Waitoa Riding Ratepayers

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43326, 16 May 1908, Page 2

Waitoa Riding Ratepayers

MEETING AT WAIHOU

1 A WELL - ATTENDED meeting of the Waitoa Eiding ratepayers to consider the Piako County loan proposals, took place in the Public Hall, Waihou, on Thursday evening. There were about forty ratepayers present, and Mr James Walker was voted to the chair. Councillor McGloin telegraphed from Eotorua regretting he could not be present. After reading the advertisement calling the meeting the Chairman asked the convenor, Mr M. O’Donoghue, to give his views on the question. Mr O’Donoghue said he had been asked by several ratepayers to call the meeting. Re expressed tie opinion that he would like to see the new councillors elected before borrowing £5,000 for bridge works in the Waitoa Eiding. There was a move on the part of the Council to divide the County, and he thought the matter of a loan should be postponed He advocated a loan to wipe out the overdraft, then the Council would have to study ways and means as there would only be the rates to depend upon. The Waitoa Eiding rates amounted to close on £4,000, which should be sufficientMr Cooper asked could the loan be used to pay off the overdraft. The Chairman : Certainly not; but he would like to know where the rates had been spent. , , _ ... The Chairman asked Councillor Manuel if he could give any information on the subject. Mr Manuel said the overdraft was somewhere about JtoOOO. The Waitoa Eiding beiog in debit about half that amount; we were not as heavily in debt as some other countries, He spoke strongly in favour of the loan, then the general funds could be urged to gradually wipe out the overdraft It was necessary that the bridges should be strong enough to carry a traction engine. The Chairman said it would be advisable to petition the Council to postpone their application for the loan. On the motion ,of Mr Bellamy,' supported by Mr Burke, the matter of petition was left in obeyance till Thurs day next, after the meeting called by the County Chairman. The Chairman moved a hearty vote of thanks to Councillor Manuel for his attendance. With a vote of thanks to the chair the meeting closed.