PARIHAKA ROAD BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 November 1915, Page 7

PARIHAKA ROAD BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING', The ordinary meeting of the Parihaka Road Board was held at Rahotu yesterday. Present: Messrs Jas. Young (chairman), T. Harvev, CJ- Holmes, S, Willoughby, OVERSEER'S REPORT. The overseer reported that he had been over the lower portion of the Stent Road in connection with the application of Mr. C. Sole. There were sixteen chains from the end of the metal to Mr. Sole's gate which required forming and metalling. As it would cost £2O to form, he thought that Mr. Sole would be satisfied if the Board would form the road for the present and leave the metalling until next summer. On the Ihaia Road, the broken-down culvert on the boundary between the Opiinake Town District and the Road District had been replaced with pipes, the Town Board agreeing to pay 25s towards the cost. The Te Poka Road was now being repaired and a stone culvert had been replaced by 18-inch pipes. General maintenance work had been effected on the Cape, Te Namu, Upper Arawbata, Upper Kina, Lower Newall, and Rahotu Roads. The Oaonui factory road had been completed at a cost to the board of £lB 13s. During the month eight 18-ineli and ten 9-ineli pipes had been used and five 12-inch pipes sold. RANGER. There were no applications for the position of ranger for the northern portion of the district, from the Oaonui River to Ptiniho Road. After some discussion, in which it was pointed out that there would be considerable difficulty in obtaining a ranger at present owing to the scarcity of labor, it was decided that after November 18 the roadmen are to report on all cases of cattle ■wandering in the Parihaka Road District, and that the overseer is to at once take legal proceedings. The Board was emphatic in deciding that there was to be no favoritism shown, and the roadmen will, be instructed accordingly. It was also decided to obtain the opinion of the Board's solicitor on the matter, so that there shall be no hitch in Court proceedings.

KAHUI ROAD EROSION. The Board's solicitor (Mr. Geo. (Sow) notified that the Road Boards Act did not empower the Board to carry out protective works to prevent the erosion of the Kahui Road by making a new channel in the stream which flowed through ratepayers' properties. It would, he considered, be inadvisable for the Board to undertake them except under the authority of the Public Works Act. He therefore advised that an application be made for a proclamation under that Act, seeking full power to protect the banks or to alter the course of the stream. He also pointed out that the Board had power to order the removal of any obstruction in the stream that was likely to cause damage to the road.

The Board had decided at last meeting to proceed with the deviation of the stream, but in view of the legal opinion, the chairman considered that it was too big a job to undertake at present. He estimated that by the time the proper machinery had been put in force and the deviation completed it would cost not much less than £l5O, He moved that the work be held over until the autumn. Mr. Harvey considered that some temporary protection work should be executed at once, with timber. He estimated this could be done for £lO. Mr. Willoughby urged that something should be done at once. He pointed out that the rain on the previous night had caused erosion. After further discussion, it was decided to hold the matter over until the autumn, the overseer to use temporary protective measures if necessary. If it is found necessary to take steps under the Public Works Act, the chairman intimated that they would probably approach the settlers to raise a loan, as the work could not ba done out of the general rates accruing to the road.

GENERAL. It was decided to give authority to any two members to sign cheques. It was resolved to debit the Ivaweora Road with the expense, of raising a £OOO loan which the settlers were unable to take up, owing to the amount being insufficient to do the work. The South British Insurance Company forwarded cheque for £0 7s lid, being refund of amount overpaid in insurance during the last two years. The clerk stated that the Company had discovered that the Board's premiums had been based on too high a rate. It was decided to thank the Company. The offer of Mr. Lusk to do some work on the YVitiora Road was accepted. The matter of repairing a bad hole in the Kahui Road was left in the hands of Mr. Willoughby. Accounts amounting to £135 17s 6d were passed for payment.