PATEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 95, 9 August 1895, Page 2

PATEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Tbo above Council held a special meeting at eleven o’clock on Tuesday morning for the purpose of cenfiming a resolution fixing [the rate re Whenuakura Bridge loan, when there were present—jDrs C. Symes (chairman), Death, Fisher”, Paterson, Pearce, Peat, and Riddell, Minutes of former special [meeting read and confirmed. The formal resolution was then put, and carried unanimously, and the special meeting adjourned. The ordinary meeting was then held; same members were present. Minutes of former ordinary meeting read and confirmed. Correspondence read. Outwards as authorised at last meeting ; Inwards dealt with ; from Messrs Death and Johnson, asking the Council to repair the culvert at Waitotara Hill Moved by Cr Riddell, seconded by Cr Pearce, “ That Crs Fisher and Nicholson be empowered to have the culvert referred to by Messrs Death and Johnson renewed, and "to alter its position if necessary.— Carried unanimously. Letter from Mr G. A, Durie ro rates. Clerk instructed to see to it at once; from Mr Van Asch, asking Comity Council to see to the road to Upper Waitotara. Letter had been referred to Cr Fisber, who reported that he had had the worst places seen to, and that the mail was brought down to Waitotara, a distance of 22 miles, in four hours and a half, so that the road was fully open. No action taken; from Mr Stewart, re overseers and other matters re Whenuakura bridge. Cr Riddell moved, “That applications bo called, to bo in by next meeting, for the position of Inspector of Works for the Whenuakura bridge ; applicants to state salary, and forward testimonials.” Seconded by Cr Paterson, and carried unanimously; from Mr M. Hunter, asking tbo Council to repair bridle track, and asking if they will pay cost of throwing and grassing the road. Resolved that as the road was at present in hands of government the Council could not at present interfere; from Commissioner of Crown Lands, giving dates of leases held from Crown; from

Mr Annabell, asking for position of County Engineer, to give half-time at £125 per annum. Resolved, on motion of Cr Peat, tliat lett 'r lie on the table; from Treasurer, claiming half-years interest, due August Ist; from Mr Hutchison, covering application for authority for Council to proceed with reading scheme in the Man gawhere. Cr Fisher reported having seen Sur-veyor-General in Wellington on the subject of loading fho Crown lands with cost of reading, and recommended action being taken in the matter of reading up to Governmeilfc boundary. The following report on the subject of hypothecating balance of thirds for that purpose was then read, as follows : REPORT. on ‘ thirds ” accruing from sections in the Upper Waitotara (Kapara Riding.) Acting on the request of the Council at Its last meeting, we have gone into this matter. We find that at present some six selectors are in the Wellington and thirteen selectors in the Taranaki Land District respectively. The thirds payable annually on the whole of the above sections amount to the sum of £7O 15-; ()d ; this amount, if hypothecated, would represent a borrowing power of £1,400 ; but after tho period of thirds being payable (on present value), a ‘ rate of 1| of a penny in the £. would be required to pay tho interest on loan for remainder of the term. But as the Wellington District selectors are already liable for a special rate of 2 i-12thd in the £, on account of existing ' Kapara loan, we do not think it fair to 1 vhrow upon them the additional rate they would have to pay in connection with tho above proposal, Wo won! dsuggest that the scheme to ba placed before them should be in somewhat of tho following proposal, viz.— That as the Wellington selectors have now an available balance (after paying present interest) of £IS 15s (id—which amount it was decided at last meeting of the Council should be applied for as ordinary revenue —wethink thatamount might with t he approval of the selectors, bo applied for to pay interest, which would then allow these (Wellington) selectors to borrow a further sum of £ 315; and at tho expiry of term of thirds being payable—would mean on the present valuation —a special rate of fifteen sixteenths of a penny in the £. being payable for balance of the loan term. This would then moan the selectors in the Taranaki land district forming themselves into a special loan District, and the annual thirds from these sections, represent £52; hence this would give them a borrowing power of £IOOO ; and as their third could bo hypothecated for interest, it would mean, after the period of thirds being payable, they would, on (heir present value, have to pay a rate of, in tV £, Under th iso proposals they would, in their two loans, be able to raise a sum of £1,375 ; but as it is assumed that the work could not be done under £1,500, the dfficnlty might be overcome by levying a separate rate over tb© riding, which would return a sum of £180; therefore, bringing in with the loan moneys a total of £1550, which shouli carry the works to the provincial boundary line; ani once to that point the settlers could bring pressure on Government to carry out the j agreement re reading which was made with tho Taranaki selectors when they took up their selections. T. W. Fisher, Councillor. E. C. Horner, Clerk. W, C, SYiIES, Chairman. Considerable discussion ensued on the 1 report, as councillors thought it meant . opening a long stretch of country road j and its maintenance would be a very i serious drag on tho revenue of the ' county. Eventually, however, the report was adopted after altering the j words “ separate rate,” io read “special rate.”

Tho letters from Patea West and P ifca East Road Boards as to the sub-idy ottered byilm county were then discussed and very con siderai do discussion took place. Cr Riddell mov< d, “ That the Patoa East and Patea West Hoad Po ivd« be informed that the Conn y Council cannot alter its resolution, passed at last meeting’, as to subsidy to Road Boards,” and in moving tho resolution said he thought if toards had been interviewed before tho .•esohuiou had been passed, they would gladly hwe fallen hi with the resolution j

but now they objected, although, the ratepayers were to be relieved of a farthing rate, and he looked upon the letters of those two Boards as merely a bit cf a ‘ * try on ” to get more out of the county if they could. ' Cr Thurston seconded the resolution, and considered C c Fisher deserved the greatest credit for bringing the matter forward, as it relieved the county ratepayers without reducing the spf n. ling power. He felt sure the county could not do with less than a three-farthing rate for a year or two yet, as the main road was in a terrible state in some places ; and he thought ratepayers who thought for a moment would see what an advantage was offered when a rate amounting, individually, to, per haps, £3O. was uncalled. Those whose rates were only a pound or so might not perhaps notice it. The chairman said the Patea West Road Board argued that the county bad only about 35 miles to look after with the |d rate, while the Board had fifty miles with its £d rate ; and when the county asked ratepayers to carry the poll for the Whenuakura Bridge Loan, they said if that was done the county rate would be cut back; but now the county wanted to cut back the rate at the expense ef the Road Board, and the Board considered the county the proper authority to help the Board, and not to rob them. The letter was no “ try on ”at all; and the country ratepayers had no down on the county except, perhaps, a few back in the bush, who thought tfce county took their money and spent it on the main rood. After some further remarks the question was put, and the chairman declared it lost, when a division was called for, and resulted as follow Ayes. Noes. Or Nioholscn Cr Death “ Riddel “ Paterson “ Fisher “ Pearce “ Thurston “ Symes The chairman gave his casting vote with the no:*s, and the resoltion was lost. Notice of motion was then tabled by Mr Pearce, “ That the resolution of July 2nd, 1895, offering a subsidy to the various Road Boarl.°, under section 2-10, Counties Act, 1886, be rescinded.” Cr Fisher gave notice to move “That notice be given that a general rate of in the £ be struck over the whole county.” It was then moved by Cr Fisher, seconded by Cr Death, “ That application be made to the Auditor-General for leave to refrain from collection of special rate for Patea Bridge Loan for 1895-6, the funds in hand being sufficient for the interest for the year in question.” Carried unanimously. Notice of motion was given “ That the resolution now on the minutes relative to payment of councillors be rescinded.” Cr Pearce then moved, and Cr Nicholson seconded, “That app 1 Ration be made (through Cr Peat) to endeavour to get the Government to vest the Hukatere Ferry Reserve in this council as a gravel reserve and that the member for the district be asked to advocate; that in the first place application bo made to New Plymouth Land Board.” Tenders for surface work on the Mangawhio road wore then opened, as follows: Contract 142.—Godfrey: Clearing slips and putting in repair, £54; keeping in repair for three years,'£72 per annum. J. Johnston: Patting in repair, £9O; keeping in repair for three years, £145 per annum. W. O'Connell: Putting in repair, £9O ; keeping in repair for three years, £IOO per annum. Contract 143.—Godfrey: Putting in repair, £3l 10s; keeping in repair for three years, £B4 per annum. J. Jobnston; Putting in repair, £SO; keeping in repair for three years, £165 per annum. Mr Godfrey’s tenders were accepted. W. O’Connell: Putting in repair, £B6; keeping in repair for three years, £IOO per annum. On the motion of Cr Pearce, the clerk was instructed to keep the Kapara Riding account separate from the general account. The division was as follows; Ayes. Noes. Pearce . Fisher Thurston Nicholson Paterson Death Riddell Symes The Council then adjourned.