TARATAHI ROAD DISTRICT.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXIV, Issue 2921, 27 November 1869, Page 5

TARATAHI ROAD DISTRICT.

* TO IHE EDITOR OF THE INDEPENDENT. Wellington, Nov. 24, 1869. Sir, — As you have published in your paper tho accounts (sent you by your correspondent in the Wairarapa) of the proceedings of the meeting of ratepayers of the Taratahi Road District, held on the 6th inst, I shall feel obliged if you will insert the accompanying letter, being a copy of one sent by me to the Chairrnau of the meeting to be hold I en the 27th inst. — I am, &c, j Henry Bunny. Wellington, Nov. 23. Sir, — Being in town attending sitting of Provincial Council, ,1 am unablo to atteud meeting of ratepayers of the Taratahi Eoad District, to be held on Saturday next, the 27th inst, which otherwise it was my intention to do ; therefore shall be obliged if you will read this letter to tho meeting, as, by so doing, you will put before them the reasons why my son refused to pay tho amount of the last rat 6. At tho meeting of ratepayers held in 1867 it was agreed that a certain road should be made from Carterton towards Masterton, across the Taratahi Plain, distance about eight miles. Of course this length of road could not be made out of one year's rates, but it was understood that a sufficient rate should be made from year to year, until such road was oompleted. Now the land occupied by my son is situated at the Masterton end of the proposed road, and therefore such road would not be of any use to him until it was made throughout. My soa paid the rate made at this meeting of 1867, amounting to £25 5s 6d, believing that the ratepayers would keep faith, aud at their next annual meeting make a sufficient rate to enable the proposed road to be proceeded with. ga; My son attended the annual meeting in 1868, and himself proposed a rate of 3d per acre (being a similar rate to that made the previous year) for the purpose of raising sufficient funds to carry on such road. This was opposed, and a rate of Id an acre was carried on a show of hands (not in tho manner required by the 6th section of the act) probably by the votes of those who were benefited by the road as far as it was made, and did not care to see it carried further. This being the result of the meeting, of course there were no funds to carry on tho proposed road, and therefore the money already paid by my son was thrown away. These are the reasons why he has refused to pay the rate, unless it was legally enforced. Mr Perry, chairman of tho late Board, lays great stress on my having promised him to pay the rate. It i 3 true I promised to pay it on behalf of my son, on the condition that the money should be laid out on the proposed road, but this ho told me could not bo done, as the money had been expended elsewhere. I then told him I must have a clear understanding with the Board ; that the road would bo carried on and completed before I adrised my son to pay tho rale. Mr Perry then told me that if it was not paid the Board would bo obliged to summons me. I answered', if you summons me I shall resist it, as I am satisfied tho proceedings of the Board are illegal from beginning to end. I also at that time was ignorant of what I consider most unfair conduct on tho part of the Board. Mr Perry, the chairman of the Board, and who is tho largest landholder in the district, persuaded the Wardens, at a small meeting of that body, to assess only a Id rats on the land on the East side of the plain, which includes tho whol6 of Mr Perry's land, and by so doing Mr Perry only paid £9 5s 6d, as compared with £25 5s Gd paid by my son, although Mr • Perry is a much larger landholder. Therefore I considor I was perfectly justified in refusing to pay the rate, wnen the whole of the circumstances connected with the making and the action of the Board of Wardens in assessing the same came to my knowledge. • My son is perfectly willing, even now, to pay the rate, provided the road, for the making of which the rate of 1867 wa3 made, is in good faith carried on with the intention of completing it. — I am, &c, Henry Bunny. To fche Chairman of the meeting of tho ratepayers of the Taratahi Road District.