MEETING OF RATEPAYERS.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 230, 23 January 1878, Page 2

MEETING OF RATEPAYERS.

A meeting of ratepayers was held in the Public Hall, Palmergton, on the 18th inst. ..;•:.• -„.;. There was far from a large; gathering at this meeting, the principal nreason advanced feeing the inconvenient hour, 3 p.m, at which it was called. : . His Worship the s Mayor opened the meeting by reading the -notice in the "Manawatu Times* M calling the ratepayers together to discuss the project of borrowing £IO,OQ() for- puWio vrorks. He- remarked that it was a meecing of verygreat importance to every ratepayer in the Borough, as i$ had th© power of saying whether the Council should borrow or abstain from borrowing the proposed sum. He pointed out the rapid advancement the, town had made in the past independent of any borrowing-, and thought the time had now oome when it was advisable to still further advance the place in order ftp keep pace with the times. This in .his opinion cQuJidi'only be accomplished \y borrowing a sum sufficient to carry ont a comparatively large scheme of public

woi'Ks witnin tue Jtorougu o.^uuaa.y. From a statement read it appeared that the streets as shewn on the plan of the township extended 22 miles'; 6| miles were already formed and metalled, 9£ miles were on open ground and unmade, 11£ miles were streets running through bush land and at the present time unmade. These were the principal items upon which it was intended to expend the bulk of the £IO,IXX). He was not in favor of being bound down to expend this money m any given period l ,, and did not agree with the views expressed by some writer in the "Manawatu ■ Times," who advocated that the expenditure should extend over five years. He shewed that the rates for the incoming year, according to the new valuation rolls, would amount to £460. There* was also the Government subs'dyv besides the licenses and other items of revenue.; Taking all things into consideration he felt quite at liberty to ask the meeting to authorise the Council to borrow the amount. He felt quite surethe money could be got at 7 per cent.,, and by taking it by instalments theinterest and sinking fund could beeasily met. He was quite convinced that the money was really required, and could be advantageously expended. Touching the sewerage question,, hethought there could not possibly be»; two opinions about its necessity : difE&fl ence of opinion might exist about <&|j| tain roads being made, but that did not. apply to sewage. Every man* woman, and child were directly interested and would derive a benefit from a system of sewage ; and not only the present residents, but the greatly increased num. berst.who would, in. the natural cpursev of events, come afljer they, had taken, -, ; their departure. This fact was daily proved in older and larj^ communities* His Worship then intimated that a poll would take place next Friday tot finally ■ determine the question o^ borrowing. . : He likewise pointed du>t that, somedifficulty might arise in connection '..frith getting the money after they hadi doneall in their power by pabiic, meetings and the ballot-box, and quoted the easeof Masterton not being; able to satis* factorily arrange with the Bank of JSFew Zealand.for £8,000. top improving thetown they would get n&ore sympathy and tarade from outsiders, and, un- ' doubiedly, reap many great advantages. Mr- Phillips remarked that ' as the? meeting- was so small it might be advisable to call another. Mr Deards was of the same opinion* i and would like to postpone the meetings and proposed that the' meeting stands adjourned. _ .>.. . , va; . His Worship admitted the., meeting was comparatively small, but was; a& numerous as most of their public: meet--ings, and he would prefer seeing; the* business goon as the test would comes off on Friday at the l»llo*-bo«. Hewas opinion that delays, were; dangerous.. ; 'Mr E. Warburton said lie w.o*ud liko to see, a large. meeting^nd ha-ye . the* affair properly discussed, and hear thei views of those who, advocate \thje ex> 'penditure to extend over a period! o£ five years. He thought that idtea was: ■ wrong, and wpulcL support; a.: more* spirited poliey* which vo:ild have the-" effect of bringing prosperity sooner. . M r Lintoa said he had advocated! the- long period for- ex:periditure, believ--ing that such a course would; proves most beneficial to tlie. interest? of theratepayers. He was; still' of that; opinion,, and w.pul4 , continue- to. b&sft untU convinced of his erroiri He wa» decidtedly opposed to the adjournment; of the meeting* and thought that if thef .public did not attehi after laying; bee^ so publicly invited* the fiiult ; reste.dj with them, and not with the Council^ who had don* all 'thjit lay iri< their* power, to bring, this business to^ it* present stage. '. Mr Walton^quite corienrred wriththeremarks made by the last speaker, .and* failed to see why the meeting shoiiUi be> adjourned. Every thing h»i beerb done publicly^ an.d the TOtepayer^ knew: perfectly well that sucft a vmeetia^ Jwas: to>take plae'e to-dayl, "He woulid ast ah amendment to Jtfr- Deard V propo-* sition* M That this meeting dp, not ad?. jourh.** . • ; ;Mr Goleman was of opinid** thatTJE Would, he- most advisable .'/;&Yadjounv| the meeting to i more suitabte hpujv> when they might ; expect a large meeting of | ratepayers. ■ "" i Mr Linton secpnde/1 Mr Walton'ss \ '.".' .:.-. : - ; '• v. His Worship stated4 : preyjpu*;to;.put-. ting the question of ad|6urnmefl^ to' the meetiug, that the rea^vbusiness beforethem- was, an authority to: gjjt ;themoney, and not a question of expending^ it. The public had plenty of time be-^ > tween this and the f oUpmn^ day. to jdi%i cuss the qtiestipn^thoro^ghl^f ': ; Tlxe amendment ! ' was"' then pjit, andl carrijed by a large n^jprity. ' '^ , '' Mr Phillips said ho haid' no objection) to raise against the foan, but woflld have felt more satisfied if sonxe timehad been fixed for its expenditure. "Hewould^ move, "That/this meeting of ratepayers authorise tb^ Borough Cbun-. cU to take the . necessary stepV to raise a lpanof £IO,(X):V to be exj*Bnjded o^7 public works within .th& Borougtt"* ; . Mr Farnswprth secoaded, the prppo^ . sitibn, which was carried .unaniiuously. \ Mr ; Deards wished to. be informed if it was the .intention of the Cbnncil toi buy one of the present Halls or, erect a new one in a more eentral part of -'the. town than the Square P He had heard; that it was mooted to purpha.se one of the; J^alls, a,nd woivld object to. such a, •ir§tep. ■ '■■•". '.-■'" : -. His Worship informed him\ that theCouncil would undoubtedly make someprovision for carrying on the, publiQ; business of the B)i'ough. He wasof opinion that the Hall matter was purely; a Couneil .matter and should be-left to", the Council. The sura placed on the-, estimates was not bound to be.expendedl on building offices, and a, greater sum might be required for the same purpose^ Mr Deards : " When the money is ; got will the ratepayers; have a voice it* deciding such quastioms as the purchaseof one of the halls or the erection of . a. newone?" , . , -His Worship * replied that the propositions of the Council : not". cast kpn," and could, np^ doubt, 'be inodifie^ to suit the wishes of the majority, p.f th^. . •ratenayers^ ' ' : ■h Mr Deards suggested the a.dvisabjKty oEthe erection of a new hall in r JVTains Street, thinking that that position woaUi be more convenient for the resident s of

Ten ace ;i m, -Wiiuiu lie UiOUgiu were the majority of the ratepayers. Mr Linton said that tliough a resident of Terrace End, and one very largely interested in its prosperity, he would protest against the removal of the Borough offices from the Square : that was the centre of the town and always would be. If the Council wished to secure a hall and offices for public purposes, he would strongly advise the purchase of one of the present halls. Mr Maekie thought it would be most advisable on the part of the Council to appropriate a portion of this loan towards securing a site for a permanent supply of water for the Borough, and instanced the awkward position Dunedin has been placed in by neglecting to take such a step while the opportunity was open. '"- His Worship stated that this question had already^ been brought under the notice of the. Council. ■ ; Mr Fergusson thought that the time had come when a move might be made towards the establishment of a public market. This, he held, would largely tend to bring prosperity into the district. Mr Linton quite agreed with the last speaker in the general principle of the movement, but felt convinced that, if .Attempted at the present time, it would Improve a failure. He thought the matter Mr Mackie thought the proper time would be when we had railway communications opened with Wellington, which would bring us -plenty of customers for our varied produce, Mr Coleman thought the'publio would best consult their i/iterests by leaving this piatter, with others, in the hands of the.Couhcil ; He. felt that that body was -doing everything in their power to advance the interests of the Borough, and proper ; time ; arrived for establishing; a- public ! market-place, he : was sure the matter would receive all the attention it i* merited; A vote of thanks to his Worship terminated the proceedings of the meeting.