KOWAI COUNTY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17624, 31 October 1917, Page 3

KOWAI COUNTY.

MEETING OF RATEPAYERS. In view of the county council election to take place shortly, the members of the Kowai County Council invited the ratepayers to meet them at Balonirn on Saturday afternoon. There 'was a fair attendance, over which Mr G. A. M’Lean, county chairman, presided-

The annual balance-sheet was submitted in printed form. The condition of the finances was shown to be the most satisfactory for many years past, the year ending with a credit balance of £826 10s 2d. The receipts totalled £4440 2s lOd, the chief items being rates £3137 18s 9d, and Government subsidy £965 12 Bd. The principal items of expenditure were Hospital and Charitable Aid Board levy £lOl9 6s sd. contribution to Patriotic Fund £425, public works construction £1386 15s Bd', and maintenance of roads and bridges £904 10s 2d. CHAIRMAN’S ADDRESS. The chairman said that this being the last meeting of the council before going out of office, it was only right that he should place before the ratepayers a brief report of the work done in the county during the last three years. The great war was still hanging over the world like a dense cloud, and the casualty lists in the papers every day gave evidence of the intensity of the struggle on the western front, in which so many of our men had paid the great sacrifice. It was just about three years ago when Mr G. D. Greenwood, speaking in the same room, said a man who gave his life for his country could give no more, y Mr Green-, wood's own son was almost the first to fall, and the other county soldiers who had given their lives were Jaiho3 Baker, Arthur Eldorton, Charles Jones, John Stewart M’Neil, George Wyse Smith, William Stewart, R. Carrington Bristow, Henry Batchelor, Edgar Boyce, John J. Williams, John James Mockett and H. D. Quick- To all bereaved parents and other relatives in the district he extended the deepest sympathy. After the close of the war a suitable memorial of the fallen would be erected, probably at the district cemeteryMuch good work had been done in the county for patriotic purposes, there being a Red Cross Committee in every centre of population. In connection with the work, special thanks were due to Mesdames Courage, .Bailey and East. Within tho past three years there had been a change in the office of county clerk, Mr John litzpatrick being the new appointee. As would- bo seen by the balance-sheet, the appointment had been productive oi very satisfactory results. One item called for special comment, namely, £9ou 12s Bd, the Government subsidy on . rates. This was £465 12s 8d more than the account had ever been credited with under that heading the increase being due to the rates having been collected before March 31, which was not previously the case. Misunderstanding seemed to exist- in tlie county as to the reason for the difference in the amount of rat© collected in the two ridings. The explanation was simple. In the south riding there were small holdings, with a number of roads on a bad formation to maintain. In the north ridiii<r there were larger holdings, and fewer ro’ads, which wore also niado on a better formation, and required less for upkeep. During tho past term the north roads from Waipara to Ashley, with the exception or the Amberley Town Board portion, and the road leading horn Amberley through Braelcenfield, Balcairn and Sefton to Ashley, had been declared county roads. This would equalise tho expenditure to a certain extent. It still remained a fact that tho north road was used almost as much by the residents of the counties lying north of tho Kowai County, with motor-cars and traction engines, as by their own ratepayers. The road was a bad one to' koep up, being on a sandy formation with no good metal avail' able. As there were some fifteen miles of this road to maintain it was a suggestion 'to future councillors to move in the direction of compelling the outsiders who used the road to pay their share of the cost of up-keep. . The very large contribution levied bv the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was a subject that had received a deal of attention from different counties. In his opinion tho contributions, raised in the way they were, cud not press hardly on anyone, and the hospitals were a credit to the _ Dominion. In conclusion, lie than-ied the members of the council for the way they had assisted him during the past throe years. The meetings might, have been hotter attended, nevertheless, those who had attended had done their best to carry out the works needed m tho county. Mr M’Lean concluded by moving a motion complimenting the clerk (Mr Fitzpatrick) and the road staff lor the good work they had done dunug the past term. . .. , Mr R E. Wornall, in seconding the motion, said that as a very old ratepayer of the county, he was pleased to‘see the council in such a good financial position. He complimented Mr Fitzpatrick on the very clear statement of the, finances sot out in the balancesheet, and on the way in which he had discharged his duties generally. Tho motion was carried with apE. . Wornall moved a hearty

vote of thanks to the retiring councillors for tho praise.\vorthv way in which they had carried out their duties during their three years of office. Tho motion was seconded by Mr A. Boyce and was carried.