THE MINISTER OF MINES IN LAWRENCE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1800, 3 June 1891, Page 3

THE MINISTER OF MINES IN LAWRENCE.

The Hon. Mr Seddon, Minister of Mines, accompanied by Mr Scobie Mackenzie, M.H.R., Mr Hales (acting-Engineer-in-Chief) and Mr Ussher (District Engineer), arrived in Lawrence about 8.30 o'clock on Saturday night. Shortly after his arrival, Mr Seddon received a deputation from tlie Tuapeka County Council, consisting of Messrs Oudaille ' (chairman), Henry, Michael, and Woods (treasurer), who were introduced by his Worship the Mayor. Mr Oudaille represented to the Minister that the resources of the County Council were much dimished by the abolition of the gold duty, and also by their having to support the hospital, and in consequence, they had a difficulty in maintaining the main roads. He suggested that the Government might see their way to assist county councils by returning to them a proportion of the property tax raised within the county borders. In reply to questions put by the Minister, he deputation stated that the net loss as between the gold duty and rates on mining property was about £2000'; but including the maintenance of the hospital, the loss amounted to £3000. The county ratepayers were-rated up to |d in the pound, »nd the cost of maintaining the road in the Lawrence end of the county had been £700 for the last three months. The Minister asked whether any vehicle tax was imposed. Mr Oudaille replied that carriers paid a small annual license fee, the maximum being £4, but the proceeds by no means coveredcOie damage done to the road. • The Minister remarked that on the West Coast carriers would not be allowed to carry on their waggons such heavy loads as he had seen that day on a 2in to 3in tire, the effect of which on the road was about equal to that of a plough. Mr Woods produced the last balance sheet of the County Council, from which it appears that the amount that had accrued during the year from gold duty amounted to €1364 14s 10d. The Minister for Works said the position

appeared to be the same as in other counties—they were " hard up," and wanted the Government to do something for them as the only panacea for their difficulty. There was, however, nothing like plain speaking, and he thought that before counties went to the Government for assistance they should exhaust the means of obtaining revenue within themselves. It was quite true that the local bodies had suffered a loss owing to the abolition of the gold duty, but Parliament were aware what the result would be when they abolished the duty, and they considered that if they granted relief to the mining community the local bodies must curtail their expenditure or must exhaust their power of rating up to six farthings, besides which they would have the Government subsidy upon the rates. It seemed to him that it was scarcely fair for the Tuapeka County Council to ask their ratepayers to maintain their roads for the benefit of residents in other counties. He suggested that the council should go into the question of tires, as with the weights that were put on drays travelling on the road each tire became a plough, and he could understand that in wet weather the drays got up to the axles in the mud. The State, however, was to some extent- profiting by the roads in connection with the carriage of mails, and he had always thought that where main roads were used for the conveyance of mails under contract the State should contribute to the cost of maintenance. It was onl} on that ground that I lie would say the State should be asked to do anything in the matter. He made no promises, but he did intend to bring this phase of the question before Parliament. Mr Oudaille mentioned also the matter of the erection of a punt and construction of roads at Eankleburn, which the County Council had undertaken to perform at a cost of f;800 on behalf of the Government, who, however, now offered £700. ftf t The Minister for Works observed that there must be a mistake somewhere, and undertook to bring the matter before the Minister for Lands, in whose department this work was. After paying a hurried visit to the Blue Spur on Sunday morning, Mr Seddon took - his departure about ten o'clock by special train for Kaitangata.