NELSON BOARD OF WORKS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 179, 29 July 1872, Page 2

NELSON BOARD OF WORKS.

The annual meeting of ratepayers took place at noon to-day, Mr. C. Elliott in the chair. The Chairman opened the proceedings by stating the object of the meeting, and expressing his opinion that the time had arrived when it was desirable to adopt the Municipal Corporation Act in the town. The report and balance sheet were then read by the Secretary. Mr. D. Burns said that a deputation from the Board had waited upon the Provincial Solicitor with reference to the Municipial Corporation Act, and that he bad stated that the expenses attendant upon its workiug would be twice or three times what they were under the present Act, a statement which he had repeated at a public meeting. Mr Elliott thought, with all due deference to the Provincial Solicitor, that he had scared himself unnecessarily with regard to these expenses. Mr. Percy thought it would be far better, and more to the point, if a resolution were passed requesting the Board to obtain from the Corporations in oiher provinces a statement of their respective expenditures, and to compare them with that of the Board of Works. Resolution put and agreed to. Mr. Webb sail that he had several objections to the Municipal Act, the principal one being to the system of rating, as in a young and not very fast growing place such as Nelson, there were several properties that would escape the tax altogether, as that Act provided for a rate on the annual value of the land, while tbat at present in vogue was on the value to sell. The rating for special works would also be upset. He believed in the principle that the locality benefited by sewers, or other works, should be specially rated to pay off the capital borrowed while the whole town should share in paying the . interest. He also objected to the style and title of Mayor, and all the tomfoolery which now existed in English corpora' tions. Mr Field could substantiate, what Mr Webb said. There was land now taxed beyond what it was worth, and if further rates were levied on it the Board or the Government would have to take possession of it. He also referred to Motueka Kawai, and other streets, the names of which we could not catch, in which^ nothing whatever Had beeb done/ '

Mr Burn recommended Mr Field to go through the reports for the last five yearp, and to see for himself the proportiou of expenditure on the various localities to the afinopnt of rates raised there. Mr Percy thought it should be a 'recommendation from the ratepayers to the Board to prepare a comparative statement of rates raised and money expended in the various localities for the last five years. Mr Elliott, with refprence to Mr Webb's objection to the Municipal Act, thought that he had not given it the consideration he should have done, or he would have found that in the matter of rating it gave all the powers provided for by the Towns Improvement Act. The report and balance-sheet were then adopted on the motion of Mr Bright, seconded by Mr Smith. The nomination of candidates, together with the sbo* of hands, was tnen culled for, ond took place with the following result : — Proposer. Seconder. Candidate. No. Mr Smith, Mr Lane, Mr C. V Fell, 27 Webb, Taylor, )i. Burn, 25 Fell, Uuilard D.Burns, 24 Pollock, Burn, J. R. Dodson 22 Taylor, Jones, Webb, 20 Wright, Lane, Percy. 19 Field, Thompson, A. Bush 1* Field, Browning, W.Jennings, 14 Smith, Lane, J. Hooper 12 Field, Orsman, Browninp, 7 Simpson, Scott, W Sinamonds 7 Percy, Lane, J. Flonnsell, 6 Brown, Dodson, J. li. Mabin, 6 Mr. Simmonds demanded a poll, which will take. place to-morrow, between the hours of ten and four. Mr. I. M. Hill wished to express his regret tbat the Board had not purchased the Dun Mountain line, and suggested that they should now become the purchasers of the tramway to the port. He thought tiiat the purchase of the line would have given them the sole control over the road, and would have been productive of a profit. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated tho proceedings. Laud was recently sold in Christchurch for a Bum equal to £16,800 per acre. Branches of the various Banks are lo be opeued at Reeftou in the course of a few weeks. The Rector has ordered all the boys attending the High School, Duuedin, to be vaccinated. The Waikato natives now grow nearly nil the tobacco they use. Even the Hauhaus cultivate the plant to a large extent. To Show the increased value of wethere, the Wairarapa Mercury mentions that a great many fiockownere were disposing of average half-breds at 15s. to 17s. a piece. We (Post) hear that the Grorernment have given instructions for the whole of the Armed Constabulary to be vaccinated. Operations will be commenced during the present week. A chance for Te Kooii. The Picton Press says : — " The whale fishers have been singularly unfortunate, having lost no less than three whales by sinking. It is almost too much to expect that a very prosperous season will now be obtained, but there remains sufficient time to secure good returns and to receive compensation for the bad luck hitherto experienced. Too Big. — An irate little man rushed into the publication office of one of our leading papers lately, and pointing to a certain article in a late issue, demanded to know who wrote it. An advertising clerk, who is six feet in height, coolly answered ' I did,' which so amazed the questioner, tbat without another word he turned and left tbe office. — Timaru Herald. The West Coast. — The members of the Westland County Council appear to prefer their present form of Government to Provincial institutions. The following resolutions were adopted laßt week : — " That in the opinion of this Council the present County of Westland • and the districts known as tbe Nelson South-west Goldfields should be united under one local government." — "That the form of the County government be retained, and' that an adequate number of members from the annexed district be added to this Council." — " That the Chairman be elected by the electors eligible to vote for the County Council." t ■'■