MATAQNGAONGA ROAD BOARD.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 11977, 21 September 1906, Page 2

MATAQNGAONGA ROAD BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the above Board was held in the Board's room at Eastown last evening, there being present Messrs R. Neilson (in the chair}, J. Anderson, C. E. Mackay, A. Rice, and J. Jones. MINUTES.— The , minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. ACCOUNTS.— Accounts to the amount of i>sl 9s fid were passed for payment. LONG ACRE VALLEY ROAD— Mr McGrail waited on the Board re the Long Acre Valley Road, and asked whether any word had been received from the Government Department re a grant for the road, and as to what steps the Board were taking to put the road in order. — The chairman explained that no reply had yet been received from the Government on the matter, and until a reply was received nothing could be done. — Another deputation from the Valley waited on the Board and asked that the drain from Humphries' to the 9-mile peg, about 60 chains, be cleared. They also asked that the Board raise a loan for .£4OO for the purpose of metalling the upper portion of the road, from McGrail's boundary to the upper boundary. — It was resolved to vote £10 towards the cleaning of the drain, and that Mr Anderson be appointed to supervise the work. — With regard to the application for a loan, it was decided that the Board take the necessary steps to raise a loan for i! 400, providing the settlers interested send a signed petition to the Board's secretary. — Also decided to put about a dozen yards of gravel in the holes on the Long Acre Valley. REMOVAL OP GORSE.— The Board's solicitor wrote stating that Thompson's Road came under the Board's control. — Decided that all occupiers on this road be served with notices to remove the gorse on their frontages. — It was also decided that Mrs Willcox and Mrs Wild be served with notices to clear the gorse from their frontages. It is probable that other notices will be served on a number of other ratepayers, unless they take steps to clear their frontages of this noxious shrub. ABSENTEE OWNERS.— On the motion of the Chairman the following motion was carried, "That the properties appearing on the valuation roll, as assessed to owners of absentees be sold, under the Road Act of 1894, to pay for arrears of rates." GRAVELLING.— The Chairman mentioned that he thought the present was the time for gravelling, and that the River Bank Road from the No. 2 Line to the Aramoho Bridge, and the No. 3 Line, trom Willis's gate to the railway crossing je metalled. He moved that tenders for 100 yards of metal be called for each of these roads. — Carried.

FOREMAN.— It waa decided to apply for applications for a working foreman at 10s per day. GORDON PARK DRAIN.— The Board's solicitor advised that the Board had no power to open up drains on private properties, nor could they drain through to private property without the consent of the owners, and that the consent of Messrs John McGregor, J. C. Paterson and E. Newman, the owners concerned, be obtained.—lt was decided that th© question of seeing the owners and the Board's solicitor if necessary, be left in the hands of the Chairman and Mr Mackay. PASK'S BRIDGES.— It was decided that the approaches to the two bridges in this part of the district be completed, and that the Chairman and Mr Rice wait upon the Railway Department and ask that the Board be allowed to take clay for the approaches from the embankments on each aide of the railway line at the No. 3 Line railway crossing, which would make the railway crossing safer, as the trains could be seen much better.

FORMING A BOROUGH.— Mr Anderson, in moving that the Chairman be asked to convene a meeting of ratepayers at th« Board's room on a night to be arranged within the next two months for the purpose of considering the advisability of forming a borough, said that the district was growing rapidly, and although a few years back they were a mere dot on the map of the Wanganui County, they had developed in his, and a great many other opinions, into an important district, and should go a step further than a road district. There were now requirements which the Road Boards Act -did not admit of, such as drainage, lighting, and recreation grounds'. There was not an inch of public ground in the dietrict, and with a population of over 1000 and ©very prospect of a rapid increase, it was absolutely necessary that such a ground should be procured before values increased, so that it would be there for the future generations. — The motion was reconded by Mr Jones and carried, co that the matter may be thoroughly discussed by the ratepayers. SPECIAL BATE.— At a special meeting of th© Board, after the conclusion of the above, it was decided to levy a special rate of l-40th of a penny in the £ for the purpose of providing an additional 10 per cent on the original loan of .£BOO for Morgan Street.