TARANAKI COUNTY EATE DEFAULTERS' LIST.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8790, 28 May 1890, Page 3

TARANAKI COUNTY RATE DEFAULTERS' LIST.

X) THE EDITOR.

Sib,-— To a thinking man it must be somewhat amazing to observe the apathy, or the indifference, of the ratepayers of the County of Taranaki as to how the business of the Council is transacted, their money spent, and, I may add, collected. I have waited some time with the hope that an abler pen than mine would comment upon these affairs, but as that hope has been in vain, I will, with your permission, make a few remarks upon these important matters. I noticed, in reading the report of the proceedings of the last meeting of the Council the, to me, hasty manner in which one resolution is rescinded and another carried.

Without any previous notice or, it seems to me, time for consideration, and not even a full Council, two of tne Council's officers receive a considerable addition to their salaries; and this is done in the face of an enormous overdraft. I say enormous, and I think it is so too, when we consider the rating powers of the County and tho heavy rates now levied. I wonder how many of the fanners in this county can say they have "made a rise " within the last year or two from the proceeds of their farms ! and I think we may also consider the difficulties under which the rates have been raised by many of tLe settlers, remembering the past season. This is a subject on which the mover of the resolution 1 have referred to cannot be ignorant, for if my information be correct, he took a very active part in representing to the Government the need of granting relief to somo of the settlers in tiiis district, he himself being a recipient of tho same. I remember, not ho very many years ago, a considerable discussion in t'.ie Council as to whether it should be paid Chairman and no Overseer, or an Ovemttsr and no pay to the Chairman ; now I see we have both.

It haß often appeared to me that a very unfair system existed in tho wuy the rateß were collected ; for whilst some pay on demand, others are allowed to run on for many months, and no attempt made to get ,tbe rates in, I think it would repay many of luy fellowratepayere to just step into the Council office and look over the defaulters' list lying there open for inspection. I would advise thorn to go when thoy^ have hcwo epwe time at their djaposal, rb it is a pretty }w§ Hit; m Jisrs we mso? kurjarud.B j>£

pounds to tot up, if they are so inclined, which I was not. They will, howevc •, I expect, be surprised to learn that I found the names of several of the Counci'ors on the defaulters' list ; and I would ask — Is iit fair ? Nay, is it honest ? Here are the I ratepayers paying a high interest on a ' heavy overdraft, and these defaulters I holding the money in their possession. I have often heard it stated that it is not the poorest man that is the longest wine"cd i n rate paying. If these gentlemen attempt to try this plan on with the harbour rato I am afiaid they would find themselves in the R.M. Court. And now, hoping that these few remarks may rouso some more , indignant ratepayer than myself to comment on this matter, — I am, &c, James Wade. Mangorei, May 27th, 18 f JO.