A LOCAL BODY'S GRIEVANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 135, 7 June 1907, Page 6

A LOCAL BODY'S GRIEVANCE.

j Tbe secretary of the Waitemata County Council wrote to the City Council I lust night stating that the ratine, funds :01 the Waitakerei and Waikujmete Ridings of the Count v had been very much depleted by the acquisition by the City Council of j large areas of land for the purpose of catchment areas, in connection with the city water supply, such areas, of course, t not being liable to rates. Again, the roads were annually subjected to much wear by the Traffic in connection with the irrigation works, and the maintenance of the main road, between the Whau Bridge and the Waikumete Cemetery, absorbed a serious portion of the revenue of the Waikumete Riding. It seemed inequitable, the secretary pointed out. that the ratepayers of these poverty stricken districts, and many of them struggling farmers at that, should be called upon to provide the whole upkeep of these roads, which were as much for the benefit .01 the city as themselves. It would not be remiss to remind the Council that the. scarce of their water supply, from which tbey derived a large profit was drawn from these districts, and that it would remove a long standing feeling of injustice if the Council w-ould make an annual contribution towards the upkeep oi these roads. The Waitemata Council suggested that this should amount to £200 annually, and pointed out that this was a trifling sum in proportion to the profits on the water supply, and the amount of the rates lost to the Council by the taking of the lands for watershed purposes. The length of road for which this contribution was wanted amounted to 30 miles

On the motion of the Mayor, the question was referred to the Streets Committee.