NOT INTERESTED

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3289, 16 July 1943, Page 3

NOT INTERESTED

WAITAKARURU SETTLERS QUESTION s OF DRAINAGE REPORT TO COUNTY COUNCIL That the settlers in the Waitakaruru Drainage District are not interested in being included in the area administered by the Hauraki West Drainage Board was the opinion expressed by the county clerk, Mr E. A. Mahoney, in the following report to the/July • meeting of the Hauraki Plains County Council. . The report read as under: — A ‘ petition for the Waitakaruru drainage district for inclusion in the Hauraki West Drainage Board’s area was prepared as instructed and each ratepayei’ was circularised as to his or her views. Two replies only were received. It seems on the surface that the settlers are quite prepared to stay where they are. ■ “I have gone thoroughly into the rating aspect and find that rating powers vary when applied to drain- ' age districts, as between the Lands Drainage Act and the Counties Act or in other words between drainage boards and county councils administering drainage districts. “Drainage boards may, under Section 31 of the Lands Drainage Act, 1908, levy a naximum of Ud in the £ on the rateable value. The Lands Drainage Amendment Act 1913 Section 2 gives increased rating power to drainage boards on the petition of three-fourths of the ratepayers owning more than one-half of the rateable value. “The Counties Act Section 171 (2) provides for a maximum mainteance rate of Sd in the £ on the capital

value of the rateable property in the district or subdivision or its equivalent on the unimproved value, but I have been unable to find any extension of rating power on petition of ratepayers or otherwise. “ I have still to find whether rateable property Section 171 (2) of the Counties Act included “D” Class lands for drainage purposes and whether the 2d in the £ rate on capital value or equivalent on unimproved value may be computed in total over the whole value of the district and then levied in ' proportions over A? Band C class lands. If such be the case, there is power to increase the rate over A, B and C class lands in the Waitakaruru drainage district. i “Mr Rowbotham advises that he will have the reclassification of the district compiled in the near future and by that time I. shall have ascertained definitely the position regarding the maximum rate.” It was decided to call a public meeting of all the settlers interested when' the whole position could be placed before them. Members pointed out that if the position was allowed to remain as it is at present the drains would not receive the attention they should due to lack of funds while under the drainage hoard the whole work could be done properly..