SOLDIER SETTLERS’ RATES.

Putaruru Press, Volume IV, Issue 127, 8 April 1926, Page 8

SOLDIER SETTLERS’ RATES.

ROADING DIFFICULTY. Position at Kereone. In consequence of the fact that the ■Government refuses to allow assisted discharged soldier settlers’ rates to be a. charge upon the land, difficulty is being experienced in having the soldier settlement roads metalled, and it appears that until some relief in this direction is obtained or the Government can be urged upon to do the loading, these settlers will remain indefinitely in the mud. According to remarks passed at a meeting at Kereone on Tuesday of last week, many of these settlers are in such a position. At Kereone there are a number of assisted discharged soldier settlers, some returned soldiers who are on private land and who are treated as ordinary settlers, and some even who are not returned soldiers at all. All desire the metalling of the roads, the only difference of opinion being the distributiomof the rates, the ordinary settlers railway station end of the settlement desiring a small scheme of their own, while the assisted settlers, mostly at the other end, wanting a larger scheme to embrace the whole settlement. At a meeting a few weeks ago it was decided to circulate a petition for the larger scheme. In the meantime, however, the objectors to this met and decided to go in for a small scheme of their own, the meeting last week being for the purpose of inviting a free discussion on the matter, the private settlers eventually deciding to petition fqr a smaller scheme to metal the road from the Kereone hall to the Morrinsville-Kereone road. Judging from remarks made, it appeared that it was useless the assisted discharged men taking action in the matter of raising a special loan until the Government would agree to make the rates a charge on the land. However, the alternative of asking the Government to do the work was urged. OBJECTIONS TO LARGE SCHEME. There were about 25 settlers present at last week’s meeting, which was attended by Mr. W. R. Lowry (Kiwitahi riding member), and Mr. W. J. Gibbs (county engineer). Mr. J. Mclntyre was elected to the chair. The chairman said that at the railway station end of the settlement there was a strong objection to the larger scheme and these men were prepared to go in for a smaller scheme to metal only about two miles from the hall to Morrinsville-Kereone road. The engineer said that the hall to the Morrinsville-Kereone road would cost £2IOO, and to Hutchinson’s road £4OO. The whole of the smaller scheme would cost £2500. The chairman said that the rate would be about lOd per acre for the smaller scheme, while with the Government sudsidy the loan would need to be for £I3OO. The cost of the larger scheme would be about Is Gd per acre. Mr. Lowry (to Mr. Davis) said that the road from the hall to the station would be re-metalled out of the riding funds. Mr. Davis thought the rate would be only about 6d per acre for the smaller scheme. The chairman (after calculating) said that the area would comprise 2159 acres, and the scheme would cost 9d per acre. Mr. Topham considered, that although the larger scheme would cost him more than the smaller one, he felt morally bound to support it, as the road to the railway was metalled on account of the soldiers. The chairman said it was not fair to ask settlers to pay for a road that was not their outlet. Mr. Brewin: I don’t mind them battling for the road, but you can’t expect the men of “ sleepy hollow ” to pay for it when they don’t use it. The engineer said the present metalling was done by free grant, £IOOO from the Lands Department and £IOOO from the Public Works Department for the roads through the settlement. Mr. J. B. Thomas said that the free grants were given for soldiers from whom the county council could not collect rates for some time. A voice: The council did collect them, or tried to. A settler asked if Cr. McLean (Walton riding) was asked to the meeting. It was explained that Mr. McLean was away from the district. Cr. Lowry said that he had not been notified of the previous meeting. The area was partly in his riding. Mr. Anderson asked if Mr. Ramsey would keep to his promise to support the scheme providing the council took a test case to ascertain whether the rates were a charge on the land. Mr. Ramsey said he had promised that if the back rates were all paid up j and the future rates would be charged on the land, he would support the>

scheme but the meeting had turned the proposition down. A SUGGESTED SOLUTION. Mr. Lowry said he had always considered that the road to the finger post was an arterial road, and should be metalled if possible. There was an obstacle as the Government owned, the soldier settlers’ land, and they would get no further forward with metalling proposals because the county council would not and could not sanction the loans until it had first charge on the land. The only solution was to explain the position to the Government, and ask the Government to metal the roads, suggesting that the settlers enter into an agreement to suffer a rate on their lands. He considered that the Government would then Consent to metal the roads, and charge the cost to the land. The Government would look to the private settlers to join in and stand a reasonable share of the cost, say perhaps 9d per acre on the land to metal as far as the finger post. Mr. Topham did not agree with Mr. Lowry. Did he mean to say -that he and Mr. Cameron, living alongside the metal, would have to pay the full share. Mr. Lowry Said that 9d was merely a suggestion. The Kereone settlement was an old one, bought before the boom, the land was good, and the settlers had everything in their favour. How much rates had the soldier settlers paid ? Mr. Anderson: At least 75 per cent. Mr. Lowry: We cut two years’ rates off those who had not paid. (Mr. Anderson said that a number of private people had not paid their rates. Mr. Lowry: Not very many. None had gone over 3 years. Judgment had been secured against some outstanding ones and that held good. WHERE DID THE RATES GO? Mr. Ramsey asked what had the Walton riding member done with the rates collected from the settlement. The chairman said that Mr. McLean, replying to a similar question recently, had said that very little of the rates had been paid. Mr. Norman said that some of the settlers on the Pakarau road were civilians who had paid their rates, leaving only five soldiers on the road. He thought they should be entitled to a little consideration, or even courtesy in the matter. The soldiers were off the feeding bottle now, and they wanted to be civilians and why could not these roads be done in one special loan, all working in harmony. Mr. Ramsey contended that there had not been one per cent of the rates collected spent during the eight years. The council had, he said, spent them in the \y a,ton riding and was it fair for them to ask the private individuals to pay for roads now. Why did not the Walton riding member ask his own ratepayers to pay for the roads. Mi - . Ramsey added that he would not support a scheme that would take his rates out of the riding. Mr. Lowry, in defence of Mr. McLean, asked the engineer to show that Mr. McLean had not neglected the Kereone roads. The engineer said that all the rates that were warranted might not have been spent at Kereone, but £IOO load been spent in two grading works and £IOO for a bridge ; also shingling and more grading at present being done out of the Walton riding rates. “ SCHEME GONE SMASH.” The chairman: Then they have not spent one years’ rates in seven years. Mr. Ramsey moved that the settlers at the station end of the settlement agree to raise a loan for the metalling of the road from the hall to the Morrinsville-Kereone road. Mr. R. Mclntyre seconded the motion. Mr. Lowry said that the ratepayers cculd sign the petition, but the council would accept or reject it as it thought fit. The council would not accept the petition unless they could charge the rates upon the land. If a loan were raised and the assisted d'seharged soldiers in the area refused to pay the special rates, the arrears would have to be paid for, he thought, by the general fund of county, and it was not fair to ask the ratepayers of the whole county to pay. The council had to sec that the ratepayers as a whole had a fair deal, and the council would therefore not support such a petition under the existing circumstances. Mr. Topham: What’s the use of going on with it then? Mr. Lowry said there was no use going- on with the scheme under- the present conditions. A voice: That means that the whole scheme has gone smash. AGITATION URGED. Mr. Thomas suggested obtaining the opinion of the solicitor to the Counties’ Association. Mr. Lowry: We were trying to get something in b'ack and white from the Govern-iient. Mr. Thomas considered the position unfair to the community, especially to the soldiers, who, when trying to

road the country, were unable to raise the money. He suggested that representations should be made through the member for the district and if they could not get satisfaction right away they should interview the Minister. Mr. Anderson: Seeing that you can’t get the soldiers into the scheme, are the private people going to do anything ? The chairman: If we do our own mile will you be satisfied ? Mr. Anderson: No; do your whack. Mr. Davis said he had paid his rates until last year, but he was not going to pay any more until he had to and was on the same footing as a civilian. If a man did not have to pay he would not. The chairman said a man should pay what he was morally bound to. MOTION CARRIED. Mr. Ramsay’s motion to form the smaller rating area was carried by 8 votes to 3, ratepayers in the proposed area, only, voting. Mr. Anderson asked that, in the event of the county council being able to claim the rates from the land, which scheme would be sanctioned by the council, the larger or the smaller one. Mr. Lowry said that this was a matter for the council to decide. The petitions would be considered on their merits. Mr. Davis said that the cream carting contract would cost half that at present if there were good roads round the settlement. The chairman suggested that the cream carters should write to the dairy companies stating this and getting the support of the companies. Votes of thanks to Messr-s. Lowry, GibJjs, and the' chairman, concluded the meeting.