Meeting of Settlers at Umuton.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 132, 3 December 1895, Page 2

Meeting of Settlers at Umuton.

[from ovb own cobbespondekt. i A meeting of ratepayers in til© Unintoi riding took place on Saturday, 30th November, at the residence of Mr Carrie, Makiki road. There was a good attendauce. Mr Body was voted to the chair, and, on introducing the Councillor for the Riding, expressed great pleasure at having the opportunity of meeting their representative of the Council, and was of opinion that all councillors should call a meeting of their ratepayers at least once a year to discuss local matters. . Mr Wagstaff, in his opening remarks, briefly sketched items of interest to the ratepayers which had occurred during the past year. He said be had endeavoured to have the general rate reduced from lid to Id in the £, but the majority of the Council ruled otherwise, but feU sure he would be snccessfal when repeating the proposal for the coming year. He referred to Mr Hayns' appointment as Government Engineer to lay off and grade a portion of the roads in the Salisbury and Delaware blocks, and considered that this appointment was in the interect of the settlers residing in the block, who obtained most of the work on the co-operative principle,, and the grades were also very good. Cr Wagstaff referred to several works which hadjbeen carried out by the Government, at the instance of the Council, notably amongst them being the works .now going on in the Delaware and northern portion of the Tamaki riding, which,, when completed, would enable settlers to come from Ashurst to the Small Farm Block by crossing the Pohangina river but once. He referred to correspond* ence which had taken place with the. Commissioner of Crown Lands, relative to the five shillings per acre with which the land was weighted to make roads, which was to the effect that the five shillings would no more than make six* feet tracks along sidlings, and clear the flats suitable for horse traffic to most of the sections in the block, bat that one* third of the rental paid for fifteen jean would be handed over to the local body, so that a loan can be raised on ibis to complete the roads if the local bod; thinks fit to do so. He referred to the sowing of grass seed on the newly formed tracks, which he thought was a great necessity, as it not only prevented the undergrowth and thistles growing, but provided grass for the settlers' horses, etc. He intended as tracks were completed to continue sowing. Cr Wagstaff then referred to the financial position of the riding, which he had much pleasure in being able to state was very satisfactory. The expenditure for the year amounted to nearly £80, the receipts (including Government subsidy on rates £22 lls sd> to £131 10s, leaving a net credit balance of £51 10s ; to be added this was outstanding rates, which, for 1894 and 1894, amount to about £46, and for 1895-6 to about £125. Supposing all these rates are collected there will be a credit balance of £222 10s. The Goverment also report £80 due to the riding in thirds. In answer to several questions, Cr Wagstaff considered that general rates should not be spent on making new roads, except in the event of main roads re* quiring to be connected, or giving outlets to blocked sections. lie was of opinion that the whole of the thirds should be hypothecated, to assist in paying interest on loans to be raised for forming and metalling the roads in the riding. The whole of the outstanding rates were now in the hands of the Councils solicitor to collect. There is no doubt that 1894-95 rates are legally due to the Council. Cr Yicary addressed the meeting on two or three points, substantiating Cr Wagstafi's remarks, and referred to the fact of the ratepayers in the Apiti riding raising loans to form and metal roads connecting with the Small Farms Association Block, which, would be a great benefit to all concerned. On the motion of Mr Carrie, seconded by Mr Enright, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Wagstaff for his very instructive address, which had been the means of enlightening the ratepayers of the Umutoi Biding on several very important matters, and the wish was expressed that he would visit- them as often as possible. On the motion of Mr Wagstaff, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the Chairman, whojhad so ably presided, and the meeting dispersed.

Sonic very substantial improvements have bnen completed in the Salisbury Block. Messrs Cnrrie have a large area under grass, and stocked. Messrs K. Wagstali, Enright, Roberts, Holmes, Shadbolt, Hayns, and Flavall, are all making great progress with their settlements, most of them residing on the^r holdings. ' '' x I hear it is the intention of j one of th.c, ; settlers in the Block to proyide Xneala for the accommodation of i trarellsr^ which will be appreciated, j v V ■ ! " ■■*. It would be a great aon\ ; e&ies»ee if the Ipostal j|,uthpnviea woufd excend ourniail >■■• service froni Mr Hurst's to jthe Salisbury fBlocli. coanuend this /suggestion to our worthy representative>