HUTT RIVER BOARD

Hutt News, Volume 1, Issue 14, 30 August 1928, Page 8

HUTT RIVER BOARD

The regular meeting of the Hutt Riv^r Board was held on Thursday, 23rd inst. There were present: Mr. W. T. Strand (chairman), Messrs F. S. Hewer,.W. H. Smith, C. Gostelow, J. Mitchell, and the clerk (Mr. A. J. Gearing). A letter from the Hutt River Shingle Co seeking a reduction in its rato of royalty owing to the difficulty of obtaining sufficient sand from the river was received. The offer of Mr. Cairns of £20 per annum for the use of 3* acres of land at Jones's Camp was accepted, provided that he fences the land and uses it Tor grazing purposes only. ' Mr. Smith brought up the matt.jr of the r« cent flooding in the Vv'aiwota »Ijstrict and at the new settlements. After some discussion it was left to the chairman to bring before the next mee'in * of the Loard reports on the subject tioni the Lower Hutt Borough Engineer and from the board's own engineer.

The Finance Committee presented its report on the estimates and the necessary rates for the coming year.

The chairman thought that as the new valuation was so much higher than was expected it would be better to postpone striking of tke rates until the figures were received from the Valuation Department.

Mr. Gpstcelow urged that the matter be attended to immediately, and it was finally decided to adopt the committee's report and to strike the rates recommended. The recommendations were that a general rate of 8-100 din the pound be struck on all classes, and that the special rates to be imposed on the three classes I.> 11., and 111. be in the proportion of .3:2:1 respectively, and be assessed to yield an amount not less than the total annual interest charge on inscribed and other loans. It is expected that on the average the new rates will show little difference ftom last year's. '" .