THE DEVELOPMENT BOARD.

Matamata Record, Volume XV, Issue 432, 7 May 1923, Page 4

THE DEVELOPMENT BOARD.

OFFICERS FOR THE YEAR. The first meeting of the Putaruru District Development Board as elected at the annual meeting of the Development League on April 12 was held on Tuesday evening. The retiring chairman, Mr. C. G. Alcorn, who presided, intimated that it would be impracticable for him to continue as chairman for another year. Accordingly Mr. J. R. O. Lochhead, deputy chairman for the past year, was unanimously elected to succeed Mr. Alcorn. Mr. F. C. Barnett was elected deputy chairman. The secretary asked for six months' relief, slating that this was essential owing to pressure of other duties. Messrs. Alcorn and Lochhead were deputed to obtain a relieving secretary for this period. Hearty votes of thanks were recorded to the retiring chairman and to the secretary for their work in the past year. TELEPHONE CHARGES. The Postmaster-General, the Hon. J. G. Coates, advised that the now scale of bureau charges was only an adjustment and no increase in reven/e therefrom was anticipated. He therefore could not meet the Board s complaint that it resulted in increased toll bills to local telephone subscribers, owing to their using the short calls much more frequently than the longer calls. The length of the telegraph line between Putaruru and PukcatSa was 23 miles, as listed m the telephone directory, and there oie the Board's estimate that it would be loss than 20 miles was not correct. ROAD TO ARAPUNT. The meeting discussed the road deviation being formed to give easier access to Arapuni for the cartage of material for the hydro-clcctric scheme. It was suggested that a concrete road might not cost any more than the projected metalled road plus the maintenance of the metal over the five years during which it would have to bear the heavy traffic to Arapuni. Thus the public of the district might be quite justified in requesting a concrete road. It was agreed to apply to Mr. F. F. Hockly, M.P., for a copy of the specifications for the main contract at Arapuni in order to ascertain if these left the Government i power to arrange with the contractor for any variation from a metalled road.