Featherston Road Board.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1816, 5 April 1886, Page 2

Featherston Road Board.

This Board met ou Saturday. Preseut - Messrs J. Donald (chairruau), Tully, McDou gall, Matthews, Cowman, Harris, and C. Cameron. The minutes of the former meeting were read by the clerk and confirmed. Accounts—Ordinary £173 I Os, and imprest £ 100 15s 3d were passed for payment. CORRESPONDENCE OUTWARDS. To Mr G. Lawrie, advising him of the acceptance of his tender for the Waiheuga toll gate, subject to certain conditions. To Mr J. Sperry, Property Tax Commissioner, returning valuation roll, with various comments. To Chairman West County Council, respecting application for loan. To R. Hunter, re removal of his fence. Three letters to Minister Pubhc JVorks re road to Cross’s Creek Station. To Messrs Pharazyn and Co, and Mr E J Biddiford, re Stoney Creek road. Correspondence Inwards. From Mr G Lawrie, agreeing to conditions re Waihenga toll. From Mr H H Wolters, clerk to County Council, explaining to the Board that a vote of £325 granted to the Council under the Roads and Bridges Act would lapse if the Board did not assist the Council to take up the same shortly. It was agreed that the matter be considered at the next meeting of the Board. From Messrs King and Eaton asking for an extension of time for their contract, Lower Kahautara Hoad. Granted. From Minister of Public Works agreeing to place a sum of £1(10 at the disposal of the Beard for Cross’ Creek Road, and an agreement, with certain conditions, to be sent up for signature. A letter was read from Mr W. Bidwill apologising for being absent and announcing that after the next year, he would be prepared to support the abolition of the Waihenga Toll if satisfactory arrangements were made for a substituted source of revenue for the maintenance of the Bridge. From Mr W. Wood asking for 10 chains draining to be done on Ward’sLine. Granted. To be left in Warden’s hands. From Mr C. Phillips re Ranger, and asking that his services be restored to Otaraia Ward, leaving out the township. No action taken. From same asking fur a statement of ex> penditure in connection with G. Harris’ section.

Resolved that Mr Phillips call on the Clerk for information. From Mi Briscoe offering to conduct the Toll tor £BO per year. Resolved that Mr Briscoe’s application could not under the circumstances be entertained. From T C Road Board to the effect that the Board are willing to advance £9OO to Council (or work on Waiuuioru Gladstone Road, if Featherstou Board would do the same for Martinborough-Pahan Road. It was resolved that the matter stand over until after next •annual election of Board. Mr Baillie’s application for work on road at Papawai was granted. It was arranged that the Engineer get work done on Ward’s Line at a cost not exceeding £3 per chain, to include fascines, &c.

The Clerk explained that Mr Alex McLeod wanted a line of road to Section 112, Pahaua, and nothing beyond. It was resolved that Mr Skeet interview

, Mi J. Cameron in connection therewith. , Mr Bricked asked leave to surrender his contract on Kaiwaiwai Road. He explained , that he could not successfully carry out , the work at the price, as the ground turned out to be a bod of cement. He b!so sub- , milted that (he ditch should be wider than , proposed in the specifications. He said a contractor named Mason who lived in the , district was willing to take up the work, and having ,s ho might piobably make it pay him at ihe price. Mr Bricked was allowed time to find Mr Mason, which he eventually did, and the matter was arranged to the evident satisfaction of nil parties. Teniikiis. The following tcudeis were received : Otanda to Black Creek, D Hagerty LI lbs, Wilkinson LI Ids, P Carr LI Ba, Burgess Bros L2 13, and Urcenway LI Is (1J pea chain (accepted) ; Measrs Girwoud for a lump sum of Ll2l ds, and Corbett, L 139 alau tendered. Taurangamii Mo 1, past Maori Pah—llarri■oii and lliohart 1.1 IDs (id, Carr LI 14s GJ bu. p ss Bros LI 11s fid, Wilkinson LI 12s, Green way, Ll us per chain (accepted) ; Corbett, lump sum L3B 10s, and Girdwood L3l also tendered, Girdwood’s tender, winch was equal to 24s 9d per chain, was accepted, but he afterwards asked to withdraw. Turanganui No 2, Tankersley’s Creek,— Burgess Bros L2 Us, Harrison and Co. Ll IDs fid, .Carr L2 ss, Wilkinson Li IN, Greeu.vay Ll 5s per chain accepted ; Corbett Llll 12s, and Girdwood, LlB7, also tendered. The Oversees. • Mr McDfcug ui, pursuant to notice, moved that the services of the overseer, as at present constituted, he discontinued. He said it was not against the man that be had to lied I mlt, but it was against the system. Mr Cameron seconded. He remarked that too Oveiseer had no rigid to say he could nut visit his ward. He cnsidered he had a right to oversee work in all the wards, although be < bad not recently came near hu ward. <

Mr Matthews and the Chauuuan both testified to the us( f.iltu ss rt& practical knowledge of the Overseer, Mr Matthews remarking that the Overseer JfA nut been allowed to do in some wards <Nlrt bo wonld like to have done. lie considered that be had attended to the work in a most eatisf ictory manner. * The motion was lost, Messrs! McDougall and Cameron only voting lor thMame. Mach discussion ousued, re the rate of day's wage* given by the* Board. The Chairman said in course of the conversation that the wardens should have a ’discretionary power to jay 7s per day for work that could not he done properly (or 6s fid. Mr Cameron said he thought that a man could do justice at fis fid per day. Mr Tnlly thought the extra liipence would make no difference in that respect.

Mr Matthews said he could sot conscientiously pay less than 7u to liis mao. H# considered that the work iu his ward was worth that amount, as it was only occasional and the tpan sometimes bad to travel some miles to work.

It was generally considered by the members that in some cases 7s per day was (air, though in others the work might be dons for fis fid. THE WAIBENOA TOLLUATE. Mr Dowman moved that the Waihenga Tollgate be abolished ; be said Martinborough was the only township in the province where the residents were compelled to pay a toll to get their produce to market; all other towns were not subjected to such a tax and be thought it must be manifestly unfair that the toll should be continued. Mr Harris seconded the motion and expressed bis entire concurrence with the remarks mads by Mr Dowman,; the toll was a gross injustice. The motion being put was lost, Messrs Tolly, Dowman and Harris being for, and Messrs McDougall, Cameron, Donald and Matthews against. Mr Matthews was pleased to know that the much required money would net now be scattered to the winds.

Mr Harris thought the tollgate should be shifted down to Tauherenikau Bridge. Mr Tully thought if at any time the bridge was carried away it would devolve upon the County Council and not the Board to reconstruct it.

The Chairman said it was a Bead Board Bridge. Mr Donald’s motion That the proceeds of Waihenga toll be funded (or the purpose of repairing the present bridge and approaches and building a new bridge when required, was carried ou the voices.

Mr Bidwill’s motion that the present system of maintaining the district road be discontinued, lapsed through that gentleman's absence.

Mr Matthews said there was a feeling that the County Council should have control of the bridge at Waihenga. Mr Tully said the Council itself had that feeling. '

Mr Vilea attended to ask the Board to curtail the ranger’s duties up the Ruuutaka Road beyond the town, or to extend same further up the hill.

The matter (o stand over until after the elections.

Mr Cameron moved, that the Waihenga Budge be examined, and put in order before the winter season.

Seconded by MrDowman, and agreed to,

Mr Matthews moved, that all motions brought before the Board by Wuideus be in writing. Seconded by Mr Cameron, and carried. Mr Liowmau gave notice that he wonld move at next meeting that the Waihenga Tull be shifted to Tauhereuikau Bridge. Mr Matthews proposed, that on May lit, the annual meeting of the Board be held at 12 noon, and that the meeting of ratepayers be held at 3pm, on that date. Agreed to. The Treasurer's statement, with abstract of receipts and expenditure we are obliged to hold over until Wednesday.