THE OKATO MERGER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 201, 3 February 1915, Page 7

THE OKATO MERGER.

(THE BOARD'S PROPOSALS. DISCUSSED BY THE COUNTY I COUNCIL. The proposed merger of the Okato Road District was the subject of considerable discussion at the meeting of the Taranaki County Council yesterday. The matter was introduced by the chairman in his annual report, when he said that the petition for the merger had been sufficiently signed, and would lie duly advertised, and the special order would l) e passed at next meeting. Cr. C. Andrews said that at a meeting of the Okato Road Board on Saturday evening the clerk had been authorised to forward the Council some correspondence on the matter. Later in the meeting a letter was received from the clerk of the Road Board, stating that the Board had decided to submit certain proposals to the Council on the matter, and if the Council would agree to them, the Road Board would offer no further objections to the merger. The proposals were: (1) (That the amount of rates levied in the outlying district be left to the Riding members. (Note. —The Riding members are the only ones resonsible to the ratepayers, and they are also better able to judge the district requirements.) (2) That all general rates collected in the district be spent in the district. (Note. — This district has a debt of nearly £7OOO, spent in making its roads, and costs the ratepayers practically £350 per annum in special rates. It is obviously unfair that they should be penalised to make roads for other districts which have practically no speeial rates.) (3) That the Council will cite a case for a Commission, joining the Egmont County Council and the Parihaka Road Board, to have the Puniho Eoad award altered, and to fix the cost of maintaining the Oxford, Saunders, and Carrington roads, between the Okato township and the Upper Stony river bridge, between the three local authorities, the Taranaki and Egmont Counties and the Parihaka Road Ms- j triet. (Note.—The settlers of the Oxford and Saunders roads were paying three special rates on loans totalling £1485 to metal the said roads, and build a bridge over the Mangatete stream, and the road was being worn out by settlers of the Egmont County, who did not contribute one penny to the upkeep. The roads also enabled them to avoid the toll-gate. (4) That I the Council keep a record of the proposals in its minute book. This would be for the guidance of any future Council. The chairman also suggested that Councillors should inspect the roads either before or immediately after merging, to become conversant with their condition. Cr. C. Andrews said that the position was a peculiar one regarding the Saunders, Oxford and Carrington roads. Some years ago a Commission had sat, and had apportioned the upkeep of the Puniho road between the Werekino and Parihaka Boad Boards. The settlers on the Oxford and Saunders roads had paid three special rates, and they were afraid that they would have to metal another one mile and a half for the convenience of Puniho road settlers, The chairman said that settlers could not be forced to metal a road, as they ■would have to raise the loan themselves. Cr. C. Andrews said that the opening up of'lhe Carrington road would mean that the Saunders and Oxford road, from Okato, would ultimately become a : main road, as it would have to carry a lot of cheese traffic, and as it would also save eight miles on the Opunake journey, it would ultimately be used a lot for through traffic. At the Okato meeting he had told the Board that, though the present Council might agree to the proposals, they could not bind their successors. It was agreed to take the proposals seriatim. Cr. Binnie said that practically what ; was required by the Okato Eoad Board ratepayers was differential rating. He suggested that the matter should he held over for a month, when, if the merger went through, there would he no need to discuss the matter. Cr. Binnie, continuing, said that Egmont County settlers were using the Okato Road District's roads, and evading the toll. Katepayers had rated themselves to get their roads metalled, and were now paying Is 4d general rate to the Road Board. They did not wish to come under the County and pay a 3s 4d rate for their money to be expended on mud 1 roads elsewhere. The chairman said that the rating seemed to be the sole trouble. The Council could not strike a differential rate in one Riding. If the ratepayers wanted nothing done on the roads, a low rate would he struck. If work was i required, a higher rate would be necessary. The Council had no intention of rating for the metalling of mud roads, and people must not join the County with that idea. They would rate for the upkeep of metalled roads. | Cr. Binnie said that ratepayers with ! bad roads wanted to join the County, whereas those that had good roads did not Cr. Morton thought that the best solution of the differential rating system would be for Werekino and Okato Road Districts, where moat of the roads wero metalled, to be formed into an Okato Riding, and the Tataraimaka and Oakura Road Districts be formed into an Oakura Riding. Then, if necessary, a- differential rate could he struck over each Riding. Cr. C. Andrews thought this scheme was rather premature, as a move was now on foot to include portion of the Egmont County Council as far as the Waiweranui. Cr. McAllum considered that the ratepayers should be able to trust Councillors not to do them any iniquity. They were there to do justice to all ratepayers. Cr. J. Andrews did not think that subdivision into Ridings in that manner would overcome the difficulty, as in each Riding there would be settlers at the back roads who wanted one rate, while those at the front would want another. Cr. C. (Andrews: That means that the Council would be guided by the Rifling members^ The chairman said that that was the usual policy of the Council, but they could not give an undertaking to that effect in writing. Cr. Binnie said that there was a feeling that the money might be spent ont of the district, and he instanced the proposal to spend £4OO on a bridge at the beach. , The chairman remarked that the Council •would never build that bridge. After «ome further discussion it was decided, on the motion of Crs. McAHum and C. Andrews, that the Okato Road Board be informed that this Council is unable to bind this or any future Council to the proposals suggested by the Board, but assures the Board that any action that may bo taken by the Council will be in the interests of the ratepayers, and with a view to efficient and economical working.