MORE RATES FOR THE TARANAKI COUNTY RATEPAYERS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8829, 12 July 1890, Page 3

MORE RATES FOR THE TARANAKI COUNTY RATEPAYERS.

Vm. Elliot moved, "That the Council nrge npon its representatives the necessity of an amendment in * The Boads and Bridges Constrnetion Act' as will enable County Councils to borrow, trader' The local Bodies Loans Acts,* the necessary sums required for building or rebuilding large bridges, without the necessity of appealing to the ratepayers far their sane* tion."—•Carried.— From minutes of tiie Taranaki Courtly Council. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —The Taranaki County Council has passed a resolution to ask the Government to alter the law so as to enable the Council to levy a rate for the maintenance of the roads and bridges without getting the ratepayers 1 sanction. I take this to mean that they would then have the power fo levy the three-farthings general rate, and also a general rate for roads and bridges, the Hospital Rate, and the Charitable Aid Rate. As this resolution, if acted on by the Government, would mean the passing of an Act that would affect all counties bo materially such an alteration ought only to be made after consultation with other County Councils. The ratepayers? however, may rest assured that if power is given to levy a separate rate for the maintenance of bridges the argument will be "we only want it for a year or two" to put the bridges in repair; but it will eventually become an annual recurring rate. Take, for instances, when Provincial Governments were swept away and the Counties Act broughtin.ThethenFinanciai Arrangements Act provided a subsidy on the rates of the Road Boardp in the county, certain for five years. We all know that the Financial Arrangements Act was altered, so that the subsidy was not - paid for the five years. The counties were then able to carry on their work with the.subsidy. That being ewept away, a rate had to be levied. Then came the Roads and Bridges Construction Act, # the Crown and Native Lands Rating Act, providing, as a draw, that you may pay the interest if there is sufficient funds out of the general rate. Then the c was the New Plymouth Harbour rate, that was never going to be levied, or if it should be the time was so far distant, and the property would have increased in value so much, prosperity would have followed, and the rate would never be felt. The Government altered the land laws, and we have the rate without the prosperity, and it is felt. The Government also-threw the cost of management of the hospital and charitable aid on to the Couties —a charge that was before mar c on the Consolidated Revenue —giving power to pay the cost, if they could, out of the general county rate. Power was blbo given to levy a rate. Then we have the Loan to Local Bodies Act, enabling ,'ocal bodieß to borrow, which will no doubt be found, as is claimed, a useful little Act. Very useful while spending the loan and paying the interest out of it, possibly; but how useful time will tell, when there is no loan to spend and an extra rate < has to be levied for interest. Those local bodieß availing themselves of it will be able to speak feelingly on the matter. Now it is a matter of fact that while all these changes were going to work unheard of wonce.-tf, we were never to hear anything mo.d about roads or bridges —all had been so beautifully pro viced for. Had sot the Government Boards of money borrowed by millions to be used or/.y in reproductive works ? The country was to )?fco&>& & land. q£ GrQihcß to »U asa sundry

who chose to make it their home. Those millions are gone, and now the country feels it is not nearly so nice to be taxed to pay the interest as it was to spend the loan. It is very evident that all those Acts j that were to do so much for the country have only resulted in increased taxation. It behoves all ratepayers therefore to do their utmost to have the power of levying taxes left entirely in their own hands, or very soon they will find that taxation will take all the cash that is earned on their farms. A great deal has been said of the Taranaki Harbour Board not having paid the interest in full on the last half year's coupons, and that it would affect the credit of tho colony. So far as the credit of the colony is concerned it is a good job, for it will teach us to live within our means. There seems to be but oneddea, and that is to borrow ! borrow ! and that all there was to do was to go into the London market, where there would be no difficulty in getting any sum required. I should suppose that as the security of the bondholders of tho Taranaki Harbour Loan was altered by the Government, that they alone are responsible for the coupons not being met in full, inasmuch as the full rate was collected. The land revenue does not now come up to what was expected, but it was quite ample when the Act was passed ; and therefore with Jhose who changed the conditions of security rests all the blame. With this, however, is mixed up the question as to what good the I breakwater is. It is stated that the sand has come in, and so on. I cannot see that that was the fault of the Harbour Board, which I believe has done its best to carry out the trust imposed in the best possible manner on approved plans. Anything more than this the members were not elected for. It is absurd to think that a bqdy of men would sit down and decide on spending money believing it to bo useless. — I am, &c, Your Tikorangi Correspondent.