HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Shannon News, 14 December 1928, Page 4

HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

SOUTHERN DISTRICT MATTERS. The following business relating to the southern end of the district "was transacted at the monthly meeting of the Horowhenua County Council, at Levin on Saturday:— Te Horo Sawmill. The Te Hoxo Sawmilling Company wrote asking for a permit to cross the road adjacent to their mill with a tramway, to gain access into the milling bush at Otaki Gorge. They were prepared to carry out the work in such a manner as to give no room for complaint.

The chairman (Mr. G. A. Monk) moved that the application be referred to Cr. Jonsen and the engineer, with power to act. He stated that an inspection would have to be made. The motion w&s carried. Manakau Sawmill.

Mr. S. E. Meredith, sawmiller, Manakau, wrote asking for some assistance in putting the upper end of the Mann-, kau North Road in order. He had recently purchased the milling business carried on by the Manakau Sawmiiling Co. and had now installed the plant ,in the bush owned by Mr. Adams, of Wanganui, and intended to cart the timber by light lorry to the railway. He had pulled up the tramway that traversed this road, and much work was necessary to put the road in order. Once the road was put in order he was prepared to meet the Council in a fair and square manner concerning 1 the upkeep. If necessary, his men would do the itork.

The request was referred to Cr. Bryant and the engineer, with instructions to report thereon. Forest Bakes Road Extension. Mr. G. W. Foster, engineer -and surveyor, Levin, acting on behalf of Mr. W. M. Simcox, forwarded plans and, specifications of the proposed extension of Forest Lakes Road, seeking the Council 's approval. The chairman moved that the Council approve the plans submitted, ami this was carried. Valuation Problem. Mr. Donald H. Lea, Otaki, wrote further with reference to the valuation and rating of his property, the letter being addressed to the chairman. He stated that there were one or two misunderstandings that he wanted to clean up, and then, as the matter was now in the Valuer-General's hands, he had dene. This place was in no sense purely residential. It was a farm of 10 acres and had to provide a living for v the owner, failing which he had to get out. When he took over, the land was ,lif to If sheep country, worth, from a sheep-farming point of view (£lO to £l2 an acre. It had been rated at Is an acre, but now, owing to the improvements, he had to pay ten times that amount. This bore out an acknowledged fact—-namely, that small farms produced more wealth per acre than the big areas, and returned a correspondingly greater revenue to the country. His suggestions for a new system of rating had had nothing whatever to do with rating on the unimproved value. It was, if anything, a system based on a restricted improved value—that was, the farming value of land, derived from its stock-carrying capacity. He had by good farming made his land worth three or four times what it had been, and his rates, based on such value, might rise to 2/- or 3/- an acre; as the land was yielding more, he could stand it. Mr. Lea suggested that if the chairman, when in that part of the district, would call on him and have a 'talk, it would do more to clear the air than much correspondence would. The chairman said there was to have been legislation in the coming session pertaining to alterations in the land value system, but he did not know what was going to happen now. He would suggest that Mr. Lea place his views before the member for Otaki, Mr. W. H. Field, for his consideration. The chairman did not think that, as a local body, they should unduly interfere, with suggestions regarding the valuation of land. Their duty was the administration of Acts on the statute book, and it was the duty of their representatives to put reasonable legislation there. He would be very pleased to call on. Mr. Lea at the first opportunity, to discuss the matter. He moved that a reply be sent to the writer accordingly. The motion was carried.

Otaki Gorge Road. Mr. A. Seed wrote stating that he was pleased to know that the Council had given directions for the necessary repairs to tho top end of the Otaki Gorge Road to be given early attention. However, lie was at a loss to understand the decision of the Council that the urgently required further extension of the road (involving only a-quarter of a mile of easy formation) should be “held over for future —in view of the Council’s previous communication to him that this extension was to be definitely provided for in the current year’s estimates. Mr. Seed repeated his plea that this small .work be undertaken and completed within the next few summer months “in order to make the property upon which he had so long been paying rates even barely habitable for those whose lot it was to struggle with the problem of its development.”

The chairman moved that the letter bo formally received. He remarked that the writer was not quite correct when he stated that “the extension was to be definitely provided for,” tho Council’s intimation having been that it would be considered with the next year’s estimates. However, Mr. Seed had their sympathy. The motion was carried.