RANGITATA AND ORARI WATER SUPPLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1493, 15 April 1886, Page 3

RANGITATA AND ORARI WATER SUPPLY.

A meeting of those interested in the irrigation of the district defined as the Bangitata and Orari Water Supply District” took place last Tuesday afternoon in the Crown Hotel, Temuka. The meeting was not a large one—about 12 persona being present —the horse fair at the Washdyke probably, in a measure, accounting for it. A map of the district was laid on the table.

Mr John Talbot (Chairman of the County Council), ihe convenor of the meeting occupied the chair. He explained that the meeting had been called i a consequence of some little informality that had occurred in connection with -the scheme, and also on account of some of the owners of land included in the district objecting to it (and the Council thought naturally so) as the water was of no use to them, but through whose land it would be necessary to go to get the water to the other land. When the work proceeded there would be a hardship inflicted on them as they would have to pay the rates. Another slight informality had occurred through the Mount Peel Read Board office having been left t)ut .as one of the places where the plans were to be left for public inspection. The Act required that to be done. It Would have been a great pity if that alone had upset the scheme, hot it appeared that several ratepayers who were included in the district had an insuperable objection to bo so included. Thus it was necessary to go over the whole thing again, and the Council thought it was t better to Uy the matter before them. The Chairman then read a petition received by the County Council from a number of residents in the Mount Peel Bead Board District, protesting against their lands being made liable for rates levied for the construction of races which would be of no benefit to them.” The petition set forth that the petitioners understood that the whole of the land between the Orari and Rangitata was to be included, an* 1 as they considered that their lands were abundantly watered already, this would be an act of gross injustice to them. The petition was signed by Messrs Smith, Dennisloun and Co., J. B. A. Acland, Jas. Pithie, W. E. Barker, H. Bowerby, R. T. Button, F. Newman, Bobt. Thew, Jas. Ritchie, W. Smith, and John Watterrees. The Chairman also read a letter received by the County Council from Messrs Smith, Dennistouh and Co., “pointing out the injustice of rating’those parts of the district which are independent of the scheme, and which they believed wore to be made liable, to rating equally with the other parti) of the district which would derive an immediate and direct benefit if the scheme is carried out. They were quite willing to pay rates for any parts of their property which might bo benefited by the races, but in common with all the settlers Id the Mount Peel District division they pretested against being included in the proposed rating district.” The Chairman continued that it had not been looked into if those who had signed the petition were ready affected or not, Mr Dennistoun said that some of those who signed the petition were not now affected. The petition was got up on the original advertisement, defining the diitrict which mentioned the' boundary as right up to the hills. As ha said in Hfs letter to the Council, the firm he represented wss perfectly willing to pay rates for the land btnofilsd. Cooper’s Creek went right'through the heavy part of their land snd' should a rate be struck on the Property Tax valuation, this land would have to pay a far higher rate than the adjoining light land. The Property Tax assessor told him he had put £1 per acre on the value of the heavy land because it bad water. Those present would see that it was unjust for him to be rated for supplying water to land which was already yaliied higher than adjoining land because it had water. As it was more valuable, he would, of course, have to f»ay a higher rate on it than would be evied on the land which needed water. Mr P, Wareiog asked how much land belonging to Mr Dennistoun would bo benefited. ■Mr D eDn i ß f aun pwinted. out the land on the map, and stated the land benefited would be about 1500 acres. Mr Wareing said it would be very hard to strike a rate which would be best for all parties. A great many were liable for the Timaru Harbor rate, who would, be might say, receive no benefit from it. .Mr Dennistoun asked the Chairman whether the Council could not strike a rate of so much per acre instead of on the property tax valuation. Some of his land would be benefited, and, of course, he r would opt object to pay a rate for it. . . The Chairman said ho did riot think that a T,ate could be struck on the area, Irrespective of the value. Ho would not ■ay positively. Of course the money had to be borrowed, and they had to be particular that everything was done in accordance with the Act. In the case of v the Levels they would have to go over / the . voting again, simply because the /voting papers did not state all particulars. ' In this case he.could not say what might . he done. ; Mr/Dennistoun asked if there was no law eisbling the Council to strike an equal rate' per acre over the whole district, to which the Chairmai replied that he did not think there was, Mr Dennistoun said of course some of bis land would be benefited greatly, while other parts would not be benefited at all. He, however, would have no objection fh the rate being struck over the whole acreage, The Chairman said if it was according to the Act he saw no objection to that, He understood Mr Dennistoun to mean that a rate of so much per acre should be ■truck irrespective of value. Mr Djnnistoun said that was what he meant. He did not want to stop the scheme at all, but he, like others, had to look after bis own interests. Mr D. Shaw said he saw the justness of Mr Dennlstoun’a proposals. It was only the light lands that would be bene' fited at all. He understood that it was only Mr Danniston’a objection that wat ■topping Ih° scheme. That morning h< had seen Mr Andrew (jrant ? and he hac told him that Mr Dennistoun hat ■ authorised him to go on. ■The Chairman said Mr Dennistoun wa pot Lfie pnly objector. My Thew alsi objected. Mr Dsnnistquu explained that M> Gran wrote to him* stating that there was clause in the Aol providing that onl sections benefited by the , water nee

be rated. On receipt of that letter he wrote to Mr Grant stating that if the ratepayers would give him a guarantee that this was the case his firm would have no objection to the proposal. They would also allow the water to go through their land, but they wished to say where the water-races were to run. The Chairman then procured the Acts bearing on the question, and after reading several of the clauses said he thought the Council had no option regarding the striking of the rate on the property tax valuation. Mr Denniston said if that was the case the Act ought to be amended. Ha thought if it was put to the meeting everv on# in the room would say that a rate on the acreage was the fairest. The Chairman asked whether it w ould do to let things remain as at present for a time. Mr P. Wareing said it would never do. They would all be bankrupt if they had another summer like the one just passed if they did not get the water. The Chairman said he might say that until they got an amendment they could not proceed in any case. In the case of the Levels they hoped to get it amended shortly. Mr Dennistoun said in that cai# they might as well get the Act amended in two clauses as in one while they were about it. The Chairman said that was a different thing. This Council was the first attempting to carry out water-races under the new Act. It was intended that the proclamation of the Governor should cover everything, but this was not so.

Mr Shaw wanted to know what about the Ashburton water-races ? The Chairman said they did not keow mnch about them, but it was a question whether their by-laws were good or not. They were going to try and get the Act amended so that the proclamation of the Governor would cover everything. At present the area watered had to bo pat on every person’s deeds, and this would entail great expense. If they did not go according to the Act and a man were to sell his land, bis successor might say he did not want the race and fill it up.

Iq reply to a question the Chairman slid the cost of getting up the petition and reconstituting the district would not be great. Mr Shaw said he understood they could not gel the water without going through Mr Thew’s land, and Mr Dennistoun replied that that was the case. The Chairman explained that though the race would have to go through Mr Thew’s land, the land need not be included in the district. He did not object to the water going through his land but he objected to the rate, as his land was already watered. It was suggested Mr Dennietoun should move a resolution on the subject, and the Chairman said ho would bring the subject before the County Council, which met on the following day. Mr Shaw and P. Wareing said it was necessary the work should be carried out before next summer. It was necessary ( they should go on at once. Mr Dennistouu said that as they had to 1 wait for an amendment in the Act to suit the Levels they might wait for the other also. The Chairman said what was stopping the Levels now was an objection which affected the head works. There was a company on whose land it was proposed to place them standing out for damages. Even if Mr Dennistoun’s land were left out the district would have to be reconstituted. In reply to a question Mr Uennistoun said that the land he objected to be rated for comprised about 3,000 acres. It was remarked that there was very little opposition to the proposal. In the course of conversation Mr Adam Rae remarked that when he took the petition round he understood they would bo rated at per acre—not on the value of the land. Mr Shaw asked whether the Engineer’s opinion Would be final as to where the race was to go. Would ths settlers have a say in the matter ? The Chairman said that as f«r as they could the Engineers would consult the wishes of those through whose land the water would be taken, i Mr Wareing asked whether there was I any chance ef the race being completed in six months.—The Chairman replied that there was so much red tape connected with the matter that he would not like to say. In previous cases they had always a special Act for each place. In this case they were working under the general Act. It was proposed by Mr G. J. Denniatoun, and seconded by Mr P. Warein?— “ That the Geraldine County Council be recommended to strike a rate at per acre in the proposed Orari-Rangitata Water District, and failing the Council’s power under the Act to strike the said rate at per acre the Council be requested to take the necessary steps to have the Act amended to that effect, as (hie meeting considers that a rate struct? in this way would be the fair and just manner of doing so.’’ Mr Wareing said he would not like anything to happen which would delay the scheme later than next summer, and Mr Shw said that if that resolution would delay the scheme he could not support it. The Chairman said he did not see how it would, and the resolution was then put and carried unanimously. The Chairman said they would have to get up another petition, which could be presented at the next meeting of the County Council, Then it would have tc be advertised, and that would take anothei month. He would say that the Council were not anxious to go on at once with the scheme as they would like to go through with the Levels first and then they would know better how to proceed with this, Mr J. Barney wanted to know if they could not get through the preliminaries quicker this time, but the Chairman rei plied he did not think so. The Chairman said it was now for the i district to take the necessary steps rei garding the petition, etc. It was probable i that if the district took these steps now a* [ quickly as possible they might got them I none jn three months, and then things might have gone far enough for thorn to ) proceed. ) Mr Geo. Proudfoot suggested that they shoujd appoint a Committee to take the t necessary steps. a It was suggested ih:.j; Mr Deunisloun s y‘ land might be left out of the district i altogether, but Mr -Shaw said he thought

if t'lnt, whs done othms in the same position would want to he left out also. Mr Denniafcoun said Mr Ashby’s land was valued at about £lO per acre, and lie thought they would admit it would be bard if be were to be rated on its value when the land was already well watered. Mr Shaw asked Mr Dennistoun if he would withdraw his opposition if it were found the Council could not strike a rate on the acreage.—Mr Dennistoun said he would not like to commit himself with out consideration.

jvlr Wareing said Mr Dennistoun wan the only one opposing it, and the others could ride over him. Why not make a virtue of necessity and say ho would support the scheme I—Mr Donnistoun replied that his safety lay in iiin weakness. He believed they would accord time fair play. After a few more remarks it was proposed by Mr Wareing seconded by Mr Barney, and cairied “ That the old Committee, viz., Messrs D. Shaw, A. Grant and F. W. Badham be appointed, with power to add to their number.” The meeting then terminated. At the County Council meeting yesterday, the suggestion made at the Temuka meeting —that the rate should be according to acreage instead of valuation —was discussed. It was decided to recommend the Government to amend the Act so that a rate per acre could be struck.