FEATEERSTON HIGHWAY BOARD.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1348, 10 April 1883, Page 2

FEATEERSTON HIGHWAY BOARD.

The, above Board met.on Saturday, last. Present—Messrs-Donald (Chairman), Matthews, Jackson, Bidwill, and Ridaiford. .

Tlia minutest the previous meeting were read and : confirmed.' The Treas. here read his usual monthly statement, and also a statement reviewing the financial operations of the Board during the past twelve months ending 31st March last, which was adopted, It was resolved that Messrs Donald and Jackson be-appointed to sign cheques issued by the Board that day. Accounts amounting to i! 134 lis lOd were passed for payment, Mr G, Knapp interviewed the Board asking that the road through his land be fenced off by the Board.

It was resolved that the clerk be instructed to write to the Chieif Surveyor asking him whether that portion of Ward's line through Geo. Knapp's property, viz., section 68, Moroa survey block has been legally taken by the Government :

The following tenders were then opened For forming 23 chains (more or less) opposite Goodin's house, Western Lake road, Jacob Goodin, 16s per chain, accepted, Mr Matthews being guarantee for the deposit of £2. For the -work on the road near Burling's oldhouse, Western Lake, Mr Wilmor, 18s per chain, accepted, Mi- Matthews being guarantee, for deposit of £2. ; , ■

It was resolved on the motion of Mr Hiddiford seconded by Mr Matthews,, that a sum of £5 be granted to, Mr Wratten for repairs of road from Lis homestead to the Coast road, to be paid to Mr Wratten as soon as funds become available.

Mr Riddiford applied for some metalling to be ddne near the,gate on the road through Harris's run, and to have : a culvert erected across Harris's creek.. Ordered to be left in Mr Skeet's hands to be done if possible before the wet season sets in. O It was resolved that Mr A. McMaster be asked for his answer to have a toad 1 laid off /from tliejjßuamaliunga river to the Lower Yalley,road through hii property as a continuation of tho Kahautara road. ■ Some conversation then ensued between Mr Wolters and the Board, in the course of which the former stated that if desired he 'was quite prepared to dispense with the ; customaiy notice of. terminating his connection with the Board as clerk. The Board requested Mr Wolters to remain in office till 31st May.' . , JEtcsolved that Mr Skeet be appointed; returning officer: for .the road'district;" ' ' ''' c ' -

; That the annual" meeting of the Board be held on Ist May, , and the on same day. ' . 'That the date of next /general eleotion be .fixed for 2nd.Maiyi •{ That an application be iuade 1 to the; Wairarapa 'West- County ; Council -for;, the payment of surveyor's oharges paid by this Board to theMasterton Highway Board on account, of; ; the. !?ahaua- . Gladstone road. ' ' That Messrs Beard and Gray be instructed to take, what' steps theyVmay deem necessary for the purpose Of Securing,^thej insurance ; policy of 'the Waihenga -Hotel, ; A =; •'. That the < ne&ssary steps be taken un'der the Publio .^orto;. Act,-1882, for taking a road * from'' I'irid I 'Busn corner to Stoney Creek.;

That the attention of the Colonial Secretary be drawn to the necessity ol

gazetting the boundaries of sub division of this road district under sub-section 9, section 8, of the Ro&d Board Act, the boundaries be the same as in the existing wards, and the addei portion of the district lately belonging to the Masterton Highway District to consti* tute one; sub-division, returning -p». member to the Board.., ■ ! - J ; • : That Mr Bidwill be authorised fo :: * r accept a tender for metalling in lien of . Mr BuckridgeV contract, which has been abandoned byhim, andMrßiokr, f < nell's offer to clear out the tail race 7 { near Brodison's at 6s per chain be ac- ; cepted. v' 1' -S\ ' treasurer's report," I have the honor to report that the balance of 'account ! current at the Bank 1 of New Zealand this day is a debit balance of £26 8s 4d, The • receipts.;;., since thedate of my last report have'.'' been as follows: From Wairarapa West, County Council, refund 5 of cost of repairs of ; A County road ... ... 491211 Deposits made with. ten-.. • ders accepted 14th ult. 10 5 0 Rates, 1881-82, arrears, ■•) vf() r ]' collected ... ~, 03:■ 6. .j, Rates, 1882-83, arrears col* : .1..»» lected ... ... . ... / 3 410 Rent of Waihenga toll-gate for April, 1883 ' .., 1210 0 : Total ' ... 75 16 3 . I regret also to have occasion to re- ... port the destruction; by ire of tteiWil- H j hemja Hotel property which took place on the 22nd ult,, and to call the Board's urgent attention to a covenant A of the lease of the property, under which the lessee is bound to insure the j \ premises in tho sum, of six hundred pounds, which sum, in the event of.a • fire, is to be employed by the lessee $»»<•. the re-instatemenfc of the buildings. I mention the subject in order that the • Board may take such steps as it may V' think proper to enforce the compliance with the terms of the, lease. I also to state that the rent of the pro*' . perty does not, of course, terminate with tho destruction of the premises • : ; by fire, and that the rent is now again'; in arrear for .two months, viz., for V. March and April,. 1883, regarding • • which I would , ask the Board to take - ' : what stops maybe considered neces* sary for its recovery. . Reviewing.the financial operations '-.T for the year ended 31st .ult,, I beg to ; - state that the receipts , were as fol- . lows:— £ 8, <L Balance in hand on Ist April, 1882 ... ... 953 9'9 General rates, 1882-3 ... 1157 8 4 „ „ 1881-2 ... 55 86 ' „ 1880-1 ... 4 0 6 Deposits.on tenders ~, 55 5 0 Rent of Waihenga t011... 182 1 8 ~ „ hotel... 91.13 4 Refund of overpayment on Skeet's voucher. ' ;;.. 0 10. 0 ; Waiohine toll fund,remit- ; tance of charges,refund ! 3616 , .Wairarapa West County, repairs county road v.. 49 12 ll" Subsidies from Wairarapa ; East County,for Awhea ; - ward... ... ... 415 9 4 Interest accrued on fixed : deposit of £SOO ... 710 0 Balance on 31st March, being overdraft at the ' Bank N.Z. 38 18 4 " '

£3,048 14 3 And that the expenditure was on the following heads—- £ b, d, Sumy and construction ■ •'• of new roads and culverts ... ... ... 1579 3 3 Repairs and maintenance of existing roads and bridges, &c 1120 8 0 Purchase of tools, mateand cost of roadmen's whares..« ... 4316 7 Collection of rates ... 25 00 /• Salaries-- olork and custo- . W' dian ... _ ... ... 80 0 0 Rent of land connected with Waihenga Hotel 25 0-0 Printing and advertising 20 18 2 Deposits on tenders refunded, &c. ... .., 71 8 0'" License fee for Waihenga hotel ... ... ... ; 25 0- 0 >) Law costs ... ... 1317 5 ' Olce furniture and requisites ... ... ... 54 0 Stamps, stationery, , wood, 4c, ... ... 'lll2 8. Compensation to Robin- • son for loss by t0115... 25 0 0 Interest on bankoverdraft 2 5 2

"• ,■; £3,048 14./3.; "'! The total i expenditure during the previous year amounted to £4,189, and as the Bpard during the last year has not been';in receipt of any .Govern* - ment subsidies, and leviedva rate of. only 9d in thd pound, it will be seen.' that it has reason to be satisfied' with ■ the extent of its.operationn, : • ; I beg to remark that the Autjtar, has reported that there is no leg&k* authority for the Board lodging funds' on fixed deposits at'interest, and .that the proper course ;, would be • for the Board to make an arrangement with the Bank, under which interest would be credited on account current, balance* in credit. If this view besustained, it follows that, as on previous applications, the Batiks' have refused to allowinterest on.creditbalances'in account; current,' the Board hai no to lie idle during certain seasons oftto carried ba, at the same ' time paying interest on. overdrafts when'required. ; 1 eij The iite, ; roll; of the past year amounted to £117.417s H|d, of which only £l7 9s 7fd remains tapaid up to date incMing a sum of £6 .1s ; for execution w in process, and a sum of 18s 9d which has sued for. Tho greater proportion 1 of rates remaining unpaid consist of amounts of less than. fi ; 2s each, payable by non-resident rate, payers, and there'are a'number of rate! of as small a sum included ii said arrears. ~ 1,1 The'legislsttidn'of the' Jiftt Session of Parliament has . brought about soma important changes involving the incorporation of a considerable terri^

yielding li large amount , of rates; ,with' the Featherstori road district,, as /welli as providing for the payment lay; 1 Government of a fair share of .tlie coat j of management of rates, by way of rates on Native and Crown Lanils, It also facilitates tlie construction -.of-l Works which the; Board may not be prepared to undeiiake from its immediate revenue, by means of borrowing from the 5 Government, subject to certain conditions, being complied with, the sums required, Which are repay able by fifteen yearly instalments of nine per cent each. The, financial position of eaoh ward or sub-division is shown by the follow-, ing balance sheet ; ' " ' £ .8. d. Balance to credit of No 1 Ward, April 1, 1883... 70; 16 6 Ditto, No Ward ' ' ...143 3 l\ Ditto, No 3 Ward, ".'' 21.11 11 : Ditto, No 4 War|! '.'.' ... •'•3. 8 Balanee to credit general " expenditure account ... 11 12 5 Balance to credit deposits . account... ... .... 40 50Balance to credit Bank of. N.Z., overdraft,,. ... 38 18 ,i)

£329 19 / -3f £'■ s. d. Balance to debit of; No 5 ' 1 Ward, April 1, 1883;,,., 50 4 8f * Ditto, No 6 Ward ... 34 '7 0 Ditto, No 7 Ward ...245.7 6 Cash in hand of collector,.. 0 ' 0 o}'' The expenditure; on .district works, and general fund during the past year has amountedio 1602 12s 6d, and as there is reason to expect that during the next year-the expenditure on those heads will not .be appreciably diminished, I would recommend that the Board set apar,t twenty-five per cent of. the next year's rate roll, except as regards No;3'lvard, which will contribute its agijged proportion, viz., fifteen per cent. . . A statement of the revenue and expenditure in detail for each Ward is appended hereto and will be distributed among the members of the Board for their examination. . I have, Ac., Alfred Matthews, Treasurer.

A LITEBARY CURIOSITY, • Every student of nouns, proiouna, and verbs knows the necessity of transposing language for the sake of ascertaining its grammatical construction. Tho following shows twanty-eight different readings of one of Gray's well-known poetical lines, yetthe sense is not affected The weary plowman plods his homeward way, The plowman, weary, plods his homeward , way, His homeward way the weary plowman plft'da, His homeward way the plowman weary plods, The woary plowman homawards plods his way, ; The plowman, weary, homeward plods his way, t His way the weary plowman homoward plods, His way the plowman, weary, homeward plods, " The plowman, homeward, plods fiis weary.way, : : - ; ' His way the plowman, homeward, weary plods, ■; . .; • His hofneward wear'y way the plowman plods, . Weary, the plowman homeward plods his way, Weary, the ploughman plods his home-' ward way, Homeward, his way the weary plowman plods, Homeward, his way the weary plowman pioda, Homeward his weary way, the plowman 'plods, , The Plowman, homeward, weary plods his way, 1 1 His weary way the plowman homeward plodß, His weary way homeward the ploughman plods, His weary way homeward piods the plowman. ■ His weary way, the homeward plowman plods, -> Homeward the plowman plods his .weary way,' ; Homeward the weary plowman plods his way, The plowman, weary, hiß way homeward plods,' The plowman plods his homeward weary way, ' : ' The plowman plods his weary homeward way, ... V Weary the plowman his way homeward plods, ■ Weary his homeward way the plowman plods.