CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 132, 25 November 1911, Page 6

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

RETIRING CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. The rtiring chairman (Mr. J. W. Foreman) submitted the following-report to the annual meeting of the Clifton County Council:— I do not know whether it is customary for the retiring chairman to submit a report to the incoming Council on an occasion such as this, but as there are some works in progress that have been under my control, it appears reasonable that I should state their present position, which is as follows:—■ L. George's contract, Urenui—Fourteen days' notice was given this contractor that if the Work were not gone on with his contract would be cancelled in terms of its conditions. The weather having been so unfavorable for this kind of work, which includes heavy carting, I have not taken any action, as the Council would not wish a contractor of theirs to be penalised for delay caused by conditions over which he had no Control. The same applies to D. Paul's contract, Okoke road. Tikorangi deviation—Last season the Council invited tenders for some formation work on the Tikorangi road deviation between the township and the Waitara river. No tenders were received, and on account of the scarcity of labor no work has been done. The natives have now offered to make the road for As this is a very leasonable price. T recommend it for favorable consideration. The Public' Trust Office lias promised £lO in aid of the work. By-law.i—The Council's solicitors having advised that on account of the omission of a couple of words in subjection 'V of section 1, it was considred inadequate to endeavor to enforce the by-law before amending it. I regret the circumstances prevented this being done before the old Council went out of office.

■Native rates—l wish to refer briefly to a statement made by Mr. Jennings when giving a political address in Waitara recently, when referring to the rating of native lands. He stated in effect that he understood there had been some trouble in.this district in collecting rates under the Rating Act of last year. He could not understand why, as in other districts it was found satisfactory. The Waitomo country was quoted, where, he said £941 of rates hiad been secured under the Act, and if the local body here had not been able to collect rates from native land their methods were at fault. That Mr. Jennings' reference to Waitomo was unfortunate, and that the impression conveyed to his hearers was not in accordance with actual position of affairs, ,even at Waitomo, is clearly indicated by the telegram from that county on the sth inst. that the rate demands had only been sent out three weeks before that date. Perhaps it is not surprising that Mr. Jennings, who occupied the position of chairman of the Native Affairs' Committee in. Parliament, finds himself somewhat in the position of a sponsor to the Rating Amendment Act, and feels bound to defend it. Why in doing so he considered it necessary to cast odium on this Council's methods, without first ascertaining what their methods were, requires explanation, if not something more. In connection with the native land .question there are a number of rate demands that cannot be delivered, as the address of the occupiers is unknown. It is almost certain that these demands, if persevered with, will have to pass through the Magistrate's Court, and in view of the difficult 1 and involved state of the law, the Council should, if they decide to push these cases, consider whether advice should be obtained as to procedure to prevent mistakes that might af feet the validity of the claims.