ELTHAM COUNTY BUSINESS

Taranaki Daily News, 16 January 1933, Page 8

ELTHAM COUNTY BUSINESS

THE PROBLEM OF REVALUATION. OBJECTIONS STATED BY MINISTER. i - The Eltham County Council meeting on Saturday was attended by Messrs. A. L. Campbell (chairman), R. J. Knuckey, P. R. Brown, A. V. Messana, M. W. Barker, J. L. Campbell, W. E. Carter, C. E. McGuinness, and E. J. Gifford. The engineer, Mr. F. Muggeridge, reported on works as follows:—' In south riding further widening of formation was done, and a commencement made to re-seal portion of Boylan Road. Loose stones were raked up and clay blinding attended to on Skeet, Te Roti, Neil and Tawhiti Roads. Sand was spread on the bitumen surface of Rotokare Road. The grader was run over Mountain • Road. In Mangatoki riding clay blinding was done on Skeet Road. Water tables and culverts were cleaned and screenings spread on Eltham Road. Watertables were cleaned on Lower Stuart Road and sand spread where required on Lower Hastings Road. In Omoana riding metal patching, clay blinding, cutting scrub and widening the formation was done on Rawhitiroa Road. Watertables and culverts were cleaned on Tahuri, Whenuakura Valley, and Matemaroke Roads. In Kaponga riding bitumen patching was attended to on Eltham Road. Clay blinding was done on Rowan and Opunake-Stratford Roads. In Eltham riding the scarifying, refacing and sealing of Mangawhero and Maata Roads has been completed. One hundred and thirty chains of Rawhitiroa were resealed with bitumen, clay blinding was done where necessary and watertables cleaned out. Two corners were widened and one wooden culvert replaced with concrete pipes on Mangamingi Ridge. Clay blinding was done on Horoi Road and Anderson Roads. Extensive repairs were effected to the bitumen sprayer. Fences were repaired and weeds cut od the council’s property. A ratepayer wrote anonymously stating that there were’seveial patches of ragwort at Omoana now in flower and in need of cutting. It was decided to refer the n.atter to the, inspector. Cr. Carter said it was going to' be difficult for farmers to eradic-ice the weed owing to sodium chlorate being unprocurable. The chairman said he believed that' sodium chlorate could be obtained in places. Support was given a resolution from the Kaiapoi Borough Council urging a reduction of interest on local body overdrafts. Cr. Knuckey said they could support the proposal, although it did not affect, the Eltham county as it had a small overdraft. REDUCTION OF VALUATIONS. A letter was received from Mn ■C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., enclosing a letter he had received from the Hon. E. A. Ransom, Minister in charge of the Valuation Department. The Minister’s letter stated: “With reference to your letter' Urging the necessity of reducing the Government valuations over the whole of Eltham.county by -) per cent, action on these lines would not effect a reduction in local rates because a higher rate would have to be struck to obtain the same revenue. It is probable that a reduction in values would reduce the subsidy on rates payable to the county council. Eltham County Council is one of six local bodies contributing to the Hawera Hospital Board’s funds in the basis of rateable values and any such action as in requested in respect of Eltham county would afford a ground of complaint from the other contributing local bodies. From newspaper reports the Waitotara County Council had a similar idea of reducing valuations but other local bodies were not favourable to it. The Government is av<are of the difficulties but it does not appear desirable to make alterations in valuations without having properties individually inspected.” ; The chairman was appointed to attend a conference at Hawera next Thursday regarding a revaluation of counties in the Hawera Hospital Board area. The chairman said he had spoken to the Mayor of Eltham asking if the borough proposed to make a revaluation but it had not been 'decided yet. The Mayor was willing to attend the conference next Thursday. Cr. McGuinness said the Minister-for-got that a revaluation of some properties had already been made and some people were paying hospital rates on £l7 per acre while others adjoining were paying on only £9. Any ratepayer could obtain a revaluation and keep on doing this. -

The chairman said several ratepayers had obtained revaluations and others were trying to do so. Cr. Knuckey said they would have to watch carefully that those who already had reductions in valuation did not get another reduction.

The chairman considered they should go back to the previous valuation. Cr. Knuckey: That would be all right The chairman: Is 20 per cent reduction sufficient?

Cr. Brown: It is not enough in our riding. I feel pretty strongly on this matter.

The chairman: I think we might have to go to 25 per cent ~ Cr. Brown pointed out that those in the back country who had been paying a large sum in rates would still be paying this if they had not received a reduction in valuation.

The chairman: The 20 per cent would have to come off the unimproved value and the improvement value also. Cr. McGuinness pointed out that if a farmer were financing on overdraft a reduction in valuation would affect the security and he would have to reduce his overdraft MANGAWHERO BRIDGE. The Eltham Borough Council advised that the Main Highways Board had approved of repairs to Mangawhero bridge at an estimated cost of £l2B. The board’s contribution would be £96, leaving £l6 each as cntributions from the borough and the’ county. It was proposed to proceed immediately with the work. The engineer was appointed to : confer with the borough regarding . apportionment of cost. ■

A request was made from a relief worker for permission to cut cocksfoot seed on the roadsides.

Cr. Knuckey expressed agreement with this seed being utilised instead of allowed to go to waste and he wished to encourage such activities as much as possible in these times.

The chairman held that the ratepayer whose frontage it was on might object He was compelled to clear the weeds and he thought he should have a right to the grass seed.

The council granted the request. Cr. Knuckey mentioned that a rate-

payer on Mata Road desired permission to plough the side of the road to control ragwort. Mr, W. G. Robinson, Omoana, asked permission to erect a fence on the edge of the road facing his sections. The matter was left in the hands- of the engineer and riding member. The chairman stated that only £897 in rates had been collected during the month and £7355 was still outstanding. It was resolved to take action for the enforcement of the penalty. Referring to the question of uniform by-laws the chairman said he considered the present by-laws sufficient and he was opposed to going on further with the adoption of the joint by-laws. Before long they would be obsolete. The Transport Act governed most of the questions.

It was resolved that the council was not in favour of proceeding with the by-laws.

A contract with Mr. W E. Kehely was accepted for the supply of metal for Upper Palmer Road.