TAIERI RIVER TRUST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22720, 5 November 1935, Page 2

TAIERI RIVER TRUST

MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Taicri River Trust was held yesterday at Mosgiel and was attended by Messrs T. M. Ball (in the chair), J. Dow, G. J. Lyall, J. Young, J. M. Smith, A. Moore, H. W. Wilson, and C. Findlay. FINANCE. Accounts amounting to £1397 16s lid were passed for payment. FOREMAN’S REPORT. The foreman (Mr J. Marshall) reported as follows: —We have shovelled 65 chains of Duck Creek, which was badly tramped in, shovelled 15 chains of water supply drain and put pipes through the I auks of J. M’Kcnzie's creek. Owing to the break in the Contour some time ago we had practically to dig a new one. We spent some time clearing and repairing cross fences and .also the bridge in W. RichardsV property, which was in bad order. At the crossing to D. Cullen’s property the drain is in a bad state. The one-foot pipes in C. MT/cod’s drain were removed and were replaced with two-foot pipes. The report was received. INSPECTOR’S REPORT. The inspector (Mr W. Munro) reported that he had deepened the drain from R drain to A. Wilson’s place; cleaned 75 chains of Kirk’s drain; cleaned the new channel from the junction with Lee Creek to Sutherland’s. , Banks and boxes had been attended to ns usual. The report was received. CORRESPONDENCE.

A letter was received from Mrs A. Campbell (Woodside> complaining of a shortage of water and asking that the water service should receive attention. — It was reported that the work had been done.

Mr T Geary (Henley) wrote stating that he would hold the trust responsible for any loss of stock resulting from the existence of an unprotected drain on his property.—Received. The Unemployment Board advised in connection with the trust’s desire to retain the relief labour at present under its control on maintenance work, that the board was prepared, if the trust would undertake to employ the men full time at standard rates of pay, to continue its subsidy on the basis of 35s per man per week in respect of registered and eligible married men.—After a brief discussion it was decided to spend the sum of £IOO for the purpose. A letter was received from the town clerk, Dunedin, advising that it had been agreed to pay the trust’s claim for £7 fis Id in respect of repairing damage, caused by the removal of willows from the bank of the Waipori River. —• (Received.) Mr Smith (Henley) requested that the trust should clear the gorse from the river bank from A drain down stream, as it was spreading on to other lands. — (Received.) REPAYMENT RATE. The Minister of Finance (Mr J. G. Coates) wrote advising that it had been decided to allow a postponement of payment of the outstanding repayment rates due on March 31, 1934, for a further period of 12 months. In regard to the representations made by Mr A. E. Ansell and a deputation from the Taieri River Trust, the secretary of the Treasury advised that the Minister had approved the remission of repayment rates amounting to £799 Is 2d. The Act provided for full remission, part remission or postponement, and although full remission had been approved in this instance it should not) be taken as a precedent, and it was expected that with the improvement now shown in dairy produce prices, ratepayers would endeavour to meet repayment rates in future. Advice was received from Mr A. E. Ansell, M.P., that the Minister would hear a deputation from the trust when he came to Dunedin.

There was a lengthy discussion on the abijity of the settlers to pay the rate and on the nature of the requests which would be put to the Minister. It was eventually agreed to place before Mr Coates the necessity for some relief being granted and Messrs Findlay, Wilson, Young and the clerk (Mr W. P. Hartstonge) were appointed to see the Minister and put the trust’s position before him.

A deputation consisting of Messrs J. Miller, W. J. Marshall and T. D. Heenan, representing the settlers between the Contour channel and Lee Creek, waited on the trust and stated that the farmers of that, district considered they should be granted some greater concession than the rest of the plain. The rates charged at present were outrageous. They admittedly had some small benefits, but they were very small and the benefits they had expected when the scheme was proposed they had not got. It was their intention to send a deputation to the Minister to put their particular case before him and seek adequate relief. The chairman pointed out that if two different deputations went to Mr Coates it would only cloud the issue. The trust’s members had been appointed to represent the whole district and they would endeavour to obtain the best conditions they could. The trust could not reduce their rates for them. They could, ( course, go to the Minister as representatives of the farmers, but they could not associate themselves with the trust. After further discussion Mr Smith expressed the opinion that it would probably be better for the two deputations to go to the Minister. It was possible that each could help the other. It was finally decided that the settlers should act as they' saw fit in regard to their proposed deputation. It was also decided to communicate with all ratepayers who had not paid the repayment rate for 1934 asking them, if they wish to apply for relief, to do so. BALANCE SHEET. The audited balance sheet for the year ended March 31, 1935, was returned from the Audit Department