SUBURBAN PROGRESS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 25 May 1907, Page 3

SUBURBAN PROGRESS.

THIS CAUKIXGToX IiOAD DISTRICT. KATIU>AYEU:S ; MEETING. . There wore over thirty present last night at the meeting of ratepayers in the Carrington road district, held at Vogeltown. Mr. (A Carter, chairman of the Koad Board, presided. He thanked the ratepayers for having returned him as a member of the Board, and stated it was his intention to conserve the interests of tho whole of the ratepayers, and to endeavor to bury the "upper" "lower" business. Having made a personal inspection of the roads, he was able to state that the whole of the metalled roads were in a condition that reflected great credit on the previous Board. On his motion the meeting directed that tho clerk convey to Mr. Lashbrook, the late chairman, a very hearty vote of thankn for and appreciation of the services rendered to the ratepayers during his fifteen years of membership and many years' presidency of the Hoard. THE LOAX PROPOSALS. The chairman brought forward the principal business of th? evening—that i'f re-'iiiding the resolution passed at a previous meeting by which the Ihoukhnds portion of the district h.ul been excluded from the rating area for the proposed loan for road works, lie staled thai several ratepayer* had *!>oken to him on the matter, complaining that they had been taken by surprise at the previous meeting, and expressing the opinion that a mistake had been made. The ratepayers would now be given an opportunity of continuing or rescinding the decision of the previous meeting.

Jlr. Spence moved the-motion to rescind. and Mr. lYpperill seconded. _ Mr. Newton King opposeed the motion. He could not i|uile see why the other ratepayers were anxious to force the llrooklands people to raise a loan of C 350 thnt tliey could do without, and which they did not want. They intended raising a loan themselves in the next six or twelve months, probably ,£1(M0, for widening the. roads adjacent to their properties, which had now become too

valuable to bold for grazing purposes, and must be sold for building allotments. The Road Board was not likely to give them any assistance, but would tell them, as it hud told them before, to "go on their own." He asserted that Brooklands had not had half of its rates spout ou its own roads. The widening of'the road as mentioned by him would be a good thing for the whole district, for it would mean increased revenue.

llr. Toolce agreed, pointing out that if the proposed loans were carried, it would affect the chances of the Brookhmds loan.

Mr. Todd understood that part of the Brooklands' £345 was for metalling the road from Saxton's corner, but if Mr. King's ideas were adopted- that would not be done.

Mr. Avanu argued tluit as the Brooklands people intended raising a loan of their own, it would be better to leave them out of the present scheme. Mr. King said there seemed to be some doubt as to the bona fides of the statement made concerning the Brooklands loan scheme. He was prepared to guarantee that a loan of £SOO or £IOOO would be raised within two years, perhaps within 12 months.

Mr. Pepperell thought the wisest plan would be for Mr. King and his neighbours to raise their loans along with the general one, thus saving a great deal of expense.

The chairman explained the financial position of the Board. The liabilities at present were: Wages £lB 15s, and there were assets worth £313 Ss Gd. The estimated receipts for the next four years, on prcßent valuation, and on the supposition that the loan was carried, was £1484, and estimated expenses £llOO. The total valuation of the whole district was now £104.695, and of the Brooklands area £14,349; this area having contributed £261 10s 4d to the Board's revenue in the past eight years. Four per cent, on £2700, plus the 10 per cent, margin required by the Government, meant £llß 10s in interest per year, requiring a special rate of %d yielding. £llß 10s sd. This meant a rate of £1 2s (Id per £IOOO valuation. But investigation revealed the fact that they could cut down the general rate from %d to %<\. which would leave the net increase in rates only Is lid per £IOOO valuation. He mentioned that the Taranaki .Jockey Club intended to oppose the inclusion of its property in the special rating area. The Board's solicitor advised that if tliey allowed the Brooklands people in withdraw, the T..1.C. would also be entilled to exclusion. It was only fair to say that (here were three or foiir Brooklands residents who favored the loan scheme, and that the people there were "till going to use Shortlaud street and \ ietoria street into (own.

The motion was carried by 27 votes to 4.

Mr. Court then moved that a loan of £2700 be raised over the whole district in place of the loans of £2200 and £2330 already proposed, to be allocated as follows: £IOOO for purchasing, widening and metalling at the bottom end: CSOO for re-grading Katanui llill; Csoi) lor new metalling at top end C 350 for metalling two unnu-lalled piece.-, of road leading lrom Sexton's corner over to Todd's; £2OO for opening up Mill road (settlers to contribute £100), and £lsll for first year's interest and cost of raisin«( Die loan.

Mr. King moved iin amendment to delete the £350 allocated to the. road from Saxton's to Todd's, and to delete Brooklands- from the area. Mr. Tooke seconded.

The chairman' remarked that the progress of Vogeltown must reflect progress on the Brooklands landowners, by increasing land values.

Mr. Blanohett explained that without including Brooklands the general rate could not be reduced to a halfpenny. The amendment was lost, and the motion carried, a division being recorded at All". King's request. "SUBURBAX BOROUGH."

The chairman asked Mr. Olcey, M.i 1.1!., if anything further had been done iu the matter of forming the Eliot. Frankley'nnd Carrington districts into a borough.

Mr. Okcy said the County Council, wliicli took 111 no in rates and subsidies from the districts named, lead last year voted a refund of i'2oo, but now reduced it to U125. thus "giving the ratepayers another i,ig Liclc" in' the direction of Recession. They could" not progress whilst €llOO was being taken from them to be expended on main loads which the people in these three road districts never used. The proposal was to have a borough— not an expensive borough—divided into wards with the same boundaries as the present road districts. There was a dilliculty, in that the area was too large, so that the top ends might have to be cut oil', and the borough formed of the first six miles of country outside Xew Plymouth. Nothing definite had been done as yet, but lie could see the great necessity for it. It was decided to ask the chairmen of the thee road boards to continue their investigations, and report to a meeting of ratepayers. "

STREET LfGHTIXC. "Mr. IVpperil! brought up the matter of the street lighting. The County Council had keen asked to pay the cost of the lighting out of subsidy, and he believed they had consented to do that. Hut nothing more had been done yet. The ( levk said he had as \ci ivn'iwd no intimation of the Council's intention*. Mr. Howell wanted to know whether lighting was to be done by g;w or electricity. The ratepayers had voted in favor of gas. He had moved in that direction, but there was no record of it in the minutes.

Mr. Sinclair sugwMed that the Board ■mild get over the diflioulty by adding he c<vt of tin- lighting lo the secretary's honorarium.

I lie chairman >;iid lie would sooner have no si reel lighting than get it by i:m 1l"ls Illrl mentis

Mr. Browne thought the I'omilv C'oimcii could undertake tlie work, 'lie in-slnm'-d its trenlinent. of the llenui Boad Ho.ird as |irceet|eui. Th" honor of Ihe di-Irht was a' stake. Tlb> New Ply mouth Borough Council had gone to a Isrge expenditure in erecting its electric light main in the district, acting 011 a conditional promise to take the light for street, lighting. Xcarlv twenty people bad promised to take the light, lint as yet only eleven had had it installed. 'For his own part, he was willing to subscribe towards the cost of lighting the Hoard's streets.

Mr. Okcy said the JTenui matter was dillrrent. There the lighting had been on the country road.

Mr. Browne moved that the clmirinan wait on the Tarannki County Council, and ask thorn to pay the lighting and deduct it from their subsidy to the Board, paying the balance 'into the Board's account. Mr. Asher seconded. Mr. Okey said that was simply asking

| Ihe Council to do an illegal act. The I best plan would be to ask the Council I to have a special area formed, and to pay for the lighting by a special rate. The chairman said that, whilst he was at the service of the ratepayers, he did not care about asking the Council to do an illegal thing. The motion was carried. At the request of Mr. McArthur. the secretary produced a ininiilc passed at a householders' meeting, declaring in favor of electricity for street lighting. Mr. Laurent brought up the matter of erecting a school at Yogeltown, and a committee, consisting of .Messrs. (i. W. Browne. Wells, and Laurent, with power to add, will collect information on the subject. THE BOARD'S FINANCES. The linhnK-e-sheet fur the year ending 31st March last w.is submitted. There was a credit balance of .£!•!> Is -Id at the eommeiieemenl of the year, rates for I the year were ;C2i)(i 15s 4d, and arrears CIG lis fid were collected. The Government subsidy was ,U7G Ms; County Council grants were 1118 <)s 7d. Expenditure was under the following headings: Expended on roads, £440 7s 7d; printing and advertising, J J2o 2s JJd; audit, iJI -Id; in-iiirance, £1 10s; secretary, .CIS: sundries. £2 13s lOd; and' oilier amounts bringing the total to f.MOS lid. and showing a balance at :1U March of OjOS (is 4d. The total loans amounted to U2H>;> 12s \hl The statement was approved, subject to audit.