PROPOSED EXTENSION OF THE PARAWAI HIGHWAY DISTRICT.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 198, 28 May 1872, Page 3

PROPOSED EXTENSION OF THE PARAWAI HIGHWAY DISTRICT.

PUBLIC MEETING. A public meeting of ratepayers of the Parawai Highway District, and that part of the Kauaeranga District south of the Hape Creek, was held last evening, at the .New Caledonia. Hotel, Shorthand, for the consideration of a letter from his Honor the Superintendent, having reference to propos d alteration of boundaries of the two districts. Mr Banks, chairman of the Parawai Board was voted to the chair. Amongst those present we observed: —Messrs Allom, O’Meara, Wilson, Tookoy, Burgess, Wallnnit, Myers, Dean, Stoney, Lambert, Goodall, Flett, Stevenßon, Spencer, J. O. Lloyd, Cribb, R. Lloyd, and Beere. The following is the letter received from the Superintendent : Superintendent’s Office, Auckland, May 18,1872. Sir, —I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated respectively the 13th and 14th instant, applying to me for an order, under section 22 of the Highway Boards Empowering Act, 1871, for the formation of the road connecting your district with Sbortland. In reply I have to inform you that whilst from a personal inspection I am satisfied of the insufficient state of the road in question, I do not feel justified in making the order requested. The traffic on that road appears to be wholly Parawai traffic at present, and to my mind indicates that the district from the Hape Creek should be part of Parawai district, and as your Board decline to contribute towards this road, which has but little goldfields traffic, and looking at the extent of roads required by goldfields traffic within the Kauaeranga district entailing a heavy expenditure. I must decline to make the order asked for. At the same time, if your Board is willing to take the portion of the Kauaeranga district south of the Hape Creek into your district, and make the road in question “ sufficient,” I shall be prepared to make the necessary alterations in the boundaries for that purpose. —I have, <£c., Hugh 11. Lusk, for the Superintendent The Chairman, Parawai District Board.

Mr Allom, at the request of the Chairman, explained the position of the question, stating that everybody must admit that the state of the road from the Courthouse to Parawai was very bad, and it was necessary that some steps should be taken to improve it; the question was, vvliat should be done? The Parawai Board, after many consultations, had determined to request his Honor the Superintendent to exercise the powers under the Highway Boards Empowering Act for the formation of the main road connecting Parawai with Shortland. Tin’s, from the letter which had been read the Superintendent declined to do, but stated, that if the Parawai Board was willing to take this portion of the main road into their district, and make the road “sufficient,” lie was willing to make the necessary operation os to boundaries. He (Mr. Allom) quite believed that the Kauaeranga Board had as much as they could do, and it was for the ratepayers to say what steps should he taken. It was the wish of the Parawai Board that all the ratepayers should be consulted as to the answer to he sent to the Superintendent. In reply to Mr Dean, Mr Allom said there were from 35 to 40 chains of road from the Hape Creek to the Parawai Boundary. The expense of putting this portion of the road into repair was from £7OO to £I,OOO. The present means of doing this were nil. Mr Allom went on to say that the Parawai District, as at present, could not raise more on a rate of a penny in the £ on the value to sell than £65 or £7O.

The Rev. W. WILSON said lie quite agreed with what was proposed by the Superintendent, that the Hape Creek should be the boundary of the Parawai district. It was the natural boundary, and all the householders he had visited, with one exception, agreed with him. He would move a resolution that the Hape Creek be the northern boundary of the Parawai district. The Hape Creek was like the Rhine, which was the natural boundary of France, and there would never he peace until it was the boundary, just in the same way there would be no peace in this district until the Hape Creek was the boundary. Mr O’Meara said he cordially seconded Mr Wilson’s motion, and could endorse what be said as to the unanimity which prevailed on the subject of the alteration of the boundary. He thought that there was a very general feeling that almost all the money raised by rotes was being expended on township improvements, to the detriment of the outlying districts. They must also bear in mind the possibility of the establishment of a Municipality, which he did not think would be beneficial to the outlying portion of the district in proportion to the amount of taxation. He thought that the present Act required amendment. It appeared to him that it rested with tho Parawai Board to say whether they would accept the proposition of the Superintendent. The inhabitants felt that the district had been neglected, and lie believed required the proposed conjunction. Mr Dean said it would bo utterly impossible for the Parawai Board, or for two Boards together, to make this road out of the rates! They would not have the funds. What had been done was chiefly from Government assistance, which was not likely to be afforded again. Over the whole proposed district, not above £SO would be raised in a year’s time from rates, and what would that do to make the road, and keep it in repair. The Kauaeranga Board had already expended £2BO this year on this road. There, was a district 'contributing £SO which had nearly £3OO spent on this road from the Kauaeranga Board. Parawai had no tesource whatever whereby she could raise her revenue. The Parawai Board had got the General Government grant out of borrowed money for goldfields traffic, and, in the face of the Superintendent’s letter, they must not expect more from that quarter. He would move an amendment to Mr Wilson’s proposition, viz., “That it is not desirable to alter the present bouudaries of the Paiawai District.” This was not seconded. Mr Allom moved—“ 1. That this meeting is of opinion that the offer to extend the boundary of. the Parawai Highway District to the Hape Creek, made by bis Honor the Superintendent in his letter to the Parawai District Board dated 18th May. 1872, should be accepted, but this meeting desire that the attention of bis Honor should be called to the fact that no sufficient provision can at present be made hy law for the making and efficient management of the necessary roads in such district. 2. That the circumstances of the suburban dislrict south of the Hape Creek simply require ihe immediate expenditure of from £7OO to £IOOO, principally for the completion of the main road running through such district, but the restrictions upon local taxation under the

‘ Highway Boards Empowering Act, 1871,” are such that the utmost likely to he raised for highway purposes for the financial year commencing Ist May, 1872, will probably not exceed £l2O for the whole of the Parawai district, as proposed to be extended. 3. That although these circumstances might apparently be urged by the advocates of the proposed Municipality as good reasons for this district being included within the boundaries of such Municipality, this meeting is of opinion that the requirements of a suburban district such as this are so widely different from the necessities of a laige and populous township like Shortland and Grahamstown, that it would not benefit the residents of this district to be incorporated therewith. 4. That the present laws being unsuitable to'the requirements of the district, this meeting is of opinion that either a special Act, or some amendments of the existing enactments relating to Highway Boards, are necessary to enable the inhabitants of this and other districts similarly situated to raise, with the sanction and assistance of the Government, and under suitable restrictions, sufficient funds for local improvements, such as roads and bridges, upon security of special rates or otherwise, as may be deemed expedient. 5. That copies of these resolutions be forwarded by the Parawai District Board to his Honor the Superintendent, with the request of this meeting that he will give immediate consideration to the same.” Mr Tookey seconded. Mr Wilson begged leave to withdraw his motion in favour of Mr Allom’s.

This was agreed to. Mr Eyre said the Parawai Board was very poor, and he should like to be informed what benefit they would get by joining it. He thought if there was an amalgamation at all it ought to be done by petition. Mr Allom said, on the 30th June next the Parawai Board would have about £IOO in hand, and a quantity of broken metal.

Mr Eyre said he would like to know what assets the Kauaeranga Board would have at the end of the year. Mr Burgess said about £630. He thought a very fair share of the revenue had been expended on the road to Parawai Road. He thought if a committee was employed to go into facts and figures before the proposed alteration took place it would be as well. He did not think that the residents of the district pioposed to bo added to Parawai would have more advantages by being so added than they had now, but if they wished to go he, for one, would not say stay. At the same time he thought there ought to be a committee appointed first. Mr Eyre moved that a committee of the Hape Creek residents be formed to inquire into the benefits to be derived from amalgamation with the Parawai Board. Mr Allom said if this were carried, it would destroy his resolutions, and create great delay. He thought a special Act was required to enable the district to raise money to make this road. Mr Stevenson said all the trouble appeared to be in reference to the Paiawai Board, and he supposed all the money that was to be got for a year or two would be spent on it. Mr O’Meara would move that this meeting adjourn until Thursday evening, at 7 o’clock, by which time they could make inquiries and go into statistics. Mr Allom said he assented to this proposition. The motion for adjournment was then put and carried, and the meeting accordingly adjourned to Thursday evening next, at 7 o’clock.