MEETING OF THE WHAU RATEPAYERS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXV, Issue 3760, 7 September 1869, Page 4

MEETING OF THE WHAU RATEPAYERS.

A meeting of the ratepayers of the Whan Higbw&y Di trict was hcl I in the Whau public hall on Saturday evening', to consider the advisability of extending the boundaries of the distriot. Mr. J. Bollard, Chairman of Trustee", presided. — The Chairman observed that the object for which they Lad met was one of the utmost impoitance to the vtholo of the ratepayers residing -within the district. The Whau Highway District was far too small, and it would be for them that evening t > consider the propriety of enlarging it by a union with part of the Mount Koslull district The interests of the two distiicta were identical, and they would be in a bettor position to form the roads most urgently required were the district extended, so as to include a larger area of ground and a proportionately increased number of ratepayers. — Mr. Buchanan said ho had been surprised, upon seeing the boundaries of the Whau district published in the Gazette, at the small area of land which was included wiihin lfa limits. He thought the most equitable way of adjusting the boundaries of a district waa to include within it, as nenr as possible, all the land fnr which the roads made by the Board served as channels for traffic. 1 his arrangempnt would prevent any unfair propoition of expense incurred in making substantial roads in the out-districts from falling upon the settlers residing in any particular district. No advanla/8 whatever could accrue from the diffi< tricts be ; ng made small as it would only cripple the resources at the disposal of the Board, and would prevent many necessary works from being oarried oufc which would have been attended to had the residents of a laree dis'rict combined in such a manner bs to place sufficient funds in the hands of th« trustees for the accomplishment of the work. He had no doubt that m\ny of those prespnt would l>o surprised to hear that the boundaries of the Mount Ro'-kill district extended to within a few hundred feeb from where they were Bitting. Ho believed the question of the proper adjustment of the boundaries had b^en well ventilated by the residents in the various neighbouring highway districts, nnd he w»s happy to l'.eai that some of the ratepayers, among others Mr. May, we r e anxious to I get the boundaricR laid out ou a fair ntd equitable ba«i«. — Mr. HoUoway thought they should not be loo hasty in deciding the matter, or they might make themselves fathers to an arrangement which would not prove advantageous to them. He wished to inquire whether, were the proposed addition made, ifc would not have the effect of entailing up >n the ratepayers of the Whau District the expense of making and keeping in repair more roads than the rates derivable from the lund so added would defray. — The Chairman was of opinion that the lard proposed to be added was in very fair proportion to the number of roa 's which wouM bo required by its addition to their district. One of the advantages whioh they derived from the union, and ono that was of the utmost importance to that district, waa the opening up of the Manukau road right through. If that work was carried out, the settlers might ship their produce at the Manukau as they did at present at the Waiteuiata. As soon as the land is fully occupied, the settlers would be mo=t anxioua to be separated from the Mout.t Roskil distriot, and he thought it would be much better were the boundaries properly adjusted at that time. — Mr. Henderson concurred in the reraailo made by the chairman, and in order to meet the wishes of the residents would move -—"'I hat ifc ib desirable that the bound iuie» of the Whau Highway District be extended in a south-easterly direction, a* in the ca*e of the Whau Educational District, with the exception of nil land in Mount Albert Highway District." — The motion vea seconded by Mr. Hanson, and carried unanimously.-— The meeting then separated.