TEMUKA ROAD BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2198, 7 May 1891, Page 2

TEMUKA ROAD BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the above board was held on Tuesday last. Present—Messrs J. Talbot (chairman), J. Woodhead, J, Fraser, W. Snelli and C. Bissett.

CORRESPONDENCE. Correspondence was read and dealtT with as follows From Q-eo. Hedges and Son, asking for timber for the erection of a crossing to their section on dyne’s road.— The overseer to inspect and allow material if necessary. From Mr P. Wareing, applying for pipes for drain crossing «n White’s road, and new bearers for wooden decking on Boiling Down road.—Overseer inspect, and if in accordance with the board’s usual custom in these matters the request to be granted. From Mr J. Pearce, Orari, requesting that his name might be placed on the roll m respect of Section 2699, Block z, in place of that of Mr B. Coles. From the same, applying for pipes for a 16fti crossing to above section.— The overseer to report. From the Q-eraldine County Council, enclosing cheque for £9B 8s 9d, this being the council’s share of subsidy on rates collectable by the board. From Mr W. Palmer, applying to have the name of T. Knight and. Son placed on tbe roll in respect of Sections 14843, and part of Section 12182, the same having been leased to them.

From Mr W. Rolleston, asking th£* board’s consent to alteration of road line running from (Section 17086 to Section 27889, so that it maj run along (Section 15940. He was thent. prepared to give the land for abroad from the north corner of Section 18812 to the south corner of section 17085 in consideration of the closing of that part of Macdonald’s road which runj from the north corner of Section 18812 to Section 15940. If the board consent to this proposal be was prepared to arrange about necessary share of expenses.

From Mr John Holwell, asking permission to deepen the drain running along section at Springfield from a foot to eighteen inches.—ihe board offered no objection. From Mr Henry Ford, asking that the name of A. Macdonald be removed from the rate roll in respect of Sections No.’s 32684 and 32655, and that of Mr James Austin inserted.

From the same, m respect of Rural Section 1371, the name of A, Macdonald to be removed, and that of Estate of W. Macdonald substituted.

From the Clerk, Waimate County Council, asking for information re regulations of traffic of traction engines. From the Clerk, Mount Feel Road Board, acknowledging with thanks receipt of the board’s letter re Orari Traffic Bridge. From the Clerk to the G-eraldine County Council, informing the hoard that their share of Hospital and Charitable Aid amounted to £254 18s lid, and a demand for £127 9s 6d, the half of this sum was now made>

From the same, stating that by the Timaru Harbor Board .Empowering Act, 1890, a direct levy would, be made upon the several districts for the amount of harbor rate. The board’s share would be £369 19a 4d, and the council requested that the sum of £lB4 19s 8d might be placed to the credit of the Timaru Harbor Board prior to the Ist June, 1891. From the Treasury Department, advising payment to the Bank of New Zealand, Temuka, of the sum of £9B 8a 9d subsidy under the Finance and Powers Act. Two circulars were received re poisoned grain. r From the Returning Officer, notifying that the election had taken place in respect of the vacancies caused by the effluxion of time of Messrs Talbot, Fraser and Snell, and that the same gentlemen had been re elected. otibesejse's KEJPOET, The overseer’s report was read dealt with as under:— “ To the ohaiinian, “Sir,—l h»vo the honor to report for the past month as follow • :

“Contract No. ia nearly comp'eted, and « cheque has been drawn io payment of this work when finished. During the month a wooden culvert near Mr Low’s has been replaced with one of concre'e, and repairs done to various bridges throughout the district. The bridge ovsr the Haupo Creek, on Walker’s road, requires repairing, as two of the gilders «re rotten. As d rected I have visited the section occupied by Mr Charteris, and find that water is standing on a low place on it. This is caused by the foul state of that portion of the creek running through Mr Eli Prattley’s laud. No damage is being done le the road,—l have, etc., “ F. Archer.” Re Mr Charteris—This was a matter in which the board could not interfere. The bridge at Haupo Creek was ordered to be repaired. ACCOUNTS. Aceo”ntf( amounting to £B7 2s 9d were passed for payment, and the meeting terminated.

ANNUAL MEETING-. There was snly a small attendance at the statutory meeting, which was held at about 12 o’clock. The chairman of the board, Mr J. Talbot, said that he had arranged to hold the meeting at that time, as he hoped there would be a fair attendance, It appeared, however, that other engagements ware keeping people away. He then read the annual report, which analysed the balance-sheet as well, as follows : “In accordance with the statute, the annual accounts are made up to March 31st, also in accordance therewith the annual meeting of ratepayers must be held during the first week in May. It was probably intended by those provisions that ratepayers should have placed before them a duly audited and certified balancesheet, and it is obvious tint such ought to be (ha case. The balance-sheet now presented to you is undoubtedly a correct summary of (he year’s accounts. It has not yet, however, been audited by (he Government officer. The rate struck for the past year was smaller than usual, viz., f d in the £, which would produce a gross amount of £1066. It will be observed, however, that the expenditure has been kept well within the income, that the board has been enabled to do so may be ascribed mainly to the fact that unusually dry weather has prevailed throughout the year; as a consequence of this road mainiainance has been less costly, and also no flood damage has occurred. The receipts for the year, exclusive of credit balance brought forward from last year, are £1546 6s 4£d, and the expenditure £1435 13t 6d, thus leaving a credit , balance on the year’s accounts of £197 12 1 10 J, thus, together with a credit balance from last year, make up a total credit of £376 9a sd, The outstanding cash assets at March Slat were £553 4s7d, and the liabilities £sl 13s, the actual credit balance is therefore £877 0a 3d. The board’s contribution to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board has been £283 5s 2d, and the amount received from Government by way of subsidy on rates collected £352 6s 4d. Under the new legislative airangemen’s made during the last sess'en of Parliament the amount , required by the Timaru Harbor Board by way of direct taxation, to assist in providing interest on loans, will now be demanded from the local governing bodies'in lump sums direct in proportion as their several rateable values are to the ] total sum required. The local bodies are authorised to meet these demands out of their ordinary funds, additional rating powers being giyen, if required, to by i used. The object sought to be obtained by this arrangement ia the saving of the , e • pense that ia entailed in the making and ( collection of separate rates. The board j bring this under the notice of ratepayers to apprise them that the rate to be struck \ for the ensuing year will have to be based on this expenditure, whatever the amount may be, being iucluded in the estimate of the year’s requirements. It will be seen that the board has expended about £IOO in connection with the small birds’ nuisance, and it is to be regretted that the expenditure of this sum, while seriously trenching on the rates, seems to have no appreciable'effact in lessening the number of birds, and notwithstanding the large numbers of eygs and young birds destroyed in this and neighboring road board districts it is doubtful if their increase is much checked, while to add to the annoyance of agriculturists and gardeners, insect life, which those birds were supposed to destroy, is at present unusually prevalent and destructive, due probably to the past two years of dry weather. It seems that it must be to a recurrence of the normal conditions of climate and not lb the presents t of small birds that we must look to for relief from the present superabundance of insect life. The number of eggs and young birds paid for is nearly (10,000) ten thousand dozen, and £25 worth of poisoned wheat have been distributed. Wo believe the funds of the board have been carefully and economically administered ; that such ia so is due in no small measure to the overseer, Mr F. Archer, who has also performed the clerkship part of bis duiies with groat satisfaction to the board. “John Tadbot,

“ Chairman,” May sth, 1891. The following supplementary report was furnished by the overseer “ Dear Sir, —As you requested I send the fo.lowing information re works done during the past year \ The contracts reduring the ye«r comprise the carting of 3000 cubic yards of shingle and SSO yards of clay, re-forming 207 chains of old road, and making 61 chains of new road, £25 for cleaning road drains, the half of which sum has been, or is to bs, refunded by occupiers of adjacent land. Day labor comprises, besides the usual repairs to roads, spreading shingle, fords, &c., the putting in of one concrete culvert, and seven pips or wood culverts. A good deal of bridge repairing has been done, among which is substituting earthwork for 40 feet of bridging, entirely renewing the timber work of one bridge built with conotete abutments, and repairing the Opihi bridge, the C’at of which has been refunded. —lours, &c., “F. Archkr." April 29th, 1891. The chairman said in regard to the Harbor Board it would he necessary for the Board to fi >d about £370. This would amount to a r-to of about £ 1 in the £, As far as bo k law the roads and bridges were in fair repair. There would be a jitter, however, which woald, have to be

brought under the notice of the County Council, and that was the Opibi bridge. He pointed out that a'though they showed a snbstan'ial balance it was not more than should be shown for safety s sake. He thanked those who had attended, but regretted that there were not more present. He took their absence, however, as a sign that they were really satisfied with the work of the y* ar. He wished to make one further remark, and that was that when application had been put in for roads in which the benefit was chiefly to the applicant that the board had asked for contributions towards the cost of the smie irrespective of persons, Mr J. Fraser briefly criticised the ba'ance-sheet. They bad been fortunate in having bad very fiae waatker, eo that verv little demand had been made upon their funds. The chair nan in his remarks had dealt with the principal features of interest to the ratepayers, aod he desired to compliment him <nd congratulate the ratepayers upon having his services. He then referred to past years, when the board were indebted to the B»nk of New Zealand for an overdraft, and this had led to increased rating. A reduction had now been made, and he felt sure ratepayers would feel HHtibfi d not only with their chairman but with their clerk. THE ELECTION. The returning officer attended the meeting, and declared the result of the recent election as follows :•*— J. Talbot 139 W. Snell 138 J. Fraser ... ... ••• 196 0. Woodley.. ... ... 59 He therefore declared the first three duly elected. The chairman thanked the returning officer. The election had been conducted fair y and well, and he was glad the old members had been returned. Mr Fraser drew attention to the system of voting. He desired more accurate information es to whether in a case where three vacancies had to be filled it was necessary to vote for the whole there or whether a voter had the privilege of voting for only one, practically of plumping. Thedeputy returning officers considered that it was necessary to vote for the three. The chairman did not think it necessary to go into the discussion now. The returning officers were entrusted with the election, and doubtless knew their work. It might be desirable to vote for three, but it was certainly not illegal to vote for one.

Mr Wills gave a brief explanation of the system adopted by him. He bad not disallowed plump votes. The ruling of different M gistrates varied much. The Act wne very ambiguous on the point. Mr Fraser contended that the time had come for some definite ruling. If seemed that plumping was still allowed. The ch»irman did not consider that the system amounted to plumping. For instance he had four votes. He could give 4 to three candidates, but he could not give 12 for one. Mr Fraser again urged the necessity of legal opinion upon the subject. A final decision ought to bo given. The returning officer asked for some little instructions as to the fixing of the polling booths for the outside districts. The chairman then moved the adoption of the report and balance sheet, which was seconded by Mr Fraser and carried unanimously. The meeting then terminated.

A meeting of the newly constituted board was then held.

Mr Fraser moved “ That Mr Talbot be again e’ected chairman for the ensuing year.”—Mr Joseph Woodhead Recmdad the motion, which was carried unanimously. Mr Talbot thanked them for again re-electing him as their chairman. He also thanked them for the apeifitat.ee they hid rendered him, and trusted h* about please them as well in the future as in the paa*. He thought they had really gone through all the business necessary nnti' next meeting. Mr Fraser suggested that the hour of meeting should be earlier. Mr Snell said it meant a day at any rate On the motion of Mr Biasett, second d by Mr Snell, Mr F. Archer wa-* reappointed clerk and oveiseer at his firmer salary. This concluded ths bu-dness.