HIGHWAY BOARD MEETINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4269, 20 July 1875, Page 3

HIGHWAY BOARD MEETINGS.

NEWTON. The annual meeting of the ratepayers of the Newton Highway District was held in the Newton Hall at noon yesterday.—About twenty ratepayers were present.—Mr. R. Warnock was voted to the chair.—The following balance-sheet of the accounts of the Board was submitted to the meeting :— To rates collected, £118 9s 10d ; subscriptions by ratepayers, £21 ; amount received from the Colonial Government, £70 Gs; amount received from the Provincial Government, £100; other receipts, £1 13s lid ; from Ponsonby District Board, £40 10s : total, £351 19s 9d. Expenditure : To forming roads, £130 10s Cd ; metalling and channelling, £70 0s 9d; bridges and culverts, £100 ; other works, £15 0s 9d ; commission for collecting rates, £5 17s (i<l; salaries and rent, 15s; legal expenses, printing, and advertising, £15 4s ; miscellaneous, £2 Gs 10d: total, £352 4a 4d. The balance brought from last year's account was-£23 14s lid, and the present balance in hand £23 10s 4d.—Tho financial statement, as presented to the meeting, was unanimously adopted.—Upon the motion of Mr. Jones, seconded by Mr. McNair, it was resolved that the rate be one penny in the pound on tho value to sell. — Six gentlemen wero then proposed, as candidates for the office of trustees for the district. A poll was then taken, with the result as follows :—Messrs. F. Jones, Gl votes ; McNair, 57 ; McLean, 43; R. Warnock, 40 ; G. Head. 30 ; and Wilson, 29.—Tho Chairman declared the first named five gentlemen duly elected as the board of trustees for the ensuing year.—Messrs. W. Warnock and Billington were unanimously elected auditors. —Mr. Jones moved, "That this meeting send a requisition to his Honor the Superintendent, asking him to proclaim the Fencing Act Suspension Act, 1874, in force within tho Newton Highway District." He explained that if this motion was carried, and the request granted, the Fencing Act now in force would be suspended, aud the remedy for trespass would be au action at common law. The present Fencing Act, he considered, was of no advantage to a district so near to tho city, and great inconvenience arose from its being in force.—Mr. McNair seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously.—A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the business.

EDEN TEHUACE. The first meeting of the Eden Terrace Highway District was held in the Eden Vine Hotel, yesterday, for the purpose of electing a District Board.—Mr. Jas. Reid, the officially appointed chairman, presided, and explained that the toll-gates having been removed in accordance with the request of the residents, the district had been made a suburban one. The Chairman then read the Gav.tte notice of the meeting ; aud Mr. Suiter was appointed secretary.—Mr. Suiter proposed, and Mr. Spragg seconded, "That the rate be Id in the .Con the value to sell."—Mr. Boucher proposed, seconded by Mr. Wrigley, an amendment that the rate be Ad in the £ on the value to f sell. The amendment for a Ad rate was carried. The following gentlemen were then elected trustees: —Messrs. J. I'eid, Watson, Wriglcy, Spragg, and Stokes. Messrs. lleighway and Suiter were appointed auditors, and Messrs. White aud Paulter fence-viewers. A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the business. OXE-TREE HILL. The annual meeting of ratepayers was held yesterday morning, at the Junction Hotel, for the purpose of receiving the trustees' annual report, electing new trustees, &c, — Mr. Bilkey in the chair. The chairman read the notico convening the meeting. The following is the balance-sheet signed by the auditors :—liates collected, £226 13s 10d ; Koad Board grants, £S2 Vte : total, £3011 Gs 1 Od. Paid for forming roads, £203 ISs 10d; bridges and culverts, £9 Us ; commission on collection, £13 12s lid ; legal expenses, £1 Is; advertising, £10 7s; stationery, 2s Id : total, £23S Us 10d ; amount of rates payable for the year, £2!JO 4s 0.U1; amount actually received, £226 13s 10d : arrears, £10 Ss lid. The ordinary accounts were passed ill the usual way. Enuiskkiw.—On the question of paying the account of the engineer, it was stated that the chargo was excessive, anil that although the engineer had given credit to the Board for the contractor's deposit, he had retained that sum. The effect of this was, that the contractor would claim of the Board the amount of the deposit, consequently the amount ought not to be paid.— Messrs. Downey, Wall, aud other ratepayers considered that the engiueer had no right to hold the contractor's money. He should return the deposit to the contractor, and scud in an amended bill.—Mr. Ferguson said the engiueer might be a good surveyor, but he was a very indifferent road-maker. He could say for his own neighbourhood that the roads were neither well made nor according to scale. A road twelve feet wide ought to have a rise of at least aix inches in the centre, and so on in proportion to the width. Indeed, the same blame was applicable to the engineers sent down : they were not road-makers in any sense.—A Ratepayer: When we have anything to do with the Government we must have a professional man.—lt was agreed that the engineer should send in an amended account.— Mr. T. A. Brown moved, " That the rate for the ensuing year be Ad in the £ on the value to sell."—Mr. Downey seconded the motion. - Mr. Ferguson proposed as an amendment, seconded by Mr. Wall, "That the rate should bo Id in the £ on the value to sell." The amendment was lost, and the original motion carried—The following gentlemen were elected trustees for the ensuing year:—Messrs. May, Brown, Wall, Downey, and Hare. Messrs. Bilkey aud Marks were elected auditors. Messrs. George May and Thomas Ferguson were elected fence-viewers. This concluded the business.

WANGAREL A meeting of ratepayers in the Wangarei district was hulil in tho Wangarei Hotel, on the lfitli instant. Mr. G. Coutts was called to the chair. The statement of accounts for the past year was read and unanimously adopted. The meeting then proceeded to the election of trustees, when Messrs. Carrutli, Richardson, Willing, Wood, and Dent were elected.—lt was proposed by Mr. Wood, and seconded by Mr. Willing, "That the rate for the current year be one penny, '' which was adopted.—Mr. Willin proposed, ami Mr. if. Hawkins seconded, "That for the maintenance of the wharf, a wharfage rate bo imposed, and for that purpose the chairman of the Board ascertain what aro the powers of the Board, and have them put into force." —Mr. Willing proposed, and Mr. Thomson seconded, "That uo action be taken until the powers of the Board be ascertained."—A show of hands was taken, when there voted for the amendment, 3 ; for the motion, o.—Messrs, Davis and Bedlington were appointed auditors for the current year.—Mr. Richardson and ,3lr. Willing were appointed fence-viewers.

PAR A WAI.

On Friday evening, the ICth instant, the annual meeting of the ratepayers in this district was held in the Parawai School-room. The chair was occupied by Mr. Brassey. On the motion of Mr. Crick, it was agreed that the rate should be 5 per cent, upon the annual value of all rateable property within the district. Messrs. J. A. Miller, Isiokeima, Poutotara, William Murdoch, I). C.

Macdonnell, and Thomas spencer were elected trustees. Messrs. Stone 3' and Crick were elected auditors for the ensuing year.