PROPOSED NEW COUNTY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15317, 13 September 1920, Page 5

PROPOSED NEW COUNTY.

' What was probably the most representative gathering of ratepayers ever £eld m the district was helfl m the Matawai Hall on Saturday nftornpon. Despite the inclement weather somi 1 fifty men rolled up from all over the district to the meeting, which was held to consider 'the question of forming a new county, taking, m parts of Waiko'hu and I Opotiki counties. ~ l Mr J. B. Clark was voted to the chair, aVid before proceeding with the business

j'of tho meeting, referred to the great j loss lately by the district m | the sad death of tho late Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald. ,He moved, "That, this meeting of settlers and residents of Matawai and surrounding djstriclft' cx 7 presses its appreciation of Ahc soivices rendered to this district .by the. late member and that a letter of sympathy and condonence he sent to his relatives on their sa,d loss." Tho motion warit seconded by Mr W. L. RuUedgo and carried m silence. ■'Iho chairman then explained the object of the meeting and called on Mr W. L. Uutledgo to stato his case. Mr Rutledge 1 produced a map showing the proposed boundaries ot iho -new county, comprising an area of 750 square miles, and taking m. all areas roaded to Motu r Matawai, and Rakauroa, and of an approximate total unimproved value 1 of £800,000. The area of the proposed new county would.be about 750 square miles. This compared favorabl^ with 'other counties m the Bay' of Plenty' as foliovvs: Matakaoa, 285. square miles, valuation £569,000; Waiapu, 817 square miles,' valuation £1,000,000; Opotiki, 1509 square miles, valuation- £729,000; Uawa, 265 square miles, valuation ,£1,036,000; Waikohu> 896 square miles, valuation £,2,964,-« 000. . He explained the main reapon , for the intended sevor'ance, submitting that the Waikohvt and Opotiki counties as 'at present constituted were too large,-,-.and therefore very difficult to haVe sufficient and economic management. He maintained also that, as at present, the supposed new county comprises the backblocks of th& Waikohu and Opofciki coun^ ties and would be- better on its own* with the management at Matawai of Motw. A twopenny rate, would yield.' about £6000, rates, and if tho ratepayers thought it' sufficient, they could go on wifcii the scheme. The administration he estimated at £1700, .including £700 hospital: levy. As a oounty they would be entitled, to borrow the maximum 'amount from tho Government; they would bo well off for mfetal; they would require very little plant, as there were several contractors resident m the district; they would hot have to contribute to any tar-soaling plant; and they would not be required to maintain; nny of the main road, beyond Rakauroa. Mr, Rutledge suggested a toll gate on Motu bridge, all' ratepayers to have passes, arid all tollmoneys to go to maintaining tho main road. He would recommend also the leasing of all unused roads. He moved, "That the ratepayers concerned- approach the Waikohu, and Opotiki County Councils and ask them to have this matter considered by their, respective councils and give their sup-' port m having a new county fprihed as marked on the accompanying plan," 'Mr Donovan • (Motu) seconded tire' motion pro forma. - \ ' Mr W. Tucker said that -he had intended to supiiort the scheme, but when he came to look into the figures he was afraid it would not work. He found that whilst it was perfectly true that, the new county would give a valuation of over £600,000, it was also true that the bulk of this would be provided by the- present Motu riding of Waikohu County, which showed' a total valuation of £534-,000, arid whose rates, with subsidy, came to about £4800. The total valuation of the balance of the new county (Opotiki territory) although about five times bigger m area, would only amount to about £47,000 andin rates and subsidy would only produce, about £800. This was totally. inadequate to carry on, for it would! mean that the Motu riding would have to carry tiit balance of the new county "on its back."' Mr O. V. Russell supported the motion.

He said the figures to aandre the OpotiiA area were based on the old valuation ana that the revenue will probably be mort than double when the new valuation came m. Ho mentioned also that there will be a considerable area of land m tut proposed county opened iip"*e<nm which would mean' more revenue*:

Mr Tucker pointed out his figures were taken from the official figures on the table. Mr A. Trafford, an Opotiki ratepayer, said tho valuations had lately gone up. übout two and a-hali : times as 'much as previously. Although he paid his., rates to tho Opotiki County, hciised only that road iv. the'Waikohu Counky. He sup. ported the motion.- ". . ' ' 'V., Mr M. Doyle, m referring .t<K the' previous speaker, 'said he (Mr Trafford) missed his ehalioe when, the Waikoha Council wanted to take tho Waioeka settlers into th^ "Waikohu County. Ho contended that the Motu riding as cut up ■ now, would 7 meet the i bill. He understood that the Motu settlers were going m for a metalling loan and he thought others • should do the- same, and it would do away with all mud. He advocated the formation of a. new separate riding of Waikohu, taking 'm Waioeka. He opposed the scheme from a fiuancial point of view. ' x ? *Ir* Dymock attended on behalf of the Waikohu County. He referred .to and resented an article m the press alleging mismanagement of tho Waikohu County. He mentioned that the county had been handicapped with its engineer disabled

and the staff not up to the mark anc generally disorganised consequently.' He said the proposed severance would be no financial gain, dnd that the Waikohu C3ounty Council at its meeting last Friday passed a motion, "That this Council, after considering the proposed formation of a new county at the northern end of this county m all its aspects, resolves thab it will not bo m the best interests of this. county and decidedly to the great financial disadvantage' of the proposed new county." Mr C. H. Bridge spoke as a ratepayer only, remarking that as a member of the Waikohu Council ho had 'the privilege of getting figures aud data, wh\ch were absolutely unquestionable. From a ratepayei''a aspect ho was very much opposed to -the* scheme. Ho , was almost entirely m accord with what Mr Doyle had said. He contended thq ratepayers were getting more than ,a square deal inasmuch as the whole of their rates m the Mot u riding, less proportion.- of administration, had been spent as well as £350 or £400 more. As far as the main road was concerned, 75 per cent. :of the traffic thereon -war. foreign, aud therefore-' was deserving of flutsido help. With a man like the Hon. Mr Coatos as Minister of . Public Worjcs, they, were m a good position to get permanent work done. lie said the financial aspect of the proposed iiew county was estimated too, low and after all new ad-, ministration would not make good roads, but only fine weather and metal. The Waikohu Council . had now appointed & full-time overseer and with the riding cut m two, they might expect satisfactory rebuUsh He maintained the. Waikohu County was not too unwieldy a county and had the means and ability for good

management. ' They can afford to pay good men for good work. Ho concluded by saying • that tho ratepayers would be ■well advised \j» work under a «clieme as^ djitlmed by Mr Doyle. Ho had much pleasure m opposing the^motion. •■■ Mr Twisletoh said he did ' not see how it would bo possible to make a success of it. He opposed the scheme from a financial point of view. » '. Mr Rafcledge, m reply, said that no ex-

aggeration ihad been made when commit ing the ' revenue; if anything a rather conservative note was struck. He did not wish' to press it any further, but would leave it to the ratepayers to decide. T :Mr Donovan, ' as. 'seconder, considered the valuation" of the Qpotild portions sugi gested, prejudiced luc" case considerably, lie too, would leave it to; the ratepayers.' On the motion being put, it was> lost by about 16 (votes. . Mr 0. H. Bridge proposed a hearty vofco of thanks to tho chairman, which was carried by acclamation, -and the meeting terminated.— (Correspondent.)