MOERA'S WANTS.

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 27, 27 November 1930, Page 5

MOERA'S WANTS.

A meeting of the executive of the Moera Ratepayers' League was held ia the Moera Hail last Thursday evening. The president of tho League, Mr. Geo. Sutherland, presided. There were also representatives of the Waiwotu Progressive Association present. Mr, W. *-N"asih, the member for the district,-also attended at the invitation of the Lea quo for the purpose, of presenting the report, from the five engineers on the flooding of the Awamutu Stream. (A summary of the report will to found elsewhere in this issue). It was pointed out that in order to reclaim the swamp areas on which some of the settlement is built, the Government had offered tthe Lower Hutt Borough Council a subsidy of £3' for £1 if it would do the work. This offer had not been accepted by the local body and the general feeling of the meeting was that the offer shoiiM ■ have been accepted in ordeß to provide local employment. Several speakers considered that the Borough Council had been at fault in granting building permits to swamp sections and was therefore responsible for the present trouble and should join with the Government to have it remedied. The scheme of reclamation would (probably employ 50 men and it was pointed put that at the present time these men, being out of employment, were not aible to pay their rates but if they were employed the local bodies (would benefit to that extent. Dissatisfaction was expressed that none of the £8000 unemployment loan had- -been spent ia Moera district' and as one speaker pointed out "We are paying .for, improvements in otiher parts of tie iborougih and you can't name one job that haa been done here."

■Mr. Nash, said that the I#ower Hutt «Borough CoTimeil should be given anothiei* opportunity of contributing to the Wioxttc botPoro the matter was pursued Surther. Xt was eventually resolved tlia't Mr. r Niash would interview the QVfayor «n the ana-ttex and report to a latter meeting.

iT&e statement was made tihat three- : quarters K>f the houses in the settlement are built below the level of the, road and have no meana of discharging the storm water into the street. ! Railway Faxes. I The question of the increased charges for the workers' ticket (was freely discussed. It was generally -agreed that it rw&s a gross injustice to the workers 'who had been encouraged to settle in ;Moera on the understanding titat they /would have the benefit of a cheap railway ticket, to suddenly increase the -fare by 1/- per week when the econoanie conditions were so unfavourable. They had been given, to understand that when they came to live at Moera they wero coming to a Workers' Paradise and would have the benefit of cheap transport and low borough rates, both of tkese amenities had been increased. "More than one quarter of the workers in the \Dominion reside in the Hutt Valley/ said one speaker. It was decided to circulate a petition objecting to the increase in charge for workers' tickets and that a protest be sent to the Government from ..the Moera Ratepayers' League. Sates. The •continual increase of rates since the formation of the settlement was not looked upon with favour, it being pointed out by the chairman that in this own case tihere had been an increase of £1 per yea* for which he was getting mo benefit. Many were of the opinion that the settlement should be administered by the Government as the Council practically exploit the people. There is nothing unifornvaibout their rating system and several anomalies were pointed out both in the Borough Council and the River Board rates Biver Board. iG-eneral dissatisfaction witth the administration of the Biver Board was expressed, particularly in regard to the auction of certain of its members in refusing the lease of Gear Island as am •air base and being luke warm about the suggestion of S'eabey Island. It twos argued that as the bostrd derived leonsideraible income from the sale of shingle it should not be necessary to levy .rates. A^ full report on this matter was handed to Mr. Nash for his perusul Who will repoirt his views to a later meeting- ' ■ ' ■ ;.

A cordial vote of thanlts to Mr. Nasli for attending, concluded tihe meeting at a lat« ihour. •" ■