EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 214, 15 October 1909, Page 4

EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary monthly meeting was held at Opunake „u Friday. Present: Councillors Dudley (chairman), Campbell, Hurst, Ksirijiiliar. Macli'evnolds, Young and Harvey. The clerk rcporied that Mr. S. Camp bell had been re-elected for Oeo riding. THE I!ATE. The chairman moved that the resolution making the rate for the current year be conlirmed.—Seconded hv '.'llllll cillor Harvey.--Councillor Campbell protested against striking a rale which he asserted the Oeo riding did not want. Mcethigs of ratepayers'had been held, and the voice of the meeting \va.v against a five-farthing rate. Oeo, he contended, could keep its mad* on a pennv rale. The chairman, when elected In ilisilj position, staled he would in all ease*' sec justice done, lint where was Ihe ,jii>licc in making Oeo pav five fariliin?; ■when Pahnin got nir y,jil, ,i; ~,,. farlhii.KS.-Thc chairman slid -the stalement thai Oeo riding was paviiif livefarthing., ami llahotn three I'art'hing. uanbsolulcly wrong. The slalemenl had been circulated before, and lie fell sure llmsc who made it knew perfectly wen il was not corrcel. Ttahnln had to pay a three farthings county rate and a half penny road board rate, which niaile Ihe rates exactly the same as Geo. As to saying Oeo can keep its roads up with a penny rate, a number of ratepayers whom he had spoken to admitted tlr.it

they could do with a higher rate, A« a matter nf fact Oeo had not anv surplus worlli speaking nf. yet their roads were far from being in a satisfactory stato.—Councillor Campbell moved as'n'i amendment, that a penny rate lie strurk in Oeo riding, and three-farthings in the others.—Councillor farquliar said that two Rflhotu memhers wore absent, and if the amendment were carried that day it would almost, certain lie reversed again that day month. Any further delay in golfing the rate struck would not lie in the interests of the ratepayers, and he therefore favored the motion, although he agreed that not more than a penny ro-te should have been

struck-.—Councillor Campbell withdrew his amendment, and the motion was put and carried. RIDING FIfXANCE. The chairman stated that now the rate question was settled lie wished to make a statement with regard to tlu unsatisfactory position re allocation ot overdraft. The. Rahotu members fully recognised that they had got into a position where they should not have got, and tliey were anxious to get out of it. The valuations had been increased in Rahotu as well as Oeo, and tfio revenue this year would be £BOO over last year. Th c Rahotu members were agreeable that the whole of this in crease should be applied towards reduction of overdraft. Rahotu members were pledged to this. Nearly all the IRahotu riding was subject to heavv special rates in addition to the threefarthing county rate and halfpenny road hoard rate. The foremen would be instructed that the whole of the money paust be spent on the centre of the road, and that estimates adopted must not be exceeded. Then if it was found in Oeo that the rate exceeded require ments a lower rate could he struck next rear.

OENERAL. Coiincilljor Campbell jn|nved: ,; That this Council, while sympathising with the Government in their laudable desire to reduce expenditure, regret the necessity for dispensing with the services of Mr s. Hill. During l,i s long term as valuer in this district, he has given great satisfaction, as he was alwiys an obliging and conscientious officer. And that a copy of this 1 resolution be forwarded to the' Valuer General." -Seconded by Councillor Alncßeynolds and carried unanimously.

OKO RIDING. Councillor Afacßeynnlds moved, in a - cordance with notice given, that for the purpose of working Oeo Riding shall he divided into what will in future hj; known as Oeo Riding East and Oeo Rid ing West:.—Carried. The manager of the bank reportet that the overdraft was in excess of the limit, and requesting that it he put in line for half-yearly balance on September 30th—The 'clerk reported that the chairman (Air. Dudley) had given Jiiis |o\vn icheque ;for £24. .Hut *iee then the Government subsidy had come to hand and put matters in order. —Aliridged from the Times.