MEETING OF RATEPAYERS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2160, 7 February 1891, Page 3

MEETING OF RATEPAYERS.

A meeting of ratepayers m the Orari-Waihi water-race district was held at the Orari bridge school on Wednesday evening last. There were some fourteen or fifteen of the largest landowners in the district present. Mr IT. K. Flatman was voted to the iehair, and explained that the meeting was called to consider whether tb** water-race district should be extended or not. A letter fronc the trustees of the Geraldine Eacecourse was handed to the chairman and read by him. The trustees expressed their desire that the district should be extended towards Winchester, taking in the racecourse. " Mr Kelman said the settlers at the Orari would be glad to have the irace if the settlers above would be willing to extend the district to them. Ik was for the present water ratepayers 'to say they were agreeable to take them in, and then a petition would be got up and signed by those below to be admitted. The meeting bad been called owing to Mr W. Postlethwaite having applied to the County Council at its last meeting to extend the district so as to include some 500 acres of his land. The chairman said Mr Postlethwaite had shown him by figures that if the district were extended to Winchester they would not obtain as much as if they took hiß block in. Mr W. Hewson said Mr Postlethwaite had got the water now in the block he had specified. Mr Thatcher said he supposed Mr Postlethwaite had given up all claim to the tail end of the race now he had gold the block of land to Mr Kelman, Mr Kelman, " Yes."

The chairman said he could only pay foi it annually without an alteration in the Act. It was for that meeting to say whether they would give hin? the water or not, Mr Kelman said if they could reduce their rates one half by taking the district to Winchester, it would tie better for them to do so than to take £25 from Mr Postlethwaite. Mr McLean asked if it would reduce the rates. The chairman said Mr Postiethwaite had assured him that the work on. his block would not cost the ratepayers a penny, as he would do it all himself. In reply to Mr Thatcher the chairman said the amount offered by Mr Postlethwaite, Is per acre, was about equal to the rate now struck. Mr Kelman understood that Mr Postlethwaite was not going by acreage at all but simply offered £25 for the tail water from year to year. Mr A. Metcalf considered the races had often been over supplied. He thought there would be quite enough to send one race to Wichester and still give Mr Postlethwaite a supply if the were properly regulated. In reply to Mr J. Fiefield, the chairman said he understood Mr Postlethwaite to say he wanted the tail water from all the races. He would enter into the agreement for as long as the council liked.

Mr Kelman pointed that it was necessary to take some immediate steps in the matter.

Mr Thatcher asked if Mr Postlethwaite bad been asked to pay the rate for the 1700 acres he had still remaining unsold. ! The chairman said Messrs Meason ! and Barker had gone over the land, and they considered Mr Postlethwaite wa offering very fairly to the district. Mr Postlethwaite had asked him (the chairman) if he had the same amount of water on his land would he pay for it. The chairman gathered that Mr Postlethwaite did not intend to pay for any more than he had applied for, find would do his best to prevent the water passing through his land. Mr Kelman pointed out that the Bottlers desirous of the water must get the consent of the ratepayers in the old district to be taken in. Tf this consent were given a petition would be forwarded by those below. The chairman said the meeting could pasß a resolution asking the Council not to deal with Mr Postlethwaite's application for the present, as a petition would be sent in to have the

race extended to Orari and Winchester. Mr Hewson thought they would be able to take the race down and still (give Mr Postlethwaite the surplus water if he chose to pay for it, but for ikhem to enter into an agreement to give him all the races would, be thought, be inconsistent. Those present said they had no wish whatever to cut Mr Postlethwaite off, provided they could reduce their own rates. They were willing to let him have the surplus water if he were willing to pay for it. They had no wish to debar him, but did not wish him to debar them from extending their races. Mr Kelman would like the meeting to express its willingness to take in the eettlers down below, He moved, " That this meeting is in favor of allowing Orari and Winchester to join them, provided the Council will allow them to have the water." This was seconded by Mr Tifield j and carried unanimously. Mr Kelman said the engineer had assured him there was plenty of water at the head works to supply Mr Postlethwaite and still send a stream to Orari and Winchester. It was only a matter of widening the races. In reply to the chairman the ranger, Mr W. Gould, said the pipes at tho headworks could take a great deal more water than they were taking at present.

Messrs Fifield and Kelman would be in favor of running one race down and sending the balance of the water to Mr Postlethwaite. The latter said it must be on the distinct understanding that Mr Postlethwaite widened the races himself. One ratepayer thought they should accept Mr Postlethwaite's offer, provided they could get the water after passing through hia land to go to Oran.

Some thought that after the water had been used to <?rive Mr Postlethwaite's turbine it would be impossible to get it up to the Orari. After further conversational discussion Mr Hewson proposed, Mr Thatcher seconded, and it was carried unanimously—" That this meeting is aware of the fact that the residents below the present water race district are desirofts of obtaining the extension of the water race to their various homesteads, and such being the case this meeting would ask the council to delay Mr Postlethwaite's application unleßS he is agreeable to allow enough water to pass his property to supply the residents now petitioning." The meeting then terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman.