Wakanui Road Board.

Ashburton Herald, Volume II, Issue 543, 8 January 1880, Page 3

Wakanui Road Board.

ANNUAL MEETING' OF RATEPAYERS. Tire annual meeting of the ratepayers of the Wakanui Road District wxs held in the Wakanui schoolroom at noon yesterday. There was a large attendance—Mr. IT. T. Winter, Chairman of the Board, presiding. The meeting was- held at the school, as the Act provides that such meetings and elections shall be held in the district, and as the Board’s present offices are situated within the limits of the Municipality of Ashburton they are not within those prescribed in the Act. It was thus found necessary'to hold - the meeting elsewhere, .and .Wakanui school was selected. As a consequence, the residents of the Creek were fully represented, but Seafield did not send a large number of ratepayers to represent that important portion of the Road District. Mr. C. G. Fooks read the annual statement of acCounts as follows. JANUARY Ist, 1880. 1879. Receipts. Aug. 4—To amount paid to

credit when district severed... 3691 3 6 Sept. 16—To amount paid by Longbeach Road Board on readjusting accounts between the

The Chairman read his report as follows : “ You will see that since the Board has been constituted we have endeavored to judiciously expend our funds in those places where the work has been most needed. For the future, as there will probably be but little more than the rates to provide for the requirements of the district, it will be the Board’s desire to have it expended with care and discretion. In consequence of the depressed state of the times, and not to burden ratepayers with undue taxation, we have struck a rate of ninepence in the pound, i which we trust will be sufficient to carry us on to the end of the year. There are a few contracts which we have let that 1 wish to bring before your notice. Ist. Contract for maintenance of roads in the district. This is a work that has been much needed, and which we are sure is preferable to employing day labor in repairing roads where necessary. 2nd. Contract for drain along Leadley’s road. This work, which is intended for the drainage of the district, and to carry off storm water between Butterick’s and the sea, is one that we were urgently requested to carry out, and no doubt, if delayed, it would have caused a very considerable loss to a number of ratepayers in that locality. The matter was brought before the County Council some time ago by the old Ashburton Road Board, but as there seemed little .• probability of that body undertaking the work for some time to come, we deemed it advisable to commence the contract at once, as we feel confident that the County Council will assist with a grant in aid. The work, in my opinion, is one that properly comes under the control of the Council, but as we.have undertaken it, there is little doubt when the subject of drainage is dealt with by them, they will refund us the amount we have thought it judicious to spend on a necessary work like this. “At the last meeting of the Board the question of building offices, <fcc., more centrally situated than those we now occupy was brought up, and it was resolved to apply for a part of reserve 1767. As there seems a difficulty in disposing of the [present offices, &c., and it also means a considerable outlay, we would wish to to take the opinion of ratepayers on the matter.

■»—v-TOVi-

“ You are called upon to-day to elect three "members in the place of Messrs. E. Saunders and Joseph Hurst (who retire by rotation, but who are eligible for re-election) and Mr. David Wilson, resigned.” In reply to Mr. Sandrey, the Clerk stated that the site l of reserve was near Messrs Holmes’ and Power's farms.

Mr. James Brown proposed, and Mr. John Harrison seconded—“ That the question of building new offices be deferred till next year.” The mover considered that the present offices werein in the most suitable site, as persons having business with the Board usually had something to do in town, and could thereby kill two birds with one stone. The resolution was carried unanimously. Mr James Brown vva3 of opinion that the Board should be brought under the Local Elections Act, as if all costs were to be paid out of rates it would behove the ratepayers to watch how much they paid and where the money went to. Mr. Hugo Friedlander pointed out that by bringing the district under that Act a great deal of unnecessary expense would, be entailed on the Board in the shape of preliminary expenses, advertising, and extra polling booths. The Chairman pointed out that by the Act it was necessary to present a petition signed by two-thirds of the ratepayers before any action could be taken. The matter then dropped.

Mr. S. Wright asked, why the lowest tender for Leadley’s drain was not accepted. The Chairman slated that as the work was one which had to be dons quickly, it was decided'to accept the one which was considered to be the most likely to be carried out within the specified time.

Mr. D. Wilson did not consider tenders should be rejected because they were considered too low.

Mr. Sandrey thought that in cases where work was not done,’ the Board should fall back on the sureties.

Mr. Saunders thought that the Board should have discretion allowed them in these matters, as it often happened that deposit cheques were sent in, which were afterwards found valueless. Mr. Friedlander said that as the work had been delayed for some months on account of various interviews having to be held with the County Council, the Board did*not wish to run the risk of delay in so important a matter, by letting the work to a contractor whom the Board considered could not carry out tne work at the price tendered for. Mr. D. Wilson considered the Board had made a mistake in letting the contract for “ maintenance of roads ” to one contractor. It would have been better to let the roads in small sections.

Mr. Winter explained that not half the roads had been tendered for, as Mr. Wilson as a member of the Board was aware. Mr. Wilson said he was not present on the day they were let.

Mr. Earll did not see what difference it made whether one man had the contract or ten. f Mr. J. Brown asked why the Beach road was not re-formed the full width. The Chairman said it was on account of the expense.

Mr. Harrison said he was a member of the Board when the road was originally formed, and the reason was that they had considered it advisable to have a footpath on roads for a certain distance out of town.

Mr. Earll thought the road should be formed the full width, no matter whether the fences were washed away or not.

Attention was called to the gorse growing on tie footpaths near town, audit was explained that action was being taken to compel owners of land to clear the obstructions.

Mr. Sandrey called attention to the dangerous state of the cutting on the north side of the Homestead.

It was explained that as an arrangement had been made to prevent, flood water further damaging it, the work would at once be put in hand. Mr, Sandrey proposed and Mr. James Brown seconded—“ That the report and accounts as read be adopted, which was carried unanimously.”

The nomination for members to take the places of Messrs. E. Saunders,. J, Hunt, and D. Wilson were then taken. Mr. Saunders proposed, and Mr. Meredith Wilson seconded—Mr. James Brown.

Mr. E. Saunders proposed, and Mr. Peter limes seconded—-Mr. Joseph Hunt. Mr. T. Walsh proposed, and Mr. T. Wilson seconded —Mr. Samuel Wright. Mr. D. Wilson proposed, and D. Buttenvorth seconde'd—Mr. George Earll. Mr. H. Friedlander proposed, and Mr. J. Hunt seconded—Mr. Edward Saunders.

On a show of hands being taken, the following resulted ;

Mr. G. Earle 22 Mr. James Brown ... ... 21 Mr. E. Saunders ... ... 17 Mr. J. Hunt ... ... ... 35 Mr. S. Wright ' ... 8 Mr. Hunt demanded a poll, which being taken, Mr. S. Wright having withdrawn, resulted as under : G. Earle ... ... ... ... 128 J. Brown... ... ... ... 114 Joseph Hunt ... 83 E. Saunders ... 63 The three highest were declared elected.

Longbeach and Wakanui Road Boards' ... 183 15 4 ,, Rates ' ... 13 2 3 ,, Rents' .... 28 12 0 ,, Tnfies’ share of erecting bridge; ... 7 • 0 0 ,, Deposits on contracts... 21 0 0 ,, Interest... 26 14 11 £3971 8 0 <:'■ Expenbiturb. By Gardiner’S Road. 338 9 4 ,, Le Breton’s Road 146 11 0 ,, Milton Road ... 46 7 a „ Wakanui Station Road... 20 6 '0 „ Corbett’s Road ... 55 11 6 ,, Wakanui Township Road 67 15 0 ,, Wakanui Road 17 4 1 ,, Seafield Road ... 27 16 10 ,, Wakanui School Road ... 18 5 4 ,, Christy’s Road 5 16 0 ,, Smith’s Road 2 13 0 ,, Wilson’s Road ... 7 16 4 ,, Chertsey Road ... 1060 11 7 ,, jLeadley s Road ... ' ... 168 3 4 ,, Beach Road 94 6 10 ,, Stanley Road ... 0 13 0 , ,, Racecourse Road 4 2 6 ,, Rule’s Road 41 10 0 ,, Fitzgerald’s Road 53 4 6 ,, River Road 0 8 0 ,, South-east Town Belt ... 62 15 0 ,, Mill Road 113 10 3 ,, Leatham’s Road . 13 5 0 ,, Gibson’s Road 198 8 2 ,, Denshire’s Road 25 0 0 Maintenance of roads ... 61 0 0 5j, ’■ General expenses, viz., • • " isalaries, stationery, adsu.’vertising, safe., insur- * -ance, timber, &c., &c. 250 8 11 Balance at Bank at this date ... 1069 9 3 £3971 8 0 ' Assets. '■ - £ s. d. Balance at Bank, January 1st, 1880 ... ... 10G9 9 3 Government subsidy 723 6 2 Outstanding Rates 1878-79 210 0 0 Rates, 1879-80 1073 15 3 Longbeach Road Board on : account of timber 47 4 3 £3123 14 11 Liabilties. Contracts let'— Rule’s road ... v ... 378 12 0 Leadley’s Drain ... 650 0 0 Maintenance of roads ... 400 0 0 Denshire’s road 126 14 0 Smith’s road 72 8 4 Beach road ... 192 12 4. Beach and Trevor’s road.. 78 7 4 Corbett’s road ... i ... 23 15 0 Culverts, &c. ... 50 0 0 Gravel Pits and fencing same /... ... 130 0 0 Advertising, printing, and stationery... 60 0 0 Salary 200 0 0 Incidental expenses... 40 0 0 £2402 9 0 chairman’s report.