been watching carefully for this matter, and it had not come up before the council since he had been elected to that body. Sir Lawrence confirmed.

Mr Hopson remarked tliiit a good deal of c.riunty business wan done by tlie eliairman and clerk and never came before tlie council at all. He considered that tlie Board should ignore the letter, which was absurd and premature. The chairman stated tiiat the prop.T legal procedure; had been adopted bv the objectors, and the. objection was nowlodged with the Supreme Court. The matter then dropped. The Valuer-General also askeil that the local roll for the Moa Koad District should be forwarded to hint for the purpose of cancelling those entries that are now in the Moa outlying district. EGMONT BOAT). Mr G. T. Murray, resident road engineer, notified that he had approved the plans and specifications prepared for metal repairs to the extent of £IOO, in frtmt of sections 110 and 1 11, block 7, Egmont rond. He also notified that there would probably be only £IOO issued to the Board, so that they must curtail their estimates to that figure. The Kgniont National Park Board, lie added, might probably hare the balance, viz., £l7 0s 2d. MONTHLY BALANCE. Tlie monthly statement showed that receipts had amounted to £2IS(I Is Id. tlie principal item being rates £212-r 18s. Expenditure had amounted to £404 ss. The bank balance showed a credit of £1775 Ills Id. OUTSTANDING RATIOS. Tlie chairman stated that outstanding rates were as follows:—!!I0!I-1!)]0, Ss 9d; 1910-1911, £1 6s; 1911-1912, £8 3s JOd; 1913-1913, £6 2s Id; 1913-1914,

£lll 5s 2d; 1914-1015, £IBO lis Id. The chairman thought that all outstanding rates recoverable, should be sued for, Mr Smith considered that it might be ino-e profitable to employ a special rats collector. On the motion of Mr Lawrence, it was i" Ived that all outstanding rates »iltl be sued for at once. GENERAL.

'ilie chairman's action in allowing the Borough Council the use of the Board's

verseer to fix the drain at the electric light works was approved. The Stratford County Council notified that the council had at present no money available for expenditure 011 the. jfangaotea road. It was resolved to procure 25 yards of gravel from the county contractors at Ts (id per yard for use at the pipe depot. ,

Mrs Tarry asked tile board to repair the drive at her property, which was in a bad state owing to the pipe traffic. She also asked what arrangements tinBoard were prepared to make regarding the use of a paddock for .storing pipes, etc.—Left in the hands of the chairman.

Accounts amounting to £440 is Gd were passed 1 for payment.