GERALDINE TOWN BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1622, 18 August 1887, Page 3

GERALDINE TOWN BOARD.

A special meeting of the members of this Board took place in their office on Tuesday evening last for the purpose of considering the ways and means and probable income and expenditure of the Board, as prepared by the Clerk. Present—Messrs R. H. Pearpoint (Chairman), W. S. Maslin, N, Dunlop, J, A, Quin, and W. Berry. INCOME AND EXPENDITURE. The Clerk’s estimate of the probable income and expenditure to March 31st, 1888, was laid upon the table. It showed the probable expenditure to be £214 7s 4d, and the income £312 19* 7d, leaving a balance to credit of £9d 12s 3d. This was considered satisfactory. MISCELLANEOUS. It was decided that the Works Committee should employ such lobor as is necessary to finish the works now in hand. It was decided to erect two lamps on the road leading to Dr Fish’s road, A letter was received from Mr T, Herlihy enclosing a price for the waste timber from the fence saw pit.—lt was decided to soli the sawn limber at a valuation, Mr Her'iby to be intimated that ho wonld have an opportunity of purchasing in that manner. Two persons who bad been caught cutting timber in the bush wailed upon the Board to give an explanation of their conduct.—They were cautioned by the Chairman, who read over to them the by-law referring to the offence, which allows of a peaky of £2O for the same. The parties then withdrew. The Works Committee were authorised to expend the of £2O in carrying out the necessary works, It was also decided that the Works Committee should visit the large park and report upon the work that was necessary to put the pavilion and oval fence it order. chairman’s reswnation. Mr Pearpoint said there were one or two little things which he wished to speak upon that evening, Statements had been made at the Board meetings by Mr Quin that the work authorised to be done at Mr Pizzey’s corner, and for which £2 had been voted, bad had four or five pounds expended on it. He considered that these things should not be allowed to go forth to the public without being contradicted. He then produced the account of the person who did the work, end also the time sheet of the Board’s men who had worked on the job. The sum total of these amounted to £1 19s, 4s under the amount authorised to be spent, Mr Quin had also stated that the strip of asphalt had cost nearly 7« 6d per yard, while the Ashburton Borough Council had had theirs done for about 2s Id per yard and maintained for two years. He (Mr Pearpoint) held in his hand a letter from the Clerk of that Council, in which full particulars were given of the work done. It showed that the first contract let was for 2s 3d per yard, the work to be maintained for two years, The contractor for that contract found the maintenance too much for the price and left the district . The present contract was for 2s 2d per yard, with no maintenance. He (Mr Pearpoin l ) then turned up the Board’s books Mid vouchers, which showed that that the asphalt had been done in Geraldine for Is 9d per yard. He also staled that he was sorry to have to mention that one member of the Board had stated outside that he (Mr Pearpoint) was in the habit of looking over his books and putting on labor to suit his accounts. If Mr Maslin or anyone else bad said so be (Mr Pearpoint) would say it was a barefaced falsehood. He would defy anyone to prove that since he bad been a member of the Board that he bad either advised or suggested that any man should be put upon work. Mr Maslin : If you will tell me the person who gave you the information I will be quite willing to see that person with you to-morrow morning, for I n v-r did say that you turned over yonr book* and set people on to suit your accounts. I «ra quite willing to go to that person and ask biro if I ever said such •> thing. j The name of the person was given, land it wm decided that both parties

should see him on the following morning. Mr Pearpoint then said ho was heartily tired of the way things had gone on of late upon the Board. For the past five or six meetings there had been nothing else but insinuations of a personal character and “ mud throwing.” The Board did not apparently meet for the transaction of business, but to find fault with each other. He did not like to mention these things, but as it was the last meeting he should preside at he intended to bo plain with them. They came there at one meeting and passed work to be done, and then at the very next meeting came and found fault because the work had been doae. He considered it was the height of ridiculousness.

Mr Pearpoint then handed in his resignation as Chairman of the Board, The members expressed their regret that things had come to such a pass. They were of opinion that there was not more dissension on the Board aotv than there was some two or three years ago. The few words then had blown over, and they thought the present was after all a trifle that could be put into an egg shell. They were all of opinion that nothing should bo said outside the Board-room as to the sort of meetings held there, as some members bad been mentioning about that the meetings had been rowdy. Mr Pearpoint wt>? strongly urged to let the matter blow over, and to withdraw his resignation; Mr Maslin said be certainly recognised the very great service Mr Pearpoint had done the Board, especially in its formation. He bad spent a vast amount of labor in working up the case and finances of the Board at the first. The value of bis services, in fact, could hardly be estimated. He really appreciated the Chairman’s labors in that respect, and he thought that in his position of Chairman he had acted with impartiality, and they wonld not be able to get a better man. Of course the Chairman had occasionally made mistakes, but they were all liable to do that, He moved that Mr Pearpoint be asked to withdraw his resignation. This was seconded on all sides. ,

Mr Pearpoint said that while much obliged to Mr Maslin for what he had said, he (Mr Pearpoint) had made up his mind, and would stick to his decision,

Mr Maslin said be knew the work Mr Pearpoint had done in getting the sum th»t they did from the Road Board, and he did not like to close his services in that manner. He thought with the otbsrs that it was only a storm that would soon blow over.

Mr Dunlop thought that Mr Pearpoint might reconsider his decision, Things would soon go along again in harmony, and for the benefit of the Board and all concerned, at any rate Mr Pearpoint need not resign his seat on the Board.

Mr Pearpoint consented to consider the Utter suggestion. The matter was finally left over to be considered at the next meeting of the Board.