Harbor Rate Rejected.

Patea Mail, 5 June 1882, Page 3

Harbor Rate Rejected.

ANOTHER SCHEME. Settlers refuse to be rated for harbor improvements in the manner proposed. Meetings held at Kakaramea, Manutahi, and Whenuakura have all had the same result-—an emphatic “No 1” Most settlers object to the boundaries proposed, and insist that the County is the proper harbor district ; that if the County be willing, they are .willing. This is an effective argument for making a district rate Others say that settlers have already one more rate than borough residents, namely the County rate ; and though the Road Board and County rates make only a shilling in the pound on the average, still they say two rates are more than one'rate, even if the total be the same. Therefore the borongh is trying to get an advantage. Any argument is good enough for resisting another rate. Settlers will not pay a harbor rate voluntarily, and the fact should be admitted and acted on. It was better to have made this appeal to settlers, if only to satisfy those who doubted before that settlers will not voluntarily rate themselves for a harbor loan. We do not pretend to be wise after the event. Other schemes for raising a loan can now considered ; and it is on this resource we have relied. So long as this appeal had to be made, it was useless advocating any other mode of raising funds. There is a way of raising large funds upon a borough rate alone ; not by levying a rate, but by merely agreeing to it as a collateral security. The scheme will be brought under the notice of the Harbor Board at its next meeting. : MEETING AT MANUTAHI Oh Friday evening about 20 settlers present assembled in the Block-house to consider the proposed rate for harbor improvements. Mr Foreman presided. "Mr Peacock proposed the same resolution as was adopted at Patea, as a means of raising £IO,OOO on security of a district rate. He argued in favor of a loan, and said this seemed to be the only way of getting it. Mr Aitchison seconded the motion, and, replied to an objection as to his not being a ratepayer in that district. Mr Campbell proposed as an amendment that the settlers are not willing to be rated. Mr Corrigan seconded. ' After various arguments, a show of bands was taken, about a dozen being for the amendment. Some held up both hands, and Mr Peacock demanded a division. They took sides in the room, when the numbers were found to be 8 for the amendment and 2 against. The amendment was declared carried. . PROTEST AT WHENUAKURA. A meeting of about 30 settlers, convened by the Chairman of the Harbor Board, was held on Saturday evening, in the School-house, to consider the proposed rate for, harbor improvements. It was a large meeting for the district. Mr Gower presided. Mr Coutts was the only deputy from Patea.

Mr Coutts explained why the meeting was called, and said that at Manntahi, two voted for and eight against a harbor rate, ‘and at Kakaramea, two were for, and eighteen against. When he joined the Harbor Board, they were much in debt. Various works were heeded to be done, and a special meeting was called to put on a harbor improvement rate, but as some 30 Patea business men had protested against it the Board considered it unadvisable. lo put on this rate. The Board’s income is now £lßl over the expenditure, and the district is in a better position than ever it was. If the works had been a failure, he would not ask any settler to contribute a penny towards them, but they had hot been so, and would Compare favorably with any other in the colony. He though it reasonable to do more works at the Heads. He here read a resolution made at the last meeting of the Board, but as the mover and supporter were not present, he conld not ask the Chairman to read it. No more money would be borrowed without the consent of ratepapers. Mr F. O’S. McCarthy ; What value of

goods comes into Patea harbor in a year ? Mr Coutts: £8,500, Mr Honeyfield *. What number voted for carrying the loan in Patea ?

Mr Coutts : I couldn’t count them. The Hall is too large. I think 20 for, and one against. Voice : Only one ? Mr Honeyfield : Why don’t you call meetings out of the Harbor district ?

Mr Coutts: I couldn’t go against the Board.’s resolution. I have to be guided by this. Some discussion ensued re boundary linos.

Mr McLean ; Why don’t you take a vote at Patea. Mr’Coutts : That’s what I’ve done.

Mr McLean ; You come so foolishly into a meeting with figures and resolutions. Mr Symes : Yes, resolutions passed by Patea shopkeepers and others, who will do well by it. The shopkeepers tax everything we get. And then you have yoUr Steam Company (Voice : Not’ paying dividends), which consists of two storekeepers who get their living out of the farmers, and two bankers—that constitutes the Company; and I am surprised at Mr Coutts bringing up the resolutions at this meeting.

Mr Coutts ; Mr McCarthy and Mr Symes think I am wrong in bringing up this resolution here. You are here to adopt a resolution of your own, and not the resolutions of shopkeepers and others. I am a ratepayer myself, and I think every ratepayer has a right to express his opinion.

Mr E. Symes : We are meeting you as a delegate from the Harbor Board, not from the ratepayers.

Mr Palmer said he did not consider it was fair to have four town members, and only two for the country. The town people can rule as they like. (Ho then submitted a resolution, which was, afterwards withdrawn.)

A settler: How much land have the Harbor Board to let now ?•

Mr Coutts : Only four acres.

Settler: Couldn’t you make the harbor endowments pay the tax, and the borough provide the security ? (Hear, hear.)

Mr McLean : It’s the stupidity of the people who manage it, and they do not know it. '

Mr E. Symes : I thought the tonnage rate had been passed. Mr Coutts explained that there was a special meeting called to get an Order in Council, They were unable to do anything without the sanction of the Governor. Settler : Do you think that Patea should be let off easier than Wanganui, as regards harbor rates?

Mr Coutts : If we were to levy goods the same as Wanganui, we should lose a lot of trade. Goods could be sent from Waitara to Hawera much cheaper than from Patea.

Settler : You want us to pay £2 per ton, to give the storekeepers a chance to serve Manaia.

Mr McLean : You Patea people should not be selfish. It is a wonderful question.

Chairman : What additional work would the loan make to the breakwater ? .

Mr Coutts : I am not Engineer enough to answer that question, but it would go a long way. That bank down at the Heads’ could be made safe for vessels coming in. I will do all in my power to expend the money properly, and if the ratepayers consider that I am not doing so, I will give up my position, although a Government nominee, and I think the others would do the same.

Chairman : How much would it take to carry out the plans laid out by Sir John Coode ?

Mr Coutts ; Some £BO,OOO complete,

Settler : Don’t let them drive us out of the country by taxes. Fight at them and keep our land. Mr McLean : No ; lease the land to tenants. (Loud uproar.) Mr Honeyfield .• Mr Coutts has let the bulk of his property. Mr Coutts is rated at £BO, and lam rated at £SOO. This is a large difference. ' Taking the rate at 6d in the pound, rough counting, this would be £l2 10s for me, and only £2 for him. A neighbor over the river, from me has 8,000 acres of land, and he gets off scot free ; and this is hardly fair. When I stood for the Harbor Board they said they would not vote for me, as 1 would not give them a harbor. The fairest way would be to rate all the district alike.

Mr Sytnes : Neither roads nor railways are near ns. You don’t ask in other places to get a rate levied on the settlers. What have we to do with how their 2 per cent should be paid ? It’s no benefit to us. We can’t do anything in that hole of a placed Patea. I sent my wool there one

year, and it was all damaged, and delayed three months. I move this resolution—- “ That it is not advisable to levy any rate.”

Mr Palmer: I withdraw my resolution in favor of that, with the consent of the seconder.

Mr Davidson : I am agreeable. Mr Coutts : Before putting that resolution to the meeting, I should like to say a few words. You seem to think that I came here to force this rate on you. It is not so. Some of you have gotvery warm on the loan and tax question. I may say that the man who has got my land is quite prepared to pay. A great deal has been said about the resolution passed by the ratepayers of Carlyle. Voice: What have the ratepayers of Carlyle to do with the rating of the settlers of Whenuakuru block ?

Mr Coutts : They might make another resolution.

After some discussion, a settler remarked that he heard before the Patea meeting commenced that there was to be a resolution passed that a loan should be floated. Mr Coutts : You want to know whether the resolution was passed by the townspeople or the Harbor Board ? ’ Mr Symes : Did you vote in favor of that resolution ? , Mr Coutts : No.

Mr McLean : You seem to be the working tool of the town. Have you the resolution ? Mr Coutts ; Yes. The Chairman again read the advertisement convening the meeting. Mr Contis : The whole thing seems to be in a nutshell. I called a public meeting at the Harmonic Hall and at the other commercial centres, to consider the question of raising £IO,OOO. When I came back I saw the resolution in the books, convening a public meeting at the Harmonic Hall. You will find that Mr Aitchison proposed the resolution, and it was seconded by Mr Adams. I was empowered to call meetings at principal places, arid this is the last place of meeting.

Mr E. Symes: You were to call meetings at various places in the district. Why not at Waverley and Waitotara?

Mr Coutts ; I considered this was > far enough ; and I don’t want to go any farther I can tell you. Mr Symes: If we have a member in the Board at Waverley, why not rate them ? Mr Coutts : If I have done wrong by not calling meetings at other places, all that I can say is, that I am to blame. Mr McCarthy : Did anyone assist you to write out the advertisement ? Mr Coutts : No. Mr Honeyfield : I -want to know where Mr Coutts got his authority from. Mr Symes : The meetings are jnst called in a hole-and-corner fashion round Patea. We could drive a coach-and-six through their resolution. (Voice ; and a bullock-team too.) This is an unheard of thing. Mr McLean: I did ;it was with a Government man.

Mr Symes : It casts great reflection on the Chairman. Mr Nicholson then made a few remarks relative so the cost of the breakwater.

The following resolution was proposed by Mr Symes : “ That in the opinion of this meeting it not advisable to levy any rate for the Patea harbor improvements,” This was seconded by Mr x J. Nicholson, and put to the meeting, and was carried unanimously, there being 20 for and none against. The Chairman, then read a resolution passed at Patea, but lost at Whenuakura.

Mr E. Symes : The resolution you have just read shows more clearly the narrowmindedness of the ■ Patea people—two shopkeepers voting for it. The members should be ashamed of themselves.

Mr Nicholson : Mr Aitchison suggested at the Kakaramea meeting that grazing wouldn’t pay, and he thought that it would be a very small rate to pay, and that.the settlers, if they only grew a few apples, could pay that rate by sending them to Patea ; and 1 suppose wo can do the same. Mr Palmer: It seems foolish to ask two men to go in against five. No public spirited man would go. Mr McLean : A country clown might! Mr Palmer : Yes! if he' had town interests*

Mr Palmer then made a statement referring to how much more a settler pays than a townsman. He concluded by saying that a settler sinks two-thirds of his money in property* and the townsman onethird in property and two-thirds in stock.

Though we only pay 3d we pay more than he. V

After some discussion; Mr Palmer submitted the following resolution r—“That the Northern portion of the Harbor Board district elect two members, and the Southern portion of the Harbor Board district elect two members, and the borough of Patea to elect two members, and the Government nominate one. These to constitute the Harbor Board. V

Seconded by Mr F. O’S. McCarthy, and carried unanimously, there being 21 for and none against, Mr Coutts then proposed a vote of thanks to the chairman, and added that none of his colleagues had attended, and had he not known that they were all good men, he would not have stayed so long. Mr McCarthy proposed thanks to Mr Coutts for his answers to questions. Carried. This terminated the meeting at a little before ten o’clock.