Public Meeting at Campbelltown.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 263, 14 March 1894, Page 2

Public Meeting at Campbelltown.

A meeting of ratepayers in tie Horse Shoe Drainage District (Campbelltown) was held in the Campbell* ;own school house last evening. The ittendance was large. Mr Kanson was voted to the chair on the motion )f Mr W. Richmond, and after briefly reviewing the objects of the meeting le called on MrH. Sanson, who had icted as chairman of the committee appointed to work up the necessary preliminaries for constituting a new Drainage Board in the Campbelitown District. Mr Sanson expressed his pleasure it seeing so many present, and thought it was due to him to explain the reason why his name only appeared &t the foot of the advertisement conpening the meeting-. The reason was, the time was so limited that he had to "wire" the advertioement away, and he wished to save expense by making it as short . as possible. A committee of fire was appointed about twelve months ago to carry out; the wishes of the ratepayers to form a Drainage District, and a petition was accordingly prepared defining* the boundaries of the proposed district. It had been suggested to form a River Board in place of a Drainage Board, but that was quite foreign to the idea. asunder the former they could not open new drains, but under the latter they could. A second petition was subsequently forwarded to the Government asking them to constitute a a separate district according to the latter petition, which left out a portion of the land within the boundaries of the first petition, and took in other sections. Mr Sanson went to Wellington and with the Hon. V« Johnston interviewed the Government asking them to give effect to the latter petition. He then learned that if the majority of ratepayers interested wished to be formed into a new district their wishes would have to be acceded to. The last petition sent to the Government contained the names of thirty out of thirty, nine ratepayers, and this was despatched hurriedly to the Colonial Secretary, who was asked by Mr Sanson to have it Gazetted at once as a favor. After some delay and other communications with the Department, notice was received that the boundaries had been Gazetted on March 1 , also that nominations were to be in by March 15 (to-morrow) and that a poll should be taken on the following Monday, March 19. Campbelltown was lowlying and it was necessary they should have access to natural watercourses. He considered other sections should have been included within the boundary but he did not know when the schedule was drawn up whether they drained into this or some other watershed. Campbelltown was omitted from the district as it would cost more to collect the rates than the sections were rated for. The Act provides that it a section does not benefit it shall not be rated. The whole of the Kopani was originally included but Mr Johnston objected and they had to alter the boundary, leaving out about half the estate. The Board would only have control over and keep clean those water courses within the district and no other water could be turned into the drains within such. The rateable value was fixed by assessors who had no property in the district. He had made a rough calculation of the rateable value of the land and found that in first-class land (or that which derived a direct tenefit), there was value of £59,625 which "would yield, with a half-penny rate, £124 4s 4d ; secondclass land (that which derived a less benefit) £13,248, at a three-eights rate, yielded .£2O 13s 5d ; and thirdclass land (only receiving an incidental benefit) £9,442, at a farthing rate, would yield £9,7s 6d ; total £154 15s 3d. The large drains would cost from 2s Cd to 3s to clean out in dry weather and the smaller ones might be cleaned for Is 6d, and there were from four and a half to five miles of the latter which might reasonably be called public drains. A rate sufficient to cover the cost of clearing would have to bo struck and if new drains were opened he thought it advisable to borrow money under the Government Loans to Local Bodies Act. Iv reply to questions Mr Sansou said Mr Knight's section was included to secure a direct line, but it was competent for that gentleman to confer with the Board, when appointed, and if the water flowed iv another direction bis appeal would have to be upheld. The boundaries had been fixed for convenience in working. Any properties could at any time be included within the boundaries by petition to the Government. If any one would not join in, their drainage water could be stopped from draining into the Board's ditches. It was at Mr Johnston's request part of the Kopani had been left out. It was impossible for even an angel of light to come down and please everyone. [A voice: "I do not wish to find fault with Mr Sanson, but wish to get as much out of Mr Johnston as possible."] Mr Sanson did not think any toll could be charged for water run-. ning into Sluggish creek. If people allowed their cattle to trespass on drains they would be responsible for any damage done. The Act provided that if anyone was troubled with storm water the Board may make the drain and divide the cost according to the benefit to land owners. He considered that it ; would be fairer to rate on acreage than on the value, but the Board had no choice unloss everyone would sign &. v covenant pledging themselves to agree to the acreage rate. Mr Hockings thought that everyone should cut their own drains before the Board took them over. Mr J. Costall considered the question of boundaries of greater importance than that of rating, and asked Mr Sanson if he compiled the list of sections submitted to constitute the district. Mr Sanson : No, the committee did. Mr Anderson, as a member of 4 the committee, said that the boundaries originally agreed on were drawn up by the four coramitteenien present. Mr Costall said the question wasi What would have to be paid for the improved carriage of water. The Board wouldhaye tQ-b*-¥e^care£»J wjth $c? gard to monetary 'matters, anMt ijfe waß necessary that five of their best n*eu should be elected. .S-.-'.. In reply to Mr Bauson, Mr Sanson said he had not made an estimate of the probable working expenses, but that they would be arranged as cheaply as possible by the Board. Mr Anderson thought an unimproved *'alue would have been a fairer ba.sjs for rating, as some sections were valued ac JklO and others at ±9, the difference being caused by buildings— rwhich dirt not cause water. Some ratepayers had to pay as much for 100 acres as others for. 200, and that was not fair. He thought the acreage the best basis and to bg

rated according to advantage. If the; were to be taxed for new drains thosi beuefitting immediately should be mad' to pay. The usual vote to the Chairmai closed the meeting.