CHARITABLE OUTLOOK

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19338, 31 May 1937, Page 11

CHARITABLE OUTLOOK

THE COMMUNAL SPIRIT APPEAL BY MINISTER COUNTY KATE PROBLEM An appeal for those lucky ratepayers who have roads to observe the communal spirit in order to help, up to a. point, those who have poor access was made by the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, when replying on Saturday to an appeal by Gisborue flat land settlers from the burden of heavy rating. The position of tho Hat land ratepayers was aggravated, the Minister was told, by the abolition ot the riding accounts". 11l explaining tins, the chairman of the Cook County Council, Mr. Charles Matthews, said that the council had followed the Minister's wishes, which were expressed on the matter when Mr. Semple was last in Gisborne. The .Minister said it was perfectly true that when he was last in Gisborne he referred to the riding system, and it was his opinion that it should disappear. He had told them that in plain and unmistakable language, and he bad no apology to make for that. Mr. Matthews: And if we had not abolished the riding accounts, what would have happened? First Complaint The Minister: I am not going to say, but 1 would rather see the counties do it voluntarily than to force them. Fiftyfive out of tho total of 129 counties in New Zealand have now abandoned the riding system, and this is the first complaint I have had. It is the first protest from anywhere in New. Zealand, so this must bo a unique case. Mr. Matthews: Possibly it is. The country in our county contains some highly' valued flat land* and hills. The Minister: That may also affect other county councils, too, though probably not to Che same extent.

Mr. .1. IJ. Benson: In your opinion, then, ridings should be abolished. Are vou forcing counties into it? Tho Minister: No, I am nob forcing counties into it.

Mr. J. E. Haisman: Then that proves that tho County Council has let the small ratepayer down. "Should not Blame the County"

The Minister said that the ratepayers should not blame the council altogether for the heavy rates. Probably the tax had hit them heavily, but the men on the low: land were extremely fortunate, and should be big enough to help the man who had no roafJ. The county should bo administered in the communal spirit, and the man who was fortunate and bad a road .should be charitable towards those who did not have a road. "Some of those fellow's," he continued, "arc heroes, and have a legitimate squeal. I havo seen some terrible places, and wonder that the people in them have stood it. so loiig." Mr, Semple quoted settlers living right up on the suow line who had been pb'nned in for years without bridges, fouling • .streams and .some being drowned in the process. He had granted these people bridges. "I have been getting men out of the mud as fast as I. can, "he declared, "and. I am asking the ratepayers who are more fortunate- to help to let them out. I know you can only do that up to a point." Mir. Haisman: We aro willing' to do it up to a point, but if you look into the matter you will see that our burdon is serious.

The Minister: Do not blame the council unnecessarily! The council is trying to get men out of the mud, and it is up to the men on t lie flats to help to gel the. others out of the mini. Tho man ou tho flats is lucky. Mr. A. Gordon Hultqnist, M.l\: The luckiest man in the world.