RANGITATA AND ORARI WATER SUPPLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1539, 13 January 1887, Page 3

RANGITATA AND ORARI WATER SUPPLY.

A meeting of persons interested in the i above was held last Tuesday evening in the Star Hotel, Temuka. Mr R. H. Pestletbwaite took the chair, and explained that ho had been appointed by the Chairman of the County Council to preside over the meeting In conformity with clause 34 of the Local Bodies Loans Act. He also stated the object of the meeting was to explain and discuss the proposal of the County Council to borrow £2500 for_ the purposes of irrigation in the Rangitata and Orari districts. Mr Talbot said the meeting was called to discuss the subject, so that people would not go to the poll'in the dark. The County Council proposed borrowing £2500 under the Local Bodies Loans Act for irrigating the Rangitata plains. The Council bad applied to the Government for the money and there was very little doubt but that they would get it. Under the Act the Government lent the money at 5 per cent for 26 years, and this 5 per cent would pay principal and interest and extinguish the debt in 26 years. This Act was a substitute for the Roads and Bridges Construction Act, under which the Opihi bridge was built. They then got the money at 9 per cent, which would pay principal and interest in 15 years. He thought the terms advantageous, and he hoped the people would take advantage of it. As regards the taking of the poll, it would be necessary for more than onehalf of the votes that could be exercised to be recorded in its favor. The majority must vote or it would not pass. If people did not vote at all they would be regarded as against it, so he hoped the people would go about it in earnest, Mr Bad ham objected to Mr Talbot talking about the people being in earnest, after they had been agitating in the matter for the last four years. It was the Council that was not in earnest. It appeared they had nothing to do that night except to discuss the matter. It was a red-tape meeting. As regarded the Opihi Bridge, the people who wanted that work were not prepared to put their hands in thair own pockets and pay for it—the whole County was taxed for it. i’he Rangitata people were ready to pay for their own water supply without any assistance from the County. He wished to know whether they would have the management of it, or would the County Council have the mismanagement of it. All public bodies squandered the money when they got it, and the County Council was composed of men who had no interest in the district. Why should they not have the power to raise their own rates and expend them 1 . Tho ; Chairman said the meeting had nothing to do with that. Mr Talbot said nnder the present law the Council would have to manage the affair, and they had no authority to delegate their power to any other body. ( Mr Warning had no doubt but that the Council would always be ready to accept suggestions. Mr Badham did not think so. He suggested they should consult the Engineer of the Ashburton County Council, but no notice was taken of it. He believed tha water was taken out of the wrong place, but would not put himself against the Engineer. He consequently wished the Ashburton Engineer to be consulted, as he had had great experienceMr Talbot said the matter never came before the Council. Mr Badham said he made the suggestion to Mr Talbot, and if he had liked he could have brought it before the Council. He also wanted to know what they thought of the way their member was behaving himself in allowing a clause such as that in the Act to pass in the way it did? How could they get half the voters in a scattered district like the Rangitata to come to the poll f It would be impossible; one fourth of them did not live In the district. Mr Talbot thought the clause was pretty nearly right. The Upper House would not have passed the Bill without the clause referred to. After some further conversation, Mr Wareing proposed —“That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable that the County Council should borrow £2500 for irrigation purposes in the Ran« gitata and Orari Water-supply District.” , Mr Adam Rae seconded the motion, and it was carried unanimously. It was then decided to fix Thursday, January 20th, as the data for taking the poll, the polling places to be.the Rangitata Station School; Mr Badham’s house, Bulmer; and the County Council office, Timaru. The Chairman then read a formal declaration that the poll would be taken at the above time and places. The meeting terminated with the usual vote of thanks to the Chairman.