RATEPAYERS' MEETINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12859, 6 May 1905, Page 3

RATEPAYERS' MEETINGS.

EDEN TERRACE." The annual meeting of ratepayers of theEden Terrace road district: was held in the Public Hall, Eden Terrace, last evening, the chairman of (he Road Board, M.-. J. H. Garrett, in the chair. There was a good attendance, including a number of ladies. The annual report, read by the chairman, recorded c; satisfactory stale of affairs from a health point of view during iho past year, only one case, of infectious disease having been reported, and that an arrival from outside the district. The drainage system had been completed as far as the loan would permit,' the sewers having been extended along Greenwood-street, and several cesspits having been constructed where needed. Nearly all premises had been connected with tho sewers, and the few remaining were about to be completed. A number of new and substantial buildings had been erected by property-owners, demonstrating the public estimation of the district as a residential suburb. In connection with the sanitary arrangements a plan was under consideration whereby the. Board would supply every privy with an approved pan and employ their own men to collect and exchange the same once in every week, instead of fortnightly, as at present. The cost of such a service by a contractor, as shown by the experience of other local bodies, would be about £750 per annum for 500 pans. To save the cost of an additional collector, necessary under the contract system, it was proposed to increase the general rate so us to produce an extra £500, which, with its subsidy of £250, would cover the whole cost of the service. It was intended at the same timo to abstain from levying lbs hospital rate of id in the £. as this would bo required for the loan rate. which had been supplemented during the past two years by a balance in hand, which was now exhausted. During the past year the footpaths had been repaired, tarred, and sanded, tho kerbing and channelling from Mount Roskill Road to Rawlings street had been reconstructed, and the road re-made to level. The lamps in the district had been increased to 24. The properly owners of Greenwood-street, who desired the. Board to undertake the formation of that thorough' fare, on finding that the raising of money for that purpose devolved upon themselves, decide;! to subscribe pint, of the fund required, and had signed the necessary consent to strike a special rale in accordance with tho law, and the usual steps were now being taken to obtain from the Colonial Treasurer a loan of £400 to complete the work.

The- statement of accounts, read by the treasurer (Mr. WO. Pocklington), showed a credit balance of £228 8s 5d on March 31. the credit to general account being? £157 10s oil. and the credit to waterworks account £70 IPs 2d. Thfi Ma] receipts for the year from all sources, unhiding a balance of £16 16s from the previous year, amounted to £3 15s Id, the rate? totalling £486 18a M. Mr, Cleveland urged the Board ;to go slow in the matter of introducing the proposed new sanitary scheme, as the cost would, in the end, be found greater than the sum mentioned (about £750. and would mean ii considerable increase of rat<>fs. Mr. Speddiug thought that flip ratepayers should not hesitate to pay a litHe more for sanitation if found necessary, as the health of the district was of the first importance. After some further discus-ion, the report and accounts were adopted. . A motion opposing- the absorption of the district in a Greater Auckland scheme was approved. MOUNT ROSKILL. The annual meeting of the ratepayers of the Mount 80.-kill road district, whioh was held in the Head Board office last evening, was largely attended, the chairman of the Board, Mr. Chas, Bagley, presiding- The balance-sheet for the year ending March 31, 1905, showed that the various accounts were in credit as follows:—General account, £176 18s fed; contractors' deposit account, £5: water- revenue account,- £75 Os sd; £4000 loan account, £10 7s lid; gas rate account, £43 16s 3d; interest account on the water loan of £4000, £161 6s Id.

The Chairman, in submitting the annual report of the Board for the year' ended -March 31, 1905, said that' they would see that as it was suggested at the last annual' meeting that the' general ra to should bo again lowered the Hoard decided to reduce it again, which brought it clown to jd in the £. Two years ago it was id. He trusted that they would endorse the action of the Board, though tliere were some people who stated that it was a step in the. wrong direction. They predicted; amongst other things, that he roads would suffer", also that the Board would bo raising a large overdraft, So that the balance would be on the wrong side of tho ledger. As regards that, the Board claimed that the roads were never at this season of the year in « better state of repail, and not only that, but they had Formed about three miles of footpaths. Thus they would see thai after reducing the rates ■two year; in succession, and starting this year with a surplus or credit balance cd £157 is sd, that none of these predicted things had occurred. During the past year the Board had to use every precaution to safeguard the health of the district. As negotiations were still proceeding, he. did not think it advisable to say more on the matter than that while the Board was prepared at all times to assist any other district &3 far as was within their power, it would never allow any other district to create a nuisance that would in any way be detrimental to the district/ The year started with-a credit balance of £157 3s sd, and ended with a credit balance of £176 18s 6d, the total amount of receipts being £916 15s lid, and expenditore £739 17s sd. For the general advancement and benefit of the district, they pro* posed the completion of the metalling "of tho far end of Richardson Road, toward the Avondale boundary, the cutting down of * short hill and filling up of the hollow on the Mount Roskill Road, generally widening and improving Three Kings Road, widening' and improving to some extent School Road,widening and improving to some extent Hillsboro' Road, cutting down a email cap of hill on Bucklaml Road, the widening and grading, etc., Pah Road, and the- forming of footpaths from Pah Road to Mnmikau Road, from Three Kings Road to Rugbv Road, from Mount Albert along Three Kings Road to district boundary, and the forming of a narrow footpath through cutting at top end of School Road, 'to connect with Powditch Road. In regard to water, it would require careful manipulating to meet the wants of new subscribers, more especially as the. Assets Board had out up that large block of land. As that was within the water area they were entitled to get it as soon as it could be given to them. The loan account was practically closed. The special rate of gd in the £ already stood in credit to the extent of £161 0s Id, but as they could not use 'that money for any other purpose, we propose giving ratepayers the benefit of same during coming years, and they were negotiating now with the Government to allow the rate to be reduced. He moved the adoption of the report for the past year and the audited balance-sheet for the year ended March 31, 1904. The motion was carried.

The Chairman said thai within twelve months or so the Board hoped that Ride© Road would by completed. There was, he said, every probability of the Wesleyan Church banding Wellesley Bay over to them in the near future, us a recreation ground, upon certain conditions. Tho meeting concluded with votes of thanks to the chairman, Board, clerk;' and press. AVONDALE. The annual meeting of ratepayers of the Avondale road district was hold on Thursday in the Public Hall. There was only a moderate attendance of, ratepayers. Mi'. T. B. Clay, chairman of the Road Board, presided.

The chairman stated that tin* Road Board began the year with a net debit balance of £34 10. 7cl. . On March 31 this year there was a total credit balance, , of £67 19s bd, being a paving for the year of about- £100. This result had not been achieved without the.. exercise of strict ' economy on behalf of tho members, who were pledged at the last election to place.tho finances of tho.Board in a, sound condition. In a rising- district like Avondale the funds at Hie disposal of tho Board were too small to carry out necessary work.-, and it would be- to the interest of the ratepayers if an extra id rate was struck by the Board. By this means work that was urgently needed could be carried out. The chairman referred to the death of Mr. J. H. Brokeushaw, who was for a' number of years it useful member of the Board. His place was filled by Mr. E. J. Adams. The gas has boon laid into the district, and although only u couple of lamps have so far been erected, the Board anticipate erecting more when the mains -were extended. Great discussion had taken place on the question of proper drainage for the township. The Board, however, did not consider they were warranted in going to any great' expense, " considering the funds they have at their disposal. Some delay had taken place in selling the land on which judgment had been obtained for overdue rates, but it was hoped that the registrar would take immediate steps to dispose of this. The Government had. by Order-in., Council, declared all the roads iii the workmen's hamlets' to be district roads, and as

all these roads : had not been: properly formed and made, the Board considered that.they , had been unfairly treated. The question of the railway time-table wM . again discussed, and great dissatisfaction was shown by lb*' ratepayers towards'the De-• partment for taking away the twenty minutes past oil?, p.m. train on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and chey considered iii ' the duty of the Road Board to approach the! Department and ask for the reinstatement) of this train daily. Mr. Knight suggested that the Railway Department should provide a. footbridge to enable passengers to gain access to the station in safety. The receipts for the year were shown to be as follows: General rates, £467 195.3d; ' publicans' and conditional licenses, £45; dog registration, £59 15s; Government subsidy, £203 14s Id; refund by Treasurer for infectious diseases hospital, £62 2s 2d, a total of £833 15s 6d. The expenditure was: Bank i overdraft, £38 3s sd; administration, printing, advertising, etc., £15? 16s 9:1; miscellaneous, £66 17s 4-d; public works, £562 lis 3d: balance, £3 6* 3d, making a total expenditure of £635 9s 3d. The adoption of the report and balancesheet was proposed by Sir. Knight, and l seconded by Mr. Gittos, and was carried unanimously. • .. .! EAST T.A MAKE The annual meeting of ratepayers of th«r East Tamaki road district was held, in tho office of the Board on Tuesday last, Mr. .1. •A. Goodfellow presiding. The chairman, int. moving 'the adoption of the balance-sheet, explained that the Board had had to expend a. good deal cf money on the repairing and strengthening of the bridge leading to Flat Bush, and the metalling of the Great South Road, from the Otahuhu Bridge to": Spi-jigg's creamery, towards the cost of which the Government had granted £100. Th* motion was carried unanimously, and a vot« of thanks was passed to the chairman and members of the Board for their services during the past year. Tho balance-sheet; • showed a credit balance (including rates duo) on March 31 of £172 8s 3d, of which out- 1 standing liabilities: will consume £62. The district has no public debt. TAMAKI WEST. . Tho annual meeting of the ratepayers of. the. Tamaki West road district was held in' the Tamaki West Public School-on Mondaylast. There were over 50 persons present. Colonel Holgate, chairman of the Board, presided. The balance-sheet showed a credit balance on March 31 of £2*B 0s 9d,.wbil.» rates recoverable amounted to .£2.58 2s 4xl,:' making a, total of £486 3s Id. The outstand- : ing liabilities amounted to £22 18s 4d, while the district is without public debt. The Chairman, in moving the adoption of tho"":? accounts, gave a resume of the Board's proceedings during the past year. Ho stated,; that the Board bad arranged with thi> New' Zealand and River Plate Band Mortgage. Company to take over all the roads at Si. : Heliera Bay. to the east of the Bong Drive. , the company paving the Board the sum (xt £200. and also handing over the recreation and bush reserves, containing Ha. 3r. lip., valued by the Government at £1200.. Tin* Board had also trot an engineer to draw out..-,-a drainage schi me for the. surface drainage* at .-St. Heliers Bay, at an estimated cost of: over £400, and hoped to have part of it gone: . on with at an early date. The road leading, from the Orakci Road to the Kohimarama Beach had been finished and dedicated as a, , public load. The Board hoped.to get■.as-"; sistance from-the Government to make a. road along the foreshore, from the end of Kohimarama Road to St. Heliers Bay. Tin* money available had been, spent equitably over the whole of the district, and most of : , the roads" were in very pood order. The. motion- was seconded by Mr. Massoy, and '-~ carried after a good deal of discussion. Mo--* > tions were, carried to" the effect (1) That the incoming Board bo requested to provide fo>* an office, in tho, district,- where the book 1 ? and officers of tho Board could be consulted, and (2) That the Board use .more discretion in cutting down or allowing anyone to cut " down tho trees in the avenua leading to St Heliers 1 Bar. .- .:'■ ' ,