Rating Waimate.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 28, 4 August 1900, Page 2

Rating Wai mate.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — Permit me, through the j columns of the Advertiser, to suggest that His Worship the Mayor should call, a meeting of the ratepayers to protest against the attempt of the Titnaru Harbour Board to include the town of Waimate in the Timaru Harbour District. If no opposition is shown by the Borough ratepayers Parliament will, without doubt, give the Harbour Board what they ask for. It is difficult to understand the apparent apathy on this important matter. Requisitions are got up, complied with, and meetings called, presumably at the Borough's expense, to start singing clubs and revire languishing building societies which, after all, interest only & few people, and this harbour rate question is left alone, though it affects every pound's worth -of property' in the borough. What the reasons were which induced Parliament to exempt Waimate when the Harbour Distriou was constituted I do not know, but they were doubtless good and sufficient. Inihe meantims, large sums of money hay« been borrowed and spent, and the town of Waimate has had no voice in the matter, and now the Harbour Board would compel us to pay for debts we have not contracted. — I am, etc., Anti-Harbour Rate.

[Our corresgdnclent if in error when lie hints that the expenses in connection with the Orchestral" 'or tfie"Boilding Society are to be borne by the borough taxpayer. As regards the apathy

shown by His Worship the Mayor, we print the following circular letter which the Mayor is sending round to ih* various local tradespeople, for the purpose of getting information to bo submitted to a public meeting to bo held shortly. — Ed. A.] : — Dkar Sir, — In view of the proposal to include thB borough in the Timaru Harbour Eating District, I am anxious to gather boed© fairly definite inform- ! ation as to the actual export* and imports through the Timaru Harbour, so far as the traders of this borough are concerned. Could you, therefore, gire me a fairly accurate statement under the two headings of Exports and Imports, of what proportion of our stock or products are received or exported through the Harbour, e.g. : — Export : I export one- twelfth of Bay productions. Import : 1 import one-tenth of my stock. If your dealings with the Timaru Harbour Board are entail, kindly let me knew your most important means of importation or exportation. The information will be treated ai private, only general totals being made public. I would be glad of an' answer within a couple of days and of any enggestion you may wish to make, to ennblo rue to fully state the ease as viewtd by the Waimate trading community. — H. C. Barclay, Mayor.