COUNTY CHAIRMAN'S LAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 303, 22 December 1926, Page 3

COUNTY CHAIRMAN'S LAND.

EXCLUDED FROM HATING AREA. COUNCILLOR ASKS WHY. (By Telcgrapli. —Own CorrcsDondent.) MOREINSVILLE, Tuesday. Following the mention of a proposed roading scheme for the Kereone Soldier Settlement, there was a lively debate at the Piako County Council meeting yesterday. It was prompted by tlie fact that the county chairman (Cr. W. K. Lowry) owns a property near the proposed special rating area and, because of its proximity to the rating area, it was contended by one of the councillors that the chairman's land should have been included. The chairman remarked that a petition recently circulated had been signed by all except two or three ratepayers in the area. Cr. McLean said he would like some information. He had broughtthe matter up previously, but he would be lacking in his duty to the ratepayers if he did not ventilate it again. He said a certain piece of land—the chairman would know who owned it—should have been included in the rating area. After a remark by the chairman, Cr. McLean said: "That section of yours should have been included in the area, Mr. Chairman." The Chairman: I have no frontage to the road. Cγ. McLean: But a right-of-way. The chairman explained that he had no legal right-of-way. He used an access by permission of the owner of a section between the road and his property. Cr. McLean: Who owns it? The Chairman: My son. The chairman added that his proper access was by another road which he would have to metal himself at a cost of about £50 a year in rates. His future outlet would be by a road along the railway-line, but he would not advocate its opening as he was chairman, and while he was in the chair he would not look after his own personal interests. Cr. Whitechurch suggested that the chairman should allow hie land to be included in. the area and then lodge an objection. Cr. Stark thought that, under the circumstances, the chairman's land should not be included. The chairman .said originally there w r ete 1000 acres in the block he owned, but the Zi acres owned by his son were not part of the original block. Cr. McLean: You can't tell mc that your son will farm on three acres. The Chairman: He can do what he likes with it. The chairman asked Cr.' McLean why he had not been satisfied with the explanation given on a previous occasion. Cr. McLean: I was told there was a legal right-of-way. The Chairman: Legal fiddlesticks! Cr. McLean said he was doing his duty by bringing the matter up in order to allow the chairman to clear himself. The chairman said he would be willing to include his land in the rating area only for the fact of having the other road to metal on his own. He regretted that Cr. McLean had not asked for an explanation outside. Cr. McLean: That would have been 1 no good to the ratepayers. Cr. Kennedy: Mr. Chairman, I think you've had a win. You have satisfied Cr. McLean and cleared yourself.