Public Meeting at Taonui

Feilding Star, Volume IX, Issue 134, 12 June 1888, Page 2

Public Meeting at Taonui

A meeting ef the ratepayers of No. 5 ward, Manchester Road District, for the purpose of discussing the Eoad Board's proposals for raising a loan of £4000 was held in the Taonui schoolhouse last evening. About 30 persons were present. Mr Bull, Chairman of the Board and Warden for No. 5 ward, presided, and read the advertisement calling the meeting, explained its object, and also read the Board's proposals/ which have already been published. He stated that the proposals were on the same basis as on the former occasion - He said the meeting had been called in accordance with the Act, but he did not expect that much would be done at that meeting. He hoped those present would fully discuss the matter, and he would be glad to hear and answer any questions. Mr Fearce asked how it was proposed to raise the £1500 for the bridge. The Chairman explained that the Manawatu Eoad Board would share with the Manchester Eoad Board in the expenditure. Mr Fletcher asked if the Feildingr Borough Council would do anything in the matter. The Chairman said he did not think so. Mr Fletcher said the loan was toomuch for one ward to take upon itself, aud he thought a smaller loan might be carried. The Chairman partly agreed with the speaker as to the burden being | too much for one ward,' and that a rate should.be levied for the loan over the whole of tnTEDdistrict, Mr Fletchart sjill expressed his disapproval of No. .5 ward alone being levied for the bridge, and that it was* too great a .burden for the ward to take upon i&elf. He thought the FeUding -Borough would benefit ithe greatest by ; the bridge, and yet they refused to do anything in the .matter. The Chairman said it was very important to have the roads made, and they would never have a similar opportunity for raising the money. There was no other way of getting it but by No. 5 ward voting for it. '. '■ Mr Wratt said they had to pay a high rate already, and could not afford a still heavier. -.■■•-.• The , Chairman , explained, that the special rate proposed would not make it heavier for the ward than the wardsof some other, districts, neighboring on this, were now paying. He gave several instances of the great want of the Taonui road and the- bridge, r'^-. A desultory discussion followed, in which Mr E. Jones, Captain Campbell, and one or two others took part. The Chairman answered a number of questions as to matters of Retail in the expenditure. of the loan. :/-.. Mr Matherson said it was a disgrace the way the Board had -treated No. 5 ward. They had some five months ago voted for a loan for their roads, and why had the work not been doriarjK, He thought some^ members of .the Board were to blame, ; The -Chairman exonerated the Board, aud put the blame on to those in office under Government, the circumstances of which the ratepayers were already acquainted with. Mr Jones did not see what the schedule was needed for, and thought that a public body ought to have been entrusted with the expenditure of the loan. ; Several speakers expressed their opinion that it was a good' job the then proposal was not carried. They were already pay ing heavy rates, and not getting an-equivalent for it. Mr Matherson explained that certain ratepayers along the Taonui t ßunny% thorpe road were already paying a rate for the ward, and they could not expect them to vote for the loan. They had voted at the' last poll, but would not do so again. . „ . The Chairman did not sea why any who had voted before should. now withhold their support. He thought the Feilding people had stood in their own light by not having the road made years ago. By not doing sothey had simply been playing into the hands of Palmerston. V The meeting here took a conversational form, members of the meeting addressing and arguing, with each oa immaterial points. ; ' MV Walter Bailey proposed, That this meeting approves of the Board's proposals, and pledges itself to support the same on. polling day. . . . >-, Captain Campbell seconded the motion, followed by a few remarks as, to the desirableness of the Taonui road being done as soon as possible. Some further conversation of an informal character followed, .. • The Chairman put the motion, and on the negative side being put, five persens voted against it, and he declared it carried by the majority. The Chairman informed the meeting that a poll would T>e taken that day. week at Messrs Bailey's bffi^ceV. ' Mr. Fletcher asked if the loin was not carried could a of .the roads be made out of overdraft. . The Chairman explained the inipracticability of thi? befng done, jj* further said he did not approve of the present plan of separate "lfunds for each ward, and thought the revenue should to spent where : needed, irrespective of wards, fie should certainly advocate this course being adopted by the Board. He *ci& some statistics of last year's expenditure, showing the expenses of road making, and expressing his opinion that they were far too heavy, but he did not see how at present they cbuld.be avoided. v In answer-to, a question the Chairman said that nothing had yet been done to get the other road districts to lielpin the matter of the bridge, but I let. them. get this loan matter -settled, and then they would go to the other Boards. , ...*. f. After.some conversation aaso %fi S details of the voting for,.*he loan tifc?* meeting terminated with a vote of y tha.nk 8 to the Chairman. -