CAMBRIDGE NORTH TOWNSHIP HIGHWAY DISTRICT.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue XIII, 15 July 1879, Page 2

CAMBRIDGE NORTH TOWNSHIP HIGHWAY DISTRICT.

ANNUAL MEETING, Tins meeting was held at the Town Board office, on Saturday last. Mr -J. P Campbell Avas voted to the chair, ancl opened the proceedings by- reading the advertisement convening the meeting. He then called on the Chair mau of- the outgoing Board to bring forward the ■Roporfc ancl Balance Sheet. These weie accordingly read as follows : — * " The Annual Report of the Cambridge North Township Trustees for year ending, June 30th, 1879. " We feel the most appropriate subject our report can open with, is lhat of culling your recollection to the. great gap made m our small circle of local public men, by. the demise of our late chairman, Major Clare. He was a thorough Cambridge mau, of great ability, and untiring energ-, both of which he devoted to tho development of hia adopted town. His loss at our Board has been most severely felt, and we feel that we are only echoing the sentiments of the ratepayers generally; when we Say that m losing our late Chairman, tho Town Board has lost one of heroldesfc and most able citizens. We ask your indulgence of any short coming m this report as our Board has been most unfortunate during the past year, having had three Chairmans, two Secretaries and two collectors. " The balance-sheet before yo« i|

sufficiently clear to explain itself. We would, however, betore leaving it oali your attention to two matters relating* to the expenditure and accounts for the ensuing year. 'First, the miserable state of the main streets, and secondly the system of keeping your accouuts. "First, you see £730 set do wn under the head of roads and materials. About .=£soo of this sum has been spent on the main road, and £400 m sand, as much as any Board can ever bope to spend on it m one year. We think JRe present state, is a strong argument against trying to make our streets sustain such heavy traffic with the materials hitherto used, " As to your accounts, apparently, there has hitherto been no system of book keeping attempted. This we have tried to remedy, with what success, we will ask Mr Brooks, one of our auditors* a gentleman cmi. nently qualfied to judge, to tell you. We strongly reoommend you to m sist upon theso accounts, or some improvements upon them being kept by our successors. Also, that all officers and servants of the Board authorised to collect m6ui.es, should find ample security. "The Taupiri road drainage has been completed, and answers admirably. The thanks of the ratepay era are duetto the Waikato County Council, for their special grant of J2300 for tbis purpose. • " The great water-spout of December last did heavy damage, and did serious loss to oui road* works then under construction, notably the Duke-street embankment. This has now, we think, been put ' beyond such an accident again, if ordinary supervision is used. It is staked with rows of puriri stakes, whattled Avith ti-tree, and planted with poplar cuttings, and protected by a substantial fence. " The saleyards are clean and m good order. We think they should be coal-tarred, and assistance given to the settlers to erect a covered saleroom. . • •' All the liability we leave our Biiecessors is an ov erd raft of £34 .1 05, all other accounts due are paid. Against this is an account of £25 due for rent, £20 of which is owed by one of our lesees, and which we have been unable to collect. The balance of our liabilities over assets is thus reduced to £9 10s. The revenue for the year 1879-80, we estimate as follows : — Rates, £260; Government Grant and Subsidies, £200 j Waikato County Council, £300; Rent, £120; Saleyard, £50 ; Depasturing Fees and Dog Tax, £50; Poundage, £30; total, £1000. " Reserves. — We have from time to time, as opportunity offered, m conjunction with our M.H.R. (F. Whitaker. Esq.), taken steps to get suitable bections set aside as endowments for tbe town ; also, to try to get the town belt handed over to trustees, and hope that both will bear fruit during the coming session of parliament. " In accordance wioh a resolution pa3sed at a public mcetiug m April last, we tried to get the Municipal Corporation Act, 18?6, brought into force. But owing to the number of householders being 100 small, this could not be done without a special Act of Parliament. Our Chairman is drafting an Act, whicb, if passed, will give most of the privileges of , the Municipal Act of 187G, without J entailing the penalty of its cumbersome machinery. i " We recommend tbat all streets of one and a-half to two chains m i width shall be planted with trees ; | where the streets are sufficiently near their permanent levels, p'auting ] might go on at once. The work could be done by tho Board, tbe i property owners subscribing the cost of materials required for the fencing. Major Wilson with that public spirited generosity, so characteristic of him has promised to provide us with as many pine trees as may be required, freo of cost. "Drainage — A matter of pressing need 'is the drainage of the Hamilton and Taupiri roftds near the Lake. A ditch should be made near the Lake, and a sewer run from the bottom of, it into the lake water. v Wharf— The wharf is unquestionably the most disgraceful portion of the town property. Steps should be taken to widen the road and otherwise provide the necessary accommodation required to facilitate the increased traffic. "We trust the ratepayers will accept the foregoing recommendations as to tbe future operations on works ahd accouuts m ths same spirit tbat led your trustees to make them. They are not intended to be dictatorial, but given with a view of ventilating these matters at our annual meeting. — For the Trustees, Thomas Wells, Chairman. Town Board Office, Cambridge, July 12, 1879." • / BALANCE SHEET. Summary of Receipts and Expenditure, North Township District Hoard, for ■ the year 1878-70.

(Signed) Thos. Wells, Chairman. July 11, 1879. " We hereby certify that the above is a correct account of the receipts and expenditure of the Cambridge North Township Distinct Board, for the financial year ending 30th June, 1879. « "Tbe Auditors would, however, recommend that the accounts for depasturing, aeceipts for dog-tax and poundage fees should be furnished by the collectors of tho same m a manner which would afford more information to tbe Boaid and to the .Auditors. — (Signed) F. J. Brookes, Auditor, J. Palmer Campbell, Acting Auditor. — Cambridge, July 11th, 1879." On the motion of Mr Camp, the report and balance-sheet were adopted after considerable discussion. Tbo following gentlemen were proposed as the Trustees for the ensuing year : — Messrs W. L. C. Williams, J. Palmer Campbell, Robert Kirkwood, Thomas Wells,' H. M, D. Pearson, John Arnold, A. Heany, J. Johnson, Edward. Hewitt. A ballot being taken, the following were found elected by a large majority :— Messis Thomas Wells, R. Kirkwood, J. P. Campbell, H. M. D. Pearson, W. L. C. Williams. Messrs Brooks and Houghton were appointed Auditors, and Messrs G-. Henson and Peter Thompson, Fenceviewers. Mr Brooks then drew the attention of the ratepayers to the very satisfactory manner m which the general accounts of the Bpard had been kept. Under the supervision of the Chairman a proper set of books had been opened, and the accounts of the Board were permanently recorded. Hertofore, the accounts had only been made out on loose sheets of papor, and when one Board went out of office there were very likely destroyed. But the new Board should take steps to provide that the various items of the* depasturing fees, dog-tax, and poundage fees should be properly accounted for to the Board. Votes of thanks to the outgoing Board, and the Chairman brought the meeting to a close.

Depasturing & Dog Fees .. 34 10 0 104 16 6 Late Major Clare 7 19 1 Overdraftß.N.Z. Cambridge .. 34 10 1 Total Receipts.. .. £1,195 17 3 EXPENDITUBE. By Cr. £ s, d. £ c. d. Overdraftß.N.Z. Cambridge ... 11 6 7 Roadwork and Material .. 730 9 5 Drainage ..297 5 6 Sale-yards .. 49 19 0 Commmission & Salaries '.. 30 3 7 Printing; and Advertising . . 23 2 8 Stamps and Stationery .. 115 6 Sundries .. 45 14 10 1184 10 6 Cash m hand . . 2 Total Expenditure .. ..£1,195,17 3.

To Dr. £ s. d. & s. d. Subsidies General 300 1 0 188 16 3 Subsidies Waikato County Couueil ..300 0 0 Ditto , .. 49 7 1 Ditto .. 200 0 0 Ditto .. 75 0 0 621 7 1 Bates, 1878-1870 154 3 ll£ Rates, Arroars. . M 4 3| 108 8 3 Bents, Boal-d Office ..000 Wharf AllotmetttAl .. 0 0 0 Wharf AllotmeuA2 .. 52 0. 0 67 0 0 Sale-yard Fees 41 18 4 FoundagaFeea 28 § %