KAUAERANGA HIGHWAY DISTRICT.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 3032, 9 July 1875, Page 2

KAUAERANGA HIGHWAY DISTRICT.

ANNUAL MEETING.

. The annual meeting of ratepayers of the . above district was held in the Hauacranga Girls Schoolroom, Sandes street, yesterday evening. The room was well filled, and, on the motion- of Mr Bagnall, M.P.0., seconded by Mr Thomas, Mr El, H. Power was called to the Chair. The Chairman having read the advertisement summoning the present meeting, called upon the Secretary, Mr Mitchell, to read the report. The report stated " that the pre ■ seat trustees, on assuming office, last year, found that their predecessors had passed accounts for payment amounting to £44 5s 9d; and, having no funds in hand, had beon obliged to arrange with the Bank of New Zealand for an overdraft to pay these accounts, and the more urgent kind of work. ■

G hat the gross revenue of the Board had amounted to £1106 19s 3d, of which mm £239 15s had been received from the General Government, and £550 from the Provincial Government, and that the amount received from the General Government had been expended on street North, and that received from the Provincial Government on roads where there was goldfield traffic. That there had been expended on Sandes street, £277 15s 6d; on Augustus street and Hape road, including footpath, £69 12s; on the Cemetery road, £32; on Cook street, £9 13s; on. Hill street, £8 13a; on Hape road, £50 vl4s; on Karaka road, £196 Us; on Sealey street, £2 10s; on Bollestoh street and Kichmond street, £48 145.; and on the footpaths in Karaka road and Kichmond street, £69. These amounts, however, were irrespective of gravel and labour. That, during the year, -arrangements had beeu made for handing over the management of Shortland * Cemetery to a Committee consisting of three members of the Thames Borough Council, and one member each from- the Kauaeranga, Waiotahi, and Parawai Highway Boards. That the Water Supply had been handed over to the Borough Council by the Provincial Government on<the following conditions, viz.:— * ■ 1. As a portion of the works are situated outside the Municipal boundary, in Block 27, a portion of Kauaeranga High-

way District, and as the source of the water supply, reservoir and head works are in Parawai District, the Boards of these Highway Districts should hare a voice in the matter.

2. That tho rates charged for water outside the Borough shall not exceed thoue at present charged by Government. 3. That the following be supplied freo of charge, viz.-—Hospital, Mechanics' Institute, Churches of all denominations, Government Schools. Schools supportod by religious bodies, Public Offices, Gaol, and Police Station.

'4i. The Borough Council to keep in order the works, collect the rates,.,and diride the surplus if any pro rala between the Borough and Highway Boards. 5. That nny future extensions of water supply shall be paid for by the Borough Council or Highway Boards as the case may be.

The Secretary further stated that the trustees noticed that attempts were being made by the Borough Council to get an Act passed by the Provincial Council constituting a harbor board for the .Thames, wherein provision was to be made for the transfer of the control, of the harbor to a board, composed of the whole of the members *of the .Borough Council, and one member from each of the Highway Boards; and that tho trustees, while desiring to havo the harbor under local control, thought that the Borough Council had 100 much power over the rest of the district;" that they further deprecated multiplying local boards, but thought that if a "body were constituted to have control of the harbor, provision should be made for the management of matters at present divided between the Borough Council and Highway Boards. • .

, The Secretary then read the balancesheet which showed that the assets were £1106. 19s 3d and the expenses £1097 18s 4d, leaving a balance in hand of £9 Oslld.

A debate of a somewhat acrimonious and personal character then took place, having nothing whatever to do with the matter at issue, viz, the adoption of the report, in the course of which attacks were made on Mr Bagnall and others of the trustees, for spending meney of the ratepayers for their own personal advantage. Mr Scott, however, having with some difficulty moved the adoption of the report, seconded first by Mr Hume and then by Mr Cox, the Chairman succeeded, with more difficulty still, in quieting Mr Thomas and Mr O'Brien—who were at issue about their private grievances—and the report was put and carried ne?n. eon. Mr Severn then rose and remarked that they could not expect each to have a road to suit his own purposes. The trustees, while endeavoring to do their best and please everybody, had, as was generally the case, pleased nobody; that he thought that a votes, of thanks was due to them for the way in which they had discharged their unthankful offices. This. was seconded by ■Mr Wood, and carried unanimously. The next subject under discussion was the rate, which, on the motion of Mr Cox, seconded by Mr Hume, was fixed at 5 per cent, as hereto* fore.

Mr Thackeray proposed that the present rate of assessment.be adopted. Motion carried. . The following gentlemen were then 'nominated to act as Trustees'for the next year :—Messrs. Greenville, Foy, Wardell, Bagnall, Thomas, Bardell, E. K. Power, F...Day, Hart, Thackeray, Scott, Quinlivan, Severn, Adams, Barnett, Cox, Souter, Chappell and Walker. Messrs. Poy, Severn, Thomas, Thackeray, Power, Souter and Walter, however, declined to act. A poll of electors was taken, which .resulted in Messrs. Bagnall, Cox, Day, Wardell and Scott being declared duly elected.