Piako Ratepayers’ Reform Association.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXII, Issue 42772, 31 August 1905, Page 3

Piako Ratepayers’ Reform Association.

MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE. A meeting of the Executive of the Piako Ratepayers’ Reform Association was held in the Council Chamber, Morrinsville, on Tuesday afternoon last. Present: Messrs R. C. Allen (Chairman), N. A. Lamey, W. C. Pickett, Tretheway, H. Clifford, D. Casey, Rooney, and T. McGloin. Minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. A letter received from the Piako County Council was read as follows : t The Secretary, Piako Ratepayers’ Reform Association. Sin, —At a meeting of tl:e Piako County Council, held on Wednesday, August 16th, it was decided that your letter of the 14th inst., addressed to the County Chairman, should not be received. I therefore beg to return same. Information concerning road expenditure can be got from the County books, which are available for your inspection, Yours obediently, P. Gilchbist. Mr McGloin: It is a very courteous reply. Mr Pickett moved that the letter be received. The motion was earned. Mr Lamey: At the last Council meeting I moved that our letter to the Council be adopted. It was a full meeting, but there wasn’t a man to support me. Chairman : I think it is desirable that we should draft an answer to this letter. Mr Tretheway: We shall be neglecting our duty if we do not. * Mr Clifford: The Clerk has smoothed things down. Mr Lamey: I don’t think you will get courtesy in future. One member was very abusive, and he suggested throwing our letter in the waste-paper basket. We must ■uphold our dignity. ■ Mr McGloin: I think the action of the Council at their last meeting should be treated with the contempt which it deserves. It is unwise that any resolution should refer to the action of any one member. The report in the papers should be a fair guide to show ratepayers the class of men representing them.

Mr Clifford: Many of them are just as good as the ratepayers want. The ratepayers’ put them there. *kv;/ Mr Lamey: You overlook the fact that |V< this person does not represent this rid- - . 5 .« flf he was a member for this district we should ignore him, but seeing that he belongs to a different riding, what right has he to interfere with enquiries made by this riding?

_■ Mr Clifford: I understand he has been interfering with matter's not concerning him at all.

Mr Lamey: A discussion was raised in connection with which I said it would be best to have an open culvert at the place in question. The Chairman got an idea that an 18-in pipe would carry more water than a 2-foot culvert. In the middle of the argument Mr Gavin moved that 18in pipes be put, and a man from another riding seconded it,- with the result that the work will be unsatisfactory. Mr McGloin: We must be careful in respect to members of the Council. They have a right, if they wish, to interfere in any resolution affecting the whole county. I think we had better take no notice of it. Membeis in other ridings would feel sore at our actions. If I were on the Council and received a letter such as that I should be inclined to throw it into the waste-paper basket. Chairman: Write a letter asking for the reason of not supplying the information asked for.

Mr Lamey: They should be reminded that such a thing as etiquette sometimes prevents people interfering with the affairs of others. Mr Pickett moved that the following resolution be forwarded to the County Counoil: I propose that the executive acknowledge receipt of letter from County Council, and instruct the secretary to ask the reason why the Council took the action it did in not receiving our letter. As we consider as iratepayers, we are entitled to ask for, aud to receive information from the Council as our representatives, and further consider we are quite within our rights in submitting suggestions to our representatives, i.e., the County Council, and take it as a gratuitous 1 insult to us as ratepayers in having our correspondence treated in this manner, and trust the Council will receive the letter referred to and give effect to the suggestions contained therein. Also that we thank the Council for the information re road expenditure, but as the books are not at the Council Chambers, cannot avail ourselves of it. This was seconded by Mr Lamey and carried unanimously. i Off Ik® question of local roads being discussed Mr Lamey said: The November elections are coming on, then you can get any sort of roads you like —inlaid with caustic tiles or anything. Mr Tretheway: I think about twelve mouths ago, returns of the road machine were asked for. Mr Lamey: The road machine was sent to me to make a piece of road. It cost 8s a chain. I moved at the Council meeting that the surfaceman get a diary and keep an account of the work done day by day of machine, horses, and man, and at the end of the month he submit to the Council an account. We have never got it. Mr Tretheway: Eight shillings is rather expensive for reforming roads. We used to do it on the old plan for ss. The question of jorming a branch of the Association at Manawaru was then brought forward. Mr Tretheway said he was willing to go to Manawaru" to test the feelings of the people there. • •- Mr Pickett: Mr Latimer has asked me if I would form a branch at Waharoa. Mr Lamey : We should confined.ourselves to our own district until we get j stronger. Matamata certainly has strong&grounds for wishing to form a branch ' .. Mr Clifford : They are going to start milking at Matamata, the roads will then be cut up, and they will hardly be able r .to get through. Mr Lamey : There has only been a certain

amount of money spent in Matamata, and a large amount has been contributed-,/but: we had better confine ourselves to Waitba - district. ' Chairman: Shall we take Manawaru separately ? ' Mr Lamey: This has often been proposed but has come to nothing. Mr McGloin: The best way would be to. gall a_ meeting there on a Inight that would Sot clash with any other entertainment, bazaar or dance, The Chairman and Secretary should then hold a meeting and Explain their views and take down the names of those wishing to join, and form an Association there. If we found there were no members there willing to come forward as candidates for the Association, we would then know what to do.' Any information the new branch wanted should go through the Executive. The Chairman said he thought it was unnecessary for himself and the secretary to go to Manawaru. Mr McGloin: Only for a short time will you sustain any trouble or loss of time. I think energy and determination must be put into the work, even at a little sacrifice. I greatly believe in having the fountain-head „at the Manawaru meeting. (Hear, hear) He (Chairman) is our guide and friend. Mr McGloin moved that a meeting be held at Mima warn in the schoolroom on or about September 12th at 7 p.m. or 7.30 p.rn. v and that ihe - Chairman ami Secretary of the TWr.iKvft v- and Mew r* La fmey, picket:., Tretbcway, Oliihu.l, Casey. Rooney, Thomas and M- Gl/J attend the meeting, Th : - to see. adod by Mr Case/ ando.trricu ejuohn. usd/*

Also proposed and carried: That the election of candidates be held over until after the Manawaru meeting, and that in the meantime enquiries as to suitable candidates be made in our own districts.

Also resolved: That the secretary' write to certain ratepayers in the district asking if it is their intention to come forward. Mr McGloin : I wish to draw attention to the creek between Mr Goodfellow’s and Mr Johnson’s, !the water is cutting into the road and forming a deep pond, five feet or so in depth. This is a very dangerous place, and is at a spot where a lot of cattle are caused to rush into the water on the way to and from the sales, and either a large or small mob is liable to get drowned, or with a buggy at night there might be an accident very soon. This water could soon be diverted behind the willow tree standing there. Two or three months ago I was going to the sale myself with cattle, and a. cow got into this pond. There was no chance of getting her out but for a young fellow from Kerone and another man. We managed to get the poor beast out at hist, but as only the top of her head was vbible, it was hard work. I have been surprised for a considerable time that no t tops have been taken to fence this water. I don’t know if it is any use writing to the Conncil, seeing their way of throwing letters into the waste-paper basket, but this matter affects all who drive stock to or from the sales. Cattle kept in the yards all night and let out in the morning, make a sudden rush out and soon land in this water.

Mr Lamey : You have a surfaceman who gets ten shillings a day and travelling expenses. I don’t care about mentioning things to be done, because they wont be done. There is a groin of fascining directs the water from the road. The fascines might be bound with wire and stakes to form a dam. This I suggested to Mr Warren some time ago, but no notice was taken.

Mr McGloin: If you bring the matter forward at the Council, and your fellow-mem-ber does not support you, then he is not standing by the Association. A proposal was then made to call the Council’s,attention to the matter.

Mr Clifford : Tne thing is so obvious to a child that I hardly care to second the resolution. If a few fascines were put in there and left, the hole would fill itself. If the Council needs their attention calling to a matter such as this they ought to be in a kindergarten class.

Mr McGloin: They tip the top stuff into the gravel pit iustead of carting it a few chains and putting it on the sides of the road to widen the approach to the bridge near the sale yard. The Council as at present constituted cannot be expected to deal with any correspondence sent to them. The best way to treat them is to have nothing to do with them. lam doubtful if any other local body in New Zealand would treat our correspondence with the contempt that they have, and seeing that it is only two months before the elections will be here, I don’t believe in wasting our own and the Secretary's time in forwarding resolutions to them.

Chairman : I should have no hesitation in endorsing that. Mr Pickett: I endorse it up to a certain point; we should not give in because we are kicked. Mr McGloin moved the resolution that the attention of the Council be drawn to the dangerous state of the roads near Waihou sale yard. This was seconded by Mr Pickett and carried unanimously. Mr Lamey : At the next election see that we send in men with back-bone and not men with cold feet.

Accounts were then passed for payment. This concluded the business and the meeting was cosed.