Parihaka Road Board.

Opunake Times, Volume I, Issue 33, 23 October 1894, Page 2

Parihaka Road Board.

The ordinary meeting of the above Board was held on Monday, October 22ud. Present Messrs E. Maxwell (chairman), Wells, Caddy, Wright, McHardy, Corbett, and Morrison. Minnas of previous meeting read and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. From W. Purchase, resigning office of ranger. Resignation accepted. A return was tabled showing ranger’s driving fees from 18th September to October 4th, which amounted to 425. ■ Proposed, That applications be invited for the position of ranger, returnable at next'raeetiiig. [MorrisonMcHardy.] Mr Wright stated that he was under the impression that a great many of the ratepayers did not wish to see a ranger appointed at all, and moved that applications be not called. Mr Caddy thought that during the summer they would be just as well without a ranger, and seconded the amendment.

The Chairman drew attention to the fact that part of the Kahui Road was fenced in and made into a bullock paddock, although the Board had refused Mr Townsend permission to erect a gate further up. He thought a ranger was a necessity. The amendment was put andlost, and the original motion carried. From F. P. Simeon, requesting the Board to scrub in front of Section 18, Kahui Road.

Request graced on usual terms. [Mills-Wright.J From Jas. Hooker, drawing attention to the bad state of the Newall Road, and requesting that bush be felled in front of his section.

Resolved, That he be informed that the Board have no funds at present. [Wells-Morrison.] From W. Dew, re scrubbing in front of his section on Kahui Road. Granted on usual terms. [WellsWright.J From C. Claris, respecting claim for felling bush in front of Section 29, Opunake. He had employed Mr Thomas Simson to do the work for 275, and had paid him and held a receipt for same. Messrs Maxwell, McHardy, and Wright stated they had been informed by Mr Simson that Mr Claris had not paid him for the work. Resolved, That payment be made provided Mr Claris produced receipt to Mr McHardy. [Wells-Morrison.],

From Mrs McNeill, requesting improvements to be made to Opua Road, so as to give access to Section 53. Resolved, That she be informed that the Board had no funds for the wort. [Max well-Wright.] From George McNeill, respecting scrubbing in front of section 46, Ihaia Road.

Resolved, That he be informed that the road is overdrawn at present. [Maxwell- Wright.] From E. C. Middleton, requesting that a stone culvert be put over ditch to give him access to his place. Resolved, That he be informed there are no funds for the work. [WellsCaddy.] From H. Campbell, claiming for work done on Waiteika Road. Metalling, £5 5s ; 60 chains underscrubbing, 80s; cleaning five chains ditching, 9s; forming three chains ditching, 18s ; two culverts, 60s.

Left to engineer to deal with. From A. Campbell, requesting payment for scrubbing 53 chains in front of-Sections 30 and 31, Waitcika Road. Resolved, That claim be acceded to on usual terms. [Wells-McHardy.] Board adjourned. SPECIAL MEETING. On the motion of Mr Wells, seconded by Mr MoHardy, the special order striking the rate for the Tahia Road loan was confirmed. ORDINARY BUSINESS. A schedule from the Land Board showing a credit of £246 Os 4d was laid on the table. Resolved, That the clerk prepare a schedule of proposed expenditure of D.P. money, and submit the same to a committee consisting of Messrs Maxwell, Morrison and Wright, preparatory to forwarding it to Land Board for approval. [Wright-Caddy.] A petition, signed by eight settlers on the Ngariki Road, was received, requesting the Board to take steps to raise a loan of £IBSO for the said road.

The Chairman pointed out that the petition did not contain a majority of the ratepayers in the proposed area, and he did not think it would be wise to incur the expense attendant on the proposal unless the Board had reasonable evidence before it that the proposal would be carried. Mr E, R. Morgan, as a ratepayer in the proposed area, stated that he was opposed to the loan, and that all the ratepayers between him and the Main Road were also opposed to it. He had been informed that he would not be included in the area, but now he found it was proposed to rate his property. He was satisfied from what he knew that the proposal would not be carried, and he did not think it fair that expenses should be incurred which, failing the loan being carried, would be debited to the road. The Chairman stated that he understood there was a probability that both the lhaia and Kahui loans would be upset, and he therefore thought it advisable to be careful before incurring further risk.

Mr McHardy also considered that there should be a majority of the ratepayers represented on the petition. The Chairman said the proposal had been rushed through in a few days without any preliminary meeting having been held. The proposal, as initiated, could not be amended at the statutory meeting, but would have to go through to the end. Resolved, That the petition be referred back to the. promoters, as it did not contain-a majority of the rate-

payees interested, but that the Board were willing to go on with the pro* posal provided the signatories to th® petition were willing to guarantee th® expenses in the. event of the poll notl being carried. [Wright-McHardy.] Messrs Caddy and Morrison opposed, as they thought every encouragement should be given tb settlers to raise funds for doing their roads. JVIr Morrison moved, and Mr McHardy seconded, That a special order be made levying a rate of 4£d in the £ as security for the Kahui Road loan, and that a special meeting of the Board be held on the 26th November to confirm the said resolution. Resolved, That the ordinary meeting stand adjourned till the 26th November.

Resolved, That the clerk prepare plans for the Ihaia Road in mile contracts, so that if the money is available tenders may be called at the next meeting. . • Resolved, That the engineer inspect the broken culvert on Newall Road, and report at the next meeting, [Caddy-Wrigbt.] Resolved, That the by-laws, 'as drafted, be submitted to the Council, with a request that they bring them into force. [Morrison-Wright.] Resolved that the chairmen of the Oakura, Moa, Waitara West, and Egmont Road Boards be communicated with, informing them of the steps taken, and requesting thtfir co-opera-tion in the matter of making the bylaws.

Mr Maxwell moved, and Mr Morrison seconded, That all gates, slipbars, and fences erected on roads without the authority of the Board- be removed from all roads throughout the district. _ ' ' Mr Maxwell said it would be understood that where roads were not used, or where the Board had not spent any money, applications to retain gates would be considered by the Board. Mr Wright, moved as an amendment, and Mr Wells.seconded, That it is inexpedient to alter existing arrangements. Mr Wright thought that if people had a grievance they should apply to the Board, and the Board, in accordance with its usual custom, would order the removal of the gate or gates. The Chairman stated that in some cases hardship was inflicted, as the rule of the Board was that no money be spent on roads which had a gate across them, and that in some cases the settlers did not object so much to the gate as being debarred from getting anything done to the roads while the gates existed. The amendment, on being put, was lost, and the motion carried. The usual accounts were passed for payment.

DOMAIN BOARD. Same members present.Resolved, That committees he appointed, consisting of Messrs Wright and Morrison for the Rahotu Cemetery Reserve, and Messrs Wells and Caddy for the Warea Cemetery Reserve, to inspect- the reserves and select about one acre in each for burial purposes ; and that tenders be called for leasing the balance of areas for a term of ten years, subject to conditions laid down by the Board. [Caddy-McHardy.]