ROAD BOARD'S EXIT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 79, 3 April 1928, Page 11

ROAD BOARD'S EXIT.

CAMBRIDGE LOCAL BODY. MERGED INTO waixato COUNTY. AFTER SIXTY YEARS. (from Our Ova Correspondent.) CAMBRIDGE, Monday. Yesterday the Cambridge Road Board, one of the oldest local bodies in the Waikato, ceased to exist, the official declaration of the merger with the Waikato County Council taking effect. The board held its last meeting on Saturday, when the chairman, Mr. G. M. Watt, presided. Suitable references were made concerning the passing of the board, members paying a fine tribute to Mr. G M. Watt's chairmanship since 1922 ft nd his active association with the board gjnee 1909. The chairman suitably replied, and briefly referred to the splendid service rendered by the respective boards to the district since its formation in 18(58. The chairman also thanked members for their service to the district. The treasurer, Mr. S. N. Willis, submitted a financial statement which showed that the board were going out of office with a credit of approximately £1200 and not a single rate account outit&nding. It was also mentioned that during the whole CO years of the board's formation the general rates had never exceeded five-eighths of a penny. Past History.

It is a far cry back to 1503. Sixty years ago Cambridge was an important military settlement. Although at that time there were no local bodies, roads had been surveyed, and in a few initances formed by the Military Department. Transport was chiefly carried on per medium of the Waikato River. With the coming of settlers better transport was necessary, and in 18C-8 the first board took ottice, with the late William Reed as chairman. It was immediately recognised that the board's first duty was to open up reasonable road communication with the settlement of Hamiiton, and steps in this direction were at once tfeken. Between 1838 and 1870, during which period the board was presided over by the late William Reed and John Kuneiman, a road was formed i from Cambridge to the Tamahere School, branching off at this point, and taking a circular route through Graham's land,! to come out at Leslie's Gully and continuing on the present-day route to Hamiltoh. In the early '70' a Mr. George E. Clark —Cambridge's "grand old man" —was elected to the chairmanship, being surrounded by such sterling pioneers and board members as the late William Reynolds (first secretary of the board), William Martin, James Forrest, and Samuc! Graham. All sc.ve the chairmen of i'nnt period'have long since passed to their last resting place, and he alcne is left to witness the purging of the board. During Mr. Reed's term on the board it was felt that a more direct route for the main, road was desirable, but there were difficulties in the way in the ohape of 2000 acres of private land. .All that area between the Tamahere School and Leslie's Gullv, and extending north and south, was confiscated earlier by the Government and handed over to two friendly native chiefs, Rice and Hargreares. The v. hole area was later purchased by William Graham. For some considerable, i tirae a bridle track, over the Bald Hill Was used, but about 1870 negotiations were opened for the forming of a direct route through the area aforementioned, and the cutting down of a steep cliff which is now known as Poplar Hill. Mr. Clark well remembers meeting the contractors, along with the late William Reynolds, and signing the contract under a small bridge at Leslie's Gully.

Coming of the Motor. Throughout the long years between the early years of the board and the beginning of the present century the reipective boards did splendid woyfc, for, the district and laid the foundation (tones of the present. excellent roading lystem of to-day. From , 1010 onwards came a change in the mode of transport. In IC2O there was a move for more permanently surfaced roads, and since 1924 the present chairman and his members have continually urged the permanent surfacing of the main highway, and to such purpose that last year the Highways Board agreed to prbvide a subsidy of 30/ lor £1 to tar-seal the nine and a-half miles in the board's district. Almost tho last action of the board fa its decision, with the approval of the Highways Board, to borrow £4400 for the purpose. It is to be regretted that the board is not permitted to function until the tar-sealing off the road is an acgomplished fact; nevertheless, present members will have tlif satisfaction of knowing that it was due to them.

Past Chairmen. iFollowin? is a list of the board's chairmen:—William Reed, 18C8; John Runciman, 1870'; G. E. Clark, 1872; James Forrest, records lost; James Taylor, 1893-00; Cornelius Day, 1800-09; James Taylor, 1899-1004; Martin Butler, 1904180(5; James Taylor, 1006-1907; R. Swayne, 1907-1000; William Newell. 1909-13; George Booth. 1013-19; Wilfred Harbutt, 1920-22; G. M. Watt, 1022-28. The present chairman was elected a member of the board in 1000.

Early Board Members. TBe following were among the memWs of the early boards:—Jared Allwelli John McCaw, M. H. Pickering, Heifry Paton, William Reynolds, William HThomas, W. Main, W. H. Wright, S. Cowling. ,

Those of later years include J. Hooker, N. Banks, A. W. Gane, B. M. MeGechie, Watt, W. Harbutt, J. D. P. Morgan, T. Entwistle, H. Alan Bell, H. C. Wallace, A. W. Dingle, W. Moore, F. 8. Veale and R. Bollard. • i

, The Clerks. -J-The elerks of the board were William "•ynolds, James McPherson, Thomas ®"tly, John Mongo Douglas. -Elislia eale, G. H. Bellamy, Frank S. Veale •3d Alan de L. Willis.

Mr. E. Veale held the position of c wk from 1009 to 1923.