RATEPAYERS AND COUNTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 July 1921, Page 11

RATEPAYERS AND COUNTY.

EGMONT COUNTY DIFFERENCES. TOLL-GATES OBJECTED TO. A LIVELY DISCUSSION. * 9. - -- - - W si/ That the proposal of the Egmont County Council to erect a toll-gate in the Rahotu Riding has aroused considerable opposition among ratepayers was evident from the attendance at the meeting held in Pungarehu on Monday night to protest against the proposal. Over seventy ratepayers attended from all parts of the riding, and there were also present: Crs. Campbell (chairman), M. O’Brien, R. Ferguson, J. S. Tosland, W. R. Wright, W. C. Green, and A. F. Chapman, members of the Council. Mr. M. Fleming, an ex-chairman of the Egmont County Council, was voted to the chair, and expressed pleasure at seeing such a large attendance of ratepayers, and also so many members of the council present. He called on Cr. Wright, a riding representative, to explain the position regarding the tollgates.

Cr. Wright stated that during his six years he had only missed three meetings, and two of those were the meetings at which the toll-gate question had been discussed. He was only present at the meeting when the eites were fixed. Mr. H. N. Chapman, one of the committee that convened the meeting, stated that it had been called with the definite object of objecting to the toll-gate. He considered its erection would depreciate the value of their property, and that the Rahotu end of the county was not in sympathy with the other end. There were various things ratepayers objected to. It was noticeable that when a vote was taken at the council table the Rahotu end voted one way and the remaining members another way. This did not suggest that the council was a happy family, and if they were not it was impossible to get effici-. ency. Moreover, in proposing to strike the rate at last meeting it was suggested that 299-16 d should be struck in the Rahotu was also asked to reduce its 1 To an outsider this seemed anomalous. Rahotu wa salso asked to reduce its share of the overdraft by nearly £2OOO, whilst Oeo only had to reduce theirs by a few hundreds. Ratepayers felt they would like councillors to be present to explain these and other matters.

TOLL-GATES OR HIGHER RATES. 1 Or. Campbell, chairman of the County [Council, said that it was either a case of toll gates or Higher rates. He was not a lover of toll gates, but there wae so much foreign traffic using their roads that they must either make that traffic pay toll, increase their rates, or have bad roads. Personally he thought the fairest way was to put up toll gates and make the outside traffic pay. If ratepayers did have to pay toll they would have less rates to pay and good roads. He pointed out that every county in Taranaki that had established toll gates now had good roads. Regarding the proposed rate he said that as things were looking bad, he felt they could not afford to increase the rate, and so he thought it better to propose the same rate as last year. At the same time the question was left open for their own riding representative to decide the same an the Oeo riding members did in their case. The estimate of expenditure had only been roughly drawn up, and the works committee had not then had time to go through it. He understood they did not favor a hospital for Opunake, but he considered that any man who would stand up and say they should not have a small cottage hospital in Opunake, where women could be treated instead of being dragged all the way to New Plymouth, ought to be ashamed of himself. In addition to the inconvenience, he instanced the cost of motor hire in taking the patient to New Plymouth, and also in visiting them. They could, he said, also disabuse their minds of the feeling that the Oeo members always voted against their end. He was practically the first chairman that end had had since the start of the county, the chairman personally having belonged either to Opunake ci to Rahotu riding. Rahotu riding, therefore, had always had the ball at their feet, and if they had any grievance it was their own representatives who were to blame. Mr. Fleming, he said, had been chairman for seven years, and made a real good chairman, and as long as he himself was in that position h ‘

county. Mr. P. Brophy asked how it was that the Bayly road, being in credit by could get nothing done. THE COUNTY'S OVERDRAFT. Or. Campbell said that when he took the chair there was £17,000 overdraft, and he could do nothing, but if he were in the ehair for long he intended to alter the way of working so that every road would get its share.

Mr. Brophy complained that a grant on the Wiremu road had not been expended, whilst over £2OOO had been expended at the other end. The engineer had also wired a man to meet him on three occasions, and had failed to keep his appointment. Mr. Campbell explained that the Government engineer had control of the work on the Wiremu road.

The engineer stated that on two occasions he had other appointments, whilst on the other the weather was bad. The Wiremu road was outside his jurisdiction, but with the consent of the Government engineer he took the matter in hand, so as to push on with the work.

A ratepayer said that the county chairman remarked that the only alternatives were toll gates, higher rates, or bad roads, but, he asked, had the council considered the adoption of improved methods? He stated that the road between the two counties —the Puniho road —was kept by the Taranaki county in a better state than any of the Egmont county by-roads, and it had to carry more motor traffic. The Taranaki copnty collected the same rate as Egmont did.

Cr. Campbell: They collet 5d on unimproved values. TOLL-GATES FAVORED. Cr. Ferguson eaid that he was the mover of the resolution in favor of the erection of toll gates. He did not agree that they depreciated the value of property. Personally he hated toll gates, and if there was a better remedy he would be prepared to embrace it. He had made enquiries into the earnings of toll gates. A contribution of £3OO would have prevented Hawera from erecting a toll gate, and this now earned £2OOO per annum, as did Stratford. They must bear in mind that the whole system of road maintenance had been altered by motor 9? day*,

he said, look at the joy riders there were! They should have to contribute to the cost of the roads, through toll gates. There was a system of tyre tax proposed, but they did not know what it was. They should put up toll gates. He pointed out that the councillors at the other end were not evading toll gates, as they had placed them near their doors. He admitted that there had been a sort of tug-of-war in the council between the two ends, but he blamed Cr. Wright for this. The reason the roads were not better was because there was not efficiency enough. They did not go the right way to make cheap roads. They had the best county for material, and yet they were satisfied to put bullock drays in the rivers to fish out stone and leave good quarries untouched. He favored securing sites, installing water-wheels to crush hundreds of yards of stone, and thus save the expense of shifting the machinery to crush 200 yards of stone here and there. Plant was necessary before they could work economically. Mr. Neilson pointed out that the present plant was lying outside the shed at Opunake, instead of being indoors.

Cr. Ferguson said that they had got no dump lorries. He was going to endeavor to alter things, but he had only been six months in the council, and the treasury was empty when he came on. “ON THEIR TRIAL.” Cr. M. O’Brien said that he took it they were mildly on their trial. Well, he did not mind accepting the position, as he had a good defence, and was satisfied he was an innocent being. They had been asked why they struck an increased rate over the Rahotu riding, but he pointed out that the proposed rate was the same as that of last year. It did not matter whether they struck a higher rate this year or not, because the roads had to be kept up, and if they did not pay one year they would have to the next. Cr. Wright had denied all responsibility for the site of the toll gates. Cr. Wright voted in favor of the toll gates being erected, but when it came to fixing the sites, left his seat and took no part. Cr. Wright: That’s false! The chairman said they had not come there to hear a councillor blackmailed, but to hear the financial position explained that led up to the toll gates leir.g required.

Ct. O’Brien stated that he had been invited to the meeting without being informed what was to be discussed. He had heard they Wished to disease more representation, toll gates, hospital, etc. After further personalities, Cr. O’Brien stated that it was difficult to dissociate his remarks from Cr. Wright, who, he said, went round with a petition for a merger.

Mr. Caldwell stated that Cr. Wright had nothing to do with calling the meeting. The chairman again informed Cr. O’Brien that the meeting was looking for information, and if he gave them that he would get a patient hearing. THE TOLL-GATE QUESTION. Cr. O’Brien said that he and his colleagues were opposed to the proposed site of the toll gate, and were willing that it should be altered if desired. The chairman: We are at sea as to where you propose to put it. Cr. O’Brien: About three nfiles from the Taranaki county toll gate. He considered it would penalise them too much in going to the Stony River sale yard. It should be nearer Rahotu. The matter of sites was left to their representatives, so they could not blame the rest of the council. Then there was the question of proper representation in the Warea district. He recognised that they had not had a representative for many years, and had given notice of'motion to create a new riding at that end of the county. A voice: So that it can sever! Continuing, Cr. O’Brien said of course if the people at that end did not want representation he would go no further. Six members had decided to give them their own riding if they wished; if not, they could not blame them. He understood there was a desire to merge with the Taranaki county, and it was as well to enquire what the results would be. He had heard that Cr. Wright was taking a petition round to merge. Cr. Wright: Withdraw that statement!

Cr. O’Brien: If not correct, I will withdraw it. Compare the rates of the two counties.

The chairman: We would like to know the reasons why you are advocating toll gates.

Cr. O'Brien: The county chairman told you the reason. The chairman: I did not get any* good reason. RATES COMPARED.

Continuing, Cr. O’Brien said if they merged with the Taranaki county they would come under the Taranaki rating system, which was 5d in the £ on unimproved value, as against Egmont’s 29/16d capital value. This worked out, on a 200-aere farm, at £4O, with an unimproved value of £25 and improvements £l5. On the Taranaki basis this worked out at 10s 5d per acre, as against 8s 6£d for Egmont, or, if they took the unimproved value at £3O, and the improved at £lO, then Taranaki’s rate would work out at 12s per acre against Egmont’s 8s Oid, a difference in favor of Egmont of £lB 15s in the one case and £39 Ils 8d in the other. These figures were correct.

The chairman.- I don’t doubt the figures, but you’ve got the unimproved value too high. Cr. O’Brien: High in one case and low in the other.

The chairman: High in one case, and higher in the other. Cr. O’Brien then gave some instances of alleged inattention on the part of the riding representatives, pointing out that a grant of £2OO had been lost on the Kahui road through failure to apply for it in time, as the work had been done on a £ for £ subsidy basis. The road was debited with £4OO to the general account. Meanwhile “the comedians” got three grants of £l7OO for the Wiremu road.

A voice: And spent it all Opunake end!

Continuing, Cr. O’Brien said the Government engineer had allocated the money. This year they had applied for £Boo*o for the road. He touched on the failure of the riding representatives to enter into an agreement with a sawmiller who was damaging the roads with motor traffic.

The chairman said he blamed the whole council.

Cr. O’Brien eaid there was the hospital. The chairman: We are not interested in the hospital. OPUNAKE AND RAHOTU. Mr. Butler remarked that the illfeeling in the county appeared to be between Opunake and Rahotu. Mr. Lawn said that he had a back farm of about 200 acres in Taranaki county and a bush farm of almost similar size in the Egmont county, and the rating was in favor of Taranaki.

Mr. H. M. Chapman said that Cr. O’Brien, put the whole blame on the representatives at this end, but who was to blame for the fact that they were asked to reduce their overdraft by over £4OOO while his riding only had to reduce it by £9000? Cr. O’Brien said that the figures had been furnished by the engineer, and had not yet been considered. Each riding adjusted its own affairs, and could have any rate it liked as long as it was satisfied with its roads and prepared to pay interest on its overdraft. The chairman pointed out that the bank fixed the limit of the overdraft for the whole county, and not for each riding. A larger rate would be struck in one riding, and so help to finance another part of the county.

COUNTY INTERESTS FIRST. Cr. Tosland said that he stood to work in the interests of the whole county, and would not work in with cliques. He regretted the personalities that had taken place, and pointed out that the toll-gates were not introduced by the present council. Toll-gates would help to provide revenue towards keeping up the main roads and so leave more money available for the by-roads, which were built out of loan money and required renewing. If the ratepayers wished they could drop the proposal. He did not think differential rating just, and they could strike an even rate over the whole county, though he admitted that on the higher valuation of its land, Oeo had some claim for differential treatment. Regarding the overdraft, he said that Oeo was not going to swim on the backs of Rahotu. He advocated opening the Wiremu road right through, and he would also like to see every road opened to the reserve, as he -sympathised with the back-blocks settler. He had heard there was a desire to secede, but considered that it would be better for all to pull together and get more efficiency. He felt- they were not getting the best value, and he was going to do his level best to get 20s in the £ value for their money.

Cr. O’Brien said that the Kahui road grant was not lost. It would be reinstated next year. In any case the members were not to blame, but the chairman was. He admitted that the Warea end wanted representation, but at the present time the southern end had Warea’s .representatives, as Oeo, with £506,141 valuation, had three representatives; Opua, £323,818, two representatives; Rahotu, £774,264, three representatives; and Opunake, £107,000, one representative. On that basis Rahotu should have 41 representatives. THE REPRESENTATION QUESTION. Cr. O’Brien: Why did you not ask for more representation? Cr Green: Don’t be stupid. You would be the first to vote against it. The northern members had done their best, for the riding. He had voted against the toll gates, because he thought they were not in the best interests of the ratepayers. He had always done his duty fearlessly, and was not afraid to te'l Cr. O’Brien so. Cr. Ferguson had said that the treasury was empty when he joined the council, but could he tell him when it was ever full? He had said when toll gates were carried that one should be erected on the south side of Rahotu, but he did not get any support from the southern members. Regarding the rate he pointed out that it was proposed to strike a rate of 2Jd in the Oeo riding, and reduce the overdraft from £4872 to £4710, a reduction of £162, whilst in Rahotu it was proposed to strike a rate of 29/16d and reduce the overdraft of £4019 by £1984. Oeo had had a lower rate than Rahotu for some time. Was that any reason why it should be allowed to have a higher overdraft? Oeo certainly had a higher valuation, but the same applied to the beach land in their own ridings. Opunake riding collected £612 in rates, and had a representative. The chairman: That’s a grievance we’ve had for some time.

CR. WRIGHT’S VIEWS. Cr. Wright stated that Cr. O’Brien had said that there was no opposition in the council, which was a happy family, yet what did he say that evening: “If you want representation, we six members will get it for you,” not the nine members, but we six members will do- anything. The rest are no more than dirt under our feet. Cr. Ferguson had said that he wanted his own way ,and that there should be one captain to every ship. Well, he had tried to carry that out, but the present chairman had broken that up, as he had three captains on the ship, and he was not one of them. He had been the principal one in getting the Kahui road grant, and the county officials should have seen that it was received. If any one was to blame for the lapse it was the chairman. He had personally done his best to have a Warea member elected to the council, and he would say, that there was no bona fide demand for a sub-division as suggested by Cr. O’Brien. What was wanted was to have the Rahotu riding divided into four, viz., Oaonui, Rahotu, Pungarehu and Warea, and with one representative each. The Counties Act provided for counties to have twelve ridings, with one member each. This would do away with the preponderance of votes. He had been representing the riding for the last six years, but intended to resign the next day. Regarding the hospital, he said that at the last meeting of the council the most extraordinary proposal ever put before a local body in New Zealand had been put before the council. He had appealed to the chairman not to put the council in a ridiculous and humiliating position, pointing out that there was no possible chance of getting out of the payment of the money. He would, therefore, never sit on the council, and intended to resign the next day. He had also declined to sit with Cr. O’Brien on the finance committee.

TAR-SEALING ADVOCATED. Cr. Chapman said that he did not oppose the toll gates because he thought from the revenue derived it might be possible to tar-seal the metal as it was put down. The council should have attended to this years before, as they had the experience of other councils. Toll gates would make outsiders pay towards the upkeep of the roads, and so enable them to reduce the rates. In this connection he pointed out that if his rate was reduced from 9/16d to 2Jd, and he had to pay 2s 6d per week toll, he would be £2 2s 6d per year better off. It would affect all in the same proportion.

A voice: What about your goods and your dairy produce? Cr. Chapman said that when the roads were tar-sealed they could do away with the toll-gate. As regards the hospital, all would oppose it to the bitter end. Their interests lay in New Plymouth, and they would go there if they were sick.

Cr. Green doubted if sufficient revenue would be received from outsiders to pay the cost of collecting. The county chairman doubted if they Would ever see the toll sates, as he

pointed out t'hat the Government had Get up a commission to go into the mat-

AN INHARMONIOUS BODY.

Mr. Gibson thought the meeting would* do good, but it should have been held prior to the county election. One could not help being struck by the fact that the council was not working together, and this did not tend tq efficiency. He did not favor riding representatives fixing rates for each riding, as the bank only kept one account. A riding member should work in the best interests of the whole county. He blamed the executive of the council for the laxity in regard to the Kahui grant. Cr. Green had pointed to the crux of the matter in connection with the representation. He did not consider a satisfactory explanation had been given of the engineer’s faildre to keep his appointment.

Cr. O’Brien asked whether the ratepayers agreed to the*riding being subdivided, otherwise with four members there was still a chance of Warea being left out. The chairman said that was a matter of detail. It was pointed out that a big slice had beenr taken off the Oeo riding. The Chairman said that Rahotu was certainly entitled to another member, and Oeo to one less. He did not consider it was fair of Oeo to expect Rahotu to carry it on its back in the matter of rate and overdraft. If a toll gate was erected all their produce would have to be carted through it, and he was not certain they would catch much revenue from outside traffic. He was absolutely opposed to toll gates. He did not think the council had been as progressive as it should have been. Their roads should be better for the amount of money they were paying. They were still adopting the same method and the same style as in th© old days, and though the county had become smaller the expenses of supervision had gone up by 40 per cent or 50 per cent. He admitted that Tara- i naki was entitled to erect a toll gate, as it was only fair that Egmont should pay for carting its produce over their roads. The county chairman pointed out that it cost 20s per yard now for metal that formerly cost (is. The late chairman had the hardest task in making the money go as far as possible, and had left very good roads with the means at his disposal. MERGING WITH TARANAKI COUNTY. ’ Mr. Lawn proposed, That this meeting is in favor of merging with Taranaki. Mr. H. N. Chapman, in seconding, said that the districts had no interests with Opunake . All their' interests lay in New Plymouth, which was their port. Mr. Gibson considered they would make a great mistake if they joined Taranaki without going into the ques- ' tion more fully. Taranaki was sur- ' rounding a large and growing town, whose wants would be the first consideration. If they took this portion ’ off it would simply break up the whole county. He favored sticking together and making it a producers’ county. Air. Neilson said that his experience was that the Taranaki rates were cheaper; moreover, they would get the benefit of the toll-gate revenue.

Mr. H. N. Chapman asked why they were cut out of the Opunake hydroelectric scheme?

Cr. Campbell pointed out that this scheme was an Opunake town one, but had now been extended to take in a radius of nine miles. If it proved successful no doubt other streams would be harnessed up, and the schema extended, but to talk of extending it at present would mean delay. Mr. H. N. Chapman said he understood they would get the power from New Plymouth as quickly as the rest of the Taranaki county. Mr. Gibson pointed out that the Opunake scheme stopped seven miles on the Rahotu side, but went ten or eleven miles along Awatuna way. Mr. Brophy considered the question of merging too premature. They could have another meeting. Cr. Green favored this. They should get more details, and also hear what the Egmont county had to say at the next meeting. The resolution, he said, also affected Rahotu, and if it were carried he would feel it his duty to resign from the council and do his best to help to carry it into effect. The resolution was withdrawn.

Mr. Lawn then moved, That this meeting of ratepayers is opposed to tollgates.

Seconded by Mr. W. C. Caldwell and carried unanimously.

THE OPUNAKE HOSPITAL.

Mr. Looney then moved, That this meeting is opposed to the establishment of a large hospital at Opunake. Mr. Caldwell seconded. Ct. O'Brien explained that there was no intention of establishing a large hospital or a separate district. The hospital would cost the county no more than at present, as it would be run by the Hospital Board, and the expenses would be spread over the whole hospital district, which comprised the counties of Clifton, Inglewood, Taranaki and ■Egmont, and the boroughs of New Plymouth, Inglewood and Waitara. The chairman agreed that a small hospital was required for Opunake. Cr. Green pointed out that the cost of the proposed hospital had increased from £l6OO to £6OOO.

Cr. Ferguson said that they wanted a ■hospital suitable for small cases, and with a maternity ward, and the Minister said they were entitled to it, as the mortality in maternity cases must cease.

Cr. O’Brien then explained briefly the steps that had been taken over the erection of the hospital up to the present, and the feeling of the meeting was clearly in favor of a small hospital being established. Mr. Butler pointed out the risk that if New Plymouth were full and Opunake empty, patients wishing to go to New Plymouth from Rahotu might be sent to Opunake.

In further discussion it was stated by Cr. Campbell that if the Hospital Board called tenders the hospital could be erected much more cheaply than when tenders were previously called. Councillors passed the resolution re stopping the subsidy so as to bring matters to a head. He did not want to vote either way, and when asked nodded his head either way, his vote being put down in favor of Cr. Green.

Mr. Gibson thought it would have been better to again approach the Hospital Board instead of taking such a highhanded action.

After further lengthy discussion, the resolution was withdrawn, as also was one approving of the erection of a small hospital at Opunake. REDISTRIBUTION OF SEATS. Mr. Gibson then moved, That this meeting requests the council to arrange for a re-distribution of the seats, bringing representation more in line with valuation. This was seconded by Mr. Butler and carried. Other matters touched on were the

necessity for strictly enforcing the bylaws in connection with the heavy traffic on the Newall and Wiremu roads, also the delay in carrying out work on the Ruakere road to give a returned soldier access. The meeting concluded with the ' passing of votes of thanks to the councillors present, and the chairman.