ANNUAL MEETING OF RATEPAYERS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1503, 8 May 1886, Page 3

ANNUAL MEETING OF RATEPAYERS.

The annual meeting of ratepayers of the Geraldine district was’hoi.l in the Road Board office, Geraldine, at noon on Thursday. There was not a Urge number present at the commencement of the meeting, but as time went on the room became well filled. Mr W. Slack (Chairman of the Board) occopied the ehair. The Chairman read the advertisement calling the meeting, and also stated the purpose for which the meeting was held. He then read the", animal' repoit and moved its adoption,: which was seconded by Mr W. Postlethwaite and carried. In seconding the, motion, Mr Postlethwaite said he thought the thanks of the ratepayers ware diie to the Board for the way in which it had been drawn up. He thought the time had come for the Board to retain the small balance they had at the present time. He was in favor of levying a rate dating thd' coming year, and placing the-‘ambunt raised by such and the subsidy upon it dnt at interest. Mr Tripp was quite in favor of this also. So long as a subsidy could be obtained from the Government, it was the duty of the Board to rate themselves. Mr C, B. Sherratt would like to ask how long the subsidy remained for local bodies to take advantage of ? He thought there was an Acf passed by Government abolishing the subsidy after the 30th of June. "

Mr Postlathwaite said that under those circumstances (He Bbaird ought to take care to reap the benefit Of the subsidy, Mr Tripp said'the report had not nmn* tioned the damage that was likely to be done to many persons'through the gorse that was allowed to grow on river-beds. The gorse grew 1 on' the river-beds and turned the course ‘of the river over people’s property, and thereby ruined them. At the same time ha did not think the ratepayers’ money should be spent to clear away the gorse that was on the roads, etc., ‘but he thought the attention of the General Government should be called to the serious injury the gorse was likely to cause. The Chairman quite agreed with what Mr Tripp bad said. Mr Tripp moved-* 1 Thst the Qaraldina Boad Board be requested to call the attention of the Government to the alarming apread of gorse in the river-beds, as It Is beyond the power of the Boad Board to deal with the question.” Mr A. Reid'thought it would be a pity to get the gorse removed, as it tended to keep the river in its pUce. The Chairmen thought if any person would take|the trouble to walk down the Waihi River be would see for himself the destruction the gorse was causing. Mr Beid did not think the. Board could point out a single place where the gorse was doing harm. Mr Gapes asked if Mr Reid bad any land adjoining the river. Mr Beid said he bad, and the gorse was a protection to* it. Mr W. Poatlethwaite thought the resolution drawn up by Mr Tripp a very good one. He was glad to see Mr Tripp did not ask the Road Board to do it; but at the present time the Government were hardly able to pay their just debts. He thought the matter should be deferred to a future time. - . The Chairman- said perhaps the meeting would like to hear the opinion of Mr . Shiers. He was a man of large experience. Mr Shiers’ - opinion was to the effect •■ that if steps were not taken to clear the gorse from the bed of the Waihi River it would do a great amount of damage the first heavy flood. Mr R, H.- Poatlethwaite thought there would be no harm in asking the Government, but whoever cleared the ratepayers would have to pay for it in the long run. Mr Leary moved ss an amendment—- “ That Mr Tripp’s resolution be thrown out, as it would put . the country te too much expense.” This was seconded by Mr J. Connolly, snd carried by a large majority. The Chairman said the next business before the meeting was to consider the .advisability, or otherwise, of'appointing a ranger for the district. Mr Connolly asked, in the event of a ranger being appointed, and people bay. log gates erected across roads, could the -ranger pound the stock fronrthose roads?

'7. '.The Chairman said of course all roads ' would be the same. If he could pound. - from one. be could pound from another. Mr C. E. Sherralt thought there was ' come exception to that rule, according '"-to the Impounding Act, - The Chairman understood Mr Sherrait’ to refer to the runbolders. They were allowed to graze stock from the roads of , their rune as well as from any other part of their rum ; Mr Connolly wanted to know why the squatter should'not be the same as anybody else. Mr Guthrie asked if cattle could, be impounded from a road that was not fenced on both sides. The Chairman said certainly, if the : road was not paid for by the runholder. Mr Sherratt said it was stated in the Act that if a person owned land on both - aides of the road and neither side were fenced the ranger- could not impound from that road. ■ Upon looking up the Impounding Act . it was found that this was correct, as it distinctly stated that if a person owned 1 ud on both sides of the uufenced road he was allowed to depasture his stock on the read. Mr Leary was in favor of a new ranger. Mr Guthrie said this had been a very, dry year, and many persons had no water for their stock and had to drive thier stock out on the roads to go and get watsr. If a ranger came and found the cattle outside be would take them away. He (Mr Guthrie) thought if the cattle were troubling a psrson he should take them to the nearest pound. He did not believe in paying a ranger out of the ratepayers’ money. Mr R. H. JPostleth walte said of course be ipeejjpg Knew he had been all nloig iq favor of a ranger. He was in favor of • ringer, He was in favor of some

i means of keeping the roads clear, and thought it was a duty the Board owed to the ratepayers to keep the roads clear. If i a sarious accident were to happen through wandering cattle the Board would be in i his opinion morally responsible, perhaps not legally. A few days ago a person came to him and said, If yon keep a ranger 1 shall hare to sell so many of my eattle. He (Mr Poatlethwaite) did not think this was a fair argument against the appointing of a ranger. Seme people were in favor of every man pounding for himself. This he thought would lead to a great deal of iltfeeling and bad blood between neighbors. If they could keep peace between neighbors let them do so. If a man were appointed a ranger he would simply be doing his duty. He did not hold with those people who seemed to think ttut the ranger was going to be everywhere at once, and that he would be always on the spot to pounce down npon their cattle the moment (hey were outside the gate. A ranger could not do ns he liked, he was answerable to the Board ; and if he did such things us open their gates, as some people said was done, then the aggrieved person had only to make a complaint to the Board, and they would look into the matter and have it righted. Of courao if a ranger were appointed it would be a hardship to some one. Any good and necessary work was generally a hardship to some one, but at the same time he thought it would be the better way to appoint a ranger. Mr Guthrie stated that some time ago a petition signed by some 40 or 50 people had been presented to the Board asking for a ranger, and another, signed by about 100 persons, objecting io such an appointment had also been presented. He would bo most decidedly against appointing a ranger. Mr Gapes said one thing which was very much overlooked was the fact that cattle wandering about the roads and feeding on the hedges carried the gorao seed all over the place. Mr Connolly did not think so. Mr Flatmau explained the reason why ho was opposed to the appointing of a ranger was that it would be very hard on some people. The poundage fees he thought were too high altogether. The laws had been framed some years ago when cattle were dear, but now, if a person had an animal pounded if he did not hear of it in a few hours he would not want to see the animal again as it would cost more for fines than it was worth. He thought there should bo more pounds, so that animals would not have to be driven so far. The present pound was all very well when the district was thinly populated, but now that the place was so settled more pounds were required. He considered the various accomodation yards which th j publicans were bound by law to have for the convenience of the public, should, with the publicans' consent, be available for pounding, and then the question of a ranger would.die out. He gave several instances where persons bad had their crops, destroyed, bnfc had not been able (o pound them on account of the distance to ta’ie them. Mr Postletbwaite thought the whole thing was merely a question of a name, as to whether they should call a person a pound keeper or a ranger. They had had a poundkeeper for years. He did not think it was intended that a ranger should go round and pull up everything upon four legs he fosnd upon the road, but simply to keep the main road clear of stock that might be injurious to travellers. It was the dutv of the Board to keep the road clear, just as much as it was the duty of the Government to keep the railway clear. He thought the business ot the meeting was more to consider the financial condition of the district rather than this ranger question. Mr Tripp thought Mr Flatman deserved great credit for having solved the difficulty. He thought that Mr Flatman’s was a very wise suggestion indeed. If the yards in connection with the hotels could be used in this way it would be a very satisfactory thing. Mr Flatman said he wished to explain how he would deal with these yards. He would not leave it to the option of the publicans themselves as to whether the yards should be so used. He would like to see an Act passed compelling them to have suitable yards for the purpose, He thought the thing could be done by a special Act.

Mr Hawke would like to ask if the publicans would be allowed to act as rangers 1 The Chairman said no; they would simply collect the fees. He thought the ranger should be entirely under the control of the Board. He would not be in favor of the ranger being paid by the fees he obtained by driving. Let a man be appointed, and let him be the servant of the Board, the fees to go to 'the Board. Mr Sherratt thought Mr Flatman'a suggestion an excellent ene, but he also believed in the present poundkeeper doing something in his capacity. He did not believe in the funds of the Board being spent cn the Pounds. He thought Mr Flatman’s suggestions might be carried out by an appeal to the Licensing Bench. In his opinion the poundage lees were far too high, and that, he believed, was the reason why the ratepayers were so much against the ranger. Mr Kelland explained that he had been -the first to move that a ranger be appointed. Some eighteen months ago, when the same thing had been proposed, he bad opposed it, as be did not think n ranger was necessary. Ho still did not -think a ranger necessary, but he had been led to-propose his being appointed in this way; The people of the district be represented had handed him a petition to bring before the Board asking for a ranger, which petition be had, as their member, of course presented. As he was the bearer of the petition .the Board looked to him to move a resolution that a ranger be appointed, which he had done, but at the same time he had expressed his decided opinion that a ranger was not necessary, and that ho moved the resolution pro forma.' He may have appeared to the ratepayers to have not acted consistently, but at the same time ho had still retained bis opinion that the district did not want a ranger. He was quite in favor of the poundkeeper acting as ranger. Mr Postleth «'aite was very severe upan Mr Kelland for proposing a thing which lie felt in his own mind was not needed. The meeting, however, appeared satisfied to accept Mr Holland's explanation. Mr Leary proposal the following resolution, which wag seconded by Mr Connolly—** That the ratepayers do not

want '» ranger, because every man has the power to impound cattle if they are doing him any harm.” It was moved as as amendment by Mr Donkin, seconded by Mr K. H. Postlethwaite—That it be left to the Board to appoint a ranger if at any time it is found necessary to do so.” The amendment on being put to th e vote was lost, and the resolution was declared carried. Mr D. Gregan proposed, and Mr Maslin seconded—“ That owing to the times being so bad the Overseer’s salary for the next year be no more than £l5O, and be tendered for.” The Chairman stated he could not put this motion, as it was outside the business for which the meeting was called. Messrs Tripp, Maslin, and several of the ratepayers contended very strongly that as the meeting was an annual one any matters of interest to the ratepayers could be discussed there. The Chairman said “No,” and read over again the advertisement calling the meeting, and stating the objects of the meeting. Several of the ratepayers held the advertisement to be wrong, and to have no power in determining what subjects should bs discussed at the meeting. The Chairman firmly declined to put the resolution, as he said the matter could not be discussed there, it was a dictation to the Board which they would not tolerate. The members of the Board were the persons who engaged the Overseer, and if the ratepayers were not satisfied with their action let them turn them out of office. Mr Tripp, while contending that the meeting was entitled to make any suggestion they liked to the Board, thought they ought to be proud of their Clerk and Overseer. He had done his duty, and he (lMf Tripp) thought it would be foolish to cut down his salary. He did not believe in cheap men. The meeting hud a right to recommend anything they liked to the Board, but the Board were the praper authorities to engage the Overseer. Mr W. Postlethwaite contended that the Overseer had been a good servant to the Board. He had only done his duly in imposing the fines which hod sometimes been imposed. He quoted one instance that had come under his notice where the work had been “ scamped,” and he pointed out that if they wanted to have a gocd man as Overseer they must uphold the actions into which he is led in the course of his duty, and not allow him to be kicked at every moment. Mr Maslin pointed out that when the Board were spending a great deal more than they were at present, and doing a great deal more work, the Overseer was only getting the same pay, and he believed the ratepayers conld get any amount of men for less money. Mr Flatnsan’ that the Board were, responsible for a large amount of money. They had to submit their books yearly to the Government Auditor, who was exceedingly strict, and it was absolutely necessary that they should have a good, honest, and competent Clerk and Overseer, Ha (Mr Flatman), for one, would not be dictated to as to who they should employ. Cheap men were generally inferior men. If the ratepayers elected a Board they should let them choose their own Clerk. If they thought the Board were not acting in a fair manner to the ratepayers, let them send them about their business aad elect others. But he did not think the ratepayers need be afraid that the Board would do anything contrary to their interests. It was finally ruled that the proposition re the Overseer’s salary was out of order. Mr Tripp moved, and Mr Fifield secOnded mend to the incoming Board to take the necessary steps to have the Road Board district divided into five sub-divisions, or wards.” Mr Sherratt asked, as the Board had power to raise ihe number of members to nine, did Mr Tripp think five wards would bo sufficient. Should not the Board be increased to seven ? Mr Tripp said if the district were divided into wards each ward would elect its own member, and thus each part of the district would be represented. If the ratepayers would like seven wards, he was quite willing to give way, He quite agreed that the Ornri district required a member, and so did the Kakahu district. There would be no necessity to keep separate books, only to elect a member. The Chairman thought there would be more trouble in the matter than Mr Tripp supposed. He could not see that there was much benefit to be gained in dividing the districts into wards, and he was, therefore, opposed to it. Mr Tripp’s motion upon being put was losr. Mr Tripp, being one of the oldest residents in the district, and also one of the oldest members on the Geraldine Road Board, proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the Chairman, and complimented the Board upon having such a promising member as Mr R. H. Postlethwaite. Some of the ratepayers having expressed dissatisfaction at (ho annual meeting being held so close to the day of election, Mr Tripp moved and Mr Fifield seconded—“ That the ratepayers recommend the new, or incoming, Board next year to have the meeting before it is requiaite for candidates to sign a paper stating that it is their intention of seeking a seat on the Board, so that the ratepayers may hear their views on any public question.” The meeting being by this time in a state of confusion the resolution was not regularly carried, but the general opinion seemed to be that it was a desirable proposition for the New Board to carry out. The annual report which was read showed that since last annual meeting 27 contracts had been let; 6 miles 70 chains of roads had been formed ; 4 miles of roads shingled; 2 large culverts at Kakahu and a large bridge on the Kakahu river had been erected, besides a large amount of work in drainage, fords, and maintenance. The Board were of opinion that the various works had been well carried out. The expenditure was as follows; Woodbury, Upper Orari, and Hangitata district, £306 os 81 ; Kakahu and Waitohi Downs, £221 12s ; Pleasant Yalley, Ganes’ Valley, and Beautiful Valley, £2BO Us ; Raukapuka Down and Geraldine, £4l 15s (i I ; QeraU dine Flat, Main Road, and Reserves, £144 2s : day labor and other items made a" total of £4169 19a sd. The tot»l receipts were £2291 8s Bd.