Piako Ratepayers’ Reform Association.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXII, Issue 42992, 7 August 1906, Page 2

Piako Ratepayers’ Reform Association.

A meeting of the Exective Committee ,of the Pinko Ratepayers’ Reform Association was held in the Council Chambers, Morrinsville, on Saturday last. Present: Messrs RC. Allen (ohairman), F. Rooney. T. McGloiu, H. Clifford, J. Bell, R. A. Larney. (sec.) Letters of apology were received from Messrs Thomas, Tretlieway and Pickett. Minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. Accounts to the amount of .£4 Os 6d were passed, having already been paid up by the secretary, to whom thh Association was indebted to the amount of £3 4s 1 Id. The deficit was made up by the members coming forward voluntarily with donations. Mr Rooney suggested that a levy should be made on every member of the Association. Mr R. C. Allen, F. Rooney. W. C. Pickett and R. A. Larney were duly, appointed to wait upon the County Council on the 15th inst., and present the petition for the abolition of the Road Board. Division of County. —lt was decided that no action should be taken until the matter was brought forward. Mr Clifford said he was opposed to the division as the endeavours of the Association have been in the direction of securing the abolition of the Road Board. He did. not therefore see the wisdom of setting up another separate body in its place, especially as that u ould practically preclude any possibility of the County appointing an Engineer of its own. Mr Bell expressed himself somewhat in favour of the division. The Chairman saw no use in the division of the County, as there could he no engineer and no central body. He thought the time was inopportune : he would like to see the thing carried out under existing circumstances without the Road Board. Mr McGloin was in favour of the division of the division as the settlers in the Waitoa Riding were abolishing the Road Board, and he could see from the way the business was transacted at present that if ether business was added, the County meetings would be duly protracted. He thought no benefit could accrue from having the ridings tacked on to tho Waitoa Riding. He thought that in the divided sections the various members would take greater interest in the section which they represented. Mr Rooney was against the division of the County, saying he thought the County Council should be able to carry on the works efficiently even if the Road Board were abolished. He quoted experiences he had had of other bodies. It was decided that the matter should be deferred for the present. It was left to the Secretary to fix the date of the annual meeting, which must be before August 31st. Letters of resignation fr»m Mr W. C. Pickett and the Chairman were received with expressions of regret.