RATE REDUCTION POSSIBLE

Taranaki Daily News, 18 April 1932, Page 8

RATE REDUCTION POSSIBLE

STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL.

CHAIRMAN REVIEWS OPERATIONS.

The Stratford County Council met on Saturday for the last time before the elections on May 11 and the chairman, Mr. T. R. Anderson, reviewed the operations of the council during the past term. ‘‘There is no doubt it will be possible to reduce the rates,” Mr. Anderson stated. “I do not feel that any member has shirked his responsibilities' nor do I think that even if an entirely new council is selected we. have passed on any unenviable legacies,” Mr. Anderson stated. “The past year particularly has been a trying one for local bodies, but I am pleased to say that this county’s position has worked out very satisfactorily. Thanks are largely due to the clerk and the engineer, who have from month to month been able to advise us what our financial position was. The council is to be congratulated on the way in which, the ratepayers have met their responsibilities. In some cases it may have been difficult but as the whole is more or less a partnership, no profits being looked for, it is just a question of making both ends meet. So far as I see theie is no dou'bt it will be possible to reduce the coming year’s rates and this will assist those who have to meet the harbour board rate being struck this year.” While savings had been effected, Air. Anderson continued, they had no, been made to the detriment of the roads, generally every endeavour having been made to maintain roads as satisfactorily as possible. Unemployment labour had not to any extent benefited the council in that the amounts appearing in the newspapers mainly applied to payments . made through the council. The majority of ■those when working on the roads had done their work well. The past year had been a heavy one for the council as far as bitumen work had been concerned. Over 50 miles which had been bitymen sealed six years ago had had to be re-coated. Ohura Road, it had been hoped, would have been dressed ‘but so far that had not beer possible and the cost of building up the sides of the road had been considerable. LITTLE LOAN WORK DONE. Permission had been granted by the Highways Board to place a first coat on 1J miles of Toko Road and the work had been done. Little of what might be termed new or loan work had been done this season, but more could have been undertaken had permission been granted or rather had obstacles not ‘been placed in the way. A start, had been made on the Ngatimaru riding metalling scheme’, two and a-half miles having been completed. The settlers had the sympathy of the whole council. The Public Works Department, under the camp scheme, had metalled Mangaehu North Road in a manner which would be satisfactory not only to the Unemployment Board but ak- to those settlers who now had not to look forward to ploughing through mud. Another pleasing matter was the making of Mangaotuku Road into a secondary highway, which should materially assist the Mangaehu riding. The creation of the highway had come too late for the council so far to avail itself of the benefits to any extent but Air. Anderson had great hopes of improvements during the present financial year. The thanks of the council were due to the staff, who had done their work in satisfactory manner. That was particularly gratifying during a year in

which the council had deemed it necessary to make reductions in salaries and wages.SEEKING RE-ELECTION. The chairman added that, he intended to seek re-election and he thanked councillors for their support during the past term and for the consideration that they had shown him at all time®. Mr. J. T. Belcher said he was glad to hear that the chairman intended to seek re-election. Personally he decided to withdraw. He had been serving on local bodies for the past 40 years and he considered it was time he took

a holiday. He had been one of those ■who hacL blazed the trail towards the establishment of the county, for he had been a member of the old Ngaere Road Board and he had, in conjunction with the late Colonel Malone, given assistance to have the board merged in the newly-formed county. Mr. Belcher said he w'ould continue to take a keen interest in the affairs of the council and would be pleased to see it pursue its progressive policy with the harmony that had always characterised its deliberations.

-Mr. R. Mounsey regretted that Mr. 'Belcher was not standing because he had been gratified to be associated with Mr. Belcher on the council.

“We younger members of the council owe a debt of gratitude to the ‘old chaps’ and I can assure Mr. Belcher that we will not forget him,” remarked Mr. T. T. Murray. “Some bodies can recognise the services of members by making them life members and it is a pity that «e cannot confer that honour on Mr. Belcher,” stated Mr. S. Pitt. “Mr. Belcher has a fine record of service and I feel sure that the incoming council will place his services on record.” The chairman said he had known. Mr. Belcher for a long time and had come to know him as a man -who could be trusted implicitly. MIDHIRST EUCHRE PARTY.

ff?he first of a series of fortnightly euchre and dance parties was held on Wednesday in the Midhirst Oddfellows’ Hall. It was conducted by the Ladies’ Anglican Guild. Prizes were won by Miss M. Mumby (Ist), Mrs. Adlam (2nd after

a play-off with Miss Boniface), Messrs. Reg. and S. Kovaleski, Tuna (Ist and 2nd). Music for the dance was supplied by Mrs. H. Downs and Miss Willdon. GENERAL ITEMS. Dr. Marsden, head of the Government’s Research Department, was a visitor to Eltham last week. He inspected the premises of the New Zealand Co-operative Rennet Company and discussed with the managing-director, Mr.’ G. H. P. Fitzgerald, various scientific aspects of his work. t ; i

Among the list of pedigree Jersey cows putting up fine records under the CO.R. test, the name of Mr. H. J. Kaye’s Hatcliffe’ Clementine was omitted from junior two-year-olds. This heifer produced during FeT--ry 909.71 b of milk at a 5.18 test, with 47.121 b of butterfat. Since she started her test she has been in milk only 175 days and has produced 282.551 b of butterfat from 6071.51 b of milk. Pedestrians in Broadway, Stratford, on Friday were intrigued to notice a, man standing outside a chemist’s shop with what appeared to’be a piece of string attached to one ear and hanging down his coat. A curious individual made inquiries and learned that the string was not there by choice. Jar from it. At one end it had a hook and the hook was firmly embedded in the person’s ear. He was waiting for a doctor to arrive and remove the barb. The Stratford Council County decided on Saturday to support the candidature of Mr. H. C. Taylor, who is standing again as the Stratford and Whangamomona Counties’ representative on the New Plymouth Harbour Board. The council chairman (Mr. T. R. Anderson) remarked that the harbour board had been slandered in connection with its rate proposals and he had been glad to see Mr. Taylor defend the board’s policy. Mr. Taylor said that when he joined the board it had not been with any idea of revolutionising existing conditions and he had tried to act in a common-sense manner. The board was not along in its difficulties, for all the harbour -.boards in New Zealand were faced with the same trouble —decline in revenue. The striking of a rate was the only feasible method of getting the required revenue and though criticism had been levelled at the method of levying the rate it was only fair that those who had derived the greatest benefit from the port should pay the most rates. M. Prince, the well-known Eltham runner, sprained his ankle while play* ing football for Eltham at Taumata Park on Saturday. A peculiar accident occurred, in Bridge Street, Eltham, on Saturday evening, resulting in a car owned by Mr. Cadman, Eltham, having the front .bumper torn off. Trouble was experienced in changing gear in a car driven by Mr. E. Long, and the gears became 'accidentally reversed, causing the vehicle to go backwards and crash into “the stationary car. No other damage 'was done.