Taotaoroa Board.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2696, 22 October 1889, Page 2

Taotaoroa Board.

Tub above board held its monthly mealing in the offices of the Piako Gountv Council, Cambridge, on Saturday at 11 a.m. Present: Messrs H. J. Kallendar (chairman), 11. K. Bruuskill, H. J. Turner and J. Forrest, The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Tun Audit.—An account for £1 Is Sd was received from the Audit Department fur auditing the books of the board, und appended was a foot-note, stating that the amount due for the previous year, 13s 4d, had not yet been paid, and asking f lir n remittance, of the dual amounts.—Mr Forrest said he did not think any of the local bodies had paid the audit fees, and he trusted they would not do so unless compelled by law. He thought the charges most iniquitous. —The Clerk said ho could not understand the method upon which the charges were made. As they could see, the charge on •* the previous year was only 13s 4d ; and yot this year it had lisen to ill Is Sd. The amount ot work done was a niero nothing ; iti fact, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Major Tisdale had examined the books of two road board.*, and he (the clerk) was at a loss to account for the extraordinary charges made by the Department.—lt was resolved not to pay the charges ; the members thinking it would be better to let the Department recover by law, if that is possible, which they very much doubt. Tub Ilim.VG Accounts.—A request havine been made to the Piako County Council that tlioy would furnish the board with a statement of receipts and expenditure of the Taotaoroa riding for the past five yearw, a courteously worded reply was received from the county clerk, stating that the law provided that any ratepayers could inspect tbo books of the council during ojlico hours, and that ha ehould be

happy to afford any assistance to such ratepayers during the insuection.—Mr Forrest said it \v;is strnnee tliat the council clitmld endoiivcur to strangle enquiry. Hβ did uot know if the inembur.s of the board wore aware of it, but there wue a bipr attempt being made to wipe road boards out of existence. Ho was at a lohs to account for the sudden raid that was '.win*? made against them ; but, nevertheless, it was a fact, and in many parts of ths country road boards were- being merpfed into the county councils. The Government seemed in favour of the change ; the county councils, of course, supported it; and now many of the loading journals of the colony bad taken the matter up, and wore strongly advocating the onuse of the councils as being in every way superior to road boards. He acknowledged that county councils wore necessary and useful bodies, but in districts like the Wsiikato he considered the road boards were by far the most nsoful bodies. He trusted the farmers of Waikito and Wnipa would bestir themselves, and not lot road boards be wiped out of existence, as was evidently intended by the Government and the Press.—Mr Turner illustrated the expensive management of county councils, by referring to the Waitemata Council, whom, ho stated, hud expended £900 in laying out £3000. —It was resolved that tho Chairman and Mr Forrest be appointed to examine the county books. The Main Roads.—Mr Forrest spoke of the intention of tho County Council to call for tenders for the maintenance of the main roads in the Taotaoroa riding, and said he could not imagine why they were doing bo. He was not in sympathy with the tender eystem of maintenance, for it was purely a matter of speculation. The board had kept the roads in repair when the council could, or would not do it ; and then without a moment's warning the council stepped in and took them away without as much as " Thank you." He moved that application be respectfully made to the county council for £100, and the board would undertake to keep the main roads in repair for twelve months.—Seconded by Mr Turner, and carried. Uhookside BiifDOK. —Mr Turner said the above bridge needed repairing. Some of the stringers were rotten, and the boards were so far apart that it was a difficult mutter to get, calves and sheep to cross it. —This matter was adjourned till the next meeting. Finance.— Tho Clerk reported a credit balance of £180 10< Srf, £ir>o of which had boon on lixed deposit for u year, hut the term had just expired. Ho asked if the bi'iir 1 intended placing any portion of it on fixed deposit again.—lt was decided to leavo the matter at present, until the b;ink authorities notified them that tho stipulated time had expired.