Te Aroha AND Ohinemuri News AND UPPER THAMES ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1898. THU BOROUGH QUESTION.

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2079, 19 February 1898, Page 2

Te Aroha AND Ohinemuri News AND UPPER THAMES ADVOCATE.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1898. THU BOROUGH QUESTION.

' This above all— to thine own self bo fane, kttd Ik must follow aa the night the day Thon oanek not then be false to an; Bias. SHA BESPEAKS.

With reference to the very pertinent enquiry contained in a, letter published in our last issue, and signed “ Querist,” las to what has became of the Borough 'Petition, we should 1 be very glad to give him accurate information ; but, I unfortunately, there are limitations to our own knowledge on the subject. ■ In consequence of the rumours that gut abroad about the recent valuation, the ; valuator was interviewed recently, but I that gentleman declared that there was I absolutely no foundation, in fact, for I the obtaining currency at the time. No, exact information is, therefore, obtainable, and as for the valuator, his lips, he were •sealed. Happily, w© are in a position to.reassure “Querist" on one point. ’ Although,, at present, au unknown quantity, the result of the valuation places the town district" of Te Aroha in a position entitling it to approach the Governor with a petition to. incorporate it as a Borough, provided, and here a possible obstacle to the consummation of our wishes intrudes provided al ways, as, the legal fraternity : have it, the margin which places us on the right side of the amount necessary to constitute us. eligible candidates for : municipal honours, is not reduced at the sitting of the Assessment Court. "THis Court was instituted for the purpose of hearing and determining all objections to- the valuation list, and those of us in favour of turning the Te ! Aroha t&wn district into a Borough are 'forced to, contemplate the possible contingency of the margin upon which we 'are pluming ourselves, cut.down, and perhaps actually converted into a .deficit.. The opponents of he borough ; scheme may not only as aggrieved I parties object to the valuation put upon their own properties as unfair or jincorreet, but proceed a ;step further. Any ratepayer can object to any valuation appearing oh the v&luationilist for his, district.. Certainly it would I savour of 'Gilbertian humour if one neighbour went to the trouble and : expense of appearing before Mr Bush ito plead that the property of his ; neighbour Sam Styles, with whom he is notoriously at enmity, was rated at ‘too high a figure.. But it might so J happen if, for instance, Sam Styles favoured a forward policy for ©Ur village community, and his neighbour ; opposed progression as a dangerous innovation.. Having, no means of ; ascertaining the exact amount of the margin the friends of the moveme a for incorporating Te- Aroha as a Borough are not exaetly on a bed of roses at present. We may remark in passing that all objections tor the valuation list for Te Aroha must be left at the Assessment Court (the Warden’s. Court in this instance) on or before March 15th next, and. a oopy of every sueh objection must be lodged with the Clerk of the Assessment Court (the Magistrate’s Clerk) ten ; days before the next sitting of that Court., In Auckland we observe the lists are now open for inspection. at the Municipal Buildings,. In the case of Te Aroha we must have patience, as naturally the departmental authorities would extend the preference to _ already established municapalties in issuing the valuation lists. Needless to say, the Town Board have not yet been officially notified on the subject of the valuation list—a fact doubtless due to. pressure of departmental business.. Nothing can possibly be done in connection with the petition until the result of the recent valuation is made known at the forthcoming sitting of the local Assessment Court. In view of the possibility of a reduction in the rateable value of properties within the radius of the proposed borough of Te Aroha having to be made we should like to suggest that the Town Board acquire a copy of the recent valuation, in so far as it relates to Te Aroha, at the earlist opportunity, and instruct their clerk in the meantime to collect information on the subject of the buildings that have been erected since the valuation was made in order that the Board may, in accordance with the provisions of the Bating Act (1894) exercise their right to-add these . properties to the list—a goodly number and one materially calculated to swell the volume of rateable properties within the circumscribed area. When a list shall have been made of all the cottages and other buildings erected in Te Aroha since the valuation was made some six months ago, we feel satisfied that whatever the defied, that sufficient property has been erected in Te Aroha to more than counterbalance any possibledeductions. that may have to be male l»y the Revision Court, ,