WATER AND DRAINAGE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1221, 17 March 1914, Page 3

WATER AND DRAINAGE.

TWO PROPOSALS TO BE SUBMITTED.

A special meeting of the Foxton Borough Council was held last night to further discuss matters in connection 'with the proposed water and drainage scheme. There were present : His Worship the Mayor (Mr G. H. Stiles) and Crs. Coley, Whibley, Chrystall, Freeman, Henderson, Read, Barber and Speirs. The Mayor said that he understood a number of ratepayers desired an opportunity of voting as to which particular scheme, gravitation from the Shannon hills, or artesian, should be installed iu the event ot the poll being carried, aud he considered that it was only right that this opportunity should be given and moved that the Council give the ratepayers the opportunity of deciding which scheme shall be adopted by putting before them the two proposals on the polling day, viz., the gravitation aud artesian supply. Cr Speirs seconded the motion and all present spoke in support aud it was carried unanimously. THE RATING AREA. Special, Area Decided Upon. The Mayor mentioned that it would be necessary to decide if rates as security for the loan were to be struck over the whole borough or whether a special rating area was to be set up. He said that enquiries had been made from ten boronghs as to which was the usual practice, to take in the whole borough or set up a special rating area aud nine, including Inglewood, Palmerston North, Levin, Eltham and Walpawa had advised that rates were struck over the whole borough as security, and in only one, Woodville, had a special area been adopted. It was for the Council to decide which course was to be followed in Foxtou. Cr Read considered the whole borough should be taken in as all the ratepayers would receive benefits, either directly or indirectly, if a water and drainage scheme were installed. Cr Henderson was also of opinion that the whole borough should be rated as those outside any special area whose children attended the local school would be benefited from a health point of viewS At this stage Messrs R. J, Thompson aud R. Kempster, representing the ratepayers on the outskirts of the borough, arrived, and were introduced by the Mayor. Mr Thompson said they had heard that in connection with the proposed water and drainage scheme it was intended 10 include the whole borough as a rating area as security for the loan, and Mr Kempster and himself had come down as representatives of ratepayers in the “back blocks” to ask the Council to exclude them from the rating area. He said they didn’t object to Foxton having a water and drainage system provided those receiving the benefits paid for it, but as there was no likelihood of the scheme ever being extended to their properties he did not think it was fair that they should be asked to assist to pay the cost of same. The ratepayers outside considered they had a good case to show why they should be cut out of the borough altogether, and merged into the Manawatu County, and he thought it was hardly fair under these circumstances that a rate for water and drainage should also be put on them. When they previously approached the Council in reference to seceding from the borough, they were promised they would be excluded from the rating area for a water and drainage loan, and that was what they now asked for. The Mayor explained that some time ago the ratepayers in question approached the Council with the request that they should be allowed to secede from the borough and merge into the Manawatu County, one of the reasons put forward by them at the time being that as there was a likelihood of the borough going in for a water and drainage scheme, the rate in connection with which would press very heavily on them, and for which they would receive no benefit, they should be allowed to secede. They had then been given to understand that they would be excluded from the special rating area for water and drainage, but the facts were not before the Council as they were at present, and he considered the altered circumstances would justify the Council in taking up a different attitude at the present time, Cr Chrystall was strongly against bringing in the whole borough. They had previously decided upon a special area aud this, with any necessary alterations, should be adhered to. He contended that rating on the unimproved values was never intended for farming lands and it would be a gross injustice to further tax the land in question. It could not be said that the land would ever be needed for building sites as there were ample vacant sections within the restricted area for houses that would be required for very many years to come. He moved that the restricted area decided upon be the area on which rates for water and drainage are to be levied. Cr Speirs seconded the motion, saying it was uufair to rate an area of land such as the one under discussion when there was no chance of the ratepayers benefiting or their values being - enhanced. It was not fair to expect them to pay for the townspeople’s water. Cr Speirs said he always supported water and drainage, particularly drainage, but he considered

it should he paid for hy those who got it. If the Council was going to put more rates on these outside people then he would assist them to get cut out of the borough. In reply to Cr Barber Mr Thompson said the rates on his property of 67 acres were from £2B to £32 per annum, Cr Barber could not see the justice of the whole borough being rated for water and drainage. If the poll were carried the rates would be about doubled which would bring Mr Thompson’s rates up to £1 per acre. Cr Whibley did not think it fair that these people should be rated seeingpfthat they would never be connected up with the system aud would therefore get no benefitsCr Freeman agreed that it would be unfair to include the whole borough. The Mayor said if he let his sympathies have play they would certainly go with the ratepayers on the outskirts of the borough. In taking up the attitude he was adopting be knew he was on the unpopular side, but he would not be doing his duty as Mayor of the town if he let that stand iu the way. They had a duty to perform to the whole of the borough and must weigh one argument against the other. The people in the restricted area would say that those outside received some benefit and they should therefore pay some rate. The people receiving the direct benefit were going to pay full water rate and full sanitation rate and as the installation of a water and drainage would undoubtedly increase the values of the property of the whole borough, they should certainly pay for these indirect benefits. It a special area were to be set up be considered the rate necessary to provide Interest aud sinking fund on the loan would be too heavy aud the probability was that under these circumstances the poll would not be carried. The time had arrived when it was the duty of every ratepayer to make a sacrifice as the health of the community was of more importance than an increase of rates. They must consider which was the' best for the whole of the borough and to do this he felt he could not support a special area. Cr Chrystall’s motion was then put and carried, the voting being : For Crs. Chrystall. Whibley, Speirs, Coley, Freeman aud Barber ; Against—The Mayor, and Crs. Henderson and Read. Another special meeting is to be held on the 26th instant to further discuss the scheme and in the meantime the Mayor and Town Clerk are to furnish figures in connection with the rate necessary, etc.