Manchester Road Board

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 10, 9 July 1889, Page 2

Manchester Road Board

The ordinary monthly meeting of the above was held on Saturday afternoon last. Present— Messrs Macarthur (chairman), Pearce, Pryce- Jones, Reeve and Wheeler. The minutes of the previous ordinary meeting were read and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. From'John Walker, re railway contractors having filled up drain near his section. From W. Akers, re ford across Pohangina river. From R. Cobb, re tenders for Raukawa bridge. From, Property Tax Department, circular re valuation roll. From same, re several alterations on roll in No. 2 ward. From P. Sorensen and L. Jensen, re change of name on rate roll. From R. K. Reid, re settlement of account. From Mrs J. "Whittaker, re account for bush felling. From W. J. Port, re stoppage of drain on Pohangina road. From J. Cotter, with cheque £6 4s 9d for rent of ferry. From Clerk Rangitikei County Council, statement of expenditure on Onepuhi bridge, and asking for Board's share —^9o 4s 4d. From R. Cobb, re slip on Ashurst-Stoney Creek road, and asking for outlet of water . from his section. From Clerk to the Board, valuation list for year ending 31st March 1890. From W. Rodier, N. S. Wales, circular re rabbit pest. From the Engineer, memo re boring at Onepuhi bridge, re approach to the Pohangina bridge, re metal wanted on Makino bridge, and re trimming on Feilding-Ashurßt-Bunnythorpe road. Copies of correspondence on the matter of the chairmanship of the Board were also read as follows : — Mr Macarthur to Messrs Cash and Esam, from the House, July 4th : " I am in receipt of your letter and wire asking me to wire my intentions re chairmanship of the Manchester Road Board, I wired you to-day : 'Am writing fully ' I only got Messrs Bell, Gully, and Izard's opinicoa last night, and had to seek an interview with Mr Bell to-day in connection with his advice. He tells me to ask you to write to him re the matter, and as this may cause a day or two's delay, I am quite willing, in order that your clients may not be prejudiced, to have the next Saturday meeting of the Board either adjourned, or that all matters except the merest routine should be posponed until another meeting, your clients sitting, if they choose, without any prejudice to their course of action." Messrs Cash and Esam's reply to Mr Macarthur, July 5 : "We are this afternoon in receipt of your letter of yesterday's date, and have written to Messrs Bell, Gully and Izard, referring them to our Wellington agents, who are in possession of the whole facts of the case. We have taken this course as your letter was entirely silent as to the points on which Mr Bell desired us to write him. As our clients do not, and cannot recognise your right to act as chairman of the Board, we think it would be well that the meeting fixed for Saturday should stand adjourned to some other day, in fact until the question as to the legality of your election as chairman has been determined. Being, as we are, uncertain whether you will have left for Feilding before this letter can reach you, we have forwarded a copy of it and also a copy of yours to us, to the Clerk of the Board for the information of the members who may assemble to-morrow. Postal communications do not admit of a letter reaching Mr Pryce-Jones before to- : morrow afternoon." Messrs Cash and Esam to the Clerk of the Board, July sth : "We have the honor to enclose you herewith copy of letter we have this afternoon received from Mr ■. Macarthur, together with a copy of our reply. Please bring these communications before such members of the Board as may assemble at the Board's office to-morrow (Saturday). We may add that in writing to Messrs Bell, Gully and Izard we have asked that Mr Macarthur shall let us know definitely on Wednesday next whether or not he will resign his seat as chairman of the Board, or contest the legality of his election." Mr Macarthur said that if any members still wished to contest bis _ position as chairman he was quite willing that the meeting should be adjourned in accordance with the solicitors' advice. Mr Pryce-Jones suggested that the ordinary routine business should be proceeded with. Mr Macarthur thought so too, in the interests of the public. Proposed by Mr Reeve, seconded by Mr Wheeler, That Mr R. Linton be asked to act as arbitrator for the Board in the matter of damages claimed by R. JL Reid,. — Carried. Proposed by Mr Reeve, seconded by Mr Pearce, That the Clerk write to Mr J. Bishop to inform him that the Engineer will see during the month what is required to give him an outlet, and report to the Board at next meeting. — Carried. Proposed by Mr Reeve, seconded by Mr Pearce, That the name of M. P. Sorrenson be put on the rate book for section 16 instead of that ofL. Jensen. — Carried. Proposed by Mr Reeve, seconded by Mr Macarthur, That the Clerk be instructed to have an agreement drawn up and signed by Mr Grammar, indemnifying the Board in the matter of cutting an approach to Mr Akers' property.— Carried. Proposed by Mr Jones, seconded by Mr Wheeler, That Mr Macarthur request the Government to adjudicate as to the question of the Eiwitea Road Board paying part of the expenses of keeping the Onepuhi bridge in repair. — Carried. Proposed by Mr Wheeler, seconded by Mr Reeve, That the culvets carrying the water through Mr R. K. Reid's side of the road be stopped, and a ditch cleaned out on the opposite side to carry away the water for the future. That the ditch on Mr Reid's side be cleaned, and the owners whose trees 'assist to block this ditch be instructed to stop such growth.— -Carried. Proposed by Mr Reeve, seconded by Mr Wheeler, That fresh tenders be called for Raukawa bridge, to be in by next meeting of the Board. — Carried. Proposed by Mr Reeve, seconded by Mr Wheeler, That the Engineer be instructed to have 400 loads of metal put on the Palmerston-Gorge road and to employ extra labor for trimming new roads as required. — Carried. Proposed by Mr Reeve, seconded by Mr Wheeler, That the Engineer be authorised bo have 450 loads of metal put on Makino road in No. 4 ward. — Carried. Proposed by Mr Wheeler, seconded by Mr Jones, That the corner where Wilson's line joins Makino road be rounded off and widened; also the bend on the Makino aill, Stan way road, Be widened. — Carried. A resolution was pass«d re the striking )f a rate in accordance with terms pf the Rating Act. After passing accounts for payment the meeting adjourned.