PAROA ROAD BOARD.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1881, 15 August 1874, Page 3

PAROA ROAD BOARD.

A meeting of the Paroa Eoad Board took place on Thursday, 13th inst, when there were present — Messrs Colton (chair), Irving, Williams, and Morissey. The principal business was the consideration of a notice of motion to strike a general rate of Is in the £. In connection herewith Mr Colton, prior to moving the resolution re rate, proposed to make a bye-law regulating the annual value of mining property. A bye-law (No 3) was in force making the annual value of

mining property generally Is, thereby virtually exempting it from liability to be rated. Mr Coltox proposed, and Mr.WiLmams seconded^j'o/ormrt— "That in the opinion of this Board, the annual value of water-races within the Paroa district shall be computed so that no head of water shall be deemed to be of a greater value than L 5 per annum, and ordinary claims and machinery Is per annum." Mr Colton proposed that this resolution should take the place of the bye-law in question., and stated that his reasons for introducing it were the pressing state of the Board's finances, as well as a desire to protect the mining population, as he thought that the Provincial Government was sure to introduce some measure dealing with the Road Board question, and he wished to make miners ratepayers ia order that they might have a voice in the election of a future Board. A strong discussion ensued, Mr Mokissby strongly protesting against the attempt of repealing a bye-law without the sanction of a majority of the whole Board, and it was ultimately agreed to adjourn the Board, in order to give the mining residents, of whom a great number had assembled, an opportunity of expressing their opinion on the raised. The meeting adjourned accordingly. At the termination of the public meeting reported above, the Board resumed, and after some more discussion, Mr Colton withdrew his motion to make water-races rateable. The advisabilitj'; of striking a general j rate, as heretofore upon all business freehold property only, was then considered. Some of the members objected to such a rate as insuflicient and scarcely paying for its collection, and some proposed the resignation, in a body, of the Board. Ultimately progress was reported, and the debate on the motion adjourned to that day fortnight.