COUNTY RATING

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2140, 24 July 1907, Page 4

COUNTY RATING

PROPOSED ijNEW SYSTEM. PRESENT' METHOD SUSTAINED. ji lon;.' discussion ensued at tlio Cook .Council meeting on Mond i.v on v\Y, D. Lysnar’s motion:--"! lui iii.stiaul of striking a general rain over ilio whole County of Id in tin- £ a hitherto, that, a goner.d rato siuliei.HH to secure, tho full Oi y wnmenc .-uhsid.v and to provide for 'tho charitable aid and other ndministrittion h. struck, and that tho buhrioo of rates required' shall bo levied separately in each riding in nceordanor with die expenditure and indebtedness of each l ’riding.” The mover-'submitted the following statement of the suggested allocations: — AVaikohu. —$d rate .£28114 13s 2d, Government subsidy £7ll, credit £25 IS 15s 7il, total £0094 8s 9d; administration, etc £OO2, Gisborne riding road £231, Patutnlii riding road £l5O, total £1043; balance £5051 8s

9:1. Mnngaron.—id rate £643 12s 9d, Government subsidy ;G2SI, credit £730 Ss 9d, total £lOOl Is Od; administration etc £173, Patntahi riding read £loo,Patntahi riding road £SO, total £323; balance £1338 Is Od. To Arab—-Id rate £ISOB, Government subsidy £2Ol, credit "£4BO, total £2195; administration etc £240 10s, Patntahi riding road £220, Patntahi riding road £BO, total £540 10s; balance £1054 10s. Tolaga.—ld rate £2970 2s 9d, Government subsidy £256, total £3220 2s 9d; administration etc £482, rofund amount overdrawn £770, "\Vhataupoko riding road £l3O, AVhataupoko riding road £l5O, total £1532; balance £1094 2s 9d. Patntahi. —4d rate £1343 4s Bd, Government subsidy £2Ol, total £1544 4s 8d ; administration etc £3lO, refund amount overdrawn £059, maintenance road town to Ngatapa an I AVaerenga-o-kuri (costing £770, £520 of which is apportioned to other ridings) £250, total £1219; balance £325 4s Sd. „ AVaimata. —Id rate £2255. 0s 3d, Government subsidy _ £371, total £262G 0s 3d: administration otc £272 10s, refund amount overdrawn £5lB, AVhataupoko riding road (main) £S7, Tolaga riding (AVainui) £2O. Tolaga riding (AVhangara) £3O, total £927 10s; balance £IO9B 10s 3d. AVhataupoko.—lid rate £1350. Government subsidy £lßl, total £1531; administration etc £173. refund, part overdrawn £4OO, maintenance main roau to AVaimata and to AVainui (costin'- £337, of which £237 apportioned to other ridings) £IOO, total £733; balance £79S. Gisborne. —ljd rate £2788 18s 3d, Government subsidy £3Ol, total £?OS9 18s 3d; administration etc £3lO. refund part overdrawn £929, maintenance main road (costing £462, of which half apportioned to AVaikolni riding) £231, total £1470; balance £lOl9 18s 3d. Cr I.ysnar pointed out that tins was only doing what the Act intended. Each county should fix its own rata after the general administration was provided for. He did not wish to dictate wliat the rate for any particular riding should be, so long as it wis sufficient to pay off some of the back indebtedness. He pointed out that several of the ridings were considerably overdrawn, whilst others wore in credit. Those that were overdrawn should strike a sufficient rat- to recoup part of their indebtedness, and thenceforward each riding should be self-contained, striking a rate to meet their individual requirements for the year, as well as providing a fair proportion towards the upkeep of the main roads, on a system which he explained. The present system had caused dissatisfaction outside the Council, and he would ask the members to considen the matter from a business standpoint, There was no provision in the Act providing for contributions from outside ridings towards the maintenance of the inner ridings’ thoroughfares, but liis motion provided for such provision as being equitable. He quoted figures prepared bv Mr. Fraser, the Engineer, to show the cost of main road'maintenance. In the past £7SO had been saddled on to Patntahi riding foi main arterial roads, whereas under his system only £250 would be debited.

The Chairman maintained that the principal factor in the use of roads, tho Borough Council, had been omitte 1 altogether. Cr. Lysnar said the County could nit very well charge tile Borough Council, except for excessive use, and an argument ensued. Cr. Lysnar said the argument could be raised : Should the County Council not pay the Borough Council for the excessive use of its roads for country traffic i n i:o town ?

The Chairman said two wrongs did not make a right. Cr Lysnar said this argument could be put aside altogether. It. was a question of equity between two ridings. Waikolni riding had raised so much revenue, and expended so much; leaving a large credit balance after paying its miota to the upkeep of main roads on the re-adjustment basis He mentioned the figures for all the ridings. Some were in debit and some were in credit. Was it not a more equitable system to expend tne revenue raised in each riding for works in that riding, after allowing for a re-adjustment for the use of main roads ?

The Chairman (after rates necessary had been mentioned): We don’t want a lid rate in Gisborne riding ai:i won’t have it.

Cr Lysnar: Very well, if you like to starve your roads do'so. We want ti)j to refund £9OO. Cr Kenway: Who are we ? Cr. Lysnar: The Council. Cr. Ivenway: You are not speaking for the Council. Cri Lysnar: Well, I am speaking in accordance with the Act. If the Council won’t go, on the Act some other power will be necessary to enforce it. \ The Chairman said he did not look forward to refunding anything from his riding. If a judgment were given that would bo time enough. A halfpenny rate lyoulrl satisfy him. Cr. Matthews thought it would be just as well to settle the matter now; otherwise it would como up at any time. The present system had proved successful. He strongly opposed the innovation. It was misleading to quote the maintenance figures; the present patching was not maintenance. The present system had worked well, and it would be sheer stupidity to change.

Cr Macdonald said he had had experience of Councils that maintained main roads irrespective of ridings. The system of savin" that each riding should contribute so much would not work. Much of the traffic now came bv rail. He did not agree with th', proposal to make ridings refund. Cr. Lysnar: We don’t do it. The Chairman : It is laying the foundations though. Cr. Macdonald hoped that in future the money raised in each riding wculd be spent ill that riding, as far as-jiracticable, and he had intended to move in that direction. The trouble under the proposed scheme was that there were so many main, roads. -

The Chairman said that if any Councillor could show his riding did not get its fair share, the Council would see that it did. Cr. Matthews objected to a remark that the Council had not gone into the matter sufficiently. Cr. Kenway said that it did not come well from Cr Lysnar to attempt to teach the Council about finances. He might have waited till lie had more experience. The Council after attending to the main roads had done it; best for the needs of the various ridings. There had not been any known unfairness; if there was it had onl/ to be pointed out to be rectified The present system had been satisfactory, and no sweeping change was wanted.

The Chairman said he had never thought for Olio second how ridings stood financially. The only question was, “Is the work necessary? Has the Council the means?” As representing the Gisborne riding he did non want a rate of ljd. The riding itself could manage with id or less. A big rate was not for themselves, bur to provide facilities for those outside. The system Cr. Lysnar proposed had not been a success elsewhere. How was it possible to assess with any degree of accuarcy the wear an 1 tear that outer ridings were responsible for ip ro"ard to the inner reads? Yet no one could fairly say that Gisborne riding should bear the whole cost of maintenance within its boundaries. This was where the general fund was equitable. The more the proposed system was looked into the greater the realisation of the difficulties. As to his riding he had never asked anything for Gisborne, and always advocated works when' required no matter in what riding. If the Gisborne riding was in debit its was through other members of the Council recognising how necessary works were within its boundaries, for the use of the whole district. Ho did not agree that . a uniform rate was illegal. However, he was agreeable to obtaining legal advice. Naturally there was always dissatisfaction in the backblocks, no one liked bad roads, but that was no

argumont to bring to boar against the treatment 1 they received. Tho Council lmd always treated all parts ns liberally ns funds would permit, lie had novor hoard ono comlaint, either mudo to tho Council or through tho press, ns to tho striking of ratos or allocation of tho money. Cr. Konway: If a uniform rato is illegal, why lias .tlio auditor never mentioned it? Tho Chairman put no faith in legalities, quoting ‘‘Tlio height of law is tlio lioight of injustice” (laughter). Il itliorto tho Council had boon a very happy family. Cr. Matthews: That is what Cr. Lysnar objects to. Tho Chairman: I don’t say that, I mean that in years gono by no reasonable request lias boon refused. Ni member can say a deaf oar has heel, turned to any reasonable appeal.

Cr. Lysnar: I say you took £2700 of tlio AVaikohu riding’s funds. The Chairman said that his riding was in debt mainly for tho benefit of outside places. Ho instanced tho Patntahi road; it wns for tho benefit of others. Sums had been debited to th,, Gisborne riding in globo, whereas other ridings should have boon debited with a share. The system of accounts would necessitate another clerk or two. Sooner than bo mean lie would agree to a Id rate, and would continue to consider tho Council requirements' as a whole rather than ho parochial. Instancing the Motu road work had boon dono on it which, upon a strict examination of accounts, was not warranted, yet the AVaikohu riding was in credit and others in debit.

Cr. Lysnar spoke at length in. reply to the arguments. Tho cost of maintenance not being correct was quite besido the argument; whatever the cost the ridings should bear their share. Tho quibbling as to how it was to ho apportioned was only a shuffle.

A councillor: Oh, don’t talk non sense.

Cr. Lysnar : I will talk (laughter) He went on to show that the A;t allowed ample provision for main roads, independent of purely county roads.

The Chairman (in reply to a remark) : You won’t get an increased rale from us. ■’

Cr. Lysnar: AA r o could get 3d by law, the full limit.

Tho Chairman: AVe would only strike it on the judgment of tho Court. Cr Lysnar did not want to invoke the law. , The Chairman: I am quito willing. Cr. Lysnar, in further discussion, said lie had not raised the rate question. The first day he was oil tho Council it was proposed to strike a general all-rouncl rate of one penny, ani on behalf of his riding ho protested, and, lie believed, showed good reason for a differential rate in the various ridings. Tlfo Chairman questioned the accuracy of some figures. Informed that thev were given by Mr. AVarren, County Clerk, ho said no authority lial been given bv the Council, and lie could not accept them as official. Cr. Lysnar and Cr. Macdonald held the.> lin'd a perfect right to get any information from the office. Cr Lysnar, continuing, said the argument that older Councils had a uniform rato did not apply. This was a young district; and the outer ridings had a good deal of work to do and should look after their own interests.

Cr. Matthews: Your riding was only badly treated one year. Cr. Lysnar: No, it lias gone on for years. It is the same in your riding. As to extra clerical assistance he said the County Clerk had too much work now, but the extra work would not bo three hours a week. After further argument the motion was put and lost. Those in the minority were Crs. AV. D. and F. Lysnar and Boland.

It was agreed to take solicitors’ opinion as to the uniform rate. The Clerk asked for information as to preparing the rolls. AA r liat rate would bo struck?

The Chairman and Councillors were about to move for a rate of Id in each of the respective ridings, when Cr Lysnar entered his protest and hinted at legal redress. The Clerk said no motion would be necessary until next meeting, and the matter was allowed to stand over unti 1 next meeting.