PARIHAKA ROAD BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 September 1917, Page 3

PARIHAKA ROAD BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. Tho ordinary meeting of the Parihakn Road licard was held at Rahotu on Thursday, when there were present: Messrs Jae. Young (chairman). T. llarvey, W. C. Green.. M. Ilickcy, M. O'Brien, and \Y. B. Smith. FOREMAN'S REPORT. The foreman "(Mr. .T. N. Harris) reported repair work on the Upper Kahui Road had been finished for the pre-eut. owing to the available money being expended, though the road was not in anv sense in a good state. The worst hole; had been patched in the Lower Kahui Road, where there was still scope for work. The worst places of the l'ariliaka Road had been patched. This road had suffered on account of the heavy fiax cutting in the winter. The staff were now engaged on the Opourapa Road, which, was not in very bad order. The Opua. Lower Arawhata, and Naru Roads had been patched. Work on the Manila and Upper Waiteaka Roads was being attended to. Upper and Lower Kina Roads required attention. Threequarters of a tnile of the Witiora Road required forming and metalling. A horse suitable for the Board's work could be obtained for £25. Four of the Board's employees had left. Since last meeting lie had impounded off head of stock on the Kahui Road, and 4S head were released (35 belonging to one owner)., Driving fees totalled £5 Is.

KjUAKERE ROAD. 'Mr. Revell asked that 35 chains of metalling'be done on the top of the Ruakere Road. At present neither grocer's nor butcher's carts could visit them. He had carted two chains of metal, and would cart equal to five chains if the board would do the rest. It was resolved that the work be done as soon as the machinery is in operation, Mr. Revell being instructed to metal and blind two chainß at a cost of 50s. The overseer was also instructed to meet Mr. Revell and report as to the metalling of the road at next meeting. IMPOUNDING FEES. A cheque was received from the pound keeper, enclosing proportion of pound fees received during the month. Mr. Green asked what became of the fees received for driving. The chairman said he understood the fees were to compensate the Board for the overseer's lost time. Mr. Green stated that tho overseer evidently understood lie was to get them, because he had boilght dogs and an extra horse.

The clerk stated that fees amounting to £5 Is had been collected, but he did not know how much time had heen lost over the matter. Mr. O'Brien understood that the overseer would be satisfied with Is per day. He considered there was a certain amount of unpleasantness responsibility about the work.

The chairman stated that the board had done all in its power to obtain a ranger, and. in response to numerous complaints, had put their foreman oa to dear the roads. A man should not complain if his cattle were impounded, as they had no right to be on the road. The safety of the public had to be considered, and there were daily narrow escapes from serious accidents through cattle straying on the road. The board had not been hard on anyone, nor had it tried to prosecute any ratepayer. Unless they kept the roads clear of cattle they might as well allow all to run the roads. Mr. W. C. Green wished to know who received the damages that might be put on by the overseer through damage done to the roads or water-tatiles by wandering cattle.

The chairman understood that the board would. The secretary showed that the statement received from the pound-keeper showed that £l4 10s damages had been paid to the pound-keeper, £lO of which had been clhimed by ratepayers and £4 10s was on account of damages tu the road.

The questioi* of £4 10s damages was held over till next meeting. Mr. 'Harvey thought it would be sufficient either to impound or to prosecute, not to do both. Mr. W. R. Wright, as next-of-kin for Trooper R. Wright, applied for refund of l'2s Od poundage fees on two horses that the overseer had impounded.—To be referred to the pound-keeper. A NATIVE'S REQUIREMENTS. Eua Moetahuna. waited on the board and asked that about 15 chain of the Lower Kina Road be metalled to connect two patches of metal, and so give the settler at the lower end an opportunity of getting his milk out.—Work to be done when labor is available. He also asked that a culvert be put on the Witiora Road to let traffic use the road instead of going through his land—Referred to the overseer for report. UPPER KAHUI ROAD,

Mr. White, manager for Mr. Lysaght, asked for a grant towards metalling and forming the top portion of the Upper Kahui Road, which he had had done at his own expense. Nineteen days' work had been done at a cost of about £l2. and he would be satisfied with £ for £ subsidy. Resolved to vote £C towards the cost. Mr. White also asked that a culvert should be attended to, Mr. Lysaght being agreeable to do the work if the board provided lain, pipes.—The overseer was given power to act in the matter. RAHOTU ROAD. Mr. O'Brien asked whether the bridge over the Pungarere river, to give settlers on the Rahotu Road access to their property, would be attended to. The chairman stated it was estimated to cost £4O. The road was in credit £s6.—Held over. GENERAL. Mr. Hill, foreman in the Warea ward, asked that his wages should be increased from 12s to 13s 4d per day.—To be considered, the foreman to be given a week off meantime. ' Mr. T. P, Hughson, jun., asked that the drain at the back of his private residence, which diverted the watei from tho Kahui Road, and also from the Main South Road, should be cleaned out and deepened, as at present, in flood time, it overflowed through his property—Left in the hands of Mr. Green. Mr. L. W. Ward notified that when surveying a native .block he discovered the bridge over the Rautini river on the Opourapa Road was on native land, and the approaches were partly on Dative land. He asked if the board, was

going to take steps ,to legalise the position, and offered to do tho necessary work.

The chairman remarked that every surveyor found the road in a different place. Mr. Smith asked that tho stofT should be sent up to the top end of the Newall Bond, where the settlers wero prepared to assist with the. work.—The foreman to do the work at once. culvert on the Newall Road (unmetailed portion) was referred to the northern overseer, who was instructed to attend to the cattle road through the township. The trial of the now crushing plant tn take place on the Cape Road. Mr. Smith stated that boulders would fce placed on the Warea Road by setV 'ers at is per yard. The crusher will be sent to 'that road after the trial. It was resolved to adhere to "the charge of 15s per ton for flax taken off tho by-roads.