THE OTAKI HIGHWAYS BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 51, 25 February 1881, Page 2

THE OTAKI HIGHWAYS BOARD.

TO THE EDITOP OF THE MANAWATU HERALD. Sib,— Like most men of genius, the members of the Otaki Highways Board are highly sensitive, so it is not surprising that their equanimity was disturbed by a " local, " headed "An Otaki Resolution," which appeared in a recent issue of the Herald, criticising their action in resolving,—" That the Board grants the present application of Warden Davies for leave of absence, bnt it being the sixth application granted the Board declines to entertain any further application from Warden Davies for leave of absence, unless he can show good cause." : I perhaps cannot blame the writer of the " local " for concluding that the Board insists on the Wardens attending the meetings regularly ; as it might be assumed from the resolution, that Mr Davies had only been absent from six meetings in all : whereas it was the sixth consecutive application for leave granted to him— as no doubt should have been stated in the resolution, which notwithstanding the opinion expressed in the "local," will have the effect of making Warden Davies a more regular attendant at the Board meetings : otherwise, if he absent himself, without leave, for four consecutive meetings he will cease to be a Warden. It would be absurd to expect that all the Wards would be represented at every meeting of the Board ; but as an illustration of the awkwardness occasioned by a Warden continually absenting himself, I will state the case which brought about the resolution in question. Application bad been made by the Foxton Harbour Board to the various governing bodies throughout the County, for pecuniary assistance, to enable a survey of the Manawatu river to be made, with a view to its improvement as a harbour, and, of course, the Otaki Highways Board was invited to make a grant ; but the consideration of the application was postponed more than once by the Otaki Highways Board, in consequence of the non-attendance of the representatives of the Wards immediately south of the Manawatn river, who, it was supposed, |would agree to the suggestion chat the Wards north of Otaki should make a grant to the Foxton Harbour Board. Again the consideration of the matter of the grant was postponed, and due notice was forwarded to the Wardens that it would be considered at the next meeting of the Board— and bo it was ; bnt again the invariable letter from Mr Davies for leave of absence ; and unfortunately, two other northern Wardens being unavoidably — absent, the Board composed, with one - exception, of southern members adverse to contribute anything towards the improvement of a harbour from which their Wards would derive no benefit, disposed of the matter without further delay, by resolving * to make no grant to the Harbour Board — not feeling justified, I suppose, in voting away the money belonging to the unrepresented Wards 1 Thus, a munificent grant was lost to the Foxton Harbour Board by the Wardens for the districts immediately south of the Manawatu rivet ! It seems only reasonable, that except in case of illness, or other unavoidable cause, a Warden's application for leave of absence should have some limit, otherwise he may altogether evade the responsibility he has accepted by absenting himself from every meeting, leaving the Board in doubt if the applications for leave are genuine or if an extraordinary, vacancy has occurred in the Board and the absent Warden is dead or of unsound mind. My fluency in writing has been somewhat impeded by the unfounded assertion that all letters from this district are of such a prodigious length, but I am satisfied it is rather the depth that bothers the people of Foxton t lam, &&, H. February 22. 1881.