A BREAKAWAY?

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 35, 9 August 1930, Page 13

A BREAKAWAY?

HAWTREY FROM MAKARA

DEPUTATION TO COUNCIL

A deputation of four, Messrs. A. Harrison, N. Jepsou, S. Martin, and J. H. H. Frape, representing residents of Hawtrey, waited on the Makara County Council yesterday to complain of alleged neglect of the district's interests. It asked tbo council's permission for Hawtrey to withdraw from the Makara County and join the Johnsonvillc Town Board. , Mr. Frapo said tho deputation had conic to ask the council why it was that the rates had been increased to such an extent. As ratepayers on tho Hawtrey Estate, they had had nothing done for many years. "Nothing, absolutely," said Mr. Frape. When he had last waited on the council they were promised a lot, but the Ohariu road was tho only one touched, and that had nothing to do with tho Hawtrey people. Tho Hawtrey residents had now decided to join with the Johnsonvillo Town Board, as they.wanted water and drainage, and to have their rates fixed up. He thought it was "red-hot" that Hawtrey had not had a little attention. Mr. Windley. had promised to go out and see tho roads were done. Mr. E. Windley (chairman): "Oh, no, 1 didn't. I know the promises I have made.*' Mr. Frape said the Hawtrey people were worse off than they were four years ago. They wanted to join with Johnsonville, and there was only one against the proposal. • Mr. Martin said that if the Health authorities went to Hawtrey to-morrow morning the first thing they would say would be, "water and drainage." He had a creek outside his residence, which he had asked to have culverted for the past twelve years. He wanted somothing concrete, about what the council was going to do, to take back to a meeting of ratepayers. IMPROVEMENTS AND BATES. In reply, Mr. Windley, speaking of the present increase.in r"ates, said that when the old, riding was divided up there was a substantial credit balance and the Hawtrey residents' share of that was roughly £1400. Consequently when the council framed its estimates for last year the Hawtrey rate was reduced, and the council handed back, indirectly, what it had collected previously from the ratepayers in Ngahauranga riding. The Newlands-Paparangi road improvements were decided on after tho council had framed its estimates and struck the rate. That was the unfortunate part, but the council decided that it had a responsibility in regard to the unemployed. The people of Hawtrey had not been forgotten. Mr. Martin: "Thank God for that!" Mr. Windley said it had been intended and was still intended to givo them ivhat was due to them. Mr. Frape had said ho waited on |j^e council some years ago, but he would remind the deputation that at that time the council was not even collecting from the district the amount of money'spent ou maintenance of tho Hawtrey roads. The need for improvements now was certainly more pressing than then, but the improvements could not bo made without money. He realised it was a very difficult matter for tho Hawtrey peoplo to meet the'substantial rise in rates, but the position had to _bo faced. The council had again deliberately decided to help the unemployed in the Belmont riding this year, simply because it considered the improvement necessary, and lie and many others were going to be "stung" by that improvement and yet not benefit by it at all. A member of the deputation had asked why they should be called upon to provide work for unemployed when many of them were unmuployed themselves. That was a problem the council was not asked to solve. The Government had appealed to local bodies to try and do their little bit. The council saw that the unemployed in their own country were employed on these jobs before men from the city. On the matters of water and drainage, Mr. Windley asked if the Hawtrey residents had ever asked the Makara Councilto supply these services. They had never approached the council in any satisfactory manner, so how could they blame tho council! If they had sent a deputation to the council and it had done nothing, they "light be iustiflea in asking to go over to the Johnsonville Town Board. Ho believed, however, that they would possibly be better in Jolmsonville, for water and drainage were not strictly a county matter. But he would remind them that whether they remained in.Makara or went into Jolmsonville these services would cost money, although they might cost less in Johnsonvillc Tho deputation, before withdrawing, asked if the council would pass a remit ■ sanctioning their withdrawal ironi the county, but tho chairman advised tho rosidents to take formal steps in the matter if they so desired.