NEED FOR CAUTION.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4857, 24 July 1925, Page 4

NEED FOR CAUTION.

RIVERS IMPROVEMENT SCHEME. VIEWS AT TE AROHA. The Te Aroha Chamber of Commerce at its last meeting received a letter, from the Mayor of Waihi suggesting a conference concerning matters in connection with the Waihou and Ohinemuri Rivers Improvement Scheme (says the “News”). The Mayor said he did not wish to discuss, the matter .at present, but he did not think a conference was necessary. A commission had sat some two years ago and had made recommendations which were impossible from a local body point of view. They; should wait, in any case, until the work Was completed. The cost of the work was being met out of the consolidated fund. A conference would benefit Waihi to a certain extent because it was losing a certain amount of its gold revenue. By the. commissions recommendations Te Aroha would pay half its revenue witnout deriving any benefits. Replying to Mr Cochrane the Mayor said he did not know of any accumulation of interest ands inking fund against local bodies, though an attempt might be made to create such a fund; • It would be unfair at this stage •to rate local bodies for the •work. What should have been done was to put the cost on the Crown lands, which had been greatly increased in value as a result of the scheme. Land bought at £l5 had been sold for £lOO an acre. ‘Mr Raynor remarked that it would

appear from the letter that a rate had been fixed and the Government had power to collect from local bodies. It looked as if the Government already had a claim, but he had never heard of any local body being liable to pay. The President: The d,anger comes from the finding of the commission. The Mayor said the real trouble was that Waihi had to contribute a certain part of its gold revenue, which it was anxiousi .to evade. The tax was levied because of the damage done to the river by using it as a sludge channel. None of the other local bodies had been rated. It seemed as though the Public Works Department was not anxioiifs to revive the matter. The President: Better let sleeping dogs lie. Should we acknowledge the letter ? The Mayor said he was a member of another local body which had received a copy of the letter, and it was of the opinion that there was no need for a conference. It was decided to receive the letter. The mayor said it would be a big mistake to encourage the Waihi people in their object. Dr. Gordon : The chamber has no rating power and is not really concerned.