WAIMAKARIRI RATES.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18423, 2 July 1925, Page 3

WAIMAKARIRI RATES.

REDUCTION PROMISED. "That will please the ratepayers" said Mr "W. P. Spencer, at yesterday's meeting of the "Waimakariri River Trust, when Mr-tY. H. Manhire, chairman of the Finance Committee, announced that tho rates to local bodies would in future ho considerably reduced, probably by about one-half. Mr Manhire suggested that in view of the criticism that had been made concerning the amount of rates charged in the past, tho Trust should make arrangements to get representatives of local hiHties to make an inspection of the work that was being carried out in the direction of river protection. Such an inspection would, ho felt sure, make an end of all the growling that had taken place. The Trust had spent an enormous amount on survey which would not be seen, but tho other work that had been carried out was there as a testimony to the manner in which the rates had been spent. He had no doubt that such an inspection would give satisfaction. "After this year," ho added, "our rates will bo cut iu half, anyhow." The chairman (Mr J. H. Blackwcll) said that the suggestion was an excellent one, but tho inspection would, if it were to be successful, havo to he made in better weather than was being experiencexl at present. He thought that people had no idea of tho magnitude of the work that tho Trust had accomplished. Mr H. E. Peryman asked if the Trust had considered tho question of relieving the ratepayers by adopting some other manner of raising money than was in operation at present. An intmeuse amount had to be raised hy the present ratepayers. "Was it fair o'- - equitable, he asked, that present ratepayers should have, to pay this sum when in perhaps twenty years' time the public would get off scot-free? The chairman , said that after the matter had beeii fully gono into, it had been decided that it would he better to pay for the work out of revenue, and to strike a rate sufficient to enable this to he done, than by any other scheme, although Mr Opie, who had resigned from the Board, was «*• the opinion that the work should be paid for out of loan money. Mr Manhiro said that provision had had to be made to redeem SGOO debentures which at some time or other had been spent by the old Board, and was passed on to.the Trust, to redeem during the present year. Mr Spencer to Mr Peryman: You would <jo for a loan? —Yes. It was reported ':» that the .out-tff-pocket oxpenses in "connexion with the recent election had amounted to £179.Mr Spencer said that in the circumstances this was very gratifying and was an answer to those who had prophesied that the cost would he considerably higher.