ROAD BOARD MEETINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11057, 8 May 1899, Page 3

ROAD BOARD MEETINGS.

MAUKU. THE annual meeting of the ratepayers of the Maukn Road District was held in the hall, Patiimahoe, on Tuesday, May 2. Mr. W. T. Wright, chairman of the Board, read from the AUCKLAND WEEKLY NEWS the advertisement calling the meeting, and then read the annual report, and called upon the clerk (Mr. J. Walker) to read the balance-sheet. The chairman, in his annual report, said:-" At the last annual meeting the Board reported to you that it was unable to get the Pnkekohe nest Road Board to pay its share of the cost of malting the Pukekohe-Patumahoe P.oail, and that this Board proposed taking legal proceedings, which, after hearing all the correspondence, etc., relating thereto, you thoroughly approved of. The Board lost no time in bringing the matter before the Pnkekohe P.M. Court, with the result that judgment was entered by consent for the full amount claimed, viz., £184 5s 4d, and costs, £14amounting in all to £193 5s 4d. on the understanding that the judgment should not bo enforced so long as the Pnkekohe West Road Board paid to this Board the costs, amounting to £14, and continued to pay to this Board £4 10s each half-year as interest and sinking fund, until 49 of such payments had been made. The Board had already received £12 13s 7d. The only cost to this Board was £1 Is for tho first consultation with Mr. Cotter thereon. The half-yearly payments have now been regularly paid, together with the iii per cent, of money expended on the road since. During the past year a large quantity of metal lias been put on the roads, and the expenditure has been distributed over the district as follows:—Springs Road, from Stcmson's Corner to Patmnahoe Post Office, about £16; Union Road, from Kane's Corner to West Mauku Post Office, about £19; other parts of the West Mauku Ward, about £29; other parts of the Patumahoe Ward, about £23; Karaka, Waiau Ward, including ' thirds,' about £14. The right to dig gum on the tramway was let by tender, as it was considered better to have a recognised contractor to deal with than leave the gum to be taken by persons whom the Board could not watch or control. Tho £50 that the Board recovered from the Waiuku Road Board out of a grant obtained for us by Mr. Masses' has been received, and nearly all spent equally between the West Mauku and Patnmahoe Wards. Mr. Massey has obtained I a further sum of £100 for the West Mauku and Patnmahoe Road, and tenders have been I called for over 300 yds of metal in respect { thereof, and for other parts of the district. As on last Road Board day, tenders were received for only a small quantity of metal at prices ranging from 5s lid to 7s. the Board decided to offer the metal to the tenderers at a uniform price of 6s 6d. and tenders will be called for at that price for the balance. The Board has experienced great difficulty in getting tenders for work (luring the past year, and has thereby been deterred from having work done that the Board considered necessary. For instance, tenders were called for work near Mr. Young's and Mr. Crisne's three times without any result, except that it has helped to leave the wards with the following credit balances, viz., West Mauku, about £25; Patnmahoe, about £18; Karaka. or Waiau, and 'thirds,' about £41; and to place the Board in a position to put on a large amount of metal during the coming year, that is, if the Board can obtain the metal at a reasonable price. The rates have all been collected, which speaks well for our ratepayers, and for our rate collector. I believe very few districts can show as good a result. Messrs. Howe and Wright, the two retiring members, have been re-elected, and they thank the ratepayers of the Patumahoe Ward for their support, and will try in tho future as in the past, to do their duty without fear or favour." The balance-sheet showed satisfactory finances. After a little discussion the report and balance-sheet were adopted by the meeting. Mr. J. Watson brought up the subect of rating on unimproved values, and it was proposed by Mr. P. Henry, and seconded by Mr. Watson, " That the Board take steps to carry it out." Mr. . Crispe suggested that, as the meeting was not a representative one, it would be better to call a meeting to consider the matter first. I whereupon Mr. Henry asked leave to with- j draw his proposal, and Mr. Crispe proposed, . Mr. Henry seconding, " That the Board call a meeting of the ratepayers to consider the i advisability of rating on the unimproved : value." Carried unanimously.—[Own Correspondent ] EDEN' TERRACE. At the annual meeting of the ratepayers of Eden Terrace Road Board District, Mr. Hough presiding, the clerk, Mr. W. 0. Pocklmgton, read the report and balance-sheet, and the latter showed that the general receipts had been £774 5s 2d; the expenditure. £724 Is 2d; leaving a credit balance of £50 4« The waterworks account showed a credit balance of £86 13s 2d.