RATEPAYERS’ MEETING.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 30 January 1920, Page 3

RATEPAYERS’ MEETING.

TOV/Xn" BOARD MEMBERS CENSURED. TIIE ELECTRIC LIGHT AGREEMENT. There was a large and representative gathering at the meeting of ratepayers held at the Druids’ Hall, Otuki, on Wednesday night hast, convened by Mr J. Meads. Mr C. H. Williams, who was voted to the chair, read the notice convening the meeting, and said they were there it. discus- the action of the Town Board in entering into an agreement with Mb Reardon to engineer the pro- • electric lighting scheme, in opposition to the legal advice received. Mentis was cptite justified in taking ‘,lm ;..:)t he had. said the chairman. M - \\ 11 ns proceeded to deal v\-it h i . ~:< 'a t 01" Town Hoard affairs, ,ai .it. he saiti. was deplorable. The Board meetings were not fully reported a... they had a li gJ't to expect. . L‘ Aleads explained that lie could • r * pro-luce llie Town Hoard books re* bi.iivi. I>> the electric ilghtiug agree•t . -ii It would need a resolution . -.-.' il *-y die Hoard to produce the ho ! - ml he knew that he had too • • iylit against Him to attempt to >v It a motion. However, he had of legal advice received by the JJo and re elutions dealing with the t .ki -ii lie handed the chair

jnn r N ... r;.j read legal advie t . I tiil .Silted August -Itll -](,[ v ., Mi Kirk, lifter giviit) . ( | t ,. r > •,ii\ lie considered i int ° ,u agree,neu. not. j> l do cer , . . . .... r.r! i- - lueetioi turn i>rei.:i ' . , : i: .iii ini' sencine closed Lis opi iii'iii ■' iIL fd< .—‘ i For all iLc : reasons f •■ ’ 1 Jll .' duty to strongly i:d*. •.*•« >K* 'l l ™ l Board not to onto- into the tgreenienl

■with Mr Bourdon which was submitted to 311 o for approval. 1 advise that youi Board. after due notice, should rescind the resolution which I sec by Hie hist issue of the ‘Otnki Mail’ was passed at your lust, meeting, deciding to entei into the agreement, and that after such resolution Ims been rescinded you should write to Mr Reardon informing him that, after due advice and reconsideration. especially of the financial aspect of the .situation, your Board cannot see its way to bind itself to any definite course of action in the. future, though the Board quite appreciates the value of the services already rendered dr Kearbi.t ” , of 11-.: ■ solutions in. '’ by Board agre.-ii. . ... on,-, be i*li Sfr Keard'-n. ' !l ' ' Ibe , . ; „ ,vv-- .1,.-. rend i, v ,i.o Tllf-se -.'ei'uieUS were dated I eiuuaiy. ‘‘is oi ; time after Mr Kirk’s advice hat been received. 1 Mr Moads said it would be seen that the Board had fair warning not to sign the agreement. Me had endeavoured to pass a resolution in the Board, ask ing for Inga! advice as to whether the Board members who had voted for the resolution entering into the agreement were personall-.- liable for the costs incurred. Put hud failed to find n seconder. lie lmd also moved that a correct record be kept Ivy the clerk as to how each member voted on every resolution presented to the* Board, and Hint also had been sh-elvod by the Board nienihers. Mr steads added that lie had called this meeting before the chairman *t the Board {Mr Byron Brown) left for the Old Country, as he did not wish to take :m unfair advantage of hia*. The Chairman said lie* understood the Board was now £l."l'i> in debt, and had dune practically nothing for the town. They had had no lights for yeurs. and the streets had little done to them. He thought it time the Board published a balance sheet. and published full minutes' -*s to what was done at the meet tugs. ' .a * lime. too. that Otaki made .. e ' ' - : ".uld be one of the i>e-'t in the Dominion, and i r v, ivors themselves ro g ■ ;i y.. • -si 1. i the iijj,! Board meeting •• ' ■ L .-'ported eorrectHn the it". . ' admitted that the cha*.ai.au ; r ; . could transact all iite •• bv-im' •• -*,. Vatic* a.-k. d wore the ratepavers responsible f r debts contracted l.v ti’"' ia-ata It t>!«• Board entered into ; aww, v ~ ng- -rst legal advice. would -.h*. .-pay vs’have to foot the bill? The ■ ■ in. an; Tv.-. The ratepayers .ire vg. t.-iai . il Board members nre re- .■*■ , . . ■: ,< .of ;lif ratepayers. Mr ’ a ..id '.* supposed Mr Meads lia.l .•.'•* ' details of other items ' by the Board. He under.-:- .a d had been getting report- f■ - • w: over ihe place, as rear'd- 1 -n ' - - ’ :Ber supply, etc., and the s’ ran in* about £7OO. Mr !n . is -a* - - not know the cost, but the items mentioned by Mr O’Rc-' rite ! ■■■' v-st a lor of money. lb pi vista . • Mi i"' a. Mr Meads said he t:is n’>*. •• '■■■ rof the Board •whi the I’grc-omo!.* had been entered jpt v.;t*: Mr lb".r-.lrn. He was not -• dvr.it- - of Mr Kirk’s adflTVi‘TO u.i . _ Vi un:i, *. :';er bad become' a ).e,' tlm Hoard. pain being raised ?>' to whether tkv Board would h ’ ' to pay Mr Rfiar- - • 4 vp-r.'O'. '-V O’Rourke said Mr Mail:a !Murie.*’'. As-oeintion s legal adviser) hod-ad ' ,?ed ‘the Board that they would lia . to pay t •*’ • *"• ‘ Replying to a ’bv Mr Bonn. Mr JCicolsoh jsa’u hr but * 'l'i •’ Other legal ; ivic.o Ji.yj beer seenjed by the Board, rp.mbryisig o: in opposition to Mr Kirk *■ edviyje. Mr O'Rourke, - -ked if Mr Meads had made ’cpp'-V. .fliuit to the Board for proriiKtie'n of the book- fcl d papers at that j .•Aghri’a inset mi* .*n ■ j Mr Mends replied .< ‘ “lin'd too teu.h weight Qgait)it liim.ry and wa*. on hi; own. Mif M*i.:hie Mild the only thing for them ;■» du v> as to pay out and look

! pleasant. The ratepayers, should taken a keener interest in !he .Board's a(rairs. All made mistakes —lie had made many himself and the Board should prolit. by past experience. The Chairman said he blamed the electors for the state of affairs the Board had got them into. It seemed that anyone could get on the Board if he was popular. He alleged that the Board’s business was carried out in a hole-and-corner fashion and in a discreditable manner. Every time that Mr Meads bad brought up a matter it had been ridiculed. Mr Williams referred to work in the main street which, he declared, had been hung up for two years, just because of petty spite. He also said that some people could get any accounts passed for payment by the Board, but others had to wait for months, and he inferred this was because of personal bias. Mr Williams then spoke disparagingly of the loan of ftOOd to the Board without interest. by a certain person, and alleged this was dime for ulterior motives. Affairs were in a bad state, and it was high time that the system, that obtained in the Board of “greasing one another’s palm’’ was stopped. Mr Bowden thought Mr Meads was i entitled to the thanks of the rate- J payers for stirring up interest in town ! affairs. He did not think, however, j they should censure the Town Board.

Mr Kikittana Explains. Mr Pulcu Bikihana replied lo Mi Meads’ remarks ridiculing a rc'juos for a subsidy for printing a booklet advertising Otaki. Mr Meads had hinted Ihat the speaker had been talked over by other Board members. This ho denied, and said that not a single person bad asked his support in the matter, other than Mr Meads himself. who had come to him and naked him to squash the booklet subsidy. He hue! at the time felt inclined to oppose tlie expenditure, but, after hearing the matter discussed had voted for holding tlie matter over until next financial year. If he was convinced the booklet

would l'C u good thing for Otuki lie jvould vote for the subsidy, but not otherwise. Mr Rikihana said Mr Meads was making this a personal matter, and lie (the speaker) declared he would vote oil this and all questions according to his judgment. The Chairman said the booklet would be a good thing under ordinary circumstances, but the Board had no rigiit to expend money on such a thing in the present condition of their finances. Vote of Censure. Mr C. H. Williams then proposed, • That this meeting of ratepayers censure the Otaki Town Board for entering into an agreement with Mr Ilear- | electric lighting scheme, coni’! (vary t<; the legal advice of A r Kirk. I Seconded b> Mr Meads. oa being put was de- | elan, >i carried’ u’ii7.7. imou,il . v ' There J, e■ r. only a tew ayes, amt r.o i V ‘‘" More Criticism. Questioned as to the powers and activities of a ratepayers’ association, the Chairman said it should assist the Board, and would counteract the apathy and neglect of Board members. He instanced the work of uic roadman, and said, though the present roadman was an excellent workman, whom it would be very difficult, to beat at his work, he should not be allowed to do OMticlly as he pleased, but should \>o supervised. Mr Williams again mentioned the matter of pipes that should ha\o been put down mouths before they were. .Mr Meads said he was a member Of tlio roads committee of tiie Town Board, but could not get other mem- ! hers to do anything. lie had to act by himself. Mr Williams was quite right about the pipes near the post office. This work had been delayed for months because the Board went outside the local agent to get the pipes, simply to .-light the Otaki agent. Mr Vaughan said he took it front what Mr Meads said the members of the Board were simply figureheads. Thanks. At this stage, on the motion of Mr Mnekie, seconded bv Mr Bole, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr Meads for convening the meeting, and his interest in the matter. Mr Maekie said lie had worked with Mr Meads in tilepast, and had found hiig i| Jive man. “Tiu-pot T! Management. The Chairman again severely criticised the “tin-pot” way in which the Board did its work, which should not be tolerated. He also urged that all work of- the value of £do should be done by public tender. Ratepayers should endeavour to get good men on the Board, and those members who were not doing their duty should be “bumped out.” Regarding his own attempts to gain a seut i-n the Board, he pointed otrt that’it was not in his own interests to be a member of the Board, as he would thereby lose a certain amount of trade- but 'he had offered his services simply iu the interests of the town. Board Meeting Reports, Mr Williams several times during Hie meeting referred to the scanty reports of the Board meetings in the “Otaki Mail.” Mr Rikikana and Mr Meads stated that Board members had asked the ■-•ronriciti of the “Mail” to report the meetings personally. x ■— ‘ v ~ I Air 11. Nicolson stated that when the platter had beep mSi»j N h.£;;.j &I meeting he had offered to ''resign seat if members thought it hot-right that he. as a member of the Board, should also act as iepO£ter» . WCUId i again make that offer to resign. jjlr p-;nu stated'that he had been requested to report the Board meetings personally, but explained that, seeing -that Mr Nicotson (his repartc-r) attended all Board meetings as a member, it would show a lack of confidence in him if the speaker did the reporting. Mr Penn absolutely denied the statement itb Ihe meetings r v ;» not fujly or properly reported, and said'ho had every faith in his reporter doing the work faithfully and well. Jse'uhet the

| Town Board nor the public had any- • thing to grumble about re the repiorts. | Ratepayers’ Association Formed. I Air Aleut},s suggested that a RuteI payers’ Association be formed, and the chairman, Alessrs Bowden, J. I!. Bills and Penn supported the proposal. Mr J. R. Bills then moved that a Ratepayers’ Association be formed. He thought the time opportune for such a move. They could watch progress of works, and at election time the ratepayers would know better how to net. Commenting on the concreting of the footpaths, Afr Bills said that at rhr\iresent rate of progress the work would take over a year to complete. The ] footpaths were in a worse condition than before the kerbing had been put down, •

Air I*. Brundon seconded the res** lution. Such an association would I>* the watchdog of the ratepayers, aiu would assuredly prove of value. Tin Board would welcome the oxttniuns ol such a body. Air Albert Smith endorsed the elmir man's remarks criticising lhe work ol (lie Town Board, and said ratepayers were to blame- for ejecting member* who could not, or would not, afford the time to look after the town’s affairs properly. The motion was then put and carried unniiiinousTv. Mr -T. R. Bills was unaimuousJy elected chairman of the association, and All* 0. H. Williams lion, secretary and treasurer. Nearly all or those present handed in their names as members, tlie membership fee being fixed at lls each. The t'liairman ami seercrary were deputed to secure information us to rhe working of such organisations, ami to call a meeting when convenient. A hearty vo|*- of thunks to ihe chairman for his aide rondm-l of il-e meet ing closed the gathering. Air Williams (secretary) wishes us to stall* rli a I he will he pleased to enrol any who wish to become members of the Association. Already a goodly number of names have been handed in.