ROAD BOARD MEETINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9358, 8 May 1889, Page 3

ROAD BOARD MEETINGS.

PUKEKOHE EAST. The annual meeting of the ratepayers of the above highway district was held at Harrisville School-house on Saturday, May 4. Though the meeting had been advertised both in Herald and News, the number present was under a dozen, such is the general apathy in regard to road matters. Mr. W. Morgan occupied the chair, and called upon the treasurer (Mr. H. H. Abbott) to read the balance-sheet, of which the following is a summary Receipts : Balance in hand, £184 13s 3d ; rates, £111 17s 3d ; closed roads, £7 2s lid publican's license, £26; slaughterhouse license, £2 8s; dog registration, £12 10s; subsidy, £76 18s Id: total, £42110s Id. Expenditure : Works on roads, £234 Ss lOd; interest on debt, £13 ss; Hospital and charitable aid, £33 10s; election expenses, £2 2s; salary, £10; dog registration and collars, £8 7s 2d ; advertising, £4 6s 9d; Court expenses, £3 10s; closing roads, £2 ss; office expenses, £4 19s Id; balance in hand, £104 16s 3d: total, £421 10s Id. General balance in hand, £104 6s 3d ; loans, £7 17s 4d; deferred payment, £51 6s 5d : grand total, £164. In moving the adoption of the report, the Chairman said that although the trustees had reduced the rate I to one-half the amount it had been for many [ years, they had still a good balance in the bank, and he supposed the present capital condition of the roads throughout the disi trict caused the apathy that seemed to exist ! among the ratepayers, no person coming forward to utter a complaint or a growl upon the conduct of the Board. He (the Chairman), however, had a complaint, and it was having such an item on the balance-sheet as Court expenses, which had been incurred through summoning defaulting ratepayers. The Returning Officer reported, that he had received four nomination papers for he three extraordinary vacancies, ,but as one. was informal, he should declare. the following gentlemen elected: Messrs. J. A. Burns, W. McKerras, and R. Miller. The other six members of the Board are as follow :Messrs. J. Comrie, J. Hosking, L. King, W. Morgan, W. Sharp, and T. Wallis. In regard to what the Tuakan correspondent has -to say about the fault of the chairman of Pukekohe East not giving timely notice of the election of licensing committee for Maungatawhiri district, it appears that last year such notice was given, with the result that only four nomination papers were sent in, the Governor, after all, having to appoint the committee. As the same thing might have occurred this year, very wisely the chairman allowed the thing to slide, with the result that a committee has been appointed without a farthing expense to anybody; and in regard to the late election for highway trustees, the thing was duly notified, as it must be, in a newspaper, but it seems the Tuakau correspondent did.not see it, though scores of other people did. And if highway boards are to advertise every day for a fortnight in every paper that circulates in the district, in order that the most wide publicity shall be given to these elections, there would be a nice row from ratepayers, and justly so, at the expenditure of their precious money.—[OwnCorrespondent.] WEST TAMAKI. The annual meeting of ratepayers-in-tha West Tamaki Road District was held in the school on Saturday, 4th May, at noon. The West Tamaki people have habits peculiar to themselves; they appointed no chairman, consequently the proceedings were of a 1 free and easy nature, spiced with a seasoning of acrimony. The state of certain roads was described as. disgraceful. The late Board unanimously resolved to have the furze and briars cleared from the public roads, and served notice on those concerned. A fon paid immediate attention to the order, but a large portion have set the Board at defiance. Legal proceedings, it is understood, will be i&? stituted against laggards. The members of th© old form the new Road Board. There being n© chairman, there was no vote of thanks t© close the meeting, the members of which digs' pereed, individually firUtg, a fa^eU .sjwt.,