ANNUAL MEETING OF RATE PAYERS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1732, 3 May 1888, Page 3

ANNUAL MEETING OF RATE PAYERS.

The annual meeting of ratepayers was held afterward*. Present—The Hon. J. B. A. Aoland, Messrs J. D. Denni4oun, 0. G. Tripp, E. Maokay, B. Thew, W. B. Barker, B, Eae, and D. Maokay. MINUTES. The minute* of the lost annual meeting were road and confirmed. ANNUAL BEPORT AND BALANOB-SHBBT. The annual report and balance’»heet was read as follows: — “ Gentleman, —As at the annual meeting last year, so now at the present it is only necessary to review the proceeding* of the past year. Oar financial position is, I think, satisfactory. We commancod the year with a balance of £8498 13a Bd, and close with a balance of £7484 9* 3d, having therefore reduced our capital by the sum of £lOl4 4* fid. Last year the diminution was £1730. _ That the capital mu*t diminish gradually in this way cannot be avoided. We have no longer any receipts from land sales, and the Government is becoming more and more unwilling to give grants to the local bodies, especially in days of retrenchment, and we must not shut onr eyes to he fact that we are gradually approaching the time when the entire burden will fall on the rates, This year we have received from the Government and Geraldine County Council a subsidy of £B4 10b lOd for the rate collected last year. This year, notwithstandidg the payment of £2Ol 8a 8d to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, we have passed through the year without collecting a rate, in which course we hope we have the approval of the ratepayer*. The expenditure during the year has been £1617 4s Id—being in the Mount Peel District, £409 16s lid j BainolifE aad Sherwood Downs, £6OO 9i lid; and miscellaneous, including the charitable aid and offioe, £606 17s 41, leaving balance as above.” The Chairman pointed out that by clauses 103 and 104 of the Road Boards Act 1882, the accounts should be audited before the end of March. Mr OlHver had lately resigned the position of Government Auditor, and the person appointed by the Government to audit the accounts had not done uo._ The meeting therefore would be committing an illegal act by adopting the balance-sheet, but the fault would lie with the Government. Mr Tripp said with regard to the rates, that he had proposed that no rate should be struck because he did not think at the time that the Government would give a subsidy If the Government would give a subsidy of Is for Is, or£ for £, he was as much in favor of the rate as anyone i The meeting was of opinion that if a subsidy could bo obtained a small rato each year was desirable for the purpose of augmenting the Board’s funds. Mr Thew asked if the Government could not be got to do something to the road where Mr Blatman was cutting it up. They had put a man on where they had been cutting up the road carting stono to the Emgitata bridge. Some members of the Board thought the case was not on all fours. The ro*d now under discussion was being eut up by a private individual. Mr Dennistouu said he had noticed in the papers that in a southern county where the roads wero beinz used in preference to the railway, and were thereby being badly out up, some tax had been placed upon the traffic. He could not remember just then what was done.

The meeting were of opinion that something of the sort waa desirable in this case, and it was proposed by Mr Tripp, seconded by Mr D. Mackay, and carried—" That the Overseer make some enquiries as to what was done in Otago and other places in such cases, and inform the Board at its next meeting.” The Chairman said that where the waterrace cut by the Geraldine County Council crossed the road near Mr Tripp’* cutting there had been a cutting made that was distinctly dangerous for traffic, more especially for sheep. The ford across the actual nad was a very good one, but on each side of the road there was a ditch six feet wide, with a straight drop of fttt 6in. A mob of sheep driven along the road would naturally spread right across on both side?, and the probability was that many would fall into this trap and be smothered, If such a thing happened the owner of the sheep or anything else could come upon the Board for damages. The injury had been done to the road by the County Council when cutting the race, aud the only remedy now was to make a claim to the Council for the injury done to the road, which, before they cut their race, had been a good one. The Board had offered the Council to take £l6, as being the amount it would cost to make the place safe. The Board proposed that one side should be fenced so that sheep could not get on to it at ail, while on the other eide a culvert should be placed so that sheep could pass over safely. The meeting was unanimously of opinion that something should be done-fco the place. Those who had seen it were convinced that it was extremely dangerous for sheep and other traffic.

Mr Tripp said the Boird had behaved most liberally to the Council all through. When they commenced to out the race they required to go through tho Board’s plan'calion, and he (Mr Tripp) proposed that the Council be asked to pay Is for each tree out down. He considered this only fair, as the money for preparing the ground and planting these trees had come out of the pockets of tho ratepayers. It was not carried, and the Council were never asked for a penny for the trees. He thought that the member of tho Council present (Mr E, Mackay) should point out to them how liberally the Board had acted towards them.

Mr Thew thought the Council would bo only too glad to give the £l6 asked for the purpose of getting clear of a trap formed by themselves.

After some little discussion it was proposed by Me Pithie, seconded by Mr Donald Maokay, and carried unanimously— 11 last this meeting is of opinion a concrete culvert 15ft long, or other means of preventing an accident, is required on the water-race near Tripp’s cutting, and that the Board take such steps as may be required to have the work done as soon as possible.”

Mr D. Maokay asked if the Board was going to have any stones broken this winter. He thought it would be a hard winter for soma of the workmen about.

The Overseer being asked said some broken metal would bo of use by-aad-bya. Mr Maokay recommended that if the Board wanted any metal broken it bs done by those persons in the district in want of work. The question having been asked if the Board would give anything fur stones carted on to the road, it was decided that 3d per yard be paid for stones carted upon such roads where broken metal is needed.

On the proposition of Mr Pithie seconded by Mr D. Maokay, the Chairman and members wore voted their usual dinner on Board days. Mr Dennistoun said from what be heard from farmers he thought it very desirable to have a quantity of wheat poisoned early in the season, so as to scatter it about when ihe frost was on tho ground. It was then picked up better, was decided to carry out the augfMtio 1 '