GERALDINE TOWN BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1433, 26 November 1885, Page 3

GERALDINE TOWN BOARD.

A special meeting of this Board was held on Monday evening. Present Messrs R. H. Pearpoint (Chairman), T. Farrell, R. Taylor, J. Huffey. Mr C. E. Sherratt, clerk and overseer was in ettendance, NOMINATION OF JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. The Chairman said the members of the Board were well aware of the action which had been taken. lately in regard to the nomination of gentlemen to'act on the Commission of the Peace. His opinion was that (he representation of the township had been left out rather unjustly, and their object now was to ask the member for the district, the Hon. W. Rolleston, to request the Minister for Justice to appoint one more Justice of the Peace who would be resident in the township. It would be observed that the gentlemen who had been written to and recommended by the late meeting of justices, lived at a distance from the town. Great inconvenience was often experienced when a justice was required to sign a warrant or affidavit, and persons had iometimes to wait two or three days for one. After a little discussion, Mr Maslin proposed—“ That the Member for the District be requested to recommend the Minister of Justice to appoint the Chairman of the Town Board a Justice of the Peace.”—Seconded by Mr Farrell and carried. The Chairman said that he was not at all anxious for the position, and had previously refused it, but he thought the time had come when they needed a justice who would always be available. Mr Rolleston had, however, informed him that a Bill would be brought before the House next session, which provided that Chairmen of Town Hoards should be Justices of the Peace ex officio. Mr Maslin further moved—‘‘That Mr H. W. Moore’s name be submitted also, if that gentleman’s consent to act were obtained.”—Seconded by Mr Taylor and carried. PROPOSAL TO STRIKE A RATE. The Chairman said the other business the Board had to consider was the advisability or otherwise of striking a rate. The rateable value of the town district was £40,800 and a rate of three farthings in the £ would realise about £l2O and the Government gave a subsidy of £ for £ on the amount of the .rate collected. He would like an expression of opinion from the Board. Mr Maslin said that looking at the matter in one way it would be better to call a public meeting to discuss the advisability of striking a rate. At the same time, however, this course would show a sign of weakness on the part of the Board. It would look as if they had not an opinion of their own. The Chairman did not agree with this view. If they were out of money it would be different; but they were not. Mr Maslin was not against a public meeting, but in matters of rating (here would not be an equality of voting. For instance those persons who voted in favor of a rate being struck might not pay as much iu the aggregate as the person who might be against it. If a show of hands were taken and mere were against than for the rate did that mean a majority of votes against it 1 The Chairman thought they did not need to call a public meeting. The members of the Board were there to do the best they could for rhe ratepayers. Mr Farrell was in favor of a public meeting being called. Mr Maslin said the Board had acted illegally in the past. The Act distinctly eays the Board rnut-t strike a rate, even though they only went through the form .And did not collect it.

The Chairman then read this section of the Act. Mr Farrell said if they got £ for £ ho would certainly be in favor of a rate. The Chairman said they must go by the Act and strike the rate and leave to .future consideration the advisability of collecting it or not. Mr Taylor agreed with this course and mo ved—“ That the clerk be instructed to prepare a rate book on the basis of a rate of three farthings in the £." —Seconded bv Mr Maslin and carried. ’This being all the business the Board adjourned. - '