RANGITIKEI.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 6, Issue 283, 27 February 1862, Page 3

RANGITIKEI.

Western RangitiKei Literary AssoJoseph Willcox, of Ashhead, delivered a lecture,. last Friday evening, oh. “ The Popular. Songs of the Day” before this Association. The meeting was well attended, and the lecture was characterized by the pathos and humour which the subject and the lecturer alike led the members to expect. It gave great satisfaction and delight, to those present.-

Kahauraponga Road District.— The second annual meeting of Ratepayers in this district was held'at Mr. 1 John Gower’s, Bonny Glen, oil Friday, Feb. 21, 1862, when a large number of ratepayers wei'e present. Mr. .Alexander Milne was called to the chair’and proceeded to read the advertisement calling the meeting, after which the honorary secretary to the Board of, gardens, Mr. IT. Wilcox, read the following :

First Annual Report of the Board .of Wardens of the Kahauraponga Road' District, presented at the >eeond annual meeting held at Mr. John Gower’s, Bonny Glen, Feb. 21, 1862. The Board of Wardens of the Kaliaurapanga road district, have much pleasure in presenting their first annual report, and in doing so, congratulate the ratepayers on the progress which has been made during, the first year towards forming a road through the district. They are desirous howpver to acknowledge that the success which has attended their efforts is to be attributed to a great extent to the promptitude with which a large portion of the rate levied lastyear was paid, to the liberal assistance from the Provincial chest; , and- to the uniform willingness with which the whole of .the settlers owning-land on the line laid out -by'blie- Government have consented to the construction of .’the road, and when diversions were thought necessary coincided w'ith the board in working the same.

In the statement of accounts which will be laid before this meeting the ratepayers will perceive that of the .£IOO. which was presumed would be raised by a tax of twopence per acre .the sum of £79 10s. 4d. has been received by, the collector and handed over to the Provincial Sub-treasurer; with this amount the special grant and the grant-in-aid tlie board lias been enabled to form 3J miles of road in the Bonny Glen and the two side-cuttings, and alter paying for this work and other incidental expences there remains the sum of £147 14s. 6d. to carry forward to the credit of the year 1862. Ihe piece of road now in course of. construction from the foot of . the side-cutting at Mr. McQuarrie’s and the main trunk line at Turakina, and fencing through Mr. Cameron’s and Riley’s paddocks will however absorb nearly £IOO of this amount. There are still a. few outstanding rates unpaid, which will be carried forward to the credit of the year 1862.

The Board of Wardens suggest to the ratepayers that a similar tax to the last be levied this present year, viz two pence per acre, and venture to express a hope that the Provincial Government will again supplement the amount raised by a |furtlier special grant in addition to tlie grant-in-aid. With these amounts and the sum brought forward from last year’s account they propose, in addition to the work contracted for and now in progress, to form the pieces of road between the two side-cuttings,. /Turakina,, and from the termination of,, that already constructed in the Bonny Glen as far as the western Rangitikei church, also to improve and metal the side-cuttings, and metal a large portion of . the road .formed during tlie past year.-— AIEx. Milne, Chairman of Board. After the report was read the following resolutions was passed nem. con. Proposed by Mr. J. Bruce, seconded by Mr. G. Masterson. \ “ That the report now read be received and adopted.” . Proposed by Mr. E. D. Wilcox, seconded by Mr. W. Crawford.

. “That Messrs. Bruce, Crichton and Johnston be appointed Auditors of the past year’s accounts. The accounts yrere then audited and certified to be correct. Proposed by Mr. J. Wilcox, seconded* by Mr. - “That the.best thanks of this meeting be given to the Board of Wardens of the Kaliauraponga road district for their services during the past year.” Proposed by Mr. H. Wilcox, seconded by Mr. Bruce—- “ That the best thanks of this meeting be given to His Honor the Superintendent and the members for , Wanganui, and Barigitikei, for their advocacy of the claims of this district on the Provincial Chest, and that this meeting desires to express a hope that they will again propose in the Provincial. Council a special grant of a similai amount to the last for this year 1862.” Proposed by Mr. Williamson, seconded by Mr. Ainphlet— /. . .“ That a tax of .two pence per.acre be levied on land in the Kajiauraponga road district for the year 1862, to be payable on the Ist May, 1862.” by Mr. Chriehton, seconded by Mr. Bruce—- “ That the best thanks, of this meeting be given to Mr. H. Wilcox for his services as Honorary Secretary to the board during the past year, and that he be respectfully requested that office for the year 1862.” Thanks were then passed to Mr. A. Milne for his services in the chair and the meeting separated.

DINNER.

Affcpr the meeting, above referred to, the settlers resident in the Kalian raponga road district to the number of about 30, diped together at., the. , Ben Nevis Hotel, Turakina, to celebrate the completion of" the first portion of the road. The chair was ably filled by S. M. Curl, Esq., M. D., Coroner for the Rangitikei district; the vice-chair being occupied by N. E. Beamish, Esq., J. P.; W. H.Watt, Esq., J.P., T. Allison, Esq., j.P., T. Nixon, Esq., J.P., were present by invitation. r After ample justice had been done to the excellent viands placed on the table by the host, Mr.

John Cameron, and the cloth withdrawn, the healths of the;'“.Queen,” “.Prince Consort,” and “ Royal Family.’’, and “His Excellency the Governor” were given in succession, followed by the “Army, Navy, and Volunteer Forces, responded to by Capt. Jordan and Capt. Beamish. ; After ; which “His Honor the "Superintendent,.” the “ ProvincialExeciitive,” and the “ Provincial SubTreasurer, jNixopj Esq.,”,and, responded to| by the latter gentleman. The health |of jtfee J‘Members-of' Provincial Council for the district of Wanganui and Kangitikei” was next given, and acknowledged by W. H. Watt, Esq., and J. Allison,. Esq. ; the absent members “W. Fox,; ‘Esq.-- and H. S. Harrison, Esq.”; next followed.\ W. Watt, Esq., returned thaliks on their behalf, and a letter was read from Mr. Harrisoii congratulating the Board of Wardens on’the important results already accomplished, and thanking the settlers for the invitation to the dinner, and stating that he was unable to be present on the occasion. The toast of the. evening was next given, the “ health of. the .Chairman and Board of Wardens of. the Kahauraponga road district,” and was acknowledged by Mr. A. Milne, Chairman of the Board in a short^speech/in Which he gave a histoi-y of the introduction-tof the Road Act. into the-'district, and noticed the unanimity with which - .the in the. Kahauraponga read-district Worked together, not only in this, matter but in all. others which had the religious, inoral, and intellectual progress of the settlex's in the district in view. The V“ health of the Hon. Sec. to the board, Mr. H.Wilcox,” followed and was responded to ; after which the “ Contractoi’s” was given. The “ health of .the Ratepayers, who by taxing themselves formed.. the road,’ ’ was drunk by the visitors and -acknowledged by Mr. J. Wilcox. The “ health of the Chairman, I>r. Curl, was next given by the Vice-chairman and to. Other toasts were afterwards given, ; including the ,following., The “health ol Mr. Treweek,” £ by John Jordan, Esq. The “ inenipry"; of, .those, of our fellowcountrymen" ; Wlio'’Yell" in ‘the late war in Taranaki,” by J. Nixon, Esq., &c. &c. The evening’s' amusements were varied occasionally by some excellent songs by the company, and the party broke up at about 12 o’clock, having apparently much enjoyed themselves.