RATEPAYERS' MEETING AT CAMBRIDGE.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1421, 11 August 1881, Page 3

RATEPAYERS' MEETING AT CAMBRIDGE.

c Lively Proceedings. A somewhat lively meeting of the rate- & payers of the Pukekura district was held i at the school-room on Monday evening last , at 6 o'clock, when there were about 40 s persons present. The object of the meet- - ing — which was called by the Chairman v of the Pukekura Highway Board — was to give those ratepayers of Cambridge West, who are desirous of forming an inde- ! pendent Board for the management of f their local concerns, an opportunity of . showing to tho satisfaction of all parties r concerned that their separation from the s Pukekura District, to which they have j hitherto belonged, is a desirable and benec ficial step, Their ability, in case of their . end being accomplished, and a Board i formed,- to maintain the roads of the dis1 trict in thorough repair and in their usual j, good condition was also to be demon3 strated. Mr Lake occupied the ohair ; throughout the meeting. s Mr Keeley was the first speaker. He 3 referred at great length to the advant tages accruing from their action in form- [ ing a Board for Cambridge West. t Property which was then useless would t . become valuable, and people would be ! enabled by the formation of roads and r right-of-ways to their acres to build ) cottages, clear the laud and drain it, and thus enhance the value of their holdings. Unless they were enabled to do so, their side ot the river would remain as in the pa&t — a barren waste and valueless ; property would not be worth having, and people, especially the working classes, would lament over the futility ot their speculations. If Cambridge West was ever to become a township — which it was ultimately destined to become— and keep pace with the times, it was indispensable that a Town Board should be formed to levy and collect rates for roads and bye-ways, and administer to its wants in general. There being no time like the present to accomplish this, immediate and decisive action should be their object. Nothing could be done in the way of advancement if they remained under the soothing father-and-child influence of the Pukekura Highway Board, and he was certain it was not desirable to become incorporated with their enterprising friends across the x*iver under the Town Districts Bill, which was shortly to be made law. As to the financial aspect of the affair, he could not see that they would not be as able in the future as the Pukekura Board was at present to maintain the principal roads in the district of which they were speaking. Two shillings per chain was sufficient for the maintenance of the main road for the next twelve months, which would entail at the very extreme an annual cost of £25. Though the rates at present collected in the district did not far exceed this amount, they could not loose sight of the fact that a subsidy would be forthcoming ; also, impounding fees, dog licenses, and several other minor items from various other sources would be available. Again, Cambridge West had become a mere run for the cattle of their Oriental neighbours, who followed up a most successful system of depasturing and fattening cattle on the grand pasture iands of their western paradise, and barely left a blade of natural pioduce upon which the cattle of the west side property-holders could eke out an existence. This was a state of things they wished to put an end to, and the foiniation of a local Town Board was the only way to compass the difficulty. As to their vaunted inability to form a Board with the men of their side of the river, such talk was too frivolous to admit of any serious consideration or lengthy explanation on his part. The Chairman remarked that Mr Keeley was mistaken in the matter of dog license money, as it went to the County Council. Mr Keeley said he had been informed that they should not only have the clog money, but that they should also receive something from the County Council. Tbo Chairman did not see what benefit they would derive from having a Board of their own, and was anxious to know how they would maintain the roads in good repair with the small amount of rates at their disposal, and in the event of their attaining their end they would have two hostile Boards looking after them about the good repair of the roads. A Scene. Mr Madigan having risen to address the meeting, Mr Fitzgerald intorposed, and moved that Mr Madigan be not heard, as he had not paid any rates. Mr Madigan maintained his right to speak, he having been liable to be rated. Mr Fitzgerald having convinced the chairman that Mr Madigan had no lociib htandi, that gentleman was accordingly ruled out of order. Mr Madigan submitted to the chairman's ruling. Mr Bright maintained that Mr Madigan was unjustifiably put down. He remembered in ]867, when there was a case of a like nature brought before the Supreme Court. It was then decided that any individual holding 1 property in a Road Board District, whether under lease or freehold, and being liable to be rated was also at liberty to take part in the debates or business relative to the district in which he resided. He could not refrain from expressing his surprise that a more Jaok- '. in -office ' like' Mi* Fitzgerald should be allowed to jump' down.' the throat of a respectable ratepayer, and contradict him and call him a liar point blank. Such conduct was unseemly and opprobrious.' He knew Mr Fitzgerald' thoroughly, and a great many more of them knew him, and he would, particularly request all present to look at him. Yes, to look at him ! and . say, whether ho was like aiman who ■ would dog people through street after ' street for a few 'paltry shillings, or stick up a respectable person t at a peacei al teameeting for an amount qf 2s rates, , ' Mr Fitzgerald vehemently contradicted Mr Bright' 8 statements. That gentleman, , he said, had not yet paid his ratesMr Bright said as far as he could understand the Act, Mr Madigan had a perfect right to speak. Anyhow they had met there that evening for the purpose of establishing a Tdw-n Board, and i something was. t9 be. done. It was origin nally intended io have* Wo ' township^— Easfc and West. ' At' I;he 'time!'' the other. .■Board was f orlhed 1 there was n6t sufficient 'population on' the' West' aide >to 'fawtv a! township. < These people therfcMa' 1 had got tacked on to'th'e Pt&ekWa 1 ' district, land what ta'tesi We 1 :^ 'do\Uwesxveiit tb f the PiikekAii* Board. ' ~Th6y 'baft'riowa 'right %a collect their own rates (according I 'io ''theirfefcpres'sea desire)! "foM I 'themselves) into a aeparalie' township; aiitl cany o^ti '. '.their owifc'busine'Ss ifi< their 6wn (i way.' 'They^didin^waniJtob^Skebt'undei 1 tnq ? sheltering "wings of ifH^'WeM Mr Hewitt, iAttd^othe't inaividuall7a ) oro34"tlie l Therefore, all«'th'6y>(the*o*pri'osition)'bM to do ,W t<J '&mfo Wtfee ife^uest of the " peapfeiftnd/let thqint^hate their own Board tg 3 manage tbieiiHown affairs. He would : refer them^to the^A>tftelatiogitot;%e(;for4 raatioa of nevy towaships', There they

would find that if 17 householders in any district chose, to form themselves into a Board they had simply to ask the chairman of the Board to convene a meeting to hear the request that they desired to be cut off and form an independent Board of their own. Therefore, why try to stifle the growth of a place and deprive the residents of their legitimate rights, as well as retard their welfare. (Hear, hear). That wonderful individual yonder (pointing to Mr Fitzgerald) was trying to jump down the chairman's throat, but he would not jump down his (Mr Bright's). The Chairman rose to a point of order. Mr Bright : lam a ratepayer, and it's no fault of mine if he has not got his rates. Mr Fitzgerald : I have repeatedly applied to you for rates, but have never succeeded in getting any. Mr Bright : Your are a ; you are, sir. The Chairman again interposed to restore order, and with some difficulty induced Mr Fitzgerald, who had become visibly agitated, to resume his seat. After some further discussion, it was proposed and seconded "That Mr Madigan be permitted to take part in the meeting," which, on being put, was carried. Mr Madigan, in addressing the meeting, remarked that they were as much entitled to a Board as Cambridge East. The rates gathered in the Pukekura District were not spent in their part of the district, but in and about Pukekura and the Swamp Road. If people in Cambridge West had access to their acres, houses would be built, and the place would go ahead. Mr Bright then proposed "That this meeting having heard the opinions of the settlers of Cambridge West respecting forming themselves into a separate highway district under a local Board, hereby recommends them to do so, and separate themselves from Pukekura Highway District. " In speaking to the resolution, Mr Bright remarked such places as Kihikihi and Alexandra enjoyed the privilege they asked to enjoy, and why should they be restrained when such townships as these were going ahead ? He also referred at some length to the relation in respect to trade between Auckland and Onehunga, the former having traded on the unfortunate accident which happened to a man-of-war in the harbour of the latter in 1864, and compared Cambridge East with Auckland in this respect. Were men who had acres on the West side of the river to be coerced and trampled upon by a few East Cambridge residents who had reached the top of the ladder of prosperity, and who thought that their less fortunate neighbours should be content with a mere tolerated existence ? No ! Such a state of things was not to be borne for one single moment — the curtailing of the rights and privileges of one subject for the petty aggrandizement of another. The Chairman again called Mr Bright to order, Avho submitted to the ruling of ths chair. Mr Keeley seconded Mr Bright's motion. The Chairman then entered upon a lengthy explanation of the probable income of the new body. The rates collected last year only amounted to £16 14s 9d, and this would only secure a very limited subsidy. Mr McKinnon addressed the meeting 1 at some length, dwelling upon the desirability of a local Board. The scandalous state of the streets in Cambridge East, which, in all probability, would be the same with their side if incorporated with the East. Ho also referred to the action of the Cambridge Domain Board in surveying their property off for disposal by lease. The Chairman explained how Cambridge West stood in respect to the leasing of the Domain lands. He remai'ked that had it not been for a few energetic gentlemen in the East Township they would have had no Domains reserve whatever. As to the expense of surveying, these men had become, personally responsible at the bank for the amount necessary for this and like purposes relative to the Domain reserve. Mr Bright maintained that the present action of the Domain Board was to deprive the people of the West side of the river the liberty of depasturing their cattle on several hundred acres of their reserves for many years to come. Mr Hioks moved as an amendment "That the ratepayers of Cambridge West have utterly failed to show this evening, their ability, from a financial point of view, to form themselves into a Town Board. " The amendment was seoonded by Mr Wm. Keynolds. The Chairman thought the action of the West ratepayers was premature, though he was perfectly aware that their side of the river would be a township some day. He did not see how they were to form the roads, or even ropair existing ones with, theif apparent income, which was very small. He failed to see the hole in the corner, business which Mr Bright had alluded to hvrespect of the Domain reserves. Their - subsidy would only amount to 7s 6d in the £ and that would not bring them very muoh. In referenoo to Mr Madigan's remarks relative to the extra water rates, Mr Hewitt informed those present that as he knew something about the affair he would tell them that those who lived within 100 yards of the main road, and did not take wator would have to pay only half rates, and those outside that none whatever. _ Mr Hitchson remarked that the other side were simply wanting an amalgamation that they might have their ratos, to keep their roads in repair, to which Mr Hewitt replied that .620 (their present revenue), would not go far. The amendment was then put, and lost, after which the motion of Mr Bright was put and carried, there being about 17 for 10 against it. The motion was declared carried, and the meeting dissolved.