Manawatu Road Board.

Manawatu Times, Volume IX, Issue 1119, 5 December 1883, Page 2

Manawatu Road Board.

THIS DAY.

A meeting of the above was held this morning. Present — Messrs G. M. Sneiaon (chairman), Edwards, M'Ewen, Pratt and Fair. j A letter was read from the Public Works stating that the L2500 applied for by the Board for district roads would be granted, on the ne« cessary conditions being complied with. A printed circular was en* closed setting out the required con* ditions. A number of letters were received from the Grown Lands office relative to expenditure in Kairanga. In the first the expenditure of L149 Os 8d on roads in Kairanga was approved of. A further communication stated that only L92 13s 4d was available for expenditure on account of sales in Kairanga, and that pending the reduction of amount required fco this sum no further action would be taken. The Board had replied to this pointing out that most of the work bad been let and could not be stopped, and to this the Department had replied stating that it approved of the expenditure of the balance of L56 7s 4d out of payments yet to be received from settlers in Kair» anga. A letter was read from the Crown Lands office declining to entertain the request of the Board for a refund f rcm the results of the sale of sec-; tion 448, Palmerston North, when put up for auction. In reply to this a lengthy commurication was read in which the Chairman set out the position of matters in regard to this section, which has been already explained in our columns, receipt of of which was acknowledged by the Board, The Chairman thought the Board could take no further action till the section is offered for sale, which would probably not be till after next session of Parliament. The section comprised about 200 acres. There was no doubt th s Board had a very just and equitable claim in regard to the section. A letter was read from the Treasury Department, in reply to one from the Board, stating that new lists of native lands upon which rates will be paid would very shortly be forwarded, after which the Board could make demand. It was pointed oat, however, that the native districts have to be proclaimed and ap- ! plication made to the Colonial Treasurer. In the course of the discussion on this subject it was mentioned that most of the Maoris whose names were in the rate book had disposed of their land to Europeans at last sitting of the Lan# Court, As Government had not paid the rates on these lands the matter was some what complicated. The Crown Lands Department also advised the Board that application for ft gravel reserve between sections 443 and 585 should be made to the Under-Secretary for Crown Lands. A letter was read which had been sent by the Board making application in the form suggested. Mr J. A. Heaton wrote stating that he had not leased the land for which he was rated, though he had ' been negotiating with the object of , leasing it at the time when the vain* tion was made. It was decided to take no action to recover the rates, I pending the action of the Property Tax Department in the matter. ! | Mr Bafcchelor wanted on the Board requesting that a culvert near his property" on . .the River Bank road should be; attended to, it having' become' 1 blookedjCaasing the. water to overflow' on his property. He suggested that' a drain of about two or three cbajas in length should be cat to a drain <

through his property, op that a small bridge should" be erected iri the place of present culvert. The matier was referred to the engineer with, power to act. Mr Batchelor also asked the Board to allow him to keep the gate on the road till the slips came down a little more, as it was utterly use? less erecting the fence along the road jußt.np.ro. The request. was. fc agreed^ to. Mr Russell, of Eangitikei Line, waited on the Board in leference to the amount of £87 10s due to Messrs Russell Bros, for forming road. /The sum of £75 in all was advanced by Messrs Russell, half of which it was arranged should be repaid in twelve months, and the balance in two years. As he understood~the Board could not repay the amount due at present, he asked if it could be arranged to ullow interest thereon. It was explained that the Board could not bormw money at interest, except by way of overdraft. The Board decided to pay the amount out of money received for next year's rates. Mr Bacthelor stated that he desired to fall the bash on a road line near his property,and asked to be allowed to do so on the usual terms. Permission was granted. i Messrs Monk, Clevely and Rogers | interviewed the Board in reference to Roberts's line, and asked the Board to take some steps to form the continuation of that line to enable them to gain access to their pro* perties. Mr Edwards also explained the position of the road, and the neji cessity for its constro otion He gug gested it shoulcLbs? brought under the Roads and B<^djytf-6bnstruotion Act.. After some discussion the denotation agreed to this suggestion, and withdrew. It was stated that the Bank over* draft amounted to £1050 15s. ! | |A letter was read from the Chair* man of the Oroua County Cotfricil stating that no ranger had been an-* pointed by the Council for the Tao« nui Biding, nor did the Council think it necessary to appoint one, as by the Act, anyone can impound off a public road. The following accounts were passed for payment :— G-. W. Russell, 18s ; W. Alderson, £3 4s ; L.R. Bryant, £76; J. M'Kelvie, £1 11s; T. S. Hoe, salary, 7s 10 ; Henderson and Co, Bs. . The following tenders were received :-rs For No 3 contract, Kairanga 35 chains • Williams and Foley (accepted), £L6s per chain ,- B. .Sheerin, £1 6s 6d ; C. Rosenthal, £1 18a 6d ; E.R. tfrVant, £\ 19s ; M. Mortensen £1 155. , The Engineer's estimate for this work was £49 105. For No 4 contract, Kairanga : — B. Sheerin (accepted), £2 12s per chain; T. Schlager, £2 15s 6d; E. Gladstone, £2 17s 6d ; Williams, and Foley, £3 2s ; M. Mortensen, £3 4s ; C. Rosenthal, £3 Bs. The Engineer's estimate was £2 15s per chain. ! Mr Thomas, manager for" Mr Buicfc, waited upon the Board and asked that the road work in Kairanga should be carried on from the other end to that proposed. It was pointed but 'that tHe Laad Board bad already agreed to the work proposed to be done, and that it could not now be altered. The Board then went into the matter of arranging for the polls, &c, to be taken for district roads under the Act After a short discussion it was arranged to meet again on Saturday to make final arrangements. On the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr Edwards, it was re--solved to rescind the twe following resolutions which have been standing in tbe minutes since January last : "1. That no monies accruing from general rates shall be expended in met" alliDg till all roads in the same subdivision are formed, ou petition of a majority of the ratepayers, 2. That in future rates be not anticipated by entering into contracts for the construction of roads and bridges on deferred payment ? On the motion o£ Mr Fair, it was resolved to call the attention of the County Conncil to the state of the road opposite sections 1560 and 1561, Kairanga. . v The Board adjourned at 4 p.m.