The Aroha AND Ohinemuri News AND UPPER THAMES ADVOCATE.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 289, 11 August 1888, Page 2

The Aroha AND Ohinemuri News AND UPPER THAMES ADVOCATE.

1 This above all —to thino own self be true, Ami it. mus>t. follow as the niglit the clay 'Jltou can*t not then be false to nny man. — Shakksi?ka.rk.

' been for years 'got over) from the ratepayers point ol view. ? The following is the estimate for rates for the Borough of Thames for the year ending June 80th 1889, as recently published in the Thames newspapers, when the accessary notieo re strilun ; the several rates referred to was given. (1) General rato of Is in ihe £, (2) Library rate Id, (3) Hospital and Charitable Aid rate 7d, (4) Water rate Od. Or equal to 2s 2d in tho .£ in all. But as a matter of fact the extra charges paid for water supply would, if levied in the form of a general rato, bring the total up to more like 3s in the £ for the cm rent year. (Last year wo may mention the Hospital and Chaiitable Aid rate was Od in (lie £). The published estimate referred to states that the water rate for ordinary supply will be 7s 6d per annum when the rateable value of the property on the valuation roll does not exceed .£l2 10s Od per annum, down to 2J> per cent or 6d in tho£, which lowest rate is the one we have quoted above. Tho estimated receipts from the ordinary water rate are sol down at £'183, rrhilot for iccsipts from the additional charges (termed Water Charges Extraordinary and Motive Power) L 305 is the estimate. Some of these extraordinary water charges wo :ue informed are as follows : — 7s (j>\ per annum for each horse ; bakois, 25s to 30s ; publicans, 25s to 30s, and for each bath in hotels or boarding houses L 2. And it should bo clearly understood that exemption cannot bo hnd by simply declining to utilise the water; as is sta f ed. " Upon all lands and buildings (o which water can he but is not supplied, situate within one hun lied 3 aids fiom any part of the water works, a rato of one half the ordinary raUs, and upon all buddings used as stores and warehouses or for any purpose other than as dwelling houses, a rate of two and u half per cent on such rateable value.'' Tho general rnto of Is in the £ is estimated to yield LI2G6 ; publicnn's licenses urc estimated toyield ,£1250, and gold duty and goldfields revenue £1000. Through all these years no compulsory night soil service has been enforced by tli'-* lioiough Council. The population of tho Borough 13 about 5000. Surely all our readers will admit the smaller the population and rateable vnhio, the heavier must of necessity bo the expenses in connection with the Boiongh form of Government : and that it is an expensive form of government there can be no doubt. We are decidedly of opinion that many in To Aroha who have been pestered into signing their names to a document (pressed sufficiently unrolled for them to sign, but of the contents of which they woro probably not informed beyond that it was a petition for a BorongJ), which if granted was to greatly benefit Te Av^hn, etc, e(o. ) would have deep cause tb-regret weie the petition granted. We arc of course now referring to those who have some vested interest in the place, and who would consequently have to pay the heavy rates that would too surely follow. Of course with those who would expect gome paid billet, or the amount of whose rates would be nominal, these considerations can have but little weight. Iti our opinion it is premature by a long way to have To Aroha constituted a boiough, to en force a stringent code of bye-laws, to cn r orce a paid night soil service, or to lay on a water supply. The people are not in a position to bear the heavy taxation that would necessarily accompany these inovations, however desirable they may be ; and we arc of opinion Acts already in exigence, if enforced, are ample to meet nil present requirements. With respect to these Acts, water supply, cfc , we purpose dealing with these matters in a future isaiic. Those who endeavour to persuade the people that wore Tn Aroha and W T aioron£o«nai const ifcutcd a Borough taxation ueuld be less thnn at present, either know very little of tho subject they are dealing with, or ai-o deliberately endeavouring to throw dust in the eyes of others, in order to gain their own ends. Beyond the shadow-of-a-doubt taxation would be far far heavier than now ; and certain it is were the goldfield included , it would result in great injury being] done to tho mining industry. Such proposals are altogether premature and ill-advised, 1

A number of new advei tiaeoiientH will bo found in our columns to-day. A repoit of the expoiiments at Wai»<rongomai on Saturday last with the Bellit Safety Explosive is unavoidably held over till next issue. At the last meeting of the To Aroha Town Board a committee was appointed to confer with Mr Lip'jey ;md see what further steps could bo taken re tenurn of the township allotments ; it being fully understood, however, that beyond making enquiries the commiitoo would not take any definite steps in the mattci without a public meeting being first convened. We are pleased to learn that several oF the claims recently granted at x'ui and Waiorongamni are being manned, Sevorul bunds are being employed on the Admiral Fairfax, Monty Chrisfco, etc., at the Tui. Wo learn also that some good stone has been obtained in the Nevada, Waiorongmai, 1 eoenlly taken charge of by Mr E, Cameron. Tho following tenders for the constiuction of a ditch and sod bank fence at Pukuhu, Shaffcesbury, wero received by Mr \V. P. Gage-Brown :— No. 1 (posts and wire) : D. Barclay, 8s per chain ; McDavitt, 3a 9d ; Wm. Feilder, 6s ; A. Fokott, lls 6d ; J. Allenby, 6* ; A. 11. Porrot, 7s ; J. Forseman, lls ; J. Smith, 5b ; 0. Harris, 5s 9d ; Croker, 7s 5d ; J. Jacobs, 6s (id ; John King 1 ., 5s ; Brothers, 13s; C, Campbell, 4s 6d. No. 2 (ditch) : D. Barclay, G-* chain ; McDavitt, 4s sfl : W Feilder, 6s; A. Fokett, J0h,6(1; J. Allenby, 4* ; A. R. Perrot, 6s frl ; J. Forse man, 7s 6d j J. Smith, 5s ; C. Harris, 4s 2d ; Croker, 5s 9d ; J. Jacobs, 5a (3d . John King, 4s ; Brothers, 4s 6d ; C Campbell, 3s 2d. The tenders oi Mr HcDavitt were accepted. j

As will bo seen by rofeienco to report of Piako Counly Council meptinff which will bo found in another eolumii ; the running; of tho punt at Murpbys landing >yill in future bo earned on by Mr James Stewart, who as an employee of. the present lessee Mr C. Murphy, (son of. Cr Mttrphy) has had charge of the punt for some little time pnsl. Sonic lengthy cairespondenee load at yestei days Council meeting relating to this matter, and a leport of: the discussion thereon will be publshed in our next issue. Amongst tho passengers by the To Anau, which left Auckland for Sydney on Tuesday last were Messrs 11. Bictt, E. W. Allison, and F. Winter, en louto for Melbourne Exhibition ; D. TSlair, managing diioctov oC the Kauri Timber Syndicate ; J. Ilowell, ;nining- expeit, en route for Broken Hills ; L. Mac Bniir (oL : the Bullit Safety Explosive Co.) etc.