MEETINGS OF RATEPAYERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14988, 7 May 1909, Page 8

MEETINGS OF RATEPAYERS.

ELLESMER.E. The annual meeting of ratepayers of tho Ellosmere Road district was held: on Saturday afternoon, Mr James Storrj- presiding. The chairman, in his report, stated that tho Boa.rd had commenced the year with, a credit balance of £7OB 14s 9d, and had carried .forward >a. credit balance of £ll7O ISs 2d. The amount of receipts on account of "thirds" and "fourths" during the year had been £2 9s Bd>, and the expenditure on tho same was £9 12s 4d. As the whole of the claims on the Board, inclusive of hospital and charitable aid 1 , and the birds rate, had been met by a halfpenny rate and a substantial balance had been carried forward, ho thought the district was being worked in a satisfactory manner. It had been found necessary to construct a strong willow groiii to stop scour on the roadway near the Sclwyn, :md the Go\'ernmeut was proriding tho Board with about two hundred iron nails for the construction of iron groins. The Government having applied for a portion of the section, adjoining the public ' pound'.and 1 library, for a site for the proposed new post office for Leeston, tho Board had decided to grand a strip 70ft. wide. With the View of obtaining a better ?|uality of shingle for the roads on.the ow-lying portions of tho district tho Board was in treaty for the purchase of a pumping plant for removing 'water from low pits. One successful tria.' of the machine, had been made. The balance sheet showed that the total receipts for the year had been £2287 16s 6d, including a credit balance of £7Ol 12s Id from the previous year. The balance sheet was adopted. A hearty vote of thanks .was'accorded to the clerk, Mr Lunn, for his services. MOUNT PEEL. The annual meeting of ratepayers in the Mount Peel road district was held on Tuesday.'. There was a fair attendance and "Mr G. J. Dennistoun presided. The chairman read tho annua] report, which stated that tho finances were on a satisfactory footing.. The roads and bridges had not'suffered from floods as much as they had done in past years. The Board had begun the year with a credit balance of £1391. 6s Id and ended it with £1742 13s Sd. but as there would be a large amount of metalling to be done in the Allaudale district, owing to property having been cut up into small holdinge, tho surplus: would be absorbed. Mount Michael. Valley Road and more than a mile of the Mid Valley Road were in a. weak state and would require heavy ex-, peudituro. Quarry sites were urgently, required in the neighbourhood of Allan- \ dale and the old "Raincliffe holdings, j Roughly, the expenditure on the Ram-: cliffo and Clavton districts had been', £49 8s 2d and on the Peel Forest' district £136 ISs 7d. This showed that; full justice had been done to the back ! country. Tho chairman thanked the members of the Board for their services j and the clerk (Mr D. Macfarlane) for, the way in which he had conducted the! work during the past year, and alsoexpressed the sympathy of the Board, for him in his recent illness. He olkcthanked Mrs Macfarlane for her unfailing courtesy and kindness to members. The report was adopted. Mx Thew complained that there had! been an increase of £6O on the hospital l and charitable aid levy.

The clerk said that it would be more 1 satisfactory if the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board struck a special rate,; according to the valuation of the pro-; perties iu the different districts*. TEMUKA. / The annual meeting of ratepayers of the Temuka road district lapsed on, Tuesday for -want of a quoroum, only the members of the Board being .present. The, report and balance.'sheet for the vear, which were to have beer, presented to the meeting, show that the receipts were £3BBI 9s 5d and the» expenditure £2757 1b Bd, leaving a ! credit balance of £1124 9s 9d, to which has to be added 'a credit 'balance of, £634 5s lOd from the previous year,' making a total of £1758 12s 7d. Of ; this £IOOO was placed on fixed de-i posit. There is a credit balance on the land fund account of £409 los lOd.: Bates yielded £3259 Is. and the chief items of expenditure were.—Office ex-, penses and salary £215, roads £1140,, Timaru Harbour Board levy £768, hospital and charitable aid £453. As. agents for the County Council, the Board paid away nearly £3OO for birds s heads and eggs, representing 11,388 ■ dozen eggs and heads at 3d a dozen,; and 3065 heads of old birds at a penny each. The clerk and overseer, Mr J- . W. Joynt, carried out his duties to the ■, satisfaction of the Board. UPPER ASHBURTON. The annual meeting of ratepayers in the Upper Aslibnrton road district was . held on Tuesday, Mr C. J. Harper presiding. The annual balance sheet, which had been audited and returned from Wellington certified, wnte read. The balance sheet showed a total expenditure for the year of £1453 7s 9d. The balance of assets over liabilities was £1240 Is lid. including the outstanding rates and arrears and outstanding rents of reserves. . The balance sheet was adopted. Tho chairman said that the Board did all it could with tho means at its disposal, and would continue te <lo everything possible in the ratepayers interests and for their benefit. Be wished te say, however, that Bond Boards could not be expected to.go ' into questions of concrete channelling and asphalting; their work was more for roads and road maintenance. He would suggest that if other work were required it should bo done by a loan, say for thirty years, with a rate to cover'the interest and sinking fund. On the' motion of Mr Soal, seconded by Mr J. Steele, a hearty vote ot thanks was accorded to the chairman and members of th e Board for their services during the past year. Tim chairman thanked the ratepayers for their attendance and the meeting closed.