NEWCASTLE ROAD BOARD MATTERS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2319, 21 May 1887, Page 2

NEWCASTLE ROAD BOARD MATTERS.

The Clerk in Reply. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —In reply to 11 C. Shephard's letter in your issue of Thursday last, I beg to offer a few remarks on the charges contained therein, in the order in which they are set forth, viz: First "he considers it an absurdity to think he would attempt to injure his brother, and says he had not the remotest idea that he would pay the rates on Lot 70 (though I have for years urged him to do so). I would have kept in my pocket what, so far as my personal gain to myself is concerned, was money completely thrown away," though his brother occupied the land, "and, as he states in his letter to the board, that it was on his (Edwin's) advice that he fenced the land. And now, after his brother's outlay on the land, E. 0. Shephard pays the rates, applies to have his name put on the roll for the land so as to be entitled to occupy it, and oust the brother out of occupation. So much for Mr Shepherd's philanthropy. The second point Mr Shepherd raises is the reporting of the proceedings of the board's meetings, giving the dates of several meetings of the board, which were reported and not reported, and alludes to the annual meeting of ratepayers as follows, viz., " But feels that the omission of any report of the annual meeting of ratepayers had occurred through inadvertence." Now, the only business done at tha annual meeting was to receive the balancesheet as certified by the auditors, ami a resolution proposed by R. Flemming, seconded by E. C. Shepherd, "that section 134, Horotin, be re-sold, and that E. Fitzpatrick's deposit of £G, paid in 1579, be forfeited." The opinion of the meeting was opposed to the board selling auy more land for rates, and the resolution lapsed. I wish to point out that the Road Boards Act defines the duties of the secretary, and newspaper reporting is not included. I therefore decline to be dictated to by anyone, and E. C. Shepherd in particular, without fee, or reward,, or even thanks to perform a duty outside my office of secretary unless at my own descretion. Mr Shepherd's dissertation m my balance-sheet, and the figures quoted in his letter were used by him at the annual meeting of ratepayers, at which eighteen or nineteen attended, and notwithstanding my having refuted them to the satisfaction of the meeting, he now again introduces the same figures which were rejected at the annual meeting,jwith the express object of deceiving the latepayers who were absent from the meeting, and of getting himself into notoriety, vvhich appears to be the height of his ambition. The approximate revenue estimated by me was for the year the Local Bodies Finance and Powers Bill first came into force, and was calculated on the basis of pound for pound Government subsidy, in accordance with a clause in the Bill, and was computed on the gross current rate for the year. But a schedule to the Bill, which escaped my notice at the time, altered the amount of subsidy to ten shillings, being only half what was allowed by the clause in the Bill. This deficiency, together with the amount of the current rate that remained unpaid on the 30th June, and for which no subsidy was paid, though comprised in my approximate estimate, made up this inaccuracy which Mr Shepherd attributes to my incompetency. Mr Shepherd just mentions £2SG 14s Id as the gross receipts, and for the expenditure sets down works £175 14s 9d, and administrative expenses £G2 12s lid, leaving it a matter of conjecture as to how the account was balanced. But it suited Mr Shepherd's purposes to leave the matter in a fog, and so prejudice ine in the eyes of absent ratepayers. For the information of those ratepayers who were not present at the annual meeting I will give the following items, viz. ; — Gross receipts, £28G 14s Id. Expenditure, as follows:—Administrative expenses, £34_ 7s 5d ; printing and advertising, £22 17s 0d > legal expenses, £4 lis Gd; surveys, £7 lis; works, £175 14s 9d; timber, W.S.N, Company, £5 12s -Id ; cheque book and postage, 4s 5d ; petty cash expended, 15s 8d ; petty cash in hand, 12s lOd ; balance in bank, 31st March, 1887, £34 (>s Bd, which added together makes £28G 14 id to balance with receipts. I pass over the attack on the chairman, who is quite capable of answering Mr Shepherd's insinuations should he think it worth his while giving them attention. As regards Mr Shepherd's cry of expense attending elections, he has served two years on the board and never uttered a word about this matter until he is now rejected by the ratepayers.—l am, yours respectfully, WILLIAM JONKS.