MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume I, Issue 74, 16 May 1879, Page 2

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Monday, May U, 1879

(Continued from last issue.) Present— Messrs Macarthur (Chairman), Halcombe, Linton, Gower, Sanson, Kebbell, Carr, and Dv Rockstrow.

COI'NTT KAtfßi

The Chairman said the next matter Was that of the rate. He thought a shilling rate should be struc'c. Looking over the estimates, he thought even that would not be sufficient. He referred to a rumor that the Manawatu Highways Board intended to strike only a 9d rate, and said such a course >vould stop a large ancount of work in the County.

Mr Halcombe advocated a Is rate. A6d rate would moan the ulrno.«t entire stoppage Of road work'sl The payment of road rates was the best possible iiivesfcme it, so long as they were well expended. It was almost certain the present subsidies from the' Go yerament would not last beyond next year. Therefore thcv should obtain now all they possibly could. If they could strike more than a Is rate, he would be in favor of it. Roads were absolutely necessary. They kept up and increased the value of property. He spoke unselfishly, as he waR one of the heaviest private ratepayers in the County, and as agent for the Corporation was the heaviest ratepayer. He strongly supported the Is rate. He moved — That it is the intention of this Council to strike a rate of Is in the £, for the Manawatu County for the year ending Maieh 31, 18tf0. Seconded by Mr Linton. Mi* Grower thought a 6d rate Would be sufßciont. The only reason for a shilling rate seemed to be that it would extract a greater subsidy. He believed the County could manage with a6d rate. He was sure his own Hiding could. The state of the country necessitated that taxation should be kept down as much as possible. Manchester and Taonui were the only Ridings that asked for the larger rate. If not out of order, he would say that the Manchester Highways Board were making a great mistake in striking only a9d rate. He referred to the large indebtedness of the IT Manchester Riding.

Mr Halcomba said the difference between his Riding and Mv Gower's was, that one was progressive, the other was not. [Mr Gower— l beg your pardon. Laughter.] His riding was being rapidly settled ; KawaKawa was not ; also the latter was unable to metal its roads, having no metal. Mr Grower spoke of the iniquity of the High* ways Board rating only 9d, and yet wisiied a County rate of only 6d. Roads meant higher valuation. Manchester also had lust year metalled a large rood. Soon a large trace of country beyond their own would be opened for settlement, and they wished to hare their roads ready to take advantage of it. If Mr Grower said his district could not stand more than a (id rate whilst the Upper District required twice that ainouut, it would only show there were essential points of difference which would require to bo settled some other w«iy. Air Linton spoke strongly in favor of a shilling rate. Mr Sanson combatted the a rgument that rates were required to open new country. Hs said the County did very little of that work ; the Highway Board did 20 times as much. Not one settler in ten who contributed Country rates, got the benefit ; ooly those who lived on County roads. He criticised several items of estimated expenditure, and thought th?y were esoessive. He thought the Highways Boards would ba justified in levying a 2s rate, if legal. It was not settle 1 ) that the Board would strike a9d rutj ; in fact ho thought a majority would be in favor of Is ; 115 miles of road were yet unmade in Wards Nos. 1, and 2. Ho desired to guard the settlers from being unnecessarily taxed. He lived in an agricultural district, where people had to sell their produce at a low rate, and every pound wus a consideration. The people did noc live by cutting firewood and timber, and could not stand heavy rates. The distriot roads benefitted a larger number than the County roads. Manchester Riding wa." prospering now, o ring to the heavy timber trade ; but there was no guarantee that wonld always last; in fact, it appeared even now to be waning. Should that take place, people in the open country would be better off than those who lived in a bush country, and depeuded on the one commodity, lie would move the following amendment — That the Chairman give the necessary notice that a rate of 6d iv the £ will be struok at the next meeting of this Council for the year commencing on the Ist April, 1879.!

The Chairman replied to Mr Sanson at length. He said the County could hand over to the Highway Boards the money to spend on district roods. People on County roads might, on Mr Sanson's prinoiple, object to a Board rate whioh was spent only on district roads. In Mr banson's own distriot the feeling was in favor of a heavy rate. Mr Bookel had just been returned to the Highways Board on the shilling rate tioket. For himself, he had spent £50 privately on roads, and hai been repaid tenfold. Heavy rates would break up large landed estites owned' by absentees,, .and cauau settlement to progress. Some estimates might be reduced, but no great difference could be made. If a shilling rate were not struck, they could undertake no new works. Their only work would be maintenance. If such were the case, they might as well dismiss the Engineer, and employ a few overseers. He did not expect that Mr Sanson's kind prophecy regarding the falling off of the timber trade in the Upper District would be fulfilled. On a previous oooasion Mr Sanson had prophesied that all the people would leave the Upper Distriot ;■ but that prophecy had proved erroneous. The Upper was in a prosperous condition, and knowing its resources, he had every confidence in its future. He could positively assert that nine-tenths of the people in h»s Biding would willingly bear heavier rates, provided they got the money back in roads. Mr Sauson, in reply to the Chairman.said if the extra rate of 6d would alone provide

work for the Engineer, the Council Was not justified in retaining him, He did not believe, however, that Buch was the case The people in nome portions of the County who lived on district roads strongly objected to being heavily taxed for County works, Tfc was so with those on Mackie's line. With reference to the timber trade.he had spoken generally as to a probable depression. He would be only too pleased if ifc did not occur. He was glad his fotmer prophecy, as it was (Sailed, regarding people leaving the Upper District, had not proved true. He would-remiud them, however, that their prosperity was due almost entirely to the railway. The amendment was then put, and a division being called for, resulted as follows : — For the amendment — Messrs Gower and Sanson j against— Messrs Maoarthur, Halcombe, Linton, llockstrow, Kebbell, and Carr. The amendment, was therefore lost.

The original motion in favour of a shilling rate jvas then put and carried. Mr Halcdmbe then proposed the follqwing resolution— iTiat the ? requisite .notice b$ given that, at the next meoting of this Council, a rate of is in the £ will be struck for the year ending 31st of March, 1880, to be payable on the Ist of June, 1879 ; and that the rate book be open for inspection, according to the provisions of the Bating Act.

Seconded by Mr liinton, and carried. The Counoil adjourned at 5.30 p.m.