WAIMATE WEST COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXVIII, Issue LXXVIII, 13 June 1919, Page 3

WAIMATE WEST COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Co;mcil was held at Manaia yesterday t when there were present: Crs T. McPhillips (chairman), T. A. Bridge, W. H. le Fleming,. A. Gamlin and J. S. McKay. ; Apologies for absence were received from Crs Stevenson and Long. j COUNTY BRIDGES. | Mr E. Cave, sen., reporting on the county bridges generally, said that j considering tlieir age he was surprised j to find them in such a good state of j preservation, which was a tribute to f the quality of heart, totara obtained in those days. -Reporting separately, he said that the Kapuni bridge on the [ Nornlanby road was in ratter a bad s state, the abutments and piers being ' decayed from inside. iimierstrutting inighttkeep it in repair for another year i or two, but it, would require to be rebuilt, in the near future. The Waikauri bridge on the Normauby road j was in a fair state of repair, and small j repairs would make it last for several years. The Kapuni bridge on the Main South road was in quite a good state of repair, and •with a little attention j to deck and keeping timbers free from j earth deposit it should last for many j years. Kaupokonui bridge, Main South : road: Very fair state of repair con- j sidering its age, nearly 31 years. A i few minor repairs will keep it right ; for several years. Otakeno bridge, Main South road: This bridge is in miich the same condition as when re- ( paired 12 months ago, and should j carry all traffic for a long time. Eiliott j Creek, Skeet road: This small bridge j is in very fair order, and can easily j be replaced by a concrete culvert later | on. Dunn's creek, Skeet road: This bridge is beginning to show signs of decay at both end abutments. A couple of joists were in a weak state j and required attention as sqon as pos. sible. Kaupokonui bridge: Skeet road: Also in a good state of repair and showing no material signs of decay. With a little attention to decking it should last for several years. This bridge, also the Kapuni, the Kaupokonui and the Otakeho bridges on the Main South road, would well re- ; pay a good coat of paint. Councillors thought the report very gratifying, and authorised the "work recommended to be proceeded with at once. TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL BY-LAWS. The circular letter from the New Plymouth Borough Council, enclosing copy of the vehicle license by-laws proposed to be adopted by the Taranaki County Council, was read. The license fee for 12 months for a two-seater car was fixed at £3, or £1 lOs for halfyear ; 4 to 5-seater car, £5 and £2 10s; 5 to 7-seater car, £7 and £3 10s. The chairman remarked that apparently the Taranaki County Council did not want the public to go over their roads. It was surely enough to have toll-gates without' imposing such penalties on the travelling public. These new by-laws were barbarous, and emphasised the necessity of some comprehensive Government action. Counties had to realise that the present modes of traffic demanded changed conditions of road construction, but it was never I intended that any county would en- ■ deavor to impose such unreasonably ! drastic taxes on residents in adjoin-' ing counties. Cr Le Fleming said that when the Government originally surveyed the land they left portions for roads for the use of the travelling public, and j he questioned whether any local body j could now impose such conditions that made it practically impossible for the public to use them. After discussion the Council resolved that they considered the Taranaki County Council's' proposed by-laws unreasonable and unwarranted, and this Council will do all in its power to re_ sisfc_ them. If a conference of local bodies concerned be called to consider the matter the chairman be appointed to attend. RATES FOR ENSUING YEAR, The chairman mentioned that there would be a new valuation of the county in operation in September or October next, and this would involve a considerabl amount of work in adjusting the rate book. He was of opinion that it would be better if the county struck this year's rate on the old valuation and if notice of intention to do so were given at this meeting it could ba confirmed at next meeting, or sooner if a quorum could be obtained. They

were at rather a disadvantage just now because their engineer was laid up and had not been able to go over their roads to ascertain'how much would be required1 for maintenance and what new work i would be required. It was necessary j that the Council get their rates in soon; expenditure was still going on, and although their finances were sound i they did not want to continue paying bank interest if it could be avoided, in the fear future they would look to raising the balance of their loan, £15,000, to complete their roads, but before this could be dbne they had to take another poll of ratepayers. They cculd not expect to do any new work out of rates—there may be a little, but speaking generally they could do no more than keep in repair the work already done. That could not be allowed to go back. He thought that probably the same rate as struck last year would be sufficient for tins year, unless the i cost of maintenance was going to increase more than it had been.'' Jt had already increased a third more than it was when the_loan proposals were originally put before the ratepayers, and everything had gone up proportionately They must remember, too, that the hospital levy was now a heavy item, and had practically doubled in the last two years. It was originally M in the j £100, now it was 1/6. That meant an additional £400 or £500 a' year, and provision was not made for this increase when the rate was last struck. It was hi"s intention to place the proposals to rase this balance of £15,000' before ratepayers as soon as possible, but this was being delayed' meantime unti 1 they knew whether the Oeo riding of the Egmont County was going to be merged into Waimate. If this area was coming into Waimate, their special loan proposals could be taken at the same time as the other, but if a decision was rot likely to be come 'to at an early date, the £15,000 loan would be placed before ratepayers as soon as possible. Be had no doubt that ratepayers would sanction this loan, because it would be ! very unjust if those ratepayers who now had their road's formed and tarred should prevent the Council fulfilling its original promise to the others, who were liable for their share of the bio-loan, from now hsvi"'r their share oT work completed and their roads put in order. The raising of this £15 000 loan was the only way to complete all the work cr<'jnnallv promised, unless they struck a 2d or 3d rate for two or three years. He moved that it is the intention of ihe Council to strike the same rates as laist year, viz., lid Waimate Riding, and lfd! for Kaopokomii Riding. Seconded by Cr. McKay and carried. COUNTY VALUATIONS The chairman mentioned that the Waimate county had recently oeen revalued, and the values hau been mcreaseer' throughout, in tome cases as much as b'J per cent, aim 4ir per cent. If settlers in this county had to pay iand tax on that increased value it would be indicting an injustice on one section of the Cui^iTiumiy, if people m. other counties, that had not been revalued xor a number qI -years, paid on the old valuation. It Mould no doubt be a big undertaking to have all the counties in New Zeaiand valued simultaneously, but if this oouid not he done then the old valuations in the re-valued counties should be allowed to stand for two or three years until the others could be brought into line. The Government required a certain amount of revenue, and if they imposed a certain rate of tax on valuations it was obvious that settlers in a county whose variations had been increased 30 or 40 per, cent., were paying an undue proportion in comparison with counties under their old valuations. The advantage side might have happened to the- Waimate county in pi.or t :nies, but all the same an uiji.tfiiti.ee wa^ 'l;e.ng done to some one, and trds siiomd .b-j leet ned. Or. Mclvay: iWy must value more frequently \<ix'ie tus. laud agents arc busy. Tne more land a^cuvs m-i sooner the .valuation. . .. Cr. Gamiin remarked that' a lot of peoplej were under the impression that the County Council was'itvspoiisible for these re-valuations, but that, of course, was not so. Some of their neighboring counties had not been re-valued . for years, and he knew land in this county now valued at from £30 to £40 per acre, that, if in their neighboring county, would he valued at only £9 or £10 under the old valuation. \ This was a matter that the Counties' Conference should take up. The, chairman added that the re-valu-ation was purely a Government matter and the county had nothing whatever to do with it. So far as the county rate was concerned it made no difference. The Council struck a rate to produce the amount of revenue they required, and it made no difference to ratepayers, for that purpose', whether their valuation wa s high or low but it did operate adversely, so far as the land tax was concerned, if one county was re-valued on a high basis and the"other was allowed to remain on the old rate. There should ho a universal system. Cr. Le Fleming said that the' position was unfair so far as Waimate, was concerned. Ratepayers there would, next i year, have to pay land tax on top values, and quite out of proportion to other counties that had not been revalued* for years. Ci-. Gamiin: Some of the neighboring counties had not been re-valued .for nine or ten years, but withiii that time Waimate West had been twice re-valued. It was finally resolved that the Council ?end a remit to the Counties' Conference dealing with this matter. ' INAHA ROAD. The chairman reported that the Council had let a contract to Mr Par-, ker, for the work agreed upon by the Hawcra and Waimate West Counties, and it was expected that he would have commenced there as soon as he had finished the Kokiri road. He had, however, gone to finish a small job he had i with the Egmonfc county and expected 1 to return from there in a fortnight. But a month had gone by and the contractor had not yet commenced the Inana job. As soon as he was available this work would be pushed on as rapidly as possible if the weather would then permit. The illness had somewhat disorganised affairs temporarily. COUNTIES' CONFERENCE. The chairman was appointed to represent the Council at the Counties' Conference to be held in Wellington during the forthcoming session of Parliament. Should the chairman be unable to attend, Cr. Bridge will take his place.