PATUTAHI TRAMWAY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11842, 4 May 1909, Page 5

PATUTAHI TRAMWAY.

MEETING AT WAERENGA-A-HIKA

A large number of ratepayers m the Gisborne riding of the Cook County Council attended a meeting held at Waerenga-a-hika last night m connection with the Patutahi tramway proposal, Mr A. J. Cameron was voted to tin* chair, and he called on the Hon.. Capt: Tucker, Chairman of the Cook County Council, tq address, the meeting. ; The , hon. gentleman laid before the meeting the i details of the proposed PatutMii . tramway scheme, the total cost of the permanent way and rolling, stock being shewn ..-to be- £$35,£25 and' the probable revenue being shoAvn at £2650, the estimated deficit was apprehended at under £300 per annum, whi9h would entail t^he jevying of' an .infinitesimal rate.

There was some, objection by the ratepayers on the score of property being included within the special rating ,hrea, Avhich property, it Avas contended, Avbulti not be benefited by the proposed scheme: Again it was urged by some of those present that those , roads , which , iioav were made by river shingle m the -vicim ity of i Ormond and . generally along the Big River' could oe moi^ economically maintained from the same source, namely by river shingle, than by Patutahi metal, which Avould- there fore be of no benefit to such localities.

The Coutity Chairman assured the meeting that, unless a binding contract Avas; entered into with the Borough Council to provide the bulk of the revenue needed, and Unless . the whole scheme .was remunerative or so 'nearly remunerative that only a very small rate indeed, would ,be required to niuke. up the deficit, he, at any rate, Would not vote for • the scheme, nor did he think that' the County Council, even though empoAvered to raise a loan, Ahould do so.

After a few questions had been asked and ansAvered a resolution favorable to the scheme AA'as proposed and carried, and the meeting terminated with votes of thanks to the speaker and the chair-' man. •

MEETING AT PATUTAHI. „': The meeting held at Patutahi last: night Avas also largely attended, Mr R. Sherratt being m the chair. The, chairman explained the object of the meeting, and called on Cr. A. F. Mutjthews to oddress the meeting. Cr v MattheAVS m a short speech, op similar lines to that delivered at Mangapapa, explained the working of tho tramjyay^nd its advantages. ; Mr J. Clark Avas present and said tha.t although he avos not opposed to the tramway, the County Council should have n proper agreement with the Borough Council before going into the business at, all. , There Avas a kind of agreement," but it Avas riot sufficiently binding, and he understood an attempt was being made to repudiate it. A resolution >. m faA*or of the proposal going to the poll avus carried by alioiit 50- tp $...,-.-.

A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the meeting. A meeting of ratepayers m the Whataupoko riding Avill be held ot the Kaiti . schoolroom at 7.30 to-night.