TEMUKA ROAD BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1886, 2 May 1889, Page 2

TEMUKA ROAD BOARD.

A special meeting of the Temuia Road Board was held yeefcerday. Present—Messrs Talbot Hayhurst, Eraser, Bißsett, and Quinn. The chairman submitted the annual report, which was approved of. ANNUAL MEETING OF RATEPAYERS. At twelve o'clock the annual statutory meeting was held. Thar* being only one ratepayer besides th* members of board preient, the business was of a formal character. MINUTES. The minutes of the last annual! meeting were read and confirmed. AtfNr/AL EEPOET AJTD BALANCE-SHITET^ The chairman read the annual, report which was as follows: " During: the year twelve ordinaiy ar*? two special meetings of the Boacri havebeen bald. Tbe accounts have not yet been* audited by the Government auditor. The balance-Bheet issued by the Bo»rd may be taken, hotvev»r, as correct. The receipts for the year from all Bources were £1736 Bs6|l, and the expenditure, in' eluding a debit balanco on March 31st, 1888, of £l6B 14a. sd, hag been £l6ll 8a lOd, (hue leaving a balance to credit on March 31st, 1889, of £124 19s Bfi. The assets on the same date, consiatiug of uncollected rales, ete., togeiher with the. credit balance aforesaid amounted \0£689 £689 9s ftd, and tha liabilities, for. payment for woiks in progresc, cost of! material ordered, etc., amounted to £ls# 15a Bd, T'Vere was therefore a balance iokA faro* b j Blselß over liabilities £534 14s Id* *r I* should be stated that the whole of thrat outstanding rates for the past two years are included in the figures given, of which, probably, about £4O will be ancollectable*

It was announoed at tbe last annua meeting tbat the board would probably, in the faci of the then debit balance, fiui it necessary to strike a somewhat heariei rate than imiel. This was done, via., a half-penny rate was struck instead of, as for the pait few years, one of threeeighths of a p«Dny, The result of thif has been the placing of the finances in a more satisfactory position, aDd the new board will tnk« office with a credit balance, while at tbs same time tbe ordinary maintenance of roads and bridges in all parts of the district hare been fairly met. In the early part of tbe year Mr Geo. Dyson ceased to act as cl.srk to the board, and Mr*lrcher received the appointment, combined with the overseership. The arr«ng«ment haa been satisfactory to the board, and effects, moreover, a saving in the official expenditure. At the same time it is anticipated that Ihe convenience of ratepayers has suffered little, if anything by the change. Mr Lawson having resigned the position of pouedkeepsr, npplicatiOQS were invited from persons willing to take the appointment on tbe same terms regarding fees, etc., as hitherto. Mr Owen Connolly wa» the successful applicant, his offer being a payment to the board of £3O h year as rant. The board have not during the past year expended aoy of its funas id the endenvor to abate tbe small bird* nuisance. Many ratepayars, however, consider that the measure hitherto adopted should have been continued. The gross proceeds of tke general rate imoont to £I4OB, -of which £217 19a was outstanding on March 31st of tbis year. «'J. Talbot, " Chairman." L The balance-sheet showed the totnl | \ receipts from all sources amounted to £1736 8s 6jd ; of this £1267 16a 2Jd w»s nJeiVed from rates. *rom MDsidies ~ £ll9 4s 19d accrued, and rents £3O. ihe uum of £39 3s 6d was refunded by the Ceunty Council for repairs to bridges. The principal items of expenditure were : Salaries, £l7O 6s Bd'; charitable aid, £238 19s 6d ; roads, drains, and bridges, £79 lis 8d ; maintenance, £603 lis lUd ; advertising and printing, £22 lis Id. The baltnce to credit on tbe 31et JUarcn was £124 19a BJd. The chairman said in reference to the cessation of paying subsidy for birds and eggs, h« was of opinion that it would be better for farmers to take the matter up as a club, and the board could then perhaps subsidise them. As it was it seemed as if the board were always fighting a shadow, and only a very small, proportion of the eggs wire secured.. He admitted the seriousness of the evil, but doubted the value of the former means adopted to destroy them. Katepayera generally, too, did not appreciate the fact that they were encroaching upon A certain amount of the rates for the purpose. He suggested that a small wteofsay one-sixteenth of a penny could be struck, and from this the subsidy could be paid. This would place the matter more cl-arly before them. He moved the adoption of the rem>rt, which was seconded by Mr s <JSinn and carried. chairman said that in leaving bis position he felt that he was leaving the afiairß in a fairly satisfactory position. He had seen several changes, and perhaps Borne of the money might not have been spent always judiciously, but still it must be remembered that pressure had been brought to bear upon them, and at all events they had now fairly good roads. Old culverts, etc., had also been replaced. L.& thought that there would be no necessity for striking any higher rate than hitherto. With regard to his retirement, he did so for several reasons. He thought the younger ones should come forward, and also he believed that the members should be distributed more evenly over the district. Hia connection with the members had always been of a pleasant character. Differences of opinion had been few, and had never upset their cordial feeling towards one another. m Mr Hayhjoat thought it was their duty to place 0» record their appreciation of the loss Oi Mr Talbot and also of Mr Quinn. He moved-- That the members of the".We Board desire | -<to place on record their regret that j Messrs Talbot and Quina have decided to retire- from the board He did not know if the motion went far enough. He asked any member to add to it if it was thought neces--BaMraMr Eraser could add little to the motion. He had hoped that when Mr Sot retired Mr Quinn would have remained to give them the benefit ot his many years experience. As it was, however, he could only echo the regret expressed by Mr Hayhurst. He .bogged to second the motion. Ane resolution was put and carried. Mr Talbot expressed his thanks. He "had come forward at a time when it was thought necessary to have a representative in his district. He was glad to say when he urged the claims of *h»t' district they had always been rewgnised. He might say also that he had never stood in the way of other districts. He was glad to reti e because he really felt that; it was .unwise that any person should have, as Twere, a monopoly of public= busmes Sg Mr Quinn also expressed his tnanfcs for the way in which his name had been couphfd with that of Mr Talbot in the.expressioD of re g ret 3 ust carried He referred to his long connection with that gentleman, and the harmonious manner in which they had always worked. . The meeting then terminated.

• Dunedin the. evidence* is concludad in Abe. will case Winmill v. Gallic. A prisoner named Jacknon, sentenced a ><r,day« afio to three year*' imprisonment, fifipad from Wollineton gaol on T«e«d.y afternoon, but wos- recaptured by tie police about two hours afterwards.• ibo escape wus a most daring oue. and tw wurder in charge fired hjgjrtvolver at the «scopee, but m'ssed.