THE MACHINERY LOAN.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4676, 19 March 1924, Page 3

THE MACHINERY LOAN.

MEETING AT NGATEA. Only eight ratepayers attended tLe meeting at Ngatea on Tuesday evening. Addresses on the lines of those given the previous evening at Pipiroa (published on our fourth page) were given by the county chairman, Mr JC. Mil’er, Cr. Hayward, the engineer. Mr J. Higgins, and the county clerk. Mr E. Walton.

At question time Mr J. Neate asked if it was possible to charge a tax on privately owned motor cars, and the cle ,- k replied that this was not possible according to law unless the vehicle was plying for hire. Mr Neate advocated toll gates as a means of raising money, so that the rates could be reduced. The chairman said that the experience of Taranaki was that the toll gates certainly caught the outsiders, but also caught the settlers who had to pay rates as well, and the amount of rates had increased in spite of the toll gates.

' In reply to Mr Darlington, the engineer said that the average cost of maintenance of the roads of the county had been about £l5O a mile. Tn reply to Mr Waite the engineer s said that he estimated that metal from the Maukoro quarry would cost about as much to land on the Piako river bank as the Hikutaia lo land on the Waihou river hank.. The county clerk, replying to Mr Neate, said that of the first machinery loan £20,000 had been raised and £ll.OOO spent. Of the £9OOO remaining. £6OOO had been put. on fixed deposit, so was interest bearing. The engineer said that there was no question of the advantage of water carriage against transport by trucks and rails. A mile of tramlines cost from £2500 to £3OOO to lay. Tn addition. there Was the advantage that punts could land metal on both sides of the river.

Mr Neate said that there was ro question of the necessity for machinery, but how were the settlers'to find tiie money.

Mr Hayward and Mr ■Darlington pointed out that with up-to-date machinery permanent roads could be constructed and would require little maintenance, so the amoui’t of rates would be less than if the loan were turned down, and maintenance had to be done in the future with the present plant. The cost of constructing a bituminous road was only about £lO a chain more than a water-bound road, and the cost of maintenance was negligible.

Tn reply to Mr Neate the clerk sai<i that the rate to be struck as security would be five-ninths of a penny. It would not be necessary to collect this amount, and only sufficient to pay for - the amount raised year by year would bo struck. The county chairman said that the total rate would only be 50s on £lOOO valuation. Mr Bidwell said that the information he had received at the meeting had converted him to favour the loan. He moved that the meeting support the loan proposal. This was seconded by Mr Darlington and carried without dissent.