CHAIRMAN’S REVIEW

Putaruru Press, Volume XXI, Issue 1231, 22 May 1947, Page 6

CHAIRMAN’S REVIEW

MATAMATA COUNTY COUNCIL YEAR “ User Should Pay More For Roads An emphatic reminder that a tendency to place roading charges back on the land was evident was a main item in the annual report of the chairman, Cr. E. 1). White, which he placed before the Matamata County Council when the estimates for the current year were being considered on Thursday. Cr. White said : "In presenting my report for the year just ended 1 would like to stress the difficulties under which we are operating, the delay in procuring grants, and the lack of the system of the user paying. 1 cannot emphasise too strongly the tendency to put reading charges back on to the laud, and would ask for the practical support .of . all concerned in endeavouring to get the basis established of £1 for £1 subsidy on all roads other than main highways. This subsidy would, of course, be derived from petrol, tyre and other taxation accoruing to the use made of our roads. We feel that with the variety of traffic and the amount paid in motor taxation many rural ratepayers are unjustly taxed-

“ Kate Collection: The amount of rates outstanding at the 31st March, 1947, was the lowest at the end of any financial year since 1919, whilst the percentage, 97.6 (European 98.8), of current rates collected was the highest in the history of the county. “ Receipts and Payments: Receipts for the year amounted to £75,796, and payments were £73,816. “Rural Housing Loan; One advance Of £1250 was made.

“ Tirau Water Supply : The purchase of fire-fighting equipment resulted in an increase of the gross debt on the undertaking from £2518 to £2653.

“ Loan Debt: Was reduced from £156,062 to £149,289.

“ Hospital Levy ; Hospital levy was increased from £7920 in 1945-46 to £12,708 in 1946-47. “ Staff Accommodation: A further sum of £2533 was spent in extending housing accommodation, and the council now has 11 houses and two transit cottages at Tirau and one house each at Matamata, Te Poi, Lichfield, Tokoroa and Maungatautari. “Road Works: Gross expenditure on roads (£25,161) was chiefly confined to maintenance, grant expenditure being Orepunga Road realignment £257 and Oraka Bridge at Okoroire Railway £l3l. The council’s share of these works and of realignment jobs on the Waotu and Maungatautari Main Roads, further sealing work on Somerville Road and some other small works was £4232.

“ Plant: During the year an Austin Western grader, a new 15cwt Ford V 8 van and new Ford V 8 sedan were purchased. This has had the effect of reducing the plant renewal fund from £BBIS to £5991. With the present high cost of replacing plant the council may in the near future be faced with the problem of finding additional funds for this purpose. “ Machines now on order (graders, trucks and vans) would, if supplied, require more cash for their purchase than is now available in the plant working account. “ Noxious Weeds Control: Ratepayers generally have co-operated quite well in the control of ragwort ,and we ask for an extension of this policy" to include all noxious weeds. Your land is too valuable to harbour gorse, blackberry or groom. “ Hydro-electric Development: A further milestone of progress has been the filling of Karapiro Lake. This should provide an excellent holiday and sporting resort, and the council is taking an active interest to see that development for the benefit of the public is secured. “ In conclusion I would like to pay a tribute to the executive staff for their efficient work, and also to express appreciation of the work of the outside staff, of whom many' have been in the council’s employment for a long period.”