ALLOCATION OF COUNTY RATES.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 October 1918, Page 3

ALLOCATION OF COUNTY RATES.

'MAINTENANCE OF MAIN ROADS. The allocation of the revenue derived from comity rates funned tho subject of discussion at the meeting of the Clifton Comity Council, as the outcome of a deputation at a previous meeting from Tikorangi, alleging that that riding had not been fairly treated. Cr. Foreman, wlip opened the discussion, contended that the present system did not conduce to the working of the council's afl'airs in a business-like way. If a farmer conducted his affairs similarly, he would soon go bankrupt. Of course, the council could not go bankrupt, as it had the ratepayers behind it, and could always strike a higher rate. He could have asked the council to put Tjkorangi in the same position as the other ridings, by declaring Tikorangi ■Road a main road, but- from a business point of view the position would he no better. At present requests came in for work in the riding, and they did not know whether they had funds available or not, whereas if the whole of the rates, lest cost of administration, were credited to each riding, they would ktow What amount was available after the year's estimates had been provided for. Under the present system of maintaining tho main roads out of the general fund, Tikorangi was losing £2OO per annum, an amount that was of considerable importance to the riding and was too small to be of much use to the other ridings, when divided between them. • Moreover, the whole of the toll would lie credited to the ridings through which the Main North Road ran, so that, Tikorangi and Ngatimaru ridings would not share in it. He then moved, pursuant to notice—"That the system that has been maintained during the past few years of treating the Main North and Junction Roads as main roads be" abolished," Cr. Kftnnington, in secdnding, considered that Cr. Foreman and the deputation last meeting had made out a very strong case for Tikorangi. Matau district suffered similarly, for, while the Junction Road was declared a main road, Matau South, which carried all the traffic, was treated as a by-road, and so was Matau North, which had more settlers on it than all the other roads put! together. He saw no advantage in declaring all roads main roads, because the council always spent nioney where it was required most. Cr. Jones said their business should be to spend vhe money most judiciously and where inost needed. Possibly matters would be simplified by having strict riding accounts. However, he did not favor preferential rates, as he believed that an even rate should be struck over the whole county and the money expended wherever required, to the test advantage; but, to avoid doing any riding an injustice, they should have a better knowledge of each other's ridings. At present the money c<fild be spent wherever required, irrespective of ridings. He did not see why there should be any main roads specifiedThe chairman and secretary pointed out that there would be no difference in the riding accounts as kept now. Cr. I'oreman said that now a certain amount of money was allocated to the main roads before any was allocated to the ridings. Other counties had a system whereby each riding knew its position and the, amount of nioney available for expenditure.

Regarding • preferential rating, Cr. Foreman pointed out that one riding blight have a higher valuation than another, so that op the lower rate the first-named might be paying much more per acre. Cr. Jones could not see why the more favored portion of a county.should Save a lower rate, especially when possibly in the past the backhlocks' portion had assisted to plgce thein in the fine position in which they were now. The chairman considered that the whole of Taranaki should be one countyCr. Kennington considered the theory of large counties did not work out in practice, as was shown by the applications received to form new counties. Cr. McKenzie considered the Government did not dp their work cheaper than local bodies. Cr. Musker considered that, instead of Tikorangi having lost £ISOO, as stated, during the past three years, it had lost only £5lO, as its contribution to the main roads and bridge account amounted to £260 per annum, against which must be credited £3O from the toll, thus leaving £IXO per annum. Cr. Foreman said that the deputation had made it clear that the figures given did not allo\V for the cost of administration. Cr. Musker said that he did not want to do an injustice to any riding, but lie thought that would happen if they threw the onus of maintaining the Main North Road, with its outside traffic, on to the ridings through which the road passed. year its share of toll was £470. Cr. Foreman said that the toll was instituted to ca%;h this traffic. Cr. Musker considered that was a myth, as it was a very expensive method of collecting revenue. . After a little further discussion', the motion was carried.