MEETING AT MORNINGTON.

Evening Star, Issue 4306, 14 December 1876, Page 4

MEETING AT MORNINGTON.

A large number of residents in the Mornington district attended the adjourned meeting held in the Hall last evening, to consider how the district is affected by the Counties Act.

The Chairman (Mr H. Law) explained that the sub-committee appointed at last meeting had had two lengthy sittings, and the assistance of two members of Parliament, and three solicitors. The result of the work of the committee was embodied in the following report:— 1. That the Counties Act will not affect the present position of the Hoad Board, but that body will retain its powers to levy rates and carry on works as formerly, and that they will receive a subsidy to the extent of one pound for every pound of the rates levied.

“ 2. That the County Council will receive a further subsidy of one pound for every Sound of the rates raised in the Mornington istrict.

“3. That the County Council has power to levy rates in addition to those levied by the Road Board to the extent of one shilling in the pound. “4. That the County Council has power to borrow to the extent of a sum equal to four years’ rates. “5. That should the County Council exercise the borrowing powers possessed by them, and the inhabitants of Mornington Road District afterwards be desirous of being formed into a municipality, the new municipality would he obliged to take o*er a share of the liability of the County Council, such share being assessed by the Commissioners of Audit.

“6. That the County Council has the gower of determining what roads within the ounty shall be deemed main or County roads, and these County roads are the only roads of which the County Council have the care and management. “7. That the County Council may pay to the Road Board out of the County funds such moneys as it thinks fit, to be expended by the Board on works within the road district.

“ Your committee are of opinion that the Momington district will derive no benefits from the County system. There are at present no main roads in the Momington district, and your committee are afraid that, with the fractional representation which the district will possess in the County Council, none of the roads will be constituted County roads by the County Council, nor is it likely that any share of the County funds will be handed over to the Road Board for expenditure.

“ Your committee are also of opinion that there will be several disadvantages arising from being subject to the County Council—as, for example, there will be liability for portion of any debt which may be contracted, as well as the risk of increased taxation, with little prospect of any of the moneys derived from either source being expended in the district, and that it is desirable that some steps should be taken to prevent the district forming part of the Taieri County.

“Two courses were suggested to your committee, the one being that every endeavor should be made to join Dunedin, and the other that the district should be formed into a separate municipality. The former coarse cannot be adopted, as the Municipal Act of last session does not apply to Dunedin, and it is not at all probable that Dunedin will be brought under the operation of that Act, as the Dunedin Corporation made strenuous efforts while the Bill was before Parliament to get a Bill of their own passed, “The only alternative left is, therefore, to have the district formed into a municipality. This course will leave the district in a position similar to that which it has hitherto held under the Road Board, and the change will be merely a change of name. The expense of carrying on the municipality need not exceed that of the Road Board. The subsidy receivable by the Municipal or Borough Council will be the same as that receivable as a Road Board, aud the Borough Council will have power to borrow for necessary works when empowered by a special vote of three-fifths of the ratepayers. Besides other advantages, the district would reap some slight pecuniary benefit, were it formed into a municipality, as it would receive til the license fees, dog taxes, &c., levied within the district. The forming of the district into a municipality would not in any way prevent the district subsequently joining Dunedin, should the City hereafter be in a position and willing to agree to that course.

“ It is the unanimous conclusion of your committee that the interests of the district will be best served by immediate steps being taken to form the present road district into a municipality under the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1876.” Mr. A, Bathgate moved, “That steps be at once taken to form the road district of Momington into a municipality.” The Hon. Mr Reynolds had been much averse to forming Mornington into a municipality ; but seeing the position in which they were placed in connection with the Taieri County, he thought there was no better course open to them than to form themselves into a municipality. It was to be regretted that the Government did not see their way to relieve them from being placed in such a position. He demurred altogether to the view taken by Mr M'Lean—namely, that the Government were anxious they should form themselves into a municipality in order to save payments from the Colonial funds. They contributed largely to the Colonial funds, and he thought it canie with a very bad grace from any member of the Government to make such a remark.—(Applause.)

The motion was carried, with only one dissentient. A petition in favor of a municipality was largely signed in the room.