ACCRUED THIRDS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 6, 23 August 1911, Page 6

ACCRUED THIRDS.

MEETING OF TABOR A RATEPAYERS. A meeting of ratepayers in the Tahora riding of the Whangaxnomona county was hold in the school-room, Tahora, on Saturday night. Mr E.B. Roborton, riding representative, was voted to the chair, and in his opening remarks said that the object of the meeting was to consider the question of expenditure of accrued thirds in the riding. The matter had been forced, upon them by a letter received by the Whangamomoha County from the Commissioner of Crown Lands, saying that unless proposals wore received for the expenditure of the thirds they would be haficlsd over to the Minister to spend. Continuing, Mr Roberton said that the County Council had deputed their chairman, now in Wellington, to wait ■on’ the Minister and try to get some concession in the direction of allowing' the! Council to hold the thirds. The chairman of the meeting and several other speakers advocated holding the thirds until such time as they could be used for maintenance of metalled roads providing they could gist over 'the danger of losing the money in the .meantime. Mr W. A. McCutcliau strongly urged that the thirds should bo expended at once. Eventually, Mr W. Ballot moved “that the thirds accrued to the Main Road, amounting to about £SOO, be spent on metalling if the County chairifluh is not successful in getting some concession from the Minister in regard to holding the thirds.”

The motion was seconded by Mr Charles McCutchan. Mr W. A. McCutchan moved an amendment deleting the last portion of the motion relating to the County chairman’s interview with the Minister. The amendment, was seconded by Mr Bennet, and upon being put to the meeting declared lost and the motion carried.

Mr Hallet then moved, “that .n the event of metalling being done, the question of where it, should be done bo left in the hands of the County Council.” Seconded' in* Mr Birch and carried. This disposed of the Main Road, but there were ralions sums accrued on number of side roads, some not vested in the foamy. These were dealt with seriatim and in every case ; t was decided to spend the money in one way or .mothtv—in some cates for mnint m*tncu, hi seme for mating six-foot track, aid in some for wdoning the width of a Gray read. The business of the evening having been disposed of, Mr W. A. McCutchan said the result in every case with the exception of the Main Road had been directly opposed to the policy of the County Council, and he moved that the Chairman of the meeting communicate by telegram with the County Chairman in Wellington informing him of the result of the meeting.

Mr McjCutchan then claimed that Mr Robertcn should second his motion. Mr Roherton said: “I will not do that, and I don’t know if I would send the telegram.” This brought forth some rather heated remarks hy Mr McCtitchan, in which the words “unfair,” “improper” and “invidious” figured prominently.

.A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the meeting, which had proved both instructive and entertaining.