GLORIOUS ISOLATION.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 17895, 15 June 1920, Page 8

GLORIOUS ISOLATION.

UNFORTUNATE AHU AHU SETTLERS. SEEK COMMUNICATION WITH OUTSIDE WORLD. A deputation from the Waitotara County Council, consisting of Messrs Morrison (chairman), and Crs. Burnet. Jones and Ross, waited upon the Patea County Council to discuss the matters cf the maintenance of the Watershed Road and county boundaries. Messrs Addenbrooke, Symes, and Jones, three of the settlers affected, also attended. Mr Morrison said they had not come there in any hostile spirit, but simply to talk the matter over amicably. About five years ago, they altered the boundaries. They had given these a trial, but they had not worked satisfactorily. The settlers along the Watershed Road were served by the Waitotara Countyroads. The Waitotara County Council had for the past few years been worried by these settlers, and had given them relief. This work should have been done by the Batea County Council. The total amount. Waitotara County Council had expended was £l4O. and they held that Patea County should pay half of this. What they had specially come there that day for, however, was to ask that these properties should be merged in Waitotara County. Cr. Ross said that some of the ratepayers in the district mentioned had suffered from misapprehensions in the past. He hoped both counties would consider the subject impartially, and adjust the matter definitely. The owners wished to join Waitotara County, and he hoped Patea would agree to this. In the event of them not coming to an agreement, would Patea County be willing to maintain the road? The chairman said that in putting that question, Cr. Ross was assuming a negative reply would be coining from Patea. Such a question should come after their deliberations had been completed. Mr Morrison laid on the table a letter from Mr H. Amess, who stated that his property at Mangapapa was worked from Waitotara, and he considered that it should be merged in Waitotara County. Mr Jones said the owners of property in this district were anxious to go in with the Waitotara settlers in forming a special rating area to improve their roads. At present they had no road access to Patea from their district, and he saw no prospect of their ever obtaining such. The chairman of the Patea County Council had always tried to deal fairly with Waitotara. Five years

ago they had had a conference, and had arrived st a compromise. Shortly after this Waitotara County had made a claim on Patea for maintenI ance of roads at the northern end. The settlers along the Watershed Road had been treated exactly as every other part of the County. It was the Council’s policy to remit 10/ in the £ of all fates collected to the districts from which they were collected. The whole trouble was that the rates collected were not sufficient to maintain the road along their frontages. They had many similar instances throughout their county, and no doubt Waitotara County had the same. Cr. McGregor asked what the area of the property proposed to be taken over was. Mr Jones replied about. 6000 acres. Cr. Burnet said that last year Waitotara County had expended £BOO on the road, and this year were preparing to spend a further £1 300. Patea County had not expended a single penny. The settlers were anxious to improve the road, but could not make progress because it was a boundary road between the counties. When the deputation had withdrawn, the Council went into committee to consider the subject. On resuming in open Council, it was explained that the following motion, proposed by Cr. Murphy, and seconded by Cr. Walker, had been carried: “That this Council agree to hand over sections Lot 1 of Mangapapa B 1 Block VI., Lot 4 Mangapapa Bl to Waitotara County Council, but that this commission should not be regarded as a precedent as regards other properties in the future; also that the Council pay the amount of £55 17/6 to Waitotara County Council previously offered all necessary work and expenses as regards to alteration of boundaries, to be borne by Waitotara County Council.” On the motion of the chairman, seconded by Cr. Taylor, it was agreed that the Council could not see its way to agree to the transfer of Moore Bros, property to the Waitotara County Council. The deputation was then again called into the room. The chairman informed the deputation that the Council had gone very fully into the matter, and while they may not have conceded all the deputation had asked, yet they had stretched a point in granting what they had done. The matter had been a bone of contention between the two counties for some time and they hoped it had now been amicably settled. Mr Morrison said the question certainly had been a point of dispute, and he could tell them that Waitotara was certainly not satisfied yet. He would like to know what good and sufficient reason Patea had for refusing to agree to transfer the Moore Estate. The chairman said the paramount reason was that the settlers desired the Council to raise a loan to metal their road. Mr Morrison said they as a deputation had no power to settle the matter. However, he would put their

decision before his Council the next day. Waitotara had to expend £l4O on this road in 1 area County, and he considered Patea should pay this amount. The chairman: You have expended that sum on a Government road, a policy this Council has never followed. Mr Morrison: Perhaps we are more sympathetic than you are. The chairman : Comparisons are odious, and I consider in this instance unfair. Mr Morrison: I did not mean it in that way, and intend no discourtesy. The plain fact was that these settlers had no access, and we helped them. Cr. Murphy: Y'ou were robbing yourselves. Mr Morrison: We often do, but we prefer to do that to robbing somebody else. Mr Morrison then thanked the Council for having received the deputation, and the latter withdrew.