WAIOTAHI HIGHWAY BOARD.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 5, 12 October 1871, Page 2

WAIOTAHI HIGHWAY BOARD.

A>?.eeting of the members of the Waiotahi Highway Board was he'd yesterday afternoon at the Governor Bowen Hotel. Present—Messrs Davies (in the chair), Dowdeo, and Rowe. Mr Simpson, the Engineer, and Mr Dean, the Secretary, were a'so in attendance. OBJECTIONS TO RATES. The Board proceeded to hear objections from parties rated last assessment. The following were the objections : John Goodall, rates £2 ss, for house on the Tararu Road. A week was allowed for the consideration of this case. Thomas Watters, Brown-street, rates 17s lOd ; ground of objection, that objector was rated for 16 feet instead of 14 feet, and that he did not occupy the whole of the house. R. Dodds, Beach Road, rates £1 Os lOd ; ground of objection, property assessed over its due value, £250. Mr G-udgeon, valuator, recommended that the assessment should be reduced by £25. Michael Mulßgan, Pollen-street, rates £1 5s 8d ; ground of objection, property over valued at £350. The valuator to go over the property again. Michael Muroncy, Pollen-street, rates lls 3d ; ground of objection, excessive valuation at £135. The valuator to go over iho property again.

Robert Graham. In this case the objections included nea-'ly the whole assessment list. Mr Graham’s name was, by the consent of the Board, substituted on the roll for that of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company. The objection was tliat■ vacant allotments, not to be injured by a fire, were rated for the fire rate. Mr Davies thought it was a hardship, but the Board had not had the framing of the Act. Mr Rowe dissented altogether from this view. A note of the objection was taken. John Downs, Pollen-street, rates lls 4d;the ground of objection was a mistake in computing ibcfvontage at 24 feet and not 15 feet. The assessment was reduced £2l from £l3O to £lll. Wasse'l Kuoops, Pol'en-streot, rates 14s 2d ; objection, over valuation at £l7O. James Patterson, Ta'aru Road, rates £1 2s 9d ; oujec ion on ground of valuation being excessive at £273. C. F. F’scher, Po'len-s-reet. rates £2 18s ; ground of objection, excessive valuation, £SOO. 8 > Edwaid He; be;t, Davy-street ; rates, 3s. 9d. ; objection to amount of valuation for fire rate at £ls a year.

'W- D. Reid, Campbell street; rates, 10s.; objection to valuation, £ll3 ; referred to valuer. P. Donnelly, De Hirsch-street; rates, 10s. and 7s. Gd.; objected to on ground of excess j referred to valuer. The following applications for transfer of names of persons rated were referred to the parlies to whom the liability is sought to he transferred : R. Flatt to R- Cook ; H. Vickers to A. Unthank ; Osborne to Burns ; Bullerworth to Murdoch. Mr. Kennedy, who was assessed on property valued at £145 for highway rate, and £3O for fire rate, had the amounts reduced to £95 and £25 respectively.

GRAHAMSTOWN AND SIIORTLAND TRAMWAY. A letter was read from Messrs. Rees and Co., offering to construct & tramway to connect Grahamstown and Shortland on the following terms, and submitting plans, &c.:— “ That the Board "rant sole permission to applicants for laying down a passenger tramway between Grahamstown and Shortland at a peppercorn rent* with reservation of right to purchase by the present Beard or their official successors, at any time, on giving six months' notice, for cost price, with ten per cent, added. That the works be commenced within six weeks from the date of permission from the Waiotahi and Kauwaeranga Highway Board, and be completed within two months from dale of commencement, under penalty of £5 per day until the line be opcD for traffic.” Some discussion took place, and the Board agreed that that they could not grant sole permission, but saw no objection to granting Mess-s Nees application, so long as certain rights and privileges were reserved, the same as in the case of tho Tararu tramway, It was reselved that the secretary be instructed to write to Mr Miller, solicitor, on the subject, and that the matter be again brought forward at the next meeting. A letter was read from Mr Miller, solicitor, stating that he was not now a member of tire firm of Beveridge and Miller, solicitors to the Boad. but of Macdonald and Mi'ler, who would be happy to transact their business. The matter was ordered to stand over to next meeting. An applicaticn from Mr Briton to erect a barricade at the corner of Albert and Brown streets, was granted. The Chairman slated that it was not correct that ho had given any permission to Jeremiah Waite, as staled by him in the Police Court the oilier day, relative io the obstruction of a footpath, and that whenever he did so it was in writing, and notice was also always given to the pob'ce. A lei tor was read from the Superintendent’s office, asking for information in reference to certain items of expenditure. In reference to this it was stated that the amount of the Government grant in aid, had been expended. The letter (previously published) from Mr Hurst relative to the closing up of Owen street on Coromandel street, being dedicated, was again brought forward. Mr Rowe said he strongly objected to the sireet being closed up. The Secretary said he understood that everybody would be indemnified, and that another thoroughfare would be provided, as Tookeys and others had offered to purchase.

Tire matter was ordered to staud over for the present. Some discussion ensued on the minutes as to the sanitary question, earth closets, &c., and it was resolved to discuss Hie question more ful'y at the next meeling, to be liehl on Friday next, and that in ihe meantime tenders be called for caii-ng refuse, offal. &c., from all the back yards from Aibeit-sireet to Moanaiairi culvert. The desirability of people having boxes in which to put rubbish, was poinied out The Chairman observed that a’though the Board had no power to compel the people to have these boxos, yet they could enforce fines for ditty yards. Therefore it would be well if the peoplo would adopt the plan of having boxes ror rubbish, &c., which the Board wou'd ca t away. As the hot weather app reached it was necessary to take eveiy precaution. In reference to the pe. mission given to the Sm : Hng Beauty Company to use the water tables in Pollen-street, Mr. SiMrsoN sa'd be believed the water had beaten the workers for the present, but if they went oa with the work he would see to the matter. The Engineer was instructed to have a culveic erected iu Abraham-slreet. The application oc the JRev. Father Nivard for 4 tons of sand or road scrapings for the purpose of repaying the footpai h near the Catholic Chuicli, Grahamstowo, was granted. The Board Iheu adjourned until Friday next, at 10 a n.