TURUA TOWN AREA.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4427, 14 June 1922, Page 2

TURUA TOWN AREA.

ADJUSTMENTS WITH COUNTY. ADMINISTRATION CHARGES. The Turua Town Board made representations, per Messps. J. Bennett, C. A, Ansford, and F. Olsen, to the Hauraki Plains County Council at its meeting on Monday ip an endeavour to obtain a reduction of administration charges to be paid tp the Council. Mr. Bennett said he understood that the Council would levy a I%A-rate, which would bring in £145, of which £75 was tp be paid to the County towards the cost of administration. He thought £75 was rather high, and requested that the amount be reduced. The clerk (Mr. E. Walton) said he had stated all along that he would, not recommend a reduction of the £75. In fixing the amount he had taken the general expenditure at £2015, and the expenditure on the general account this year would be over £3OOO. There may be a reduction granted, but it would not J>e an adjustmept—merely a concession. Although the Town Board has not bpd. the opportunity of looking through, the county books, Mr. Dillon, the former county engineer, ,had stated that half the expenditure for a surfaceman in the Turua riding had been in the town board Area. He saw no reason why there should be a concession. Mr. Ansford said the Board only wanted a sporting chance. He did l not think a surfaceman was required in the town board area. In the future th,e surfaceman could be dispensed 'with in the town area. Mr. Bennett said he had been battling for broken foetal for theroa'ds. Very little money had been spent judiciously on the Turua town roads. Mr. Ansiord: Our first consideration is the roads. Mr. Bennett said the roads were in a very bad state at Turua. The Council should leave the Board some revenue to ■ spend, on the roads. - The Council should do the best for the Board. The chairman said the' Council wished the Board no harm, but they must also do justice to the ratepayers outside that area. Mr. Bennett thought the Council should be satisfied with a nominal contribution. It did not mean a great deal to the County, but it meant a lot to the Board, Cr. Mayn: Did you not think of this before? Mr. Bennett said the Board had met .the representatives of the Council recently, when he had understood, the clerk to .say that the revenue would be about £220, The clerk said the Town Board could increase its rate to give extra revenue. Mr. Ansford said they wanted what was a fair thing, even if only for the time being. The clerk said tjie basis was fair now, and any reduction, should be in the form pf a concesispn. The concession would not be fair to the rates payers outside the town area. The chairman said the Town Board roads could not be subsidised out of the riding account. Mr, Bennett: If we take over the responsibility pf those roads with only £7O the roads will be simply impassable during the next rains. The chairman said that if the proposed loans were carried the town area would be getting a fair deal. Mr. Bennett thought about £35 would be sufficient for administration purposes. The chairman thought it would be better to leave the agreement on a. fair and equitable basis. This year mu'?t not be taken as a precedent. Mr. Bennett probably said that things would probably be better next year on account of the loan. The chairman thought the amount payable by the Board for administration should be £45. j Mr. Bennett: Could you not make this charge a nominal affair this year to put us on our feet ? Cr. Hayward: We recognise that we must make some concession. The chairman: Not as a precedent,’ but just for this year. Cr. Death : For the benefit, of! the deputation I may say that the Turua riding is in debt. Cr, Harris : The Turua riding debit is £125. Cr. Mayn: I tMnk you shpuld face the position with fortitude and get plenty of free labour. Cr. Harris said he had sympathy for the Board, and he thought the whole of the Council had also. Cr. Hayward suggested the Council paying £22 of the surfaceman's wages and make a‘ concession so that the Board would pay altogether about £5O. a reduction of about £47. He proposed that a concession be made to the Board, which should pay £5O stead of £97. ; The proposal was carried. The Turua riding members were deputed to sign the adjustments with the Board.