RAILWAY DISTRICT.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 15313, 14 August 1923, Page 5

RAILWAY DISTRICT.

PUTARURU—TE AWAMUTU.

DISSOLUTION PRAYED FOR.

RATEPAYERS’ PROTEST,

By Telegraph.—Special to Times, WELLINGTON, Monday,

Mr J. A. Young, speaking on the Te Awamutu-Putaruru local railway, said Hie people within the railway district had discovered after the railway district. was constituted- that they were included in a ratepaying area. Some of them were many miles away from anywhere where the railway was likely to be constructed by the board, and they were asking for exclusion from the rating area. Quite a number of them had paid their rates under protest. They had allowed themselves to be summoned because they-could never be benefited if a railway were constructed. The railway board had entered Into considerable liabilities for the survey of the railway from Te Awamutu to Putaruru, but the whole scheme was far beyond the financial capacity of the district, and the board had -therefore to meet -current liabilities and resolved not to construct a railway, but merely to carry on and raise in the form of a rate sufficient revenue to pay -off existing liabilities. They had now reached -the stage when they were practically able to liquidate their liabilities. There was no power at law under which a railway board could dissolve itself; therefore they asked for legislation in that direction. He thought that was about all that was asked for now. It was impossible that any portion of a district or section of ratepayers, although perhaps unfairly included, -could now get exemption, and the suggested plan was to provide means to wind up the whole thing and dissolve the hoard.