MEETING OF RATEPAYERS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 72, 23 July 1873, Page 2

MEETING OF RATEPAYERS.

The Annual Meeting of Ratepayers in the Poverty Bay District, was held in the Court-house at Gisborne, on Monday the 21st July. Through the inclemency of the weather, the hour of assembling was unavoidably postponed from 11 o’clock to after 12, and this fact, doubtless, prevented so full an attendance as might have been expected. Mr. Poynter, the Chairman of the retiring Board, informed the meeting that their first duty war to elect a Chairman to preside over the business of the day. After several ineffectual propositions Mr. Graham ultimately consented to take the chair, and called upon the Chairman of the Board to lay a report of their proceedings for the past year before the meeting. Mr. Poynteb said: “ Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen, —I think the best course to pursue will be to read to you a summary of the proceedings for the past year, together with a Statement of Account and Assets and Expenditure, to be sent to the Superintendent. He would explain that although the sum shown to Cr. is £983 9s Id a great portion of that amount has already been voted, so that the actual sum which can be looked upon as an asset is very small. Mr. Poynter then read a summary of the works executed by the Board during the past year. He also said that a detailed account of Receipts and Expenditure was at the disposal of the meeting, and he would be glad to answer any questions put to him. Mr. Cowan said with reference to the vote for the Arai bridge, he considered the General Government should undertake such a work itself.

In reply to Mr. Reeves Mr. Poynter said that no sum had been expended by the Board during the past year on the Ferry at the Big River. In reply to a question put to him by Mr. Webb Mr. Poynter said that an official recently on a visit to this District, had informed the Board that the Provincial Government were contemplating raising a loan, and that if they (the Board) took the “ bull by the horns,” they would probably get their share. Mr. Poynter said before the members tendered their resignations he would recommend that as no tenders had been received from persons willing to undertake the duties of the Pound, the meeting should express an opinion as to how it should be conducted, and read a letter from Mr. Dalziell, offering to keep it on certain conditions. The Waipaoa Ferry should also receive some attention. The subsidy was very good, but the service of the punt was inefficient. The Board had met with many difficulties, and he would suggest that abridge should be built over the river, or that the punt be removed to the Matawhero crossing. Mr. Meldrum asked if the present Board was of opinion that the Ferry should be removed. Mr. Poynteb thought the Board would not commit itself to an opinion at this juncture, but personally he considered a bridge preferable. He now begged to place the resignation of the members of the Board in the hands of the Chairman. Mr. Meldrum moved a vote of thanks to the retiring Board. Mr. Walsh deprecated the building of a bridge over the Waipaoa river. Mr. Steuart, Mr. Meldbum, and others considered such a work a profitable and necessary undertaking, the outlay of which would be recouped by tolls, in a short time. Mr. Greene proposed: “That the mode of Assessment for the ensuing year be 5 per cent, on the annual rental value.—Seconded by Mr. Wyllie. Captain Pobtbb dissented from the rental value, and proposed that the rate be struck on the annual value to sell.—Seconded by Mr. Stubbs. Mr. J. W. Johnson considered the cost of Assessment would be much increased by adopting the selling value as a rate. Mr. Poynter thought the difference between the two modes of rating so very slight that it was not worth discussing. The Chaibman then put the amendment and original motion, the former of which he declared to be carried.

Mr. Wyllie proposed: "That the rate be fixed at Id in the pound.— Seconded by Mr. Cowan.

Mr. Pabsons proposed as an amendment “That the rate be fixed at i in the pound. Seconded by Captain Porter. On the amendment and motion being put the former was declared carried. Mr. Drummonb and Mr. Blaib were elected to act as Scrutineers. The following candidates were proposed to contest the election of five members for the Board for the ensuing year:—Messrs. Parsons, Villers, J. W. Johnson, Caulton, Poynter, Reeves, W. S. Greene, King, Hall, and Kelly. At the close of the Poll the Chairman announced the result as follow, and declared Messrs. Poynter, King, Johnson, Parsons, and Hall, as duly elected members of the Poverty Bay District Highway Board for the ensuing year. A vote of thanks being voted to the Chairman, the meeting separated.