HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Shannon News, 19 June 1923, Page 3

HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

LIVELY DISCUSSION OF WIHOKINO ESTIMATES.

A ; special meeting ofsthe Horowhe/nua County Council was neld in the Boibuglri Chambers yesterday to consider tlhe estimates lor the coining year. The chairman, Mr G. A. Monk, presided, and there were also present: Crs., Jensen, Cat ley, Barber. Ryder, Bryant, Harkness, Whyte and Broadbelt. / The chairman m opening t-ne macing auia' mat it must clearly i>e under- ' sioou mat .tne estimates were mermy • an estimation. 01 the money propooeu to he spent, and .were not final. in -• some cases, more; might he required' uuu in other cases, less. Up to a certain point money could be tprean anout between the different roans in a ruling -as it. was most required, he mougut that it would be agreed, that whilst everytmng possmie nau been done to reuuce the rates, provision - nad been made;- to keep the roads in . good order. • That, was the job lor which, the Council'was elected—-to- see than the roads were .maintained. The general, thing was; to. keep 'expenditure

down and men blame the Engineer, but it was better to make proper provision lor the necessary upkeep in the first-place as once the roads got out of repair the expense wais infinitely greater. GENEAL ESTIMATES. In regard to the item of £SOO on the general estimate for the Engineer’s car lor the coming year, the chairman explained, that the present car was about done, haying already done. 18,000 miles in the year and. nine months in which it had belonged to the County; £l5O of this sum was the estimated upkeep for the year, and the question was whether it was not better to give the present car the engine of which was good, in part-payment for a new one, and avoid the heavy cost of repairs necessary to keep a worn-out car going for another year. The upholstery was worn out as were the mudguiatrds andl it required ai complete overhauling, besides which.ait, the end of another year, the value of the car would be nil. i He considered it would be better to sell.it now whilst it had a certain value. Crs. Harkness and Calley protested against spending money, on a new car at, present, .and the amount was eventually allowed. 1 to pass on the understanding'that before a new car was purchased, the matter should be considered fully by the Council. The remaining items: amounting to £7057 were passed after a) general d iscussion ,of items, the riding apportionments being <— Tokomarti ........ £1907 . Wirokino £2876 1 Otaki £lOlB Te Horo .....; £1256 RIDING. ESTIMATES (TOKOMARU.

The chairman asked if the sum. of £llsO quoted by the County Clerk as outstanding rates represented the actual amount or the shim estimated as recoverable. j

The County Clerk explained that this. wa,s merely the money which might be looked upon as a safe asset. There, were a percentage of men from whom it would be foolish to expect to recover rates and it waS as wel 1 to recognise the fact. He quoted the .case of the soldier sellers on the Heights Setlement who had gone out of .their farms, the land now belonging to the Crown, and from, the Government they had very little hope of recovering these rates. Cr. Harkness contended that the r Council \should endeavour to get some ! definite settlement of this question, There should be some way of loading the land! with the money. The .chairman said that Tins was being done, hut they could not go too fair with the Government. As for the general amount outstanding it was not desired to- be too hard, with, genuine oases of inability to pay, but there were some men /who could pay and did! not. These men the .Council was keeping in view, and would halve to take harsh measures with before long. Cr. Jensen said the time was about due when returned Soldiers should be treated alsi. ordinary citizens. They were getting revaluation how, whim should put them on & reasonable footing, and ihey should then'be responsible for'money owing. As , for the cases where men had left their farms, the. Government should be held responsible for the. outstanding rates. The chairman, explained that this could not be done. The question was a Dominion-wide,one and the general opinion was that the Counties would, halve, to face the loss. Under the revaluation. scheme, men had either to pay up or leave the farms. WIROKINO RIDING: Considerable discussion arose over the items of this riding’s estimates, Cr. Broadbelt contending that the allocations made in ihahy instances were insufficient, and , Crs, HaWmess and Catley protestig = against an increase which would necessitate an increase of rate over the fd in the £1 on which the estimates were Based. The first estimate to come up for discussion was that, of' £ls for the Florida road. Cr. Broadhelt contending that this sum was inadequate. Or. Hatrkness agreed that that was perhaps so, but said, the assignment for the Buller, Bolton and Bruce roads ■ £SO, was more than was necessary, and' some of this could be spent on the Florida) road.

In the case of thei grant of £2O for the Upper and Lower Queen street roads, Cr. Broadhelt moved that an increase of £3O he made, and ,sa.id that apparently it was the intention to starve the roads, cr. Catiey seconded the motion. Cr. Harkn'ess said that there was no intention to statve any road. The amounts estimated might seem smallin some cases compared with last year’s grants, hut it was rather a ease of over-estimating last. year. When he had given a .guarantee alt election time to reduce the rates, he had gone over the riding ami formed 1 his own estimates, which were approximately the same as those brought forward by thte Engineer. The duty of thi , Council was to jnjaike the rates ,a» lighi

as possible. They were sent ,in \vi„ a mandate to bring the rates down as low a ! s possible. Cr. .Catley said that when a rate

was decided on, he thought they were providing for all reasonable requirements. Their duty was to keep expenses /down and help those people who were struggling to make a living. or. Broadhelt contended that die statement that ,the requirements of the riding had been -over-estimated last year, was incorrect. He wanted a rate oi gd and considered max less .was msumcieai. East year me upkeep oi tne main roaus ua s equina,tea at £i2s per mile. This year n was suggested that it be done ior £45, which was impossible. Some oi the roads were in a .very bad condition, and m-upt be done thoroughly if they were to be kept, in decent order.

Cr. Harkness said that the fact dial the present estimates were low was • owing to the use of machinery last year which had put the roads into a satisfactory condition, where they could be maintained lor £4O per mile. The motion that the grant be increased was then pur. arid carried. In regard to the Wallace road, Cr. Broadhelt askea that the amount pu the estimates be increased from £7O to £l2O, as it was absolutely impossible to do anything, satisfactory with the sum proposed. cr. Byuei: i would suggest that Hit Engineer give his opinion on ; Uie sujjjeei.

Or. l-iarkness: That • has already been done in tins estimate. or. Broadhelt said that ne did not agree that this was so. He thought the engineer had been .asked to nr mg down estimates which would fit in with .£d in the £1 rate. 'fine chairman said that this appeared to be the case. He .ashed u the Engineer would not have liked to have ai larger amount to work oil. • The Engineer said that he, thought he could about keep the road in. their present state for the amount proposed, but would like ■.more. The motion wiafs seconded by Cr. Jensen, and carried.

Regarding the estimate of £7O for the Waitarere road, the Engineer explained that this amount was inadequate to do lamytlijng really worm while with the road, but isoine of the cuttings could be opened out and fascining done which would, be ,an advantage to the setters affected. If the drains were cleaned out it would help considerably. He had suggested to the settlers that they apply for Special loan, and would, meet them next week to discuss the jmatter.

ENGINEER’S OPINION.*

Coming to the question of the Otoura road, Cr. Bro,adbelt. asked . the Engineer through 'the chairman, it the £7O .allocated would be sufficient to repair this road.

The Engineer said that frankly he did not think so. He felt rather keenly about 'this matter, :as his reputation was at stake to a certain degree. He had fixed’ these estimates at a id rate but wag afratid that ihe could not carry on satisfactorily on this sum. He would prefeb an Jcl increase. He had been accused of inefficiency Jast year because he could nipt keep the roads open. It w'ould be the same unless he had the money. 1 Cr. Catley, wMlei admitting that there- had been criticism,, said it had not, as far as he was concerned, been levelled against the 'Engineer. His own opinion was tha/t the roads showed great improvement, since Mr (AbPerson took them over.

Cr. Harknestsi said, that the criticism had arisen because -too much, not because too little money was being spent. There had been. ta lot of criticism of the Engineer which really 'should have been levelled against the* Council, under whose instructions he was working. Cr. Barber said that the amount had evidently been brought down on the recommendation of the Councillors for the riding who wished, to keep down expenditure. He considered that the Engineer should state; what .he considered necessary- for the work. Regarding the main, road from Levin to the. North boundary, Cr. Broadbel’ asked: that the estimate be increased from £4OO to £650; ,and he inoved accordingly.. ’ Cr.. Harkness opposed the motion, stating that the road only required patching in places tot be kept in cruet and the sum suggested was ample for the purpose. , . The Engineer said that the portion from Shannon for 2£ males towards Levin was tab-jolutely done. He estimated that five yards of metal to the chain would be necessary >ori ,this portion. He advocated an increase in Ihe allocation, saying that if this were made he would endeavour flo cany on with the amounts suggested for the other roads.

Cr. Whyte seconded the' motion, which! was carried.! Levin to South Boundary.— The chairman stated that he would like to see the tarring finished on this road from the present work to the Borough boundary. Cr. Harknessi opposed this. The present work was done as an 'experiment in cost of upkeep. It should he left for that purpose and compared With the remainder of the road which had been put down, with' the- sariie foundation but not sealed.

Cr. Catiey supported, this view. If the work wa,s eventually decided on a loan should ,be raised, not do it out of revenue.'

Cr. Broa&belt spoke in favour of the cha.irman r sv suggestion anil moved ihat the grant ’he increased hy £2OO for this purpotse.—Carried. GENERAL RATE DISCUSSED.

Tlhe chalirman .said that, the estimates had! been increased by £6OO. There was; a letter from the Borough Council b> the effect that the Railway Department was prepared to pay ha 1 ' the cost of- putting in the. Kawiu road subway if fhe loeafl bodies,' would supply the half. Tf they were rming tot do, this it would! be necessary to increase the propose »d rate by id, bringing it, up to *d. r jThis would bring in another £IOOO. Cr. Broadhelt : moved that an ine crease of £225 be i made in the estit mates as provisi on for the Kawiu

road eulbway. The estimated cost of the- work was £9OO arid the Railway Department had stated that they were willing to pay half. This was, seconded by Cr. Barber and carried.

The chairman said the position before the Council now was that there was an estimated expenditure for the riding pf £10,571 -.and only £9954 based on a £di rate, to meet it with,. If they did not make it bail a nee the councillors were individually .and cotlectivelv responsible for the difference, C,r. Harkness said that as councillors’ for the riding, they were the representatives ‘of the ratepayers, and their duty wafe to keep the rates as low. as possible. He proposed an increase of l-16d which would give an additional revenue of £SOO and would be sufficient. It would be £350 short of amended estimates, butt by economy, could be made to do. On the suggestion of the chairman he moved! that the council lors for the Wirokino riding retire and: go into the matter of the general rate. Cr. Catley seconded the motion which was lost on, the show of hands,

The chairman then, moved that the rate for the Wirokino Riding be increased by jd, bringing it to 1 gel in the £l. Cr. Ryder seconded. Cr. Harkness moved an amendino’’ which »Cr. Catley seconded, that the rate be increased by 1-16rl only. Thu was lost, and the motion that the rate be increased by Id carried. OTAKI AND TE HORO RIDINGS.

The Otaki arid Te. Horo Ridings went through with only general discussion and the following motion proposed by the chairman and! seconded by Cr. Ryder wah carried: ‘That the estimates as now considered be passed by the Council. General estimates £7557, less £SOO receipt’s. Tokotnaru Riding.—Receipts £7OBO, expenditure £6742; Wirokino, receipts £10,954, expenditure £10,571; Otaki receipts £4242, expenditure £4210; Te Horo £5015, expenditure £5014. Further resolutions were carried, as follow: —

Proposed, by Cr. Monk, seconded -by Cr. Ryder ‘that public notice be given in accordance with section 50 of the Rating Act, 1908, and also of section 120 of the Counties Act, 1920. that it Is the .intention of the Horowhenua County Council to strike general and separate rates in -the respective ridings of the Horowhenua County Council for the period from the first day ol April, 1023, to the 31st day of March, 1924, namely Tokomafu general rate of £d in the pound; Wirokino general rate of gd; Otaki general rate, -jjd ; Te Horo Rl; . in terms of the Water .Supply . Act, 1907, and of the Rating Act, 1908, a. separate rate of gd in the £; and in the Hautere water race- district, a separate rate of Id in the £, all the foregoing rates, upon the capital value's of the rateable properties in the respective ridings and water rate districts ais aforesaid. The (same to become due and payable in. one installment on the Ist day of August, 1923. Proposed by Cr. Broadhelt., Seconded by Cr. Catley, that the chairman (Cr. Monk) be the Horowhenua, County Council’s representative-at the Counties’ Conference to be held in Wellington next week.

Proposed by Cr. Harkness, seconded by Cr. Broadbe.lt, “That reply be sent to the Levin Borough Council that the Council, iis prepared to find one-fourth of the total cost of the construction of the Kawra road subway under the railway line, after voluntary contributions have been deducted from the local bodies -share of the cost.

Proposed by Cr. Broadbelt, seconded by Cr. Harkness, that a grant of £ls be made to Vfctoriai College Council on behalf of the Levin Branch of the W.E.A. ,( ■ .= : The customary vote of thanks to the chair concluded the meeting.