WAIOTAHI HIGHWAY DISTRICT BOARD.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 144, 26 March 1872, Page 3

WAIOTAHI HIGHWAY DISTRICT BOARD.

A meeting of this Board was held yesterday afternoon, at the Governor Bowen Hotel. Present—Mr Davies (in the chair), and Messrs Anthony, Dowden, and Mcßoberts. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Mr Alexander McKenzie, of Tararu Road, objected to the amount of his assessment, and said be was absent in the bush at the time the notice of appeals took place. The Board instructed the Secretary to call and see the premises. The following letter from the Warden was read :

Warden’s Office, Grahamstown, March 14, 1872.

Sir, —In reply to your letter of the lltli inst. (only just received, 2 p.m.), I have the honour to inform you that I have instructed the Inspector of Mines to take immediate steps to prevent the several claimholders at the mouth of the Waiotahi Creek from throwing mullock into or near it. —I have, &c.,

W. Fraser, Warden. F. C. Dean, Esq., Secretary Waiotahi Highway District Board, Grahamstown. Captain McCauley, who appeared fo complain of the amount of his assessment, but was told that the Board could not interfere.

It was stated that none of the claims appeared inclined to assist in the matter of the divergence of the Waiotahi Creek, except the Caledonian, which would give £loo—the estimated expense being £GOO. It was resolved to let the matter stand over to sec if any of the other companies would subscribe.

The Chairman said, before accepting the handing over of Coromandel-street it would bo well to have a plan showing bow the culvert and water-course overhead intersected it. He thought the Board should bo cautious before accepting these kind gifts of the Provincial Government. He was afraid these culverts would cost more than the rates derived from the locality.

The Chairman said lie had seen Mr Hurst in Auckland, who said he thought the Board was obstinate in not accepting the grant in aid with the conditions attached thereto, and wanted him (Mr Davies) to sec the Superintendent. To this Mr Davies replied that the Board was anxious to co-operate with the Government, but not to incur more personal responsibility to the bank. He had seen Mr O’Rorkc and Mr Beveridge, who both said that there was no restriction attached to the grant when voted by the Provincial Council. Mr Lundon and Mr Cadinau expressed the same opinion, and said they would be glad to attend a conference of goldfield members. The Chairman said in view of the dead-lock with the Superintendent, it would be desirable to have a conference of goldfield members. The following letter was read : Superintendent’s Office, Auckland, March 15, 1872.

Sir, —I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 14th ull., in reply to mine of the 7tli, upon the subject of the promised grant by the Provincial Government in aid of works in your district. In reply, I have to express my regret that no reply was given to your letter sooner, in consequence of my absence from home for some weeks. I have further to express my regret that your Board should feel themselves unable to accept the aid voted by the Provincial Council in the same terms in which all other Boards have availed themselves of similar votes. The Provincial Government do not feel themselves in a position to assume the functions of the Board so long as that body exists; and must therefore decline to place themselves in the position requested by the Board. When the Board declare themselves unable to fulfil their functions and cease to exist, it shall then be for the Provincial Government to consider what means should be taken to put and keep the highways in a state of repair. Meanwhile, the Board will understand that they can at any time avail themselves of the amounts mentioned in the terms stated in my previous letter, and it will be for the Board to justify their refusal to accept a large sum in aid of their works on the simple condition of the Government being satisfied through its own officer, that the money is not being wasted.—l have, &c.,

W. J. Hurst, For the Superintendent. Mr Anthony moved that tho Gold Field’s members and Mr Lundon be requested to meet the Board in conference next Tuesday week, at the Board Room, Governor. Bowen Hotel.

Mr Dowden seconded the motion, which was carried.

A letter was read from the shareholders of the Queen of Beaut}' asking the Board to form and make Bcllers-street from the Waio-Ivaraka Creek to the ICaraka tramway, and offering to contribute £2O to the expense. The Engineer said the expense would be about £l5O.

The matter was referred to the Engineer to report upon. A letter was read from Dr Lethbridge, stating that lie bad met with several cases of low fever of a typhoid character in the neighbourhood of Amy-street, Grahamstown, which lie considered owing to defective drainage in the locality. The Engineer was instructed to see the locality and report upon it immediately at a public meeting next day, and the Secretary was instructed to write to Mr Graham in reference to tbe dedication of the street. Also that the Superintendent be communicated with, asking him to bring in force the sanitary regulations at once, and forwarding him a copy of Dr Lethbridge’s letter. A letter -was read from Mr Dean, asking for the sum of £ls voted by tbe Board towards the expenses incurred by the Thames Municipality Committee’,

The letter was received, but no further action was taken in the matter. ~f

The Engineer was instructed to make an examination of the fire-plugs^ The Chairman said he had intimated to Messrs Iloniss and Mackie that it would be necessary to suspend the Brigade practices, as the fuuds would not allow the Board to incur the expense. It was stated that several of the men belonging to the Brigade lived at a great Sistance.

Mr Anthony said he was surprised that Mr Mackie, the inspector, would employ men who lived away from the place. ' For all the use they would be in the event of a fire they might as well be at Ohinemuri. He thought half a dozen efficient men who lived near at hand, and were not liable to work on night-shifts, would be enough. A letter was read from Mr P. Griffin, for Mr Wannoll, stating that the helmets had arrived from Melbourne, and could be had at the price specified. Sundry accounts were ordered to be paid, and the meeting then adjourned until to-day.