MASTERTON ROAD BOARD

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1587, 19 January 1884, Page 2

MASTERTON ROAD BOARD

The ordinary monthly meeting, of the Masterton Road Board was held to-day. Eresent Messrs. Meredith (Chairman), Bpethany : ,jlacquarie, Dagg, und Chamberlain;, ; i: Theminute3;dfthe preceding meeting were rqad'and confirmed. CORUESPONEENOE, .. Froiiii'J.' Raamusaen, asking for extension of time for IWidge contract owing to continuation of wot weather and scarcity of,, hinds; i L ;; ■ ) Erbm.Treasury, remitting' i£260.5s to credit of .'Board for. rates on, Crown Lands. The Clmirmm said jGGSO was the amount clue from from, tho Treasury, ..and tkVapplicatib'n' must-be made for the : balanco! ' ■'' • '' ■ "

From Parker & Oo„ revoking the authority given to Messrs Bapp and Hare to receive monies on the Waipawa valley:r6ad.'cor)tract. The Clerk read a resolution of the Board which agreed to pay the monies to Eapp ■ and Hare, Ho also stated that the solicitor cf the Board advised that the payments already made to Eapp and Hare on this authority were legal. .... From Castlepoint Road Board en closing a copy of resolutions re repairs to Blairlogie road.. .

From the 'Treasury enclosing statement of moneys at .credit of Board amounting to £94 12s 5d on account of land disposed of on deferred payment, ; . ' '■'■'■

• From the' Public Works office/enclosing forms for progress payments to replace former issues, which had been cancelled.

From the Onstlepoint Road Board, re conference on rates, suggesting that it be held atTimii at a date to be fixed by the Masterton Board, - The Chairman explained that it was previously arranged that the conference should bo held in Masterton. The i\Milt was not very satisfactory, Mr Beethaiu said tlie : Oastlepoint Board had forwarded, a statement but it was not' sufficiently explicit to pnable thu'm to adjust tho question at issue.. Mr Dagg said that the matter of the.Bowland rates was also required to be settled by the conference. Mr Macquarie thought it would be as well to let tho conference drop. The reports of the roadmen in the omplpy of tlio Board lor the past month were read,'

From T, E, Tathaui re Uriti road bridge, stating that he was in communication with Mr Donald Donald on t|io subject, and that tho bridge was prepted, He called, attention to the fact'that compensation' for taking the road had jumped from £SO to £BO. The settlers had .repeatedly arranged difficulties, but each time a fresh demand had been made by Mr E, Meredith, junior, • The Chairman explained that the engineer had been supplied with incorrect data by; Mr Donald Donald, and .deficiency' existed in the sum applied for. BLAIRLOGIE ROAD.

Mrßectlmm moved that the Board was willing to undertake the repairs of tho Blairlogie road for the current year, but could-not recognise the right of the Oastlepoint Board to superacid any conditions to the arraugement .made by the conference, and agreed to by both boards, The application for £7O from the Oastlepoint Board to be renewed; also for a further - sum pfiJIO voted for culveits. Tup resolution was seconded by Mr Dagg and carried, and on the motion of the Chairman the Clerk was instructed to forward a statement of all expenditure on the road to tho Castlepoint Board. THE CONFERENCE,

The Chaivmnn said that it was evident that the Cashpoint Board were not prepared to meet them. The matter- could be moro satisfactorily adjusted by the Bideford district, Mr Beetliam moved that the reply of the Cashpoint Board was unsatisfactory, and that the question be postponed for the Bideford Board to deal with it.

On the suggestion of the Chairman the consideration of the matter was postponed. THE REVOKE. In connection with Parker and Co.'s revoke, a letter was read from Messrs Rapp and Hare,,stating that on the strength/of the order they had paid for wages alone during the past month over a hundred pounds. They asked the Board to determine the contract at once, and place it in their hands, A resolution was passed at the last meeting which practically placed the contract in their hands.

Mr Beetham did not know that the Board had power to handover the contract, to Japp. and Hare.

Mr Chamberlain" understood that Mr Parte had aßßliod an-exten-sion of time to finish the contract.

• Mr Beetham' understood that Mr Parker had been delayed by being unable to burn off some bush, and he was prepared to support an extension of time, if it could be proved that the delay occurred from this cause. Mr.;Parker's.letter was then read asking for an extension (1) on account of unfavorable weather, 1 (2) on account of the bush, and (3) because the bridge work would not be completed till the end of March. ■

Mr Dagg said' that very little bush would be burnt this year.

MrJßeatham said thai' his firm had 4000 aores which they would have to burn, it would be only a question of a good or bad burn. . v ' :TlieEngineer'recommended that as soon as the bush was burned, the staff of 'men employed on this contract should be completed. Mr Beetbam said he had told Mr Parker that he would ask the Board to extend the time for burning the bush. '■',■ The Engineer said that Mr Parker had not been delayed to date by the non-burning pf;tUe : bush. He saw no objection to the time foi' the contract being extended It was decided to grant an extension of time till the. end of March. With reference to Messrs Kapp and Hare's letter, the; .Qhairman-; said that they had no;• power'to'comply with the wishes expressed by them;'.'"': ' Mr Beetham said that it was a bad

jou lino tuey Ml: i mil. pi'mwi/ iiapp and H'ire, If the Board could, legally assist them ho would support such a proposal, but they could not go beyond .their-power. The Chairman would be glad if any member of the Board could show how they could protect Messrs Rapp it Hare. Storekeepers came forward occasionally to assist contractors who proved to be unworthy of such help. Mr Macquario considered it would be a good thing if the number, of contractors were,, reduced , iiiatead of unreliable ones being propped lip. [Lepi ' SiTTisd.] •' ' . ■