ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 October 1919, Page 2

ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting pf the Eltham County Council was held on Saturday. Present: Crs. C. J. Belcher (chairman), E. J..Gifford, C. E. McGuinness, A. L. Campbell, W. Barker, A. Messena, A. McWilliams, W. Hardwick Smith, ( and W. E. Carter. COLLECTING OF RATES. | Accounts amounting to £BB7 16a 8d were ; passed for payment. It was stated that up to September 30, 1919, rates amounting to £2lu7 ils lid, had been collected compared 1 with £1405 12s 9d lor the corresponding period 1 of last year. 1 Tho chairman pointed out that over £4O • had beeu paid to a solicitor for the collection oc rates. Tho 10 per cent, penalty was to ' some extent a set-off against this, but failure 1 to pay rates promptly meant the payment of Interest on overdraft, and it would be much , better for the county If court proceedings were not necessary. | CORRESPONDENCE. The Taranakl Hydro Electric League for--1 warded a copy of the first annual report, i The balance-sheet showed a credit of £ls 4s B • 6d.—The chairman was appointed to represent 1 tho Council. ; g TheEltham Fire Brigade applied for a small donation towards their new motor en- ! gino, for which they were trying to raise £3O.—A grant of £5 5s was made. Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., wrote stating | that the whole of the votes mentioned in the Council's letter to him for the roads would be ' re-instated on this year's estimates. 1 It was decided to draw the attention of the district engiueer for the Public Works Department, Stratford, to the state of the Moeawatea 1 Ridge track, and request that repairs be put in hand making It possible to drive shee) along the track. Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., wrote acknowledging the Council's letter in reference to ■ tho wheel tax. He trusted, as a result of the combined efforts, the tax would not be levied.—The chairman stated he was In a position to say that if the Taranakl Council proceeded to collect the tax the iuiu*er would be taken up by Cabinet. Mr. W. Lawson wrote asking for a subsidy of £ls towards the cost of publishing a booklet on the Taranaki district.—Received. The Taranaki Education Board .applied for exemption from toil for all vehicles used in Its service when passing through the Council's gates.—Refused. Referring to the engineer's report relating to tho Mountain quarry, Cr. McWiliiam said the whole question turned on the quality of | the stone, and what they wanted was an exhaustive and final test If such a test could be made. Samples of the metal obtainable': were produced, and Cr. Campbell said that stone of the quality of the sample had never yet been used for road making for the place from which It had been taken was, so far, not accessible, the railway falling short by about three • miles. I The chairman said that, with Messrs. Mc- g Phillips, Walter, and Connett, he had seen I 1 Mr. Wilkinson and subsequently the Minister. It had been suggested that the different local bodies should meet and then make represenla--1 tions to the Government, and also that the local ' bodies should join and open up the quarry themselves, arranging with the Government for 1 the carriage of metal. | It was left with the chairman to call a meeting of delegates to tho conference after conferring with- Representatives of Stratford local bodies. * The report was adopted. w GENERAL. The matter of Mr. Cocker's entrance at Wat- j tirl Road was left in the hands of the riding R i member and the engineer. I The chairman reported on the -Counties' Con» I : fcrence. 1 Cr. McWiliiam, referring to the Omona loan, I said that the settlers had been very loyal, : and had freely given their support. He ' pointed out that the rate was as high as 1 they could stand at present (3d), and if the loan meant any addition to the rates, ex- | pendlture on other works would have to be ! roduced. The riding was paying £450 to the general county fund. Of this, £l3l 7s : was for hospital and charitable aid, and the 1 balance (£319) was for general county work, from which the ratepayers in his riding derived . little benefit. He put it as t a fair and reasonable proposal that a rebate should be | granted to enable them to carry the loan. : The clerk said this could not be done under 1 tho Act. J Cr. McWiliiam moved that when the loan \ of £3OOO is carried, the Council grant a sum 1 of £IOQ annually towards the work in, the riding. ! The chairman said ho was In sympathy ■ with Cr. McWiliiam, but did not think he , had the slightest hope of getting what he ; was asking for. Cr. McWUUatu's riding con- | tributed towards the machinery which it was B ; stated, the riding derived very little benefit I ' from, and this may seem to be a hardship. | Their'present methods of providing for machinery was unsatisfactory, and he thought a ' sinking fund should be provided. If the. remit passed at the conference relating to the n 10s subsidy passed into law, a remedy for the conditions complained of would be found. After hearing the clerk, Cr. McWiliiam satd 1 that if the law would prevent a rebate, he would move next year for a reduced expend!- ' ture on general works in his riding. 1 Cr. McGuinness said there was no need for baste in the matter, as the first year's interest would be paid out of the loan.—The matter | then dropped. |