FOXTON HIGHWAYS DISTRICT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 29, 10 December 1880, Page 2

FOXTON HIGHWAYS DISTRICT.

PUISLIC MEETING RE MERGING INTO CO UNIT. Oo Wednesday last we received information that it was intended to bold a meeting of ratep?yers in the highways district. No intimation was sent to us, but having learned the meeting was to be held at the Athenaeum at 11 a.m. a reporter attended on behalf of this journal. At that hour only two ratepayers wore present. About halfan-hour later a few more arrived, and those present adjourned to the building. There were present — Messrs Torr, Perreau, Bartlett, Neylon, Thynne, Gray, W. G. Robinson and Russell. Mr liockstrow arrived about twenty minutes Inter. Mr Thynno proposed Mr Torr should take the chair, but Mr Torr declined, and a lot of timo was wasted, during which a conversation as to the objects of the meeting took place between Messrs Purreau and Torr. Eventually Mr Torr constnted to take the chair. The Chairman said the meeting had been called for thd purposo of ascertaining where the money was to come from for advertising the petition. Mr Thynne — What petition ? The Chairman— To abolish the Highways Board, and bring it under the Council. In reply to Mr Tliynue, the Chairman still further stated that there were ">0 signatures to the petition out of 7-5 ratepayers iv the district, aud that it was now held by Mr Neylou. Mr Thynno suid that surely those who hud signed the petition were able to pay the necessary expenses. Mr Perreau said they wore quite able , but were not willing. The Chairman said that though they were met to consider where the money to pay expenses was to come from, they would be glad to hoar any preseul opposed to the m> Ygiuß state their reasous. Mr Thynne said he had not yet heard any reason* given for the merging. He thought the whole affair had been done too secretly. The Chairman said that was a mistako. The Manawatu Herald had said the peti tioo was in circulation three weeks before the Editor heard of it. This wrs incorrect, It waa only in circulation for three days before tho first article upoD the matter up. peured in the paper. He believed the cost of securing the merging of the highways district into the county would be about £10, including all expenses. Mr Thynne said he thought those who were ugitating this matter had gone into it too hastily. There was one poinc he would mention. If the Highways Board wero merged in the County Council there would be hardly any money for expenditure on road formation in the highways district. If (he formation and maintenance of roads in the county, and the general county expenses, took sixpence in the £, — and ho believed thst sura would be required — Bitp-

posing the Council struck a shilling rate, only (id in the C wjhH be leftjor expenditure in the highways district. Of that 'sU.n at least half would bo requited for maintenance so that only 3d in tho £ on tho rateable value would be loft for new works in rhs highways district. That amount would ba utterly inadequate. He hold that every country settler who bad not a xoad to his property, nnd'had signed the petition, had signed his death w.irran*, as ho w.is convinced tint without the rate that could b 3 levied by the Highways Board, very little road formation in ' the highways district would be done. Mr Perreau reminded Mr Thjnne that lust session It was proposed to give the local bodies power to rate up to 2'i. Mr Tuynne said the proposal was not passed. Mr Russell said even if it. were passed the Council would not rate Up to that amount. The County Chairman .had told him the northern ridings would not consent to a 2s rate, because the settlers could not pay it. Mr I'erreau said that ho quite believed the old raerabei'3 of the Council would not levy a 2? rate, but new members might, as they generally went in to get what they could, and levied heavy rates to get the expenditure of largo suras of money. Mr Tliynne would point out still further that the Local Board district would largely preponderate in influence over the highways district. Tlie town district could in uny election beat the country district, and the consequence would be that tho town of foxtail would elect men whose interests would bo advanced irrespective of the welfare of the outlying districts. So far as he could see, the merging wonld simply be throwing the highways district into the Local Board district. Mr Nuylon said tho C -unty Council had dono nearly all the work that had been done in the highways district during the la3t year or two. There had been one member on the Board, but the settlers gained nothing. He believed the majority of tho settlers would sooner trust the County Council than the new Highways Board. Mr Tliynno said that under the old Board there was only one Warden for Foxton, but under tho new Board there would be five Wardens, and that number was a guarantee that the interests of tho ratepayers would be attended to. Tie thought the best p!an would 'ju to hold a meeting of tho ratepayers, and go about the affair in a straightforward way. .Mr I'erreau said it was impossible to get a full meeting, as ratepayers were busy, and did not care to leave their work for such pin poses. Mr Kivjaell reminded Mr Perreau that when the meeting was held as to spending the £<>00, the whole district wa9 well represented. Mr Perreau Slid the ratepayars would oi course come if there was money to be considered, but he doubted if they would without. Tlie Chairman said that if the highways district were merged in the county, they wonld bo able to exercise the power of a special rate for works in the highways district. Ho would rather pay 2s in the £as a special rate for the road past his door than a shilling annual rate which might be spent anywhere. Mr Perreau endorseJ thesu ideas. He would point out tho expense necessary to cany on the new Highways Board. Perhaps^Mr Thynne.who had had experience in that direction, would be abl^, to say what would bo lelt for expenditure on roads after the ordinary expenses of the new Board had been mot. Mr Thynne said nearly the whole amount of the rate would remain. Under the old Foxton Road Board, which existed several years aga, the expenses were almost noxftin «r. I Mr Per rean said there was not the saixvu public spirit now as then. Mr Thyuue said that if the representation were localised it would be carried on with the same economy as the old one If the district were cut up, each Warden could attend to his own district, and the Board could be worked very cheaply. Mr Neyloa said Mr Thynne always was an advoc/iie for numerous local bodies. He (Mr Neylon) believed in keeping to one body, the County Council, and having special rates when necessary for highways district works. Mr Rockßtrow said that if tlie petition were signed by the requisite number of ratepayers, and the necessary formalities were goue through, he would present it to the Council, but at tho same time he would not guarantee that he would support it. Mr Perreau — Of course no man would be asked to present it, if it was thought he would oppose it. Mr Rockstrow— Well, I would giee no guarantee to support it. Mr Neylon— o, he would'nt oppose it He's not supposed to state here what he would do. Mr Rockstrow said it had been said he was strongly in favour of tlie merging of the Highways Board. He wo\ild appeal to those present that that was not the case. He did not see the petition before it was circulated, and he did not now know how many had signed it. It had to bo signed by at least one-third of the ratepayers in tho district, representing at least one-half of the rateable value. The petition also had to bo advertised for one mouth, and until that was done the Council could not entertain it. Mr Perreau asked how the Council would be satisfied as to the petition representing tho rateable value. Mr Itockstrow said he presumed a schedule would have to be attached to the petition, showing the average, rateable value, <Src, of the properties held by petitioners. If at the end of two months no counter petition had been presented, tbe Council could mergo the highways district iuto the couuty. It wa9 nob at all certain tho Council would do so, as tho whole question would havo to come on for discussiou, and the Council would enquire whether a shilling rate would bo sufficient to do tho work of both bodies. Up to the present a shilling rate had been more than necessary for tho Awahou riding, but in tho future money would bn wanted for maintenance of the Otuki a»d Sandon roads, thus leaving a very small amount for new roads either in tho county or highways district. As soon as ever tho Council took over the Road Board the settlers in the latter would bejjin urging their claims Mr Perreau— But there would be the special rates. Mr Hoclcstrow said a special rate was a cumbrous affair, and it was difficult to get the consent of the ratepayers. Besides, it wus doubtful if a district could be cut up into such small sections that only the settiers living on a * particular road could be specially rated for tho formation of that road. I3ven if it were possiblo, it was doubtful if it would work well. For instance, if some money were to be spent on the Tramway, it would probably be near Mr Torr's place. It' it were to be formed by special rate, the people at the town end of that road would most probably vote against it, as their part was made. Mr Thynne said thai those present would see that Mr Rocks trow had expressed views identical with his own, viz., that if the Highways Board were merged in the Council there would be no money left for

expenditure upon road formation. If the tnersring were effected Ihe .people at the lower end of Moutoa would be in a pitiable condition. They had no roads now, and he did not think they would get any for the next ten years if tbe control were handed - over to the Council. Mr Neylon — Now, Mr Thynne, you are to be the Chairman of the new Board. Will you promise that the road sball be made for them by the Board in ten years, if it exists ? Mr Thynne— •! cannot promise what 19 nob in my power. lam not Chairman^of tho new Board, nor even a member of it. But I will say that the Moutoa people will have a better chance of getting their road under a Highways Board than under the C)uncil. Mr Russell thought the action of the petitioners had been taken rather late, as tho new Board would be eltcted in a few days, and could rote all the money it would receive from the old Board [Mr Perreau— More shame if they do], could also levy a rate, and even anticipate the income for the year, whereas the highways district could not be possibly merged in the County in less than three or four months. Mr Rockstrow said the ratepayers had the matter in their own hands, and should elect men whom they could trust. Mr Perreau— So far as I can see by the Wards, their billets are all marked out already. ; Mr Neylon— And the Chairman. Mr Rockslrow said he believed the levying of a rate by the Board could be stared off for four or five months, by which time the meiging might be effected. The meeting then indulged in some good« humoured chaff. . " The Chairman cilled the attention of those present to the fact that it was necessary to provide funds for the preliminary expenses. The following amounts were promised— Mr Neylon, £1 ; Mr Rockstrow, HJs; Messrs Perreau and Torr, 5a each: total, £2. The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to tho Chairman.