PARIHAKA ROAD BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 July 1918, Page 3

PARIHAKA ROAD BOARD.

- • ORDINARY MEETING. i % The ordinary meeting of the Parihaka Road Hoard '.vas held at liahcUt on Thursday, there being present :• Messrs •fames Young (chairman). T. Harvey, W. (ireen. . i. O'Brien, K. Ferguson, and W. B Smith. FOREMAN'S REPORT. The overseer (Mr. Harris) reported that the past month had been exceptionally wet, s o that a great deal of outside work hail not been got through. The men put in a good deal of time in the sheds, pipe-making, until the supply.of cement ran out. He had not been able to do work o* Jin- -or' Lower Waitcaka roads Po? ~. hand for the pound fence. Two men had been working on the. Warea Road, and would he kept, on for some, time longer. Repair work had been carried out on the Pungarehu and T'pper Kahili roads. He had arranged with Tl. Eatoek to repair the bridge, etc., on the t'pper Parihaka Road, at a cost of £3. On the T'pper Kina Road he had replaced a wooden culvert with pines. The Lower Ar#whata Road metal had been patched and blinded, and some of the ditches had been banked np. Formation at the lower end had been done in readiness for the metal, but owing to the bad weather. the work had to be abandoned for t>ie winter. TAUR-UA ROAD. Mr. L. Fischer, on behalf of settlers on the Tauriift Road, asked for a crossing over the river on the roadThe overseer estimated that it would .cost from £S to £lO to do the work. The chairman asked whether the settlers would be prepared to assist. Mr. Fischer considered that should not be necessary, as lie estimated tint there was about. 300 acres, valued at £3-600, that should be credited to the road, yielding about £l4 per annum. It was resolved to do the necessary work". The clerk stated that the Taurna Road was now in debt £l3. The yearly rate accruing at present was £2 13s. The chairman considered that some of the sections on the Main South Road, opposite Taurna Road, should have their rates credited to the Taurna Road Other sections on the Taurua Road should also be credited. This was agreed to. THE IHAIA ROAD. "' Mr. O'Brien suggested that the rates of three settlers on the Wiremu Road, who were using the lliaia Road, should, be credited to the Tliaia Road instead of to the Kaweora Road, from which they were separated by two miles of bush. The chairman objected to transferring these rates, pointing out that all the money would be required by the Kaweora Road. ITe also showed that the Ihaia Road was £174 in debt at- present, and c o had the temporary use of these rates.

Mr. O'Brien strongly protested against the road being placed so much in debt. The overseer was only authorised to expend .■£loo, and ho considered that the overseer should be censured for exceeding his authority. Mr- O'Brien also doubted whether they had received value for the expenditure, and suggested that the overseer was not now a working overseer, and that the board should call applications for a working overseer. The chairman protested against any members usurping the functions of an engineer and saying that the overseer had not obtained value for the money expended. He pointed out that the work on the road had been somewhat disorganised owing to a member interfering with the men. Other members also objected to members interfering with the men. Mr. O'Brien stated that he was now making his complaint to the board. The chairman stated that if members were not satisfied, they could loolc at £he road—that is. if they considered themselves competent to estimate the work. The overseer explained that, through having to knock ofT some of the men, the work had been delayed, and some of it hail been three times as difficult to carry out. Further discussion took place on the subject of the transfer of the rates. Mr. Green r.sked whether the lhaia Road settlers would be prepared to pay interest on the money that had been overdrawn. Mr. O'Brien stated that they would, provided that the rates from the settlers using the road accrued to their roadNo action was taken regarding the rates. The chairman stated that wliile they had never bound down the overseer in the matter of exceeding any amount voted for expenditure, it would perhaps be advisable to place a limit on any extra amount that might be expended. On the motion of Messrs Green and Harvey, it was resolved that the overseer be permitted to expend up to 10 per cent, additional on any amount granted to a road, without special authority from the boardGENERAL. Mr- A. H. .Tohnstone, solicitor, notified that an Order-in-Council had been gazetted re closing of portion of Pungarehu Road, and he forwarded particulars as to the steps to be taken regarding its sale. Mr. M. Fleming is to be asked to make the valuationThe chairman and Mr. O'Brien were appointed to sign the rate book. The overseer was instructed to report or. the Lower Witcaka Road, with a view to giving Mr. A. Lusk an entrance. The board decided to clean out culverts on the lhaia Road, at the OpunakeTown Board boundary. Mr. F. Ward tendered his resignation as poundkeepcr.—Accepted. It was resolved to grant Mr- Knofflock, lhaia Road, pipes necessary for a culvert, he to do the work to tlie satisfaction of the overseer. It was resolved to increase the clerk's salary by £SO pci* annum, conditional on Mr. ,o'Bricn attending to bridge plans, etc. Members spoko in high terms of Mr- O'Brien's efficiency. Accounts amounting to '£7-12 6s 4d were passed' for payment, including a payment of £-.571 to the Treasury on account of interest on loans.