Carterton Town Board.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1787, 27 January 1886, Page 2

Carterton Town Board.

This Board met at the Council Chambers Carterton, on Monday 25th iust. Present— Commissioners U. Fairbrother (chairman), Campbell, W. P. All.n, G. M. Gardener and H. H Welters, clerk. The Clerk read the minutes of the previous meeting and reported credit balance £73 14s 9d. Correspondence inwards—From Treasury Department advising Board of the [sum i,d £52 lbs (id forwarded to credit of their account, under Local Bodies Fiumoe and Powers Act. , _ ... From Clerk to II.M. C >urt asking fora copy of bye laws for use of the C nrt. Tlie Inspector's report was reoo.ved giving favorable account of the sanitary oondit on of the town,also applicatioa from.same for the sum of £1 ss, wages due to him lor one quarter’s services. The Correspondence outwards comprised some letters written to Messrs Beard and Gray, Deller, &o . which referred to matters of a routine nature. The Chairman said he bad received Applin’s account amounting to £UI for work done on Main road, covering large drain, <to., aud the Works Committee recommended tbet £7O on that account should be paid at that meeting; he said it was the end of a long and expensive job. aud it would have been per* naps better if it could have been completed throughout, but it was a great improvement to the town as it was. To carry out the wot* i a its entirety would mean another £IOO outlay, which at the present time thsy bad oti at (b*u toposal.

Applin'f account (£7O) and Philpot £1 8* were passed fur payment. BBIDGB ON THB LnfoLM BOAT*. The Chairman laid they had intended to consider the matter of constructing a 20 feet bridge to give rcccb* to Mt Bulier** gtpunn, but he had heard that there wa» likelv to be another proposal; Mt Calliatet had t rootr d a plan of a suitable bridge as originally projected. He thought the consideration then was as to whether they were in a position to build a bridge at all in the meantime. Mr Gardener said the Chairman at a foraii t meeting had suggested the advisablenei I cl getting an overdraft. The Chairman said that funds accruing from licensing fees, Ac., toon to be received, would defray incidental expenses, and assist to pay for work already let. Mr Campbell thought they should hare some specifications before them, before deciding to build a bridge ; he thought that a rough bridge might be erected at about £1 per foot.

The Chairman said he was informed that the Manngatarara only cost £ I per foot. Mr Allen thought they would not get a bridge of 20 feet long built for £2O. The Chairman said he thought they would ; he believed it was customary for Town Boards as well as private individuals to get work done as cheaply as possible ; if the residents in the locality would lend a helping hand, he would like to meet them ; it would be as well to call lor tenders, then perhaps those most interested would tender low on pnrpose to assist the Board in meeting their wishes. Mr Gardener said the work required attention, as if these back roads were made cattle, could be driven that way, and cattle driving on the main street (High street), would not be such a nuisance as at present. The Chairman said no doubt oattle driving on the main road through the town in the daytime was a great nuisance. The Clerk observed that via Rutland Road

they might get !a through communication to Park Road and White's Line, and if tbe road was made that way no doubt it wonld he largely used for cattle traffic; be thought Lincoln Road would not be so much used for that purpose, even if both roads were completed. Mr Allen thought that bye roads were wanted badly. Mr Gardener said that three bridges would be required on the Lincoln Rosd. The Chairman said there was no question but that both back reads mast eventually be made. Mr Gardener said be would like to move “ That the question of building the bridge on Lincoln Road be left in abeyance until they ascertained what amount of assistance tbe settlers on that road would contribute." Mr Campbell said he thought thst while about the work they might as well build tbe three bridges as one. He would seeeod the motion.

The Chairman said a settlor told him ha

could build the three bridges for L3O, he would certainly like him to cany out the work; if the people there wanted a bridge they might help the Board. Mr Gardener said other aettlerahad already spent time and money in assisting the Board in such cases.

Mr Campbell spoke to the same effect ; ha himself had done ao some time ago. Mr Gardener said he did not wish his words to be misconstrued; he wss ns anxious as anyone to see the bye roads opened, bat be wished first to ascertain the chance of getting funds ; he would like to see the settlers in the locality tender for the work ; he would also like to wait to see what amount they would render toward getting the matter accomplished; he would to see the whole of tha rates collected in one year expended on tba back roads. Mr Allen said, of course it the residents wanted the road they would oome forward with tenders ; that would be the only way to get it as things stood at present. The Chairman said some time ago Mr I Olliver built a bridge on Dalefield Boad, 15 feet in length IorLIO, aud he was not an interested party, simply a contractor. Mr Hooker had called upon him several times about building the bridge in question on the Lincoln Boad, aud he (the chairman) fancied Mr Hooker wag anxious to tender for tha construction ; he [chairman) thought it was better to accept Mr Gardener's proposition in the meantime and also call for tenders, and if within the means of the Baard, they probably might accept one. Mr Alien said the persons most immediately interested in the one bridge were Messrs Hooker and Butler respectively ; he thought, however, that the main road would do yery well just now without farther attention, and as soon as practicable they should get the back roads available for traffic. The Chairman said there waa no doubt that the Board would always find an outlet for their funds.

The Clerk suggested that they had to wait a long time before they could get the dangerous drain on tbe main road covered. la answer to Mr Allen the Chairman said that it the settlers came forward and tendered (or tbe work the Board could call a special meeting for tbe purpose of poshing on with the same.

Mr Allen thought tbe fettlera should have some defiliito understanding to work by—probably they might be oauvaased. The Chik said they (tbe settlers) should do it upon their own Account. Ultimately Mi Gardener’s proposition was carried unanimous y. witli SB understanding that if tenders c.m forward a special meeting of the Board would be called to receive them. unfaib Bsroaxrao. Mr Gaul, net said hi wished to refer to a paragraph wbioh bad appeared in tbe “ Observer ” newspaper a short time ago. The paper in question bad iiseered that one of tbe “new Mood" bud made a rude remark at tbe last meeting of the Board. HeaUoi d not have taken any notice of the effusion, as personally, be did not consider it worthy of notice, blit some time before, Mr A den, another member of tbe Board, hid been grossly misrepresented in the s ime paper. Mr Allen was present and con'd endorse bis remarks in reference to tb« particular report wheteiu his (Mr Allen’s) words were misconstrued. In these reports and paragraphs there might certainly be a little under current of personal feeing, but as be was nlwavs open to receive any amount o( tut criticism on bis public actions, still he considered it was grossly unfair for any newspaper to wilfully distort facts for reasons best known to themselves ;be was glad t o sea that another newspaper was represented upon that occasion, as by that circumstance the ) uM„-. might ga:h r some accurate account of Hie Board’s prooced ngs Ho a,RO remarked that considering tbe Commissioners were working for tie public without any personal remuneration he thought it extremely hard if tliev abou’d ne compelled to put-up with low abuse and filgdioidl . , , „ . The Chairman sat 1 of course tbe B nrd could not control the newspaper reporters ; if they chose to eommd libel they laid themselves open to an aonoo at law ; 1." had certainly beard no rude remarks used at tbe former sitting of the Board, and th ugbt it a pitv if anything bx i beau misstated. Mr Campbell said Mr Gardener bad only been subjected to the same kind M treatment as was formerly meted out to himself. Ha had been stigmatised in the esme newspaper s. ... ../.18 fool" and tbe remarks weie so pointed as to convey to the public mind that i t Inn Id mean no other pent n than himself ot Mr vfokerstaff. bat when the writer was i',n t hey ware told u O'mid mean neither. PGWMr Campbell) observed that the Commfssioner* receive nothing for working for th« town and be considered such gross sbnsa la. only intended to endeavour to bring Them into disrepute with their colleagues and the nublio and could serve no good end ; it must be understood that they were not daaaieal scholars, and sometime* spoke thei* minds in itoeir own way- . . Mr Allen said sometimes when members of i Board were conversing in a conversational manner, it would be easy lor a reporter, if so inclined, to misconstrue the conversation, and in such cooes the public could not always read between the linee. Tbe subject dropped and the Bonn then adjourned.