MANAWATU HIGHWAYS BOARD.

Manawatu Times, Volume IV, Issue 43, 29 May 1880, Page 2

MANAWATU HIGHWAYS BOARD.

SPECIAL MEETJNGfc .; Thuksdat, Max 27, 1880. - A ipeoial meeting of the Manawatu Efigh> ways Board was h,eld at the Chambers on Thursday for the purpose of striking the rate. In the. .absence' of the Chairman, Mr. M-Ewen presided, there being also present Messrs. Brace, Farmer and Clifford. . ' .... itnni-TES. ' i After, the minutes of last meeting had been read and confirmed, the'Olerk iubmitted the following letter. " ' j iooked. on:'. - Mr. Thomas Elraaer forwarded a.commuhi cation to the Board ae'jfollows : — I received your, letter, _<»ncerning a gate leading through my properly at' Aw* BTuri, which I have locked, and do not intend remoring. My reason for locking the gate is, that I do not acknowledge, any right of leading through my property.— letter receiyed and acknowledged. - - ; o^putatiok. •' '■• .Mr, Matjhew, Hamilton waited upon; thej. Board, firatj m i ordert6!m»ke an 'appeal ior a reduction of his rates, on aecounb of the very great damage, which his land had sustained duringthe late, flood, and next to urge, the opening of the road leading through his property. . : ' ]^M'Ewen| the;." Warden for. theldilrl trietj endorsed the statement as to, th,e loss sustained, and, the Bpar.d reduced th,e rates by onerhalf. 'Vfith regard to the. aer cond matter, the Chairman said that it had ; been m the hands of Mr, Staite for the part twelve mq^ihfv .

. The Secretary intimated that ha h&d seen Mr. Staite upon the matter, and be assured him that the fault did not ho at hit door, as he had sent the legal documents to Wellington- spin* mouths. preyfou*l£ .? '.';.' 18808 IK THK BAXR-BOOK.: ■'_ \ Mr. Thomas Stace interviewed the Board' regarding the amount which had ; bpen tat down to hit name in 'the Rate Book. He explained that the original valuation had - been £80, but bj appeal to: the judge of the Assessment Court that amount had boen.reduced by £SQ, making the sum £3Q. Tht Judge, had changed the figure S into a three, but the valuer copied the reduction from the Clerk; of the Assessment Court's memo., : which; : itvwa§* : alleged; keen* •wrongly entered £50* ; Theßjoard were, of opinion that' an error had beetfmSde 4 (foci reduced the valuation to £80. ' •-..-, BTBIXINa A BAH. ! '"-. The Ohaibjo.^ invited the meeting to pjroceed Tritb! the; businei^ for which the* special meeting had been- summoned— -the striking of the rate. He would ho happy to receive a motion or hear some discussion, the subject, ■! '„'.'■■] Mr, Bbttck said he would more the striking of a shifting rate. It had been his . original inteTitioa' to hare proposed ; the striking of a maintenance rate, but m the faoe.of the withdrawal of <<he subsidy, and -an .overdraft of ££<)Q st^ry^them' iß'tlfc face, he could hot see how the Board had*' any option at al^ m the matter. Considering tl\i- iiardnefs of the times, and the many oalls upon the. settlers, he would Ute to see a sixpenny .or -eightpenny rate imposed; but the worst of it was, if such a sum were. struck, it would be totally inadequate for the purposes; of the Board" ; ; for not' only would there be no constructive works and no. progress, but- it would not suffice to pay Itne outstanding claims! He knew it wouM be, a hard atiioggle m the present state of the markets, with'Snuttoti;' beef an.d f qafjs vat mere nominal prices. -In. levying rates" Or J tales there, were two! great principles involved, and two. material points '• toiAe j^jpt iijt yi^^the^ reMit^mV&Jis of * diitriot; and the ability of the district to meet impost Jevied.' -Well, with regard to ■the. r "first^^^^heife,-oouW dlp no question as the many wquir«m»hts whioh were needed, and-the very ; limited' mean's to accomplish them was just as apparent. What wjith the '„. lDaaf,:i©ounty Cduncil, and Highways rate, the burden W*»i* pretty! aeai^ one, and becoming morel weighty each year. lii hi» o.wja case, he had paid £6 the year/ before last, last year £21, 5 with a prospect of a still further increase. As a member ofr : tha/B^oardVihXrfj^trtbe^-TC^qaibpiigr which' had been placed upon it m having to strike the vwite,. anpl h,e lpjiged for tho \\mes gone : by when the ratepayers were balled together' and by them the rate, was 'struck, ■ He had watched the papers narrowly, and he had noticed that. daring the late depression the parsons who had succumbed to the. pressure ■ ;pf*i;he timJM were storekeepers, tradesmen, raborers,"ahd 'prbfessional' men, while the farmer, or settler had so far escaped 'the misfortune. He* was afraid, however, that such would not be maoh longer the cave , with .their labpr and proiuce being'next to worthllijli^ ■*''Pe. wbujdv' ljavft r very much 'fished to haire' ; seen his w,»y cleai^ to pr&po'sing tlie smaller sum) hut under, the. oircumstenbesj "and. for the he. had: /njentioned, he felt constrained to support a shilling iate.l .; * ;cl ■'••!' ; Mr. Fabmkb seconded the proposition, ' and inveighed m- strong language upon the iniquity of the present Bating- Act,' which ihe chardct'erise.di as nothing, more nor less than a prohibitive .tax. upon industry; 'The enterprising and industrious farmer bar-' i.jrowedymjpnfly to- mak# impravements, and heavy interest uppn^ mortgage, .tha improve-! ments were immediately taxed'; so,i that he. was compelled to pay for them m a twofpld manner^ _Ther9 i _w.as. no question aboiii it the whole matter of raluation was rotten m principle and unjust m operation^ If a careful valuation were taKea m the first instancej and a proper claßsifica.tion, made, tlie rate could be struck upon .the I acreage, which beside being by far. the morejfair and juit arrangement, would also, be. ft . great saving, to the country. ;; ,ji 4r .': < The Chairman Shear tily endorsed th©i remarks made upon, the matter,, and*' condemned the ibreaohes of faitht which had taken' place with • successive -Gbvernments. for the last twenty-ieven years. The subsidies 'had 'been: promised for five years, and unless it were left for that time, there would -bo another to add to all tht , formerbreaches of faith. He was very glad to see : the divisions .which were being' made m the: Board, asjin jhis^ opinion suohjaction was only the prelude to the Government stepping m and sweeping away the whole lot, so as afterwards to have but one such body for the whole County. - r i ■'■ Mr. GiFFOBD briefly stated that-he was m favor ojt the shilling raWji I : " : " ■"."' ■KBXT^tBi-iraft. f-. .■s'•■•<. iX It was decided to hold the next meeting of the Board on Thursday, jthe' 10th of June. »•■'.■■■■ ;:v;-f:'T- .'' ]:*■'-:> .\ ' : '■(.■'•■•■"■■• - ;