MAKARA COUNTY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11187, 18 April 1922, Page 2

MAKARA COUNTY

MONTHLY MEETING OF COUNCIL. The monthly meeting of the Makara County Council was held on Thursday. Present: —Councillors S. Bryant (chairman), B. Windley, S. B. Styles, and L. D. Nairn. It was reported that it oost £2 monthly to dispose of stray cattle and that the return from sales did not cover the expenses. It was decided to clear gorse which was growing on the highway at Johnsonville, as there was a danger of valuable trees in the vicinity of the pound being destroyed bv fire. The chairman mo ved "that » letter he sent to the, Johnsonville Town Board calling attention to the dangerous state of tho Khandallah road.*—Carried, LOSS OF RATES. A letter was received from the district office of the Department of Lands ana Survey (Discharged Soldiers' Branch), stating that the property of Charles H. St. John was offered for sale on March 21st and was bought in by the Crown for £IO7O. As the property was now vested in the Crown, it was not liable for rates from that date. Arrangements were being made to nav the rates now owing, Jess the 10 per cent. fine, which could not be accepted as a charge against the Crown, as no demand had been made on the department for the amount owing.

The clerk said that over £IOO had been lost to the rates recently owjnnr to land reverting to the Crown, which was exempt from rates. It was a serious matter for the council had to maintain the roads and received no rates on account of Crown lands. Makara was tho hardest hit,of any of the small councils in New Zealand in respect to lands held by the Crown. They had recently had .the Hawtrey. Estate come in, which would help a bit the othqr way.