PROJECTED RATING

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 21, 16 April 1927, Page 13

PROJECTED RATING

SETTLERS LODGE PROTEST PREPARED TO FIGHT (From Our Oxen Correspondent.) PALMERSTON NORTH, Thursday. A desire to further its works of improvement recently led the Manawatu Drainage Board to approach its ratepayers with a view to obtaining their permission to raise a loan of £IO,OOO. The necessary three-fifths majority was not, however, forthcoming, although there Lad been an actual majority of nearly 100 ratepayers at the poll in favour of the improvement work being done. The board viewed the position from the point of view that majority must rule and, if the work could not be done out of loan moneys it should be done by increased rate. Such a decision brought a storm of protest against the individual members and a public meeting was called at Newbury on Tuesday evening when some 90 odd objectors attended. Legal opinion on the situation had been sought and although the member of the fraternity present at the meeting mentioned that he had not gone closely into the matter, the case was indeed a novel one and he failed to see how a local body could adopt such an attitude and flout the ratepayers. The chairman of the Drainage Board, who was present, was given permission to explain the attitude of the board and state the conditions of affairs which had compelled their representatives to adopt the course they had done. However, it was apparent that the meeting was of the opinion that the farming community was already overtaxed and a motion, which was passed without a single objector, urged that the board reconsider its intention to strike a rate to permit of the furthering of the ii-provement scheme; to have a fresh classification of the lands within its territory taken by an independent authority—such having been previously done by the members themselves—and lastly that the board resign. Those present at the meeting bonded themselves to fight the issue should the board elect to go on with its proposal and with a view to creating a fund to fight it through the courts, signed a roughly drawn document binding themselves to bear a share on an acreage basis of any legal costs entailed.