MANAWATU COUNTY ADMINISTRATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3681, 23 August 1927, Page 3

MANAWATU COUNTY ADMINISTRATION.

CRITICISED BY RATEPAYERS. ' BIG MEETING HELD AT SANSON RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION FORMED. The Santlon Hall was packed last evening' when ratepayers gathered to discuss the administration of the Manawatu County Council. Mr. H. J. Pagan, who recently retired from the Council, was elected to the chair. In opening proceedings Mr. Fagan denied that he was in any way responsible for convening the meeting, the object of which was to discuss the administration of the county and 'the Methods of expenditure of. the ratepayers’ money. The occasion was appropriate for him to explain his 1 reason for resigning from' the Council after about seven years’ service. During the past two years he had been dissatisfied with the position and found that he could not get things his way. First of all he was concerned as to the methods of working the stone-crush-ing plant and in spite of the investigations made and- the offei’ of the Power Board’s Engineer to experiment with the plant, nothing had bc-en done. Then there was the constructional work on.the Bulls-San-son section of the Auckland-Wel-lington highway. He was responsible for the work being stopped, but after a lapse of two months the work had restarted, without any change being made in the state of affairs which first caused the work to be stopped. He was so dissatisfied with the Way things were going that he decided to resign. Councluding, Mr. Fagan said that Mr. J. H. Perrett had been elected to take his place and he asked ratepayers to bear in mind that the Councillors gave their services gratuitously. He trusted that the outcome of the meeting would be a better understanding between the ratepayers and the Council. (Applause). Mr. H. Schriber who was elected secretary, said that during his eleven years’ residence in the county he had noticed several matters which did not appear to him to be right. •: There had, never been a meeting of ratepayers .held during his residence and loans totalling £90,000 had been raised. As to the £30,000 loan a part of which was used to pay a debt on the tramway, the speaker said that some people were apparently content to run one part of their business at a loss — that was the tramway. Regarding the £60,000 raised for road eoi*structional work the speaker understood that, the Council did not now propose to utilise the money as originally proposed. It was the intention to improve the methods of maintenance, a scheme by which it was hoped to bring the roads to a state fit for bitumen coating. The speaker proceeded to criticise the methods of the Council in dealing with the construction of the, BullsSanson highway and its attitude to the County Engineer. Further, metal could not be placed on the roadwith a pen and ink —picks and shovels were needed (hear hear). There were four men in the County office in addition to the ..storeman, traffiic inspector and the engineer. The speaker could not understand the reason for this costly administration and ratepayers should know how much these officers were receiving in salaries. “Then we have a repair department,” continued the speaker. They have to maintain graders which are sent out to put the metal back on the roads which the motor traffic sweeps off and I guess those stones must be getting giddy (laughter). They have eight men in those workshops to keep the graders sharp.” Since this meeting had been called, continued the speaker, he understood that seven men had been put off the road work and he further understood that the eight assistants in the repair shop had been dispensed with. He sincerely hoped that this was not so. Again the Council paid its men 12s a day 'whilst across the river men receive 14s a day, and in fact that rate was paid all round. “And the Council expects to get the best out of its staff. I think it is a scandalous wage” (hear, hear). “I don’t see why the Manawatu County Council caould not put on 30 or 40 men next week with the £120,000 loan money they have. I notice that the Council has to render a return to the Government respecting unemployment —I venture to say I have done more in this respect than the, Manawatu County,” concluded the speaker amidst applause.

Mr. J. L. Brown wanted to know who was responsible for the engagement of an unqualified man to a position requiring specific qualifications, whilst qualified applicants were ignored. The chairman: The Council was responsible for the appointment. Mr. Brown: Which goes to show the incompetence of the Council for the work they have to do. (Hear, hear). x Mr. B. J. Frecklington condemned the crusher river metal which the council was putting on the roads. Better metal was obtainable from some of the metal pits, and would cost less.

/The fchairman explained that he had always supported the use of pit metal in the Sandon Riding where it could, be applied at 5/- a yard, as against the crushed metal price of 12/6 a yard. * Mr. Frecklington pointed out that the pit metal at 5/- per yard lasted twice as long as the 12/6 metal. “If the Council won't use the pit

metal, then we will have to metal our own roads,” concluded the speaker.

It appeared to Mr. G. W. McKenzie to be ridiculous and wiflul waste to put the coarse metal on the roads. If the engineer was responsible he would say that he was not a practical man and it was high time the County obtained the services of practical men.

Mr. B. Freeklington, who had experience of the Hauraki Plains County roads —and that county had only been in existence for seven years—said that their roads were superior in every w l ay to those of the Manawatu County. He was satisfied that there was something very wrong about the roads in the county.

The chairman explained that the Public Works engineer had reported that there was only three inches of a metal foundation on the highways in the county and this was insufficient for treatment by bitumen. Mr. D. Beattie: Well, the application of coarse .metal' without scarifying will not meet the situation.

The chairman: That is my opinion.

Mr. B. Freeklington said that there had been mention of the high rates but his experience was that the Manawatu County rates were lower than any other county he had experience of. '. The question was asked why none of the Councillors were present.

Mi’. Schriber said each councillor had been sent an invitation.

Mr. McKenzie considered it a pity that the councillors were not present. There was no antagonism to the councillors, and it would have been nice to have them present. The chairman agreed that it was a matter for regret. Evidently the councillors considered that the meeting was antagonistic to them. His experience of the councillors was that they were doing their best. If the ratepayers were dissatisfied they had the matter in their own rands. He suggested the formation of a Ratepayers’ Association and the appointment of an executive to approarh the Council. Regarding the £60,000 loan, mentioned by Mr. Schrieber, Mr. Fagan said that the delay by the Council in utilising the ldan money was due to the fact that the original subsidy was 40-60. Later 'it was raised to 50-50 and now it was 60-40 and foreseeing the advantage of a heavy maintenance subsidy, the Council decided to go slow with road work and had consequently only used' a small portion of the loan money. RATEPAYERS’ ASSOCIATION FORMED.

To put the matter in order, Mr. Beattie moved that a Ratepayers’ Association be formed. Mr. Dorsett seconded the proposal. Mr. J. Gibbons thought that it would be more to the point, in view of the attitude of the ratepayers, if the Council were called upon to resign and then the ratepayers could contest the vacancies in their respective ridings. The motion was put to the meeting and carried unanimously. A levy of 2/6 per member was decided upon.

The following executive was then set up:—Messrs B. Freeklington, and A. H. Hartley (Carnarvon Riding), H. J. Fagan and J. M. Croucher (Sanson Riding), C. Eglinton and C. Masters (Mount Stewart Riding), A. G. Collins and W. Brookie (Waitohi Riding), A. Burgess and D. Beattie (Rongotea Riding), and F. J. Foster and L. Mudford (Kawakawa Riding). The appointment of representatives from the .Awahou Riding was held over. SCRAP THE TRAMWAY!

Reverting to the question of the tramway, Mr. Dawbin considered that the ratepayers in the ridings which derived no benefit from the service should not be taxed for its upkeep. It was running at a loss and will always do so and it was not fair that the w'hole county should be burdened with its cost. Mr. Dawbin asked whether all the ridings contributed equally towards the upkeep of the tramway. Mr. Fagan replied in the affirmative and Mr. Dawbin suggested that the service might well be scrapped. The Council had considered whether the tramway was a business proposition or not, said the chairman, and he thought the time was not far distant when it would be scrapped. Mi-. J. M. Croucher said that if the tram was run on proper business lines it would be a profitable concern. Years ago the Council had leased it to a private individual who had run it at a profit. Placed in business hands the tramway would pay (hear, hear). The meeting concluded at 10.30 p.m. / _