ANNUAL MEETING OF RATEPAYERS AT GERALDINE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1103, 10 May 1883, Page 3

ANNUAL MEETING OF RATEPAYERS AT GERALDINE.

The following is a continuation of oar report of the Geraldine mooting of ratepayers. Mr McShane proposed—" That no work be done on the Kangitnta road until the Mount Peel Board agree to pay their share of the cost," Mr Maslin seconded this. The Chairman said the Board had on that day resolved to cut the thistles off it, and break the stones which would cost about £2O, He thought it was better to 6o that at present. Mr Coltman then withdrew his motion, and after some further discussion it was agreed that tho Board should carry out what they had proposed that day ; th.it is, to cut the thistles and break he Btonts. CHARITABLE AID. Mr Maslin asked who had the distribution of charitable aid, or did the Board exercise any supervision over it. The Chairman said the local police dis tributedjt.' The Board had nothing to do with itMr Maslin thought the Board ought to have the management of it. He believed it was very much abused. There were

people ttlicse names had been put on years ago, getting their 32s a week over since. In fact lie envied them sometimes. Ho was afraid Geraldine would be getting into bad repute on account of the number that woe getting charitable aid. He believed the number was not less than thirty,

Mr A. Sherratt said that there were only eight persons getting aid in the district. He had a list of them. Neither tli- Geraldine County Council nor the Road Board had anything to do with it. Several persons expressed an opinion that the matter should be left in the hands of the local governing body. EXPENSES. Mr Coltman asked what it had cost the Board to spend the amount stated to have been spent during the year. The Chairman said it had "ost £412 10s. If they looked in the blue books they could see it was very little compared with the expenses of other Boards. The motion adopting the report was then carried. THE COUNTY COUNCIL. Mr Coltman asked the Chairman's opinion as regarded the County Council. He saw by the new Act that the Chairmen of the Road Boards were to be councillors, and he thought they were the proper men to represent the districts, as they knew more about their wants than any other man. He also thought that under the new Act they had power to separate from the County Council altogether. He wished to know the Chairman's opinion on the subject. The Chairmanread several clauses of the Act on the subject.and said he would be in favor of abolishing the County Council altogether, and extending the powers of Road Boards. He had always been against the County Councils and in favor of extending the powers of Road Board 3. He then criticised the accounts of the County Council and showed how it cost that body £4OO to spend £l5O Mr A. Sherratt, although a member of the County Council, thought County Councils whita elephants, lhe County Council of Geraldine could not spend money. It never got the handling of any money, because whatever was coming to it the Government always stopped for charitable aid and hospitals. Mr Coltman said he thought they could do without the County Council very well. They knew hon to manage their own business better than the County Council could manage it for them. Mr Sherratt said it was no use talking about what was given to hospitals. They would have to support the hospitals, because when people from this district required it they were taken in there, They must look after their sick, and it was right that they should- (Hear, hear).

Mr Coltman Lad no objection to that. What he wanted to get rid of was the paraphernalia of the County Council.

Mr Flatman said that until the matter of the Rangitata bridge was settled he thought they would have to stick to the County Council. Only for that they might very well separate from it. It was now built, and he was veiy sorry to find that the Chairman of the Geraldine County Council at the opening ceremony had expressed himself willing to settle the question; Mr Coltman said the Rangitata bridge was the only obstacle in the way. He thought that at a meeting held that room a resolution was carried to the effect that the Boad Board would have nothing to do with it. The Chairman said it was in the hands 01,'the County Council. Mr Sherratt said that the County Council had no more to do with it than the Eoad Board had. The Government had handed over the power to the Ashburton County Council to construct it, and charge half the coat to the Geraldine Council.

Mr Slack : And must we pay for the iron piles ? A voice: Whether they are rotten or not? Mr Sherratt: No doubt of it. There was only one weak point in the whole affair. Tho Ashburton County Council liad done some of the work by day labor, while they were bound by the Act to let it by contract. The question was whether an objection could be raised on this point, or whether use could be made of this. The Chairman asked MY Sherratt whether a deputation of the Ashburton Council had represented to the Geraldine Council that they had authority from Government to construct that bridge when they had no such authority,

Mr SlieiT-'itt faid he had never heard of suoh a tiling. The Ashburton Council had the authority. There was no mistake about that for lie had seen it. THE COUNTY COUNCIL. 5"-.« : The Rangilata bridge having then been dropped, a discussion took place in the course of which it was said that Eoad Boards ought to confer together as to what steps should be taken with regard to the County Council under the new Act. VOTES OF THANKS. Mr Deßensjie moved a, ypte of thluiks to the Chairman, which wag carried. Mr Coltman moved a vote of thanks to the members of the Board for the past year, Mr Keluian seconded it, and said he wished to make it one of confidence also. He hoped they would all bo returned again,

The Chairman said on behalf of the Board he thanked I hem. They had trampled on toes in the past, Lut they had done so for the public good, and if elected again they would do the sime. The meeting then terminated.