PARIHAKA ROAD BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 July 1917, Page 7

PARIHAKA ROAD BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary meeting of the Parihaka Koad Board was held at Rahotu on Thursday, when there were present: Messrs J. Young (chairman), T. Harvey. M. O'Brien, W. C. Green and W. R Smith. KVRBMAN'S RBPOET.

The foreman (Mr. J. N. Harris) reported that the Ware a road liad had repair work done on it up to the value of ~£3o. It was necessary to shoot 80 vards of stone out of Mr. Duggan's quarry, which was in bad condition and dangerous. The whole road was in bad condition, and it would take some little time to place i„ in passable order, and although £SO of the grant had been expended, he could not take tlie staff off it while it was so ibad. Tlie flood water, which runs down Kahui road at the Eailiotii township, gathered from the ror.d near the ehuTeh and could be diverted across the main road into the Upper Kahui road drain. Some of the settlers on the Arawhata road had carted out a lot of stone, tut the work of repairs was stopped until a capable man or two was obtained. The N&mu road would be repaired in the course of a week or two. A settler bad arranged to patch the iPungarehu Toad, 'but did not do so and another man was prepared to do so. Additional moulds were required for nino and 12-inch pipes. He was getting a better staff dl men together, and hoped to do Ibetter work. s!*irgo numbers of cattle were straying on the roads, including contractors' working bullocks. Two ratepayers had been notified to cut gorse. The overseer was granted a week's ho'iday. Mr. Green thought the Kahui road settlers should go in for a loan. It would cost at least £6OO or £7OO to repair the road and & Sd rate would never do it. With a loan this could be done in six or twelve months, whereas out of rates it would not be done in three or four years. The chairman said that some other roads were in a worse state than Kahui road.

The overseer stated that after two days' work the staff would attend to the flapairs at the lower end. Members agreed that it was advisable to expend an additional £2O while the men were on the road. It was resolved to ask the Council to divert the storm water . THE PARIHAKA ROAD. Mr. Harvey suggested that they should ask the Public Trustee if any money was available to open the Parihaka road. The secretary stated that the Public Trustee had declined to assist some months ago.

The chairman stated that the settlers interested should go in for a loan. Mr. Smith doubted if the security of the native leases would be good enough.

Other members considered that when the land was cut up provision should ibe made for roading. It was resolved to again apply to the Public Trustee. AIIAWHATA ROAD. Seven ratepayers of the Arawhata road petitioned the Board regarding the inefficient, work done by two of the men employed on the Arawhata road and asked that they should be dismissed. Mr. O'Brien said that there were similar complaints from the Qpua road regarding one of the men.

The overseer stated the men referred to were not members of the 'Board's permanent staff, and had since 'been dismissed.

It was resolved to inform the settlers the amount that had been expended out of the £2O promised. The Hoard resolved to expend up to. £iJO on the Arawhata and Gpua roads. ABOLITION OF TOLLS. The qrestion of supporting Mr. Wilkinson's Abolition of Tolls' Bill was discussed. In reply to Mr. Green, the chairman stated that he did not think a levy would have to bo (paid if the toll gate was abolished. Messrs T. 'Harvey and \Y. C. Green were deputed to proceed to Wellington on behalf of the Board in support of the Bill, which the Board strongly supported. THE IHAIA ROAD. Messr« De Castro (2), J. Hickey-and Hohia waited on the Board and asked that something should be ilone to the lower end of the road. The settlers were all willing to turn out and assist, as they had <lono *t the top end, providing the Board would assist with cartage to the value of £lO. It was resolved to vote up to £l,">. In reply to Mr. O'Brien, Mr. De Castro stated that he favored roads being made by machinery. RATES AND MAiCHJXERY. ■A deputation, consisting of Messrs W. B. Wright (Pwigarehu), A, F. Chapman (Rahotu), .1. Lawn (Oaonui) and 11. N. Chapman (Warea) waited on the Hoad Hoard to protest against the propose;! levying of a penny rate, the rate last year having been Ad. Mr. W. 1?. Wright, w3io acteit as spokesman, stated the Egmont County had struck a li-Jd rate over the main road and with the proposed penny by" the'ltoad Board it meant 2'/,d that ratepayers would have to f>ay, whereat? in the Oeo riding the rate, inclusive on main and by roads, was I Ad, and. lie was agreeably surprised at the state of I tho by-roads there, the Patiki being equal to a tarred roßd.

The chairman: The Patiki is £OOO overdrawn.

Mr. Wright, continuing, said that the penny rate had been struck for the purpose of purchasing machinery, against which there were solid reasons. In justice to the ratepayers, this expenditure should bo held over until the war was finished. Moreover, the question of merging was in the air, and he was certain that when the penny rate was struck the new Opiia riding would merge and this end would be saddled with the hurdle of the machinery. He thought the question should be deferred. Mr. H. X. Chapman said that the general feeling was that the time was inopportune to make a splash. Mr. Lawn said the majority in his district favored merging.

Mr. A. F. Chapman said that the penny rate would be hard on the ratepayers on the high valued beach lands, whose roads were passable, and they felt that they were better as they were now.

Mr. O'Brien pointed out that the lower, valued bush lands all paid special rates on loans, in some cases throe or four. The chairman considered this was due to the road boards in the past not s&ferttardioj ra,tsptyers' interest* by seeinp

that one loan was sufficient tb Complete the roads and Bo ratepayers.the"whole length of the road would '.rated equally. He pointed out that £'36,000 had been borrowed to make roads in the district, and that these roads would require fresh loans for r6newal before the old loan was paid off. A penny rate would only keep them in repair so that tliey could last out the present loans. They had 154 miles of road to maintain, of which 105 was metalled. Whai would be the position if these were allowed to go out of repair? Mr. Lawn: Tif tlie rate is struck what guarantee will there 'be that the Board will l:eep the roads in repair? The chairman pointed out that tlie Board had previously struck either a halfpenny or a 7-MS rate, whereas the Moa Road Board had always Struck a %d rate and now they had machinery struck Id, while the settlers also came out and assisted.

Mr. Green pointed out that in this district the metal had to be practically shovelled out of the way, whereas In the Moa district it had to be carted 16 or 17 miles by rail in many cases . Some discussion ensued over the merging question, and also over the question of labor. Mr. Lawn stating that laßt summer the Boartl could not get men to keep two horse teams going, so that it was preposterous to expect that they could keep machinery going especially with the County crusher working in the same district. The chairman said that the roads must Ibe kept in order even if men had to be paid £1 per day or women employed. Milk must be got to the factory. The deputation thanked the Board and withdrew. Mr. W. B. Smith moved that Id rate be struck. —Seconded by the chairman, Mr. Green considered that the roads could bo maintained on less than Id, save roads which required a loan. This rate would produce £4450, whereas they had maintained them on a halfpenny rate for £2225. A three-farthing rate allowing £4OB for payment on machinery, etc., allowing interest and depreciation, would leave £2802 for the maintenance of the roads. He did not think this amount would foe expended, as labor would not be available, and moreover the machinery would not arrive until one third of the year had passed. The chairman said the machinery could be procured in three" weeks. Mr. Green inoyed as an amendment that %d Ibe struck. The chairman said that he had never yet used his casting vote, and, if Mr. O'Brien favored a reduction he would agree to it. Mr. O'Brien considered that it should either be %d or Id. The amendment on Ibeing put was lost. Mr. O'Brien moved .that a rate of %d be struck. Not seconded. Mr. Green stated if this was carried the southern end would merge. He would support the amendment if it was reduced to 13-16 d, and he moved in this direction. Mr. Harvey seconded. This was carried, Messrs. Smith and the chairman opposing. The question of securing machinery was then discussed, and it was decided to procure a 10-ton Titan road roller tractor and Collet crusher GENERAL. Mr. W. B. Smith stated that Mr. Deacon was prepared to give a day with his team on -the ijflewall road, provided the Board would send a spreader. The offer was accepted. , Mr. Newton King notified that he was prepared to pay for the installation of pipes at the sale yards crossing. Mr. H. N. Chapman drew attention to the state of the Stent road. The work to be undertaken. Accounts amounting to £1152 were pa&siid.