Ratepayers’ Meeting.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 9124, 11 August 1898, Page 2

Ratepayers’ Meeting.

A well attended meeting of ratepayers of the new wards of the Borough of Timaru was held in the Barnard Street Hall last evening. Mr 0. N. Macintosh, the father of the successful movement for the extension of the borough, was moved to the chair, and in his remarks on,the object of calling the ra'epayers together briefly went over old ground of the advantages that would accrue to their joining the Borough of Timaru, making special reference to the lowering of insurance rates, and that the fire brigade would attend all fires inside the new boundaries without guarantee of any kind. Their chief object that evening was to have achat over affairs under now existing arrangements, express any opinion, and choose ratepayers to represent them on the Council. Their particular choice would in no way be binding, for it was open to any ratepayer to secure the nomination of any gentleman lie liked. Later on in replying to some questions Mr Macintosh (who is a representative of the Levels County Council, and knows what he is talking about) said that he had no hesitation in saying that the Levels County Council had never given them fair play. They had taken their moneys in rates and never done them justice in respect to street improvements, etc. A conversational discussion followed on various matters, in the course of which the Mayor of Timaru remarked that the new ratepayers could depend upon getting justice at the hands of the Borough Council. The latter would see as they took their money in rates that street, sanitary and other improvements would be effected. They" could not, of course, guarantee any great works, but ratepayers could rest assured that they would get fair play and justice. It was formally agreed that Messrs ,1. Rothwell, C. G. Vogeler and F. smith be asked to represent the new south ward, and Messrs S. F. Smithson, J. MeNab and Dr Reid the north ward. A ratepayer pointedly raised the question whether these resolutions were binding on them all, and was as pointedly assured that they were not-that ratepayers could nominate as many as they liked. Two gentlemen remarked that generally it was difficult to get ratepayers to come forward as councillors, and that the meeting ought to be rather glad that they were able to get the gentlemen named to devote time and attention to their interests on the Council The meeting closed with a hearty vote of thanks to the chairman, after lasting for about half an hour.