PATETONGA AND THE LOAN.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4367, 18 January 1922, Page 3

PATETONGA AND THE LOAN.

ADDRESSES BY COUNCILLORS. THE PROPOSALS EXPLAINED. Great interest was shown in the loan proposals (to .be submitted today, Wednesday) by ratepayers at Patetonga on Monday evening, when pver 40 attended a meeting in the Patetpnga Hall. Messrs J. F. Mayn and T. McLoughlin (councillors), and Mr E. Walton (clerk) represented the Hauraki Plains County Council. Mr D. Rogers (chairman) explained that the meeting was called under trie auspices of the Ratepaye rs Association to discuss the loan proposals. He Invited the councillors and clerk to give their Views on the loan proposals. KEEP THE RATES DOWN; Mr McLoughlin explained that the loan proposals had been put to the ratepayers once before. When ths County was formed it was in debt. Several grants had obtains J from the Government, but every one .had been cancelled. The machinery was at Work, one machine being at Tahuna spending money. There had been no time to float a loan to obtain th® machinery. If the loan were carried he assured the meeting that the council would not be extravagant. The Council was studying the ratepayers. The rates in the Hauraki Plains County were the lowest in the Auckland Province. If the loan were not carried the r.ate would be ini creased, and he hoped the ratepayers would do their uffiiost to keep the rates down. THE LOAN ESSENTIAL. Mr J. F. Mayn said the loan was previously turned down by a very small majority of seven. Patetpnga was a long distance from the centre, and probably the people there would be influenced by the thought that they would not be greatly benefited. They must admit, the council had done the best possible after careful consideration. The, council would only borrow £lO,OOO immediately and there would be no rate in 1922 and only a slight rate' in 1923. They were passing through serious' times and it was not the policy of the council to push them. ■. The council must have money, and it would not go into liquidation. It was decidedly in the interests of the freeholders to carry the loan. Much of the machinery would be in use in Patetpnga.. The finances oft he county were not as good as one might wish, though the overdraft was not excessive. The position was not as serious as many people thought. It had been arranged that the ridings using the machinery would pay for it, and the rate would probably be eased if the loan were carried. Ratepayers should realise that the council is doing all possible for the ratepayers in these difficult times. If the ratepayers had a little patience they would see something done. The council was acting on the advice of its engineers, and they had had two of them. It was considered wise to have their own plant. They had been paying a big price for metal, and it had been found that the council could get its own metal cheaper. It was impossible for the council to metal roads without money, and it was for the' settlers to raise loans for that purpose, and to strike a special rate in a special rating area. The council would back the ratepayers up. They would be well advised to vote for the loan. ' HELPING EACH OTHER. Mr Wilkins said the councillors h;ad only outlined the £lO,OOO, which amount ,was tp be immediately raised, and he wished to know more about the remaining £20,000. Mr Walton s.aid the proposals to be submitted on Wednesday were for £30,600 for the purchase of land for County Chambers, and the erection of chambers and machinery (he gave details of machinery already advertised in Gazette). As stated in the circular, the £lO,OOO covered a road roller, two metal trucks, one and probably one towing launch. The first three items represented the council’s present commitments. The council had pledged itself not to raise more than £lO,OOO 'for 12 months or till ■such time as the market improved and then they would acquire other items when needed. The quarry, no doubt, would benefit most Turua and Netherton ridings. The trucks would be used in'all the ridings, and the roller where loan money would be spent. The crusher, tractor, and scoop, and the balance of the money for tho quarry must come' on the line of hills and some of them Were no use to Turua and Netherton areas. While Patetonga would help other ridings to pay for machinery the other ridings would also be helping to pay for machinefry at the Patetonga end.. There was a proposal for a loan of £33,000 for roads in the Turua area. The council had resolved that machinery be purchased by the County as a whole and each part be charged separately for its use. The Netherton riding bad a certain amount of metal from the Hikutaia quarry, and had to pay for the metal and carting to the roads. The items In the proi posal had been fixed on the advice of the two engineers the Council had had. The first had prepared practically all the items, which had been endorsed by the other. Security for the loan was %d in the £ for unimproved value. On £lO,OOO the rate would not exceed %d. As further land in the county became settled it would become subject to rate. So thus in time the rate, would be so lessened. It would be clearly understood that there was no intention to purchase all the machinery at once, but when actually needed for works in hand. The tab-sprayer would only be required if the Turua lo.an was carried . The Council; he thought, had honestly endeavoured to do all possible for the ratepayers, and though they would probably admit that they had made mistakes, they haft done, their best, for the county. Many difficulties had arisen because the county was a new one, and, like a ftfan going on to a new piece of

land, it took a great deal of capital ex ponditure before ho got returns. When the difficulties were over the Council would do as well as any other. Mr Wilkins asked if the loans were being raised on the present-day pricn es. Mr McLoughlin : No; these prices were fixed about six months ago. THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS. Mr Walton (to Mr Wilkins) said that £BOOO was to be devoted to quarries for the whole of the county. Mr McLoughlin said there were several good quarries in the county. Mr McDonald understood that the county chambers were to be at Ngatea, but When the Paeroa-Pokeno railway was put through Ngatea would not be the centre. Mr Mayn said the Council had the option over some land', and that was all. Ngatea undoubtedly was now the most convenient centre. There was nothing binding, however. VOTING POWERS. Mr Paterson : Being a Crown teni ant, would I have a vote ? Mr Walton : Yes ; every person paying rates and not in arrears with the rates is entitled to vote. Replying to Mr Patterson, Mr Walton said up till 1920 a person had a vote whether he had paid his rates or not, but now those with rates unpaid for six months could not vote, nor sign a petition, nor stand as a candidate fpr the.council, nor propose a candidate for election. Mr McLoughlin, tp Mr Taylor, said that rates ovter two years old had been wiped off. so that as many ratepayers as possible could vote. They had not tried to disfranchise anybody. Mr Mayn, replying to Mr Taylpr, said he was of the opinion that before the Council took over Government roads the roads would need careful inspection. The Council at p resent could not interfere with the Department's roads. The County had roads brought into being by the GR.P. settlers, Who were getting off lightly, and they should not begrudge pa ying a small rate. Mr Walton, replying to Mr Wallis, said the loan could not be raised at a hieher rate than that which th“ .Minister for Finance authorised. Mr Wall's asked whether it wou'd not be wise to defer the loan till* after the depression. DEFERRING LOAN UNWISE. Mr Mayn said that if the loan were delayed the roads which were, in a fair state of repair would become, quagmires and do more damage than th e whole coSt of the loan, Mr Walton said it involved a matter of policy. The Council putting the loan and giving its pledge that not more than £lO,OOO Would be borrowed, was a ripe time to puit. it before the ratepayers as a vital need. MOVING COUNTY CENTRE. The chairman, referring to Mr Mayn’s contention that immediate benefits on the roads would be seen i,f 'he loan was carried, asked if the moneys raised for a special purpose must be spent on such work. If the loan were ca, rried they committed themselves to the county chambers at Ngatea. He asked for information where the money was coming from for various items of expenditure on machinery to carry on road works. Mr Me Loughlin said the Council had option over certain lands, but nothing had been paid. The council cliam hers would not be an elaborate affair. He thought they could get the Minister’s consent to move the grant for the chambers to, say, Kerepeehi, or perhaps to Patetonga.

Mr Mayn said that the purchase of land and the erection of chambers would be the last act in the loan. There would be benefits derived immediately, as soon as the Council could handle the itfoney. Mr McDonald thought that as a new council may soon be in power, and the new 1 council might alter its decision:, the money for the chambers should be cut out. Mr Mayn: We are not forced to ■spend the money.

Mr McLoughlin: The money raised for one specific purpose must be spent on that purpose or not at all. Mr Walton; replying to Mr Wilkins, said it was not p'ossible'to put the proposals separately for either £lO - 000 or £30,000.

A hearty vote of thanks was passed fo Mr Walton and the two councillors fpr the meeting and for th'e patient way they had treated the questioners.