HUNUA.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 350, 7 October 1868, Page 4

HUNUA.

The meeting of the Hunua Highway Board was held at two o'clock, at the Papakura Hotel. The trustees for last year were Messrs. W. Hay, L. Roy, G. B. Hair, H. Chamberlain, and James Ball. There was a good attendance of ratepayers. Mr. W. Hay, chairman of the trustees, presided. Mr. J. B. Way, secretary, read an abstract of the receipts and expenditure for last year. The amount of receipts was £160 145., and the expenditure £161 ssAd.,s Ad., leaving 11s. 4d. due to the treasurer. AH but £20 had been expended cm public works. It was proposed by the Rev. T. Nokbie, secoaded by Mr. Hall, and agreed to, that Mr. Greenacre and Mr. Fallwell should be appointed to audit the accounts of the past year. It was stated that Mr. Bell had disposed of his interest in the district, and could not be re-elected. • The following gentlemen were then elected as trustees for next year :— Messrs. S. Cassey, R. White, W. Hay, H. Chamberlain, and L. O. lioy. Mr. White proposed, and Mr. Cosset seconded, that the rate be by the acre. The proposition was carried unanimously. Mr. Hall asked if they could not put in the education rate with it. The Chairman said they must not put the rate too high, as it was likely that an education rate would be levied. The Rev. T. Nobbib asked if the schoolteachers had sent any communication to be brought before the meeting. Ihe Chairman said he had not received any communication from the teachers. The Rev. T. Norkik thought it wa» a pity that the Education Act had fallen through, though there was a difficulty about working it. Something ought at once to be done for education. The Chairman said he thought it would be better to wait till they saw what was to be done by the General or Provincial Government. It was pretty certain that some steps would be taken, and they bad better not move in the matter. Mr. Fullwell proposed that the rate be the same as last year, namely, 3d per acre. Mr. Cossey seconded the motion. The Rev. T. JSokrib called the attention of the trustees to the necessity of registering the claims against absentees, so that the amounts might be recovered at some time. The Chairman caid that would be attended to. Mr. k Rot proposed that the rats be 2d. They would probably have something to pay for education shortly. Mr. T. McCajtjxbt secoaded the motion.

Mr Hall asked if the Id. struck off would go for education. (Laughter.) The , Chairman : That will come by-and-by. The vote was then taken on the two proposition!, when, including proxies, thiityfour votes wer« recorded for 2d., and eight for 3d. The amendment was, therefore, carried j and the rate fired at 2J. per acre. » er. T. Norths said he regretted that the subject of education was not to be dealt with. He admitted the difficulties in the working of the Act, and that improvements were highly desirable. There was a very great necrs-ity for something being done for education, as the children were gtowingup in ignorance, and they were losing all their best teachers. Th?y were forced to get education done as they could, and it was sometimes very defective. There was one defect in the Education Act that he thought could be supplied. Although the Act treated the present trustees very unceremouionsly, he believed that these gentlemen would be willing to hand over the school buildings to any gentleman who might be appointed. They had offered to hand over their buildings to the Wairoa Board, wh'ch was the first that had the matter under consideration. There was a great falling off in education, and he believed that roads, school", and religion were very closely connected. It was of vital importance to the future of the colony that the rising generation should have the benefit of education. He was sure that the members of the Hunua district would be glad to hare good schools both near the South Road and in the back country. To lev/ even a rate of Id. would be a help in the matter of education. He did not intend to propose that any rate should be fixed, but he thought it hw duty to bring the matter before the meeting, i»ud he understood that the Teachers' Association was to wiire to all the chairmen of the highway districts to ask them to bring the subject under the consideration of the ratepayers. The Chairman said that no doubt there would be something done very shortly by the Government. That was one reason why he did not bring the subject forward at that meeting. The Chairman Baid that an account for some £7 or £8 had been ient for printing the list in the Provincial Government Gazette. The Secretary said the account had been brought before the trustees, and they ignored it— would not enter it on the minutes. A bill had been passed last session of Council to make the Boards pay. Mr. Ball said that the Provincial Government were getting in the thin edge of the wedge of taxation, and they would work it. The Rev. T. Norbib Baid it was unfair to charge for advertising the list, when the Government forced them to publish in the Gazette, and did not let them take their choice of a newspaper. The Chairman said, if the Government had published the list when it w*s sent in, it would have been published before the Act was passed, but they kept it back till they could charge. He thought the district was too large. Mr. R. White thought a portion of the district might be put on to the East Wairoa district. • A vote of thanks to the Chairman and the trustees of last year concluded the business.