RATEPAYER OBJECTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 July 1922, Page 6

RATEPAYER OBJECTS.

TO TAR-SEALING RATE. THE APPEAL DISMISSED. ... Objections to being included in the special tar-sealing loan for the Frankleigh Park district were rasied by Henry Kasper, whose appeal was heard in the : : New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court be- ! fore Mr. A. M. Mowlem, S.M. yesterday. Mr. Kasper, said Mr. Bewley, was the owner of a property of 7 acres 19 perches on the Doralto Road. Part of the loan proposed to be raised was to tar-seal Govett Avenue, and other roads, including part of Doralto Road. By an arrangement between the Taranaki Council Council and the New Plymouth Borough Council, part of the road on the south was to be maintained by the county, whilst another part was to be maintained by the borough. Kasper maintained his outlet was through Vogeltown. The road was in a. very bad state, and it was contended that it was impossible for car traffic to get along. No provision was made in the loan for carrying metal for tar-sealing to a place where it would be of use for his property. Henry Kasper, giving evidence, said his grounds for objecting to inclusion in the loan were that the tar-sealin<r along part of the road would not benefit him much, whilst his best outlet was through Vogeltown. because of the facilities, and the road was not so dangerous. He paid rates to the borough on his property and a special Carrington Road rate. He owned about 18 acres altogether in the locality. Cross-examined by Mr. Quilliam, witness admitted a load of timber was brought to him via Frankley Road and not via Carrington Road, but he maintained it was as easy to come one way as the other. Witness said it was a query whether a tar-sealed road to within a few chains of his property would affect the valuation of his property. Mr. Quilliam explained that the borough council was responsible for the road as far as where the tar-sealing was to stop, the county council being responsible for the remainder. Kasper, it was true, paid all rates'on the property to the boro’ council. Of the 34 ratepayers in t. district 29 had agreed to the proposed loan. 4 objected because all Mr. Kaspar’s property was ,not included, and Mr. Kaspar objected because any nart was included. Witness said his principal objection was that there was no metalled road to his property at all. Mr. Quilliam contended that Mr. Kacpar had failed to make out his case.

The position was quite clear, and the ratepayers in that locality would undoubtedly derive great benefit from a tar-sealed road. Frankleigli Park was a .suburban area, and would obviously in the. near future be closely built over. With proper access sub-division would take place and people be encouraged to come there to live. Twenty-nine of the thirty-four had consented to rate themselves. but Kaspar objected, as the tarsealed. road did not come right to his place. The arrangements between the borough and county could not be altered. Mr. Kaspar must derive considerable benefit from the tar-sealing. Answering the magistrate, counsel said he understood tar-sealing would stop at the end of the present metal, because that was the end of a natural section of road, which fell away there. Tt would anvwav only cost Mr. Kaspar about 32s Sd in rates, whilst he would derive very considerable benefits. The Borough Council, it was pointed out, had to consider the interests of the people as a whole, and could not hope to satisfy all equally. The County Council, by the agreement entered into, was bound to maintain a proper road in front of the objector’s property. Evidence as to the state of the road past wl>:r. the tar-sealing would end was given by Walter Rumball and Wm. E. Bendall, who resided in the Frankleigh Park area. The magistrate said that the objector had failed to make out his ease. He would undoubtedly benefit by the fact that there was a tar-sealed road right up to his boundary. One phase ihrti had appealed to him was why the tarsealed road would not go p«st the present metal, but since hearing the evidence of Messrs. Rumball and Bendall he was satisfied on that point. The objection would be dismissed.