HIGHWAY BOARD FOR MOUNT ROSKILL DISTRICT. RATE OF SIXPENCE PER ACRE LEVIED.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3452, 8 August 1868, Page 4

HIGHWAY BOARD FOR MOUNT ROSKILL DISTRICT. RATE OF SIXPENCE PER ACRE LEVIED.

Pursuant to advertinement, the first meeting of the ratepayers of this district was held yesterday afternoon in the large building known as Dornwell' q Barn, at the back of the Three Kings. The meetin g was called for three o'clook, but it waa just upon four before a sufficient number of electors of the district were present to form a quorum. The following are the names of the settlers who attended : — A. Buckland (chairman), E. Bovey, A. Dornwell, J. O'Neill, J. Bayr, — Maodonald, Fletcher, and Joseph May. This latter gentleman brought two proxies with him from Messrs. Aitkiu and Bray.

ELECTION OP TRTJSTEEB. The Chairman said that, there now being the required number of ratepayers present, he would read the publio notification contained in the Gazette relative to this Board. He would alao read the letter received from the DeputySuperintendent appointing him chairman of the first meeting. He then proceeded to lay the notification referred to, and also the letter from his Honor the Deputy-Superintendent, before the meeting ; and produced the plan showing the boundary lines of the district. As they were aware, the first business before them would be the election of five trustees. The following gentlemen were then nominated to act as trustee* of the Mount Roskill Highway Board: —Joseph May (chairman), Alfred Dornwell, John O'Neill, James Hayr, and Alfred Buckland. No other names being proposed, the above gentlemen were declared to be duly elected.

NATURB OP ASSESSMENT. The Chairman slid the next matter for their consideration would be the nature of the rate to be levied, whether it should be on the »ore*ge system on or on the value to sell. By the Act they could not levy more tban a shilling an acre, or more than lsd. in the pound on the value to sell. It was for the meeting to say how they would have the rate levied. Mr. Poknwbll proposed that it should be on the acreage principle. Seconded by Mr. Hatr, Mr. May asked the chairman if he had any idea what were the number of aores in that distriob. The Chairman said be had not. Mr. May aa'd there wore not more than 3,000,! and if they levied the highest rate they could, vis., a shilling an acre, it would only produce £150. He considered it would be very unfair to fix the rate per acre, as there were 1,000 acres in the district worth £20,000, and the other 2,000 worth but very little. He would therefore propose that the rate be a vsluation rate, that was to say, a rate on the value to sell. The proxies he had in his pocket would vote for a valuation rate. At one time one of them would have voted the other way, but he bad now changed his opinion upon that subject. Mr. Dornwell asked why a man, because he improved his land by proper tillage — who went to the expense of putting on bonedust and other manures— why should that man be taxed for his labour, and made to pay for the man who did not improve his land ? It was nothing more than a tax upon industry. The Chairman said, unless they taxed industry, they could not tax at all. What was the use of taxing a man who could not pay ? The better the ground, the more able the man to pay the rate. Mr. May was of the game opinion, and said the man whose property was valuable could not object to pay his fair share of the rates. The only thiug to be said againßt a rate by valuation was the expense of assessment. The other rate might be more easily levied. i Mr. O'Neill seconded the proposal for a valuation rate. Mr. Bcjokland said that, holding the position of Chairman, he had no right to record his vote, but he was cerbainly in favour of a rate by valuation. Where there was no value in property nothing could be got ; therefore, he thought the valuation rate was the fairer of the two. The amendment and motion were then put, with the following result :— For the acreage system — Messrs. JDornwell, Hayr, Fletcher, JBorey, and Maodonald. For valuation system — Messrs. May, O'Neill, and the two proxies, Messrs. Aitkin and Bray. The system of rating by acreage.was, therefore, declared to bs oarried.

AMOUNT PER AORE. The Chairman said the next thing to bo done was to fix the amount. Mr. Dornwelli proposed that the rate be one shilling per acre. The"motion was seconded by Mr. Fletcher. Mr. O'Neill proposed that it be ninepenoe per acre. There being no seconder, the proposition fell to the ground. Mr. May proposed that the rate be sixpence per acre. The proposal having been seconded, Mr. May said that »t sixpence per acre the amount would realise about £75. The Chairman aiked if any other lettler had a proposal to make before putting the motion and amendment. Mr. Mat said, supposing the sixpenny rate was losb, they would then try the ninepenny that had not been seconded. (Laughter.) The Chairman said, of course if the Bixpenny rate was lost, they could propose any rate they liked — one penny an acre if they thought proper. Whatever rate w»a fixed would exist for about fifteen months : they had better then levy sufficient to get the thing into proper working order, so as to obtain a plan, books, and other small matters that would be required. Mr, May said that the sixpence an acre would cost him about £11. The following votes were then taken for the sixpenny rate : — Mr. May, Mr. Bovey, Mr, O'Neill, and Mr. Hayr. The Chairman : How do your friends vote that you have in your pocket, Mr. May ? (Laughter.) Mr. May : They did not give me any specific instructions how to vote on the acreage system — thinking that the rate would be by valuation. They will, however, vote for the sixpence. (Laughter.) The motion was declared to be carried, there being six for, and three against, the sixpenny rate. The Chairman then declared that the business was at an end, but, as it wai raining very hard at the time, he proposed that the trustees should now hold their first meeting. MEETING OF TRUSTEES. The trustees then held a meeting as to the action to be taken by them, Mr. May, chairman of the Board, presiding. The Chairman remarked that their district was a very small one, and he had no doubt they would be able to agree together pretty well. Mr, Buokland : Yes, a kind of family arrangement. But; before we can do much we must have a plan of the district, books, and other tbings that will be found to be necessary. Mr. O'NeiljL at this stage of the proceedings moved a vote of thanks to the late chairman (Mr. Buckland). The motion was carried. The Chairman said, as there had been doubt in tome quarters as to how long their tenure of office would be, he would read the 11th clause of the Highway Boards Act on the subject. They would see by that that a fiesh election would not take place next October, but in the following year, Mr. Buohxajsd said that they would have time to , collect the money in the wet weather, and spend it in the summer. The Chairman here called the attentionof the trustees to the boundaries of One-'l ree Hill district, which he thought would give them some little information. The boundaries were then gone over by the trustees, and the different lines pointed out by the Chairman and explained, with a few general observations. It seemed to be the opinion of those present that a portion of the district laid down as belonging to the One-Tree Hill district, ought to have beeu inoluded in the Roslcill highway district. It would have been far more convenient. After a few more general observations, the meeting empowered the Chairman to get whatever was necessary for properly carrying on the work of the Board. The rain having by this time entirely ceased, the meeting broke up, after passing a rote of thanks to the Chairman.