APARIMA ROAD BOARD.

Western Star, Issue 377, 4 September 1880, Page 2

APARIMA ROAD BOARD.

A meeting of the "Board tool place at the Town Hall on Wednesday, when there were present—Messrs J. Mackintosh (chairman), Allison, Ronald, Cockburn, Boyd, Lyon" Young, Sutton, Hamilton, Stevens, W. Walker, Hodgkinson, and Brook. The minutes of former meeting were read and confirmed. A letter was read from Mr Dartnall, enclosing plan of land taken for <t road at Waianiwa railway station. The chnirmaa of the meeting of ratepayers held at Thornbury re stopping certain roads as formerly advertised,reported that Ihe meeting approved of closing the dotted track extending through sections l, 2,3, 10, and 32, block Till., Jacob's River Hundred ; the road extending through section 11, and forming part of the eastern boundary of sections 12 and 13, all of block XII, New River Hundred; and of exchanging roads at Mr Collie's and at Upper Ford ; and decided that, no further steps be taken with regard to road forming the south-east boundary of sections 25, 26, 27 ant) 28, block IX, Jacob's River Hundred, and opening in lieu thereof a road through sections 19 and 25 of said block. The Board approved of the decision of the ratepayers in the matter, and the Clerk wns instructed to forward plans, &c, of the roads to be stopped to the County Council. The following tenrlers were received :—Contract No. 337, Crean and Co., (accepted) Is per fascine, and Is per yard for blinding ; W. Boniface, Is 6d do, and" 7 s 3d do. MBBGISTG Or BOAttD. Mr Hamilton moved the motion of which he had given notice, That, the Board levy no" rate this year, and the Inspector's salary cease, and that steps be taken at once to merge into the County. The Chairman suggested that each item in the motion be dealt, with separately, in a different motion. Mr Hamilton agreed, and moved that the Board levy no rate this year. He s*id lie had deen taxed from time to time with being actuated with a spi'it of antagonism to the Inspector in moving these resolutions. He was sorry such an impression had arisen, and disclaimed acting from any such impulse ; it was on public grounds only that he brought the motion forward. It had alrea y been strongly affirmed by the ratepayers the advisability of merging, and the present was a favourable time for carrying out the recommendation, as the Board had disposed of its debentures and had no contrasts let of any magnitude. If it was decide 1 to levy a rate it should be a substantial one,—large enough to enable the Board to undertake works sufficient to keep the staff employed. He did not think the Board was carrying on with advantage to the public. In faut the Board was a stumbling black to the progress of some parts of the district, as on account of the low state of its funds it was unable to avail itself of the offer of the County Council of a subsidy of £1 for £1 for certain w-rka, and he felt certain that if the Board did not exist the county I would have undertaken the works in question. There bein* no seconder to the motion, Mr Hamilton moved that the Inspector's salary cease. The Board's operations were not sufficiently extensive to employ an Inspector constantly. He admitted that, the work done by the Apariraa Road Board would compare favourably with that executed by anv similar body in Southland, but he considered the Board was not now in a position to pay an Inspector. The amount paid that officer was sufficient to employ three or four surfacemen, who would give the ratepayers a much belter return for the money. However, seeing that the former motion was not carried, lie would not press the one he now moved, as it was in anticipation of the former being carried tiiat he moevd the latter, which would have been a necessity had there been no rate levied. Mr Hamilton ♦hen moved that th« Board take steps at once to merge into the counties of Wallace and Southland. As already stated the question had been discussed at meetings of ratepayers, jvho almost unanimously declared in favour of the proposal, and a petition had some time ago been circulated throughout the district, and numerouslv signed, also in favour of merging. The Counties Act bad now been amended, enabling a Road Board situated within two counties to merge. He had already Bhown that the Board stood in the way of money being expended in the district by the County Council. He instanced the case of an encroachment by the river on Hew River Plat. The county was the proper body to takestepo to prevent that, but so long as the Board existed the Council said it was the Board's duty to do so, but he felr, certain that if the Board ceased to exist, tomorrow the Council would take the work in hand. Now that the subsidy had been stopped, he thought the time had'nrrived when the Board should merge. It appeared, however, that the Government had re considered the ques tion of subsidies, and were going to vote 7s 6d in the pound, but, he did not consider that sufficient inducement tc continue to carry on. In fact, the subsidies were a delusion altogether, and the settlers would be better without them, because they were taxed to raise them. If the subsidies came from the laud fund it would bo a different matter. Mr Boyd seconded the motion. It was an absurd tiling to have two rating bodies, which incurred unnecessary expense. The Chairman pointed out that they had net sufficient information to baud as to

whether the proposal to grant a 7s 6d subsidy had beeome law; his own impression was that it was one of the measures thtvt had been abandoned. Atanyrate to ventilate the question thoroughly, would occupy a whole day, and he advised the mover to withdraw the motion until they were better informed upon the point. Mr Lyon urged the question to bo put to the vote at once. They ha.l all made up their mind as to how they would vote upon the question, and it was only a waste of time to continue the discussion. Mr Allison alvised delay. Even if the subsidy were only 7s 6J, they should take advantage of it. Mr Hodgkinson did not think the question could be fairly dealt with that day, and hoped Mr Hamilton would withdraw the motion. He (Mr Hodgkinson) was strongly opposed to the Board merging. Eoad Board 1! were the unit of political organisation in every civilised country, and had their prototypes in the paris'i boards of England and townships of Canada. The next body was the jiiuntr, and if boar !s ceased to exist, a link in the chain of local government, would be destroyed. He felt he was under a great disadvantage in discussing this question, as he held strong views on constitutional subjects ; but although he stood alone in advocating his views, he would not give way to any one. lie quoted from Hansard to sho.v that several of the leading members of Parliament were coming round to his view on the question of abolition of provinces —Mrssrs P.vke, Hall, Ormond, Gisborne, Sutton, and Sir D. Bell had each expressed their opinion that the county system had heer. a failure. He urged delay in the matter, and stateu that it was apparenr from the lemarks of speakers in Parliament that the whole question of local government wonl I have to be reconsidered, as the present, syslem did not give satisfaction.

The Chairman said lie was aware there was a strong feeling throughout, the distiict that one rating body was sufficient, and if the rating power were given to the body that had performed its work best, that power would be given to the Road Board. Tlie county had a larger revenue than the Board, which had the latter the power, could havo been well expended by it. There were too few members in the Council Tfee Board had 15, and that was none too many. He considered the work done by the Board was done well, and its funds were carefully and judiciously expended. The County, however, .vas now in little better positiou than the Board, as its subsidy would also be taken away, and if one of the two bodies must go, let them petition to do away with the County Council. The Wallace County Council had done good work because it had the money to do so, but the work was not done so economically as that performed by the Board. It was premature to merge, and he contended that the district had not yet made up its mind on the subject. "Mr Hamilton having replied, the motion was put and lost, there being five for and eight against it. STBIEHrOA BATE. Mr Lyon gave notice that he would move that a rate of Is in the j>oand be struck.—Mr Allison seconded. Am amendment bv Mr Sutton that th.» rate be 3d in the pound was withdrawn, it being pointed out that the charges for interest and sinking fund amounted to close upon 6d in the pound. Mr Brook moved, seconded by Capt. Stevens, That the rate be 6d in the pound.—The amendment was carried by 7 to 6. The Clerk was instructed to give notice of intention to levy the rate, on Tueslay, 21st inet., the rate to be payable to che collector at Riverton in one sum on or before Ist Dec. next. GENERAL. There was read letter from Mr J. B. Sutton in reply offering to lease a piece of land for a road for five years, at a yearly rental of £6, the- Board to fence hs stated in a former ] R tter. —Mr ' o aid stated that as the committee could not agree, thev wish>-d the Board to decide this irMtVr. He moved that the Board purchase from Mr Sutton the land required for a road at the price stated in his former letter.—An amendment wa* moved by Mr Hamilton that the laud required be leased from year to year, hut was not seconded. — The motion was carried.

Moved by Mr Lyon, seconded br William Walker, That, the engineer require those who have made pits and holes on road lines to get them filled up. nnd get the gorse cleared off road lines. —Carried.

There was rend letter from Mr Stack, requesting the Board to reconsider its decision with regard to report, re Waimiituku bridge.—After hearing Mr Stuck in sunport of his application, an I the engineer's statement, with regard t> the matter, the Board, on the motion of Mr Lyon, secomle 1 by Mr Win. Walker, declined to accede to Mr Stuck's request. Mr Stuck applied for a larger sum than the Inspector allowed for'sontract at Otaitai Bush, completed bv Mr Calder. He claimed £2 7s 3.1 more than was included in voucher. —lt was moved that the settlement of the matter by the engineer be adhered to. An amendment was moved by Mr Hamilton. That Stuck be paid for the two odd chains which he completed. The motion was carried by 8 to 2. * Letter from Mr Langlands nnd others, requesting to get ten chains of road on the road lino between bush reserve and section 8, block 6, cleared.— Referred to committee of subdivision, to report to next meeting.

Dr Hodgkinson called attention to a case somewhat similar to the list, where the owner had no outlet, viz., that of Mr M'Duugill, Jacob's River. —The Chairman remarked that it would not be advisable to vote sum* of money until they knew what they had at their disposal, and then the committees should bring up reports of the works they wished to be done.

The following persons were appointed chairmen of committees of subdivisions, viz. : Mr John Walter for Heddon Bush subdivision ; Mr Nurse, Jacob's River; Mr Lyon, Wuimatukuj Mr Ron*ld, New River; Mr Mackintosh, Mount Pleasant. The chairman suggested that it would be advisable to meet at eleven o'clock a.m., and have some of the routine business done before the train at noon. The Board would then be able to get all the business disposed of by 3.15 p.m., so as to enable the members to retura by train. No action was taken to maKe the alterations suggested. The clerk stated that the Board bad not given instructions afc last meeting with regard to new road at Mr Baird's, a transfer of the position required for a road should be obtained. Resolved that the clerk take the necessary steps to get the road opened, when directed by the committee of Heddon Bush Subdivision to do so. The Board then adjourned to Thursday, 21st inst.