NO MERGER

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 71, 23 February 1937, Page 9

NO MERGER

OF KAIRANGA RIDINGS. PROPOSAL VETOED. Proposals for the abolition of ridings were considered at a special meeting of the Kairanga County Council, to-day. A comprehensive report was presented by the county clerk (Mr N. I. Nielsen). and after it had been read to the council each member spoke in turn, to reveal a sharp division of opinion—the Fitzherbert riding members favouring the change and those representing the Mangaone and Taonui ridings being against it. A motion that the subject be not considered further at this juncture was carried on the voices.

Those present were Crs. D. Collis (chairman), T. D. Lynch, W. It. Hopcroft, Jos. Batchelar, J. Smith, W. G. Shannon, E. J. Russell, N. P. Nielsen and M. W. Voss.

Explaining the reason for the meeting, the chairman said the proposal opened up many questions, but lie would like the opinion of the council to be unanimous. Appearances were that if the ridings were not abolished now. action to that end would be taken away by Parliament at a future date. However, that position had not yet arisen.

Invited to speak, the county clerk 6aid the meeting was about as important as that held to consolidate the council’s debts some time ago. Actually the ridings would not be abolished. but certain funds would be drawn from one rate over the whole of the county. Sine© 1914, ridings had been in operation. At that date there had been a debit of £663, and eight years later the sum had grown greatly ; it was wiped off by means of a loan. In making comparisons to show the financial result of abolishing riding accounts, all new works had been disregarded and the speaker submited a lengthy statistical review dealing with the subject. m the course of the statement the clerk pointed out that had riding accounts been abolished the following would have been the effect as to general rates :

Taonui riding: 15s increase per £IOOO unimproved value in 1934-35; 5s increase in 1935-36; 3s 4d increase in 1936-37.

Mangaone riding.—ss 10s less, 5s increase, and 2s 6d increase, respectively. Fitzherbert riding.—£l 5s less, 18s lid less, and 13s Id less, respectively.

The estimated revenue for the year 1937-38 for the ridings was given as follows: —Taonui riding, £3761;. Mangaone, £3361; Fitzherbert, £3588. The report then stated that a consolidated rate to produce the total amount required would be equal to £3 Is 8d jier £IOOO unimproved valuation, and in the ridings the rates under the riding system would be equal to the following:—Taonui riding, £2 2s 6d per £IOOO valuation; Mangaone, £3 7s 6d; and Eitzherbert, £4 17s 3d. CHANGES IN RATES.

The chairman said the figures explained the position well. Briefly it was that, per £IOOO of unimproved valuation, the Taonui riding rates would be 19s 2d more on the 1937-38 basis; Mangaone, 5s lOd less; and Fitzlierbert, £i 15s Yd less. Cr. Voss said he thought Cr. Lynch, who had introduced the matter, suould advance his contentions first.

Cr. Lynch said other counties had closed their riding accounts and the Kairanga county, “the hub,of . the North island,” should follow suit. The county should be administered as a whole. There would be give and take, and in the course of time the county funds would be more evenly distributed. The Government ■ was taking over certain roads and the ridings in which those roads were situated, would be relieved of expenditure in that direction, while other ridings would have no benefit. If the council did not put their house in order it might be that they would have no option shortly. The increase in rates in the Taonui lining would be £lO on a 200-acre section.- said the chairman. Gr. Voss said the figures were closely related to those prepared- for the meeting to consider the consolidation of loans. To the Taonui riding the move was hardly justified in view of the increase in rates. If legislation was brought to bear on the council, action would have to be taken, but there was no legislation now. He would vote against the proposal. Cr. Nielsen agreed witfi Cr. Voss, saying he could really add nothing very material to the statements made. Gr. Russell thought that, regarding new work, the Mangaone riding would be on tlie wrong side of the ledger. He thought the Fitzherbert riding had “shirked the issue” and now asked the others to help. The other ridings had carried heavy rates and had done permanent work, but the Fitzherbert riding had not undertaken that. DISPARITY IN VALUATION.

Cr.' Smith regretted that there was such a great disparity between the valuation of land in the Fitzherbert area and elsewhere in the county, 'the Fitzherbert riding should not have been included in the county originally. The Taonui and Mangaone ridings had carried out permanent works and it was a pity the Fitzherbert riding had not done as much. As a representative of the ratepayers, he was opposed to the proposal which made ‘•fish of one and fowl of another Cr. Shannon said the * itzherbert riding had been ‘lcareful and had saved expenditure. Now the other two ridings were being asked to bear the brunt of Fitzherbert s carelul--11 Cr Lynch said all the speakers had agreed that the system of adowing one riding to do more ,or less work than the others was. <1 ll r V?i e wroll f* hnuld was that to end r The ooimty sho , be worked as a whole and it tl at had been done in the past 1 i would possibly have done in • 'fhe chairman: Not unless y fieased your rate. .. Cr. Lynch agreed, and that the proposed change would b betterment of the whole county. Cr. Hopcroft, who had als. advocated the change said the co , ma ,y atu ilie Fitzherbert side of the v L River was very different from the rest of the land in the coi >• lutzherbert riding had no f orce d money to spend a ”*, h “ d now as to whether it'woldd be advisable to change now. rather than plater. ability TO PAT. He had always desired ' turn, said Cr. Batchelar. I^ tll ml f ch nui land would not pr°du b more than the higher rate ij be of the Fitzherbert land, he would be very surprised. There was no com parison, really, between the Cr. Russell disagreed strongly as flic extra productive capaci y. . . Cr. Batchelar advanced the opimon that legislation would foicc b I

tion on the county. The Fitzherbert riding could never have increased its rates In good times the money had been required elsewhere by the farmer.s ar,d q it was only in the last two or three years that the rates had come Cr. Russell: Do you think the 1 1 itzherbert riding should be m the Ivai'•gfSSSL I would not '.Hogether say that, but settlers bought the Taonui land with their eyes open. Cr Russell: So did you, as far as that goes. We had to pay for our fand just as you did. COUNCIL’S DECISION. The chairman expressed pleasuie at the discussion and said there was an increase in the Hospital rate looming up It appeared that there was little chance of amalgamation now there was only a period of lo months to go before a new council would be in office 3 a new council might view the '“Si That owin f to tl,. ij cr “ S “,3 , ing“Se , conncil do. not agree to the amalgamation of ridings liussllf seconded o 'the . motion, The chairman "expressed Xsure at the 3 e i; y agreed ° f said Cr. Ij y"° be f e gretted that the riding was to lie reg instituted . system had a ® ciat i on was accordod A .l”“«*‘« P r P l,i» ■•»«•«-»> sis of the position.