WHANGAMOMONA COUNTY

Taranaki Daily News, 22 December 1931, Page 7

WHANGAMOMONA COUNTY

ROAD METALLING LOANS. WORK OF MONTH REVIEWED. The monthly meeting of the Whangamomona County Council was held yesterday, when there were present Councillors N. R. Cleland (chairman), J. Law, G. Gower, M- P- Ford, W. J. Rawlinson and B. Neustroski. Mr. Law remarked that the rebate from the highways revenue on rates was a very appreciable benefit to the ratepavers, who were grateful to whoever had been responsible for its introduction. ' , ... X Cr Ford said the authorities were to be congratulated on haying taken the first step towards de-rating land. Cr. Neustroski pointed out that unfortunately the rebate would not benefit the man who was hard up and was unable to pay. , Mr. F. Neilson wrote asking that tne council push on with the metalling of the Mangare Road, for which he had noted a grant was included in the Government Estimates. He pointed out that settlers who had applied for metal on other roads at the same time were now receiving the benefit or would do so this summer. It was stated that the council was endeavouring to have the work carried out by unemployed labour, as in view of the depression it wafc not considered advisable that the settlers should pledge their land any further. Cr. Law considered the council should take steps to get the Public Works to do the work by unemployed labour as the. council would have, to lay down a policy consistent.-, with the ability of the ratepayers to pay. In view of the seriousness of the,position he did not think they could expect the ratepayers to pay further rates. Prophets told them that the corner had- been turned- and the. tide was on the flow. In his ’opinion, however, they had not sighted the corner yet and the tide was drifting the wrong way. He considered metalling proposals should be deferred.

PLEDGING OF PROPERTIES;

.The chairman said he considered they should give serious consideration before undertaking any further work that caused settlers to pledge their properties for loans. The failure of the settlers owing to the depression to meet their commitments was placing the council in- a serious financial position. He recognised that was no fault of the set- . tiers, but he fePt very loath to load the land with further rates, however anxious the settlers might be to have the work carried on. If the Minister of Public Works was approached to give further free grants to the settlers it would be far better than further loading up the land, especially as there appeared to be no signs of the depression lifting. He had spoken to the Minister of Public Works, who appeared sympathetic and would willingly meet a deputation from the council. Mr. Polson was hopeful of getting the Minister to visit the district, but the chairman doubted if that would be possible. . Or. Ford would not advise ratepayers to put further liabilities on their properties, but when they were meeting their commitments he considered they were entitled to be consulted before the work was stopped. The settlers in his district were not prepared to go on with the work at present. In connection with the KOhuratahi Road loan Cr. Law said he had consulted some of the settlers who had suggested that as the council had thq necessary metal quarried it should have that metal spread on approximately 30 chains of the worst portion of the road. Cr. Gower asked whether the council would be put to any expense in the event of not lifting the loan to take up -the subsidy. The clerk stated that the superintendent had agreed to extend the period but probably would not do so indefinitely. Cr. Gower pointed out that the rate for this year’s loan had beenjevied on £•500, Which would make £l5OO available for the Kohuratahi Road, so that it was advisable to proceed with that work. The same position applied to the Patikituna Road. In view of the unsatisfactory position of the rates on the Mangorea Road it was resolved that the council did not feel justified in adding to the liabilities of the ratepayers. Cr. Gower was authorised to interview the Minister on the matter of securing additional free grants and the chairman will also go to Wellington early in the new year. Cr. Gower stated that he would also press for an amount being placed on the estimates for the renewal of the Tangarakau swing bridge. PAYMENT OF RATES. Cr. Law said ratepayers had inquired what action the council was taking in collecting arrears of rates. It had been suggested t'hat in fairness to those who had paid their rates the council shouldtake steps to enforce collection. He recognised that some ratepayers made great sacrifices to pay their rates while others did not take any steps whatever. The clerk said that most of the ratepayers were making an effort to pay a portion of their rates. Mr. W- G. Walkley, secretary of the South Taranaki Automobile Association, notified that the service officer had reported two overhanging trees near Whangamomona as being dangerous to traffic. If that was so he asked the co-operation of the council in having the trees removed. The matter was left in the hands of the riding members. Mir. P. Keller, district engineer, noth

fled that the cash allocation of the Public Works Department in respect of the formal application for funds for expenditure by the council was £2940. That did not include moneys for expenditure by the department for relief or other works.

It was resolved to inquire from the district engineer how the amount was made up, as according to the estimates there was £6OOO allocated as follows: Kohuratahi £3500, Mangare £l5OO, Putikituna £l5OO and Favier Road £5OO. Cr. Gower drew attention to -the necessity for replacing a culvert on the Kohuratahi Road with pipes. To be attended to.

Cr. Law stated that a ratepayer had approached him asking that the grader be sent to the lower Putiki’tuna Road. He had since visited the road but considered it unsafe to send the grader there. The road certainly required attention and' he recommended the employment of a man for one week. The matter was left to Cr. Lanv.