ROADING THE PLAINS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4521, 31 January 1923, Page 2

ROADING THE PLAINS.

TURUA PROPOSALS. NOTHING DONE. A meeting of ratepayers, adjourned from the previous week, was held /at Turua on Monday evening. There were 18- present. Mr A. P. Gardiner was appointed chairman and Mr C. . Scott secretary. Mr Gardiner outlined the position to date, and said it had been decided at the last meeting that the owners of the property on Oparia Road, -whose back portipn had been cut out of the area, and which it was now intended to include, should be inspected. This had not been done. He 'had been away from . Turua. Mr Gardiner, in answer to a question, said the rate on the a'rea: affect- . ed would amount to about £3O a year on the capital value. Mr Mules said that when the Southern Area carried its loan the back country was cut out, as it was thought-' it would be better to include it in . the Town Board area.. Mr Olsen said that the back country carried a -2%d rate to the County. If it was included in the rating area for the road, he asked, could the County still collect this 2%d ? Mr Gardiner stated that the loan •would be raised and administered by the County Council for the rating area decided upon. The County would collect a rate over this area. The 2ltd rate -was reducible at .the option of the county, and with good roads it should be, reduced. Mr Bennett (chairman Town Board) said the road loan proposals had been before the people for a long time. He had tried, to get the Town Board to call a meeting and lay the scheme, before the ratepayers. A meeting was finally called in December, but lapsed, as only a: few turned up. When it was arranged to lay down the trial strip, he thought that if a loan was carried the work couhi be proceeded with right away. Now, through the delay, the roads would be impassable in winter. At. last meeting he wished to see a motion defining the rating area, but some gentlemen said that things had'been sprung upon them. That resolution was moved, but he wanted the ratepayers to be unanimous. After very little discussion, however, the matter was shelved.

The chairman said they were how at the same point as at .the last meeting, which ended in a deadlock.. Mr Mules suggested; that the settlers concerned should merge their back area into the Town Eoard area. Considerable discussion arose as to what induced Mr Skeet, the Commissioner of Crown Lands, to cut .this area out of the > Town Board area, although every landholder except one had agreed to be included. Reasons advanced were that it would probably always be farm land, and, it would be unfair to load it with such town rates as sewerage, lighting, etc. Since the last meeting, the chairman stated, he had obtained legal opinion that any area could be included in a special rating area. Mr Geisler was of the opinion that if the County Council would forgo the rates on’ the back area every man would support the Town Board; but they did not want to be doubly rated. Mr Olsen said a certain man would need a road to his gate before he would pay rates. It would be foolish to have tp lay 35 chains of road, to collect £3O of rates. The only thing would be to cu.t out the whole of the back area, as it. was 1 hat worth squabbling about. Mr Brown proposed, and Mr Luke seconded : “That the rating area be .the same as defined by the Commissioner of Crown Lands (Town Board area).” - Mr Mules moved the same amendment as at last meeting, i.e., “That the back area, be included.” Mr Gardiner (chairman) appealed to the meeting to consider the proposals from the point of view of the district as a whole. Mr Bennett said the scheme could be gone on with if. the men on Oparia Road decided either to come in or stay out. In reply to a question, Mr Gardiner stated that the County Council would not object to the back area being merged in the Town Board area, but h e could not commit the Board to exclude that area from rates on any such schemes as lighting, sewerage, etc., though probably special rating areas would be formed for these schemes. Mr Olsen was qf the opinion that if they came into the town board for the roading scheme they would be at the mercy of the board for every scheme the board might go in for. Mr Brown said it would not make much difference if the back area was included, and the farmers concerned should decide among themselves whether they wished to be included or not. He withdrew his motion, and the meeting closed with a vote of thanks tp the chair.