MEETING AT TINWALD.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1279, 13 June 1884, Page 2

MEETING AT TINWALD.

A meeting convened by Mr I. B. 0. 0. Graham, for the purpose of discussing the advisableness of forming a Town Board for Tinwald, was held last evening in the local schoolhouae. There were about forty persons present, and Mr Graham occupied the chair. The Chairman explained the object of the meeting, and read the provisions of the Act bearing on the question. It was necessary to farm a Committee of seven to regulate the boundaries and draft the petition. Mr Fooks had promised to prepare maps, and when the petition was open for signature they would find who were in favor of it and who wore not. If

the Committee were appointed it would give the inhabitants time to consider the question before coming to a conclusion, Mr Purnell said that no doubt the Chairman and others who thought with him had gone into the question of income and expenditure. There were some, however, who had not done so, and for the benefit of these he would ask the Chairman to give the meeting some information ob the subject. The Chairman said that it was possible to form a fairly accurate idea of the probable income and expenditure of a Town Board from studying the accounts of the Longbeach Road Board. There they would see the sums spent in Tinwald and the sums collected. Speaking roughly he would say that LSO had been expended and 3-stha of this had gone to repair main roads, to pay the Clerx’a salary and disburse lawyers’ fees, the litter being merely throwing good money after bad.

The Chairman then read a letter from Messrs R. Wilkin and Co, who had been the original propiietors of Tinwald, in which a strong objection was made to the formation of a Town Board, as it would deter people from settling there. He (the Chairman) thought the writer was in error, and if he had been present he would have taken a more lenient view of the matter. They did not want to form a Borough, but if the Town Board were established Tinwald would still be under the County. He did not think there would be any need for paid officers in a am ill Board liko there would be, as the Committee couid do the work without much trouble. Woolston paid their clerk LSO a year, and perhaps Tinwald might in the future, when the place grew, do the same, but at present they could not afford it. Mr Purnell thou>ht that the first thing to be considered was the probable expenditure and income, and for that retson he had put the question to the Ohai man, which had not been answered. Admitting that Tinwald was not well off under the Road Board, was it certain that they would be better off under the Town Board ? He would point out that by bringing the locality under the Town Board District Act they would render themselves liable to greatly increased taxation. Under clause 37 every inch of land would be liable to a general rate of Is. The present was a most unsuitable time for such a movement'as Mr Graham suggested. Ashburton, for example, started under good auspices. They had a subsidy from the County Council and the General Government, and yet the Borough was at the present time very badly off Then they would render themselves further liable for rates imposed for special works, and thirdly they would* have power to raise loans, a power which had done harm to other districts where it had been exercised. At the same time they would have to pay the County rates as well. The value of property in Tin--wald was increasing, and they should en courage people to come there by making the rates as light as possible, instead of increasing the burdens. The Chairman had not given a tittle of evidence to show what would be the income, nor could he agree with Mr Graham in his idea that the officials of a Town Board would do the work gratuitously. The Chairman said that before proceeding farther he would like to know whom Mr Purnell represented. Was he a householder 1 Mr Purnell would ask the Chairman the same question. The Chairman said he was there as a member of the Road Board, and he had convened the meeting.. Mr Purnell referred to clause 16 of the Act to explain his position there. The ratepayers were interested, and he hoped that the whole question would be fairly discussed. Resuming his remarks, he would point out that the effect of increasing the rates would be to depreciate property. They saw that in Ashburton people lived outside the Belt for the pur-

pose of escaping rates, and the same thing would happen in Tinwald. He hoped to see Tinwald in time have a Town Board, and even become a Borough, but the ratepayers should at this stage understand clearly the effect of any change. A Town Board was not precisely the same as a Road Board. The former body would have to keep a clerk and treasurer, not necessarily paid officers, but his (the speaker’s) experience did not lead him to expect the work would be done for nothing.

. The Chairman asked Mr Purnell to quote the clause of the Act to show such officers were necessary. Mr Purnell complied with this request, and, continuing, said that he was struck with the fact of the present being an inopportune'moment for the change suggested. He knew the Chairman was a gentleman of advanced and liberal views, and on this subject be was a trifle in advance of their requirements. The Chairman said that before answering Mr Purnell he must press to know from that gentleman for whom he was appearing? Mr Purnell considered he had a perfect right to join in the discussion, and the Chairman would do wisely to allow the matter to be fully considered. The Chairman said that in respect to what had been said about a Is rate, that

would be no new experience to ratepayers. He thought that Mr Parnell, as a ratepayer of the Longbeach Road Board, should have done what he (the -speaker) and others had, viz., overhauled the records of the office to ascertain the income and expenditure. The objection to a Town Board came from the large absentee landholders, but the Act was specially framed to protect householders against th’se gentlemen. Mr Ireas had expressed a friendly spirit towards Tinwald for the support that district had accorded him, and he felt sure their member would do his best to get their wishes carried out. In reply to a question, Mr Graham said that the constitution of a Town Board would not disturb the present management of the Domain. Ratepayers had nothing to do with the matter of a Town Board ; it rested entirely with the householders. Mr Collins suggested that the Chairman should read the Act, but this was not complied with. Mr Jones agreed with Mr Parnell, that the office work would not be dime without remuneration. Ho would like to see a statement of the probable receipts and expenditure. For his own pars he could net see that great advantages would be derived by the ratepayers. Those on the main roads would have their rates expended on the back streets, certainly without any benefit to themselves. The Chairman said that he had already pointed out chat unless the members of the Board were prepared to do the office work themselves, the district could not afford it. As to the income and expenditure, the ratepayers could easily calculate that for themselves. Ac present, as part of the Longbeach Road Board, they paid rates fur the maintenance, of main roads, whether they wished them or not.

Mr Purnell proposed—" That thia meeting adjourn until the conveners had determined the boundaries, and prepared a statement of receipts and expenditure. The Chairman said that he could not accept the resolution, as Mr Purnell was not a householder and had only been allowed to speak as a matter of courtesy, but ha had no part .or lot in the proceedings. Mr Purnell would bow to the ruling of the Chairman, but he thought that if the question could not bear ventilation, the change was not a very desirable one. Mr F. Lowe then moved, and Mr Bickerstaff seconded—" That a Committee of seven bo appointed to consider the matter, define the boundaries and place the proposal in working order. Mr Jones moved as an amendment, and Mr Bradshaw seconded—" That the meeting be_adjourned for a fortnight, and that in the meantime the Chairman be requested to prepare a statement of the probable receipts and expenditure of a Town Board. On being put to the meeting the motion was declared carried by nine votes to three.

A vote of thanks to the Chairman con eluded the proceedings.