RATEPAYERS' ASSOCIATION.

Evening Star, Issue 12722, 27 January 1906, Page 11

RATEPAYERS' ASSOCIATION.

$ The second annual meeting of the Duntclln. Ratepayers and Householders’ Asso- ; elation was held at the Lower Choral Hall last evening. Mr Joseph Milces (president) occupied the chair, and there was an attendance of abont forty members, including several city councillors. ! The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the annual report (already published), referred briefly to the report. As far as their balance-sheet was concerned, he washappy to say that they had the small bub sufficient credit balance of £4 9s. He thought the necessity for euch an association had now come to be acknowledged, though at first it had been ignored to a great extent, and the need for it doubted. It was necessary that there should be some check, in view of the manner in which municipal corporations canned on their business in these days. They believed the present Council were endeavoring to live as nearly within their means as possible. Another matter the Association proposed to take up was the approaching Harbor Board elections. The motion was seconded by Mr J. Mogget, who said that trams had been a burning question. The Association had the audacity to put forth the statement that the tram finances were going back at the rate of £IOO a week. They were indebted to Cr Loudon for giving information on this bead. The mayor had taken them up, but in combating their figures he had apnarently forgotten that he was dealing with moneys not yet earned. It had been said that the Association had been getting thoir members elected to the Council, and that the Association had been getting information from the councillors. He saw no harm in that—they could get their information from the town derk if they liked. Mr J. E. White having taken exception to the Drainage Board’s operations, Mr J. Neil also took exception to what be called the Drainage Board’s extravagance, as exemplified in “ the grand iron wire netting fence and the pleasure gardens'” at the pumping station. He also objected to the motive power for the numps, as it wa« oil imported from America, and the money for it went out of the country. He thought Waipori power should be used, Mr Neil proceeded to recommend citizens to -ascend the overbridge and watch the Drainage Board’s workmen engaged in the main intercepting sewer, especially the man working the steam crane, who was given to sitting down. A Member : I rise to a point of order. This has nothing to do with the balancesheet. Mr Neil: Yes, it has. I will make a few remarks, I will hurry on if lam tedious. The Chairman requested Mr Neil to

confine himself more strictly to the business in hand. Mr Neil went on to criticise the tramways, and said that it seemed a waste of money to send out men with brooms to clear the grooves of the tram rails on Sunday morning.-—(Loud applause.) Mr J. Small said that Mr Neil was altogether in error in statements that he had made concerning the consumption and cost of oil fuel for the engines at the pumping station. Mr Small said that he was satisfied that these engines were run at a cheaper rate than electricity could be supplied at. He thought that it was a pity that similar engines were not used in connection with the generating of the electric power for .the trams instead of spending what they had spent on Waipori. —(Applause.) Mr William Asher referred particularly to the Harbor Board, and, in contravention of a statement made bv Mr Neil to the effect that the Board was “ run by Bond street,” said that the trouble was that the Harbor Board was ran by the Government, who had an undue preponderance of representation on the Board. The Government had taken 73 acres out of 130 acres of the Board’s endowments, and the position was so serious that citizens should give the Harbor Board all the support they could, so that a case might be stated before the Judge. Air M’Pherson, having expressed doubts as to the stability of the foundation of the Drainage Beard’s main intercepting sewer, said that the bacterial system of drainage was being gone in for a lot at Home. He asked Mr Small if the bacterial system of disposal of sewage was not preferable to that adopted here. Mr Small replied that we had adopted

a certain system, and it was futile to discuss any other. He had been through the'main intercepting sewer twice. There had been no failure in it. The tests to which it had been subjected were more severe than anything likely to be put on it again- . There was not likely to be a failure in it on account of the foundation. Mr M'Pheraon ; A few loose stones. Mr Small : Eemarkably good, strong concrete. Cr Arkle defended the City Council and the Drainage Board, and said that though we were paying more for our water and our gas than they were worth we got the value back in improvements to the streets, etc. He, however, favored every municipal department standing on its own bottom.— (Applause.) The report and balance-sheet were then formally adopted. A code of rules that bad been drawn up hv the Executive was read by the secretary and approved. Before proceeding to the election of office-bearers a vote of thanks was passed to the outgoing Executive. The election of office-bearers for the ensuing year resulted as follows :—President. Mr Joseph Mflnes; vice-presidents, Messrs J. Connor and A. Megget; treasurer. Mr W. A, Hew man; secretary, Mr

H. Mitchell; Executive —Messrs it. Brinsley. H. E. Stephens, W. Asher, G. Preen, G. MacKie, B. Greenwood, J. Small, M. Stevenson, J. Jones, H. V. Fulton, J. Barnes, P. Duncan, J. Neil, J. Bain, and W. S. Bedford. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Cr Connor for the assistance he had rendered to the Association in providing accommodation for meetings.