THE MANGERE DISTRICT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 268, 9 November 1895, Page 2

THE MANGERE DISTRICT.

A meeting of tho ratepayers of the Mangere road district was held on Wednesday last in tho Public Hall, Mangere. Mr VV. Westney, the Chairman, stated thab the meeting was called to consider the advisability of building, a new public hall, and also the proposal of the Otabuhu Road Board to take over a portion of the Mangere road district. The balance-sheet of ibhe Board had been returned from the Audit Department, and could be inspected Iby any of the ratepayers. After considerable discussion ib was resolved, on bhe motion of Mr Archibald, " That this meeting of the Mangore ratepayers considers that ib ia advisable to erect a new building in which to hold moorings, lar^e enough to contain all the ratepayers." A Committee consisting of Messrs Archibald, Anderson, W. Wesbney, J. Massey, 11. H. McKenzie, M. M. Kirk bride, and E. Alien was elected to formulate plana and submit a report to a Jutura meeting of the ratepayers bo be held in December.

In reference to the proposal of the Otahuhu Road Board to take over a portion of the Mangere district, the Chairman stated that the Otahuhu Board desired to make the railway the boundary between the two diatriets. Some £200 had been expended on this section during fche past financial year more than half of which had been paid by the Mangere Board, while the rates received had been only about £35. Mr Archibald pointed out that should any portion of the district bo taken over, the Board ought to sco tbat there was a re-adjustment of the liability of the two districts regarding the cost of maintenance of the Mangere Bridge. Mr Kirkbride moved " Thab as a moiety of the cosb of mainbenance of tha Mangere Bridge was laid on tbe Mangere road district the ratepayers at bhis meeting protest againsb any portion of thia district being cut off and attached to tbe Otahuhu Road District." This waa carried unanimously. It waa further resolved " That the Road Board take steps to ascertain fully its true legal position and what the Obahuhu Board had ultimately decided to do in the matter. And also that at the next meeting of the ratepayers the new Local Government Bill be broughb forward for consideration.

Mr Archibald moved "Thab a Committee bo appointed to ascertain whab amount of public roada are enclosed in the district, and to report which of them ib is desirable to ro-open or to sell." Mr Kirkb_.de, in seconding bhe proposal p-o forma, stated tbat this matter had been considered by (Successive Boards tor many years, and the gates wero only retained in tho interests of the general ratepayers, aa the run fees thus obtained enabled the Board to maintain the roads with a lower rate. He doubted ii bhere wore many roads, in thp district

thab it would be desirable to soil. He thoughb thab bhe Board itself was the besb body bo consider bhe question, and bhey should see thab legal gates were erected on these roads and a fair equivalent paid to the ratepayers for tho use of them. Mr Westney objected to selling the roads, pointing out that as population increased many of them mighb be required, and bhat the ratepayers were deriving a revenue from them. The motion, on being put to the meeting, was losb.