MEETING OF RATEPAYERS AT GERALDINE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2658, 12 May 1894, Page 2

MEETING OF RATEPAYERS AT GERALDINE.

A well-attended meeting of ratepayers was held in the Geraldine Volunteer Hall on Wednesday evening last. Mr F. R. Flatraan, M.H.R., was voted to the chair, and there were on the platform Messrs Metcalf, Brophy, and Kellaud (Geraldine Roa'd Board), R. Thew and C. G. Tripp (Mount Peel Road Board), and Mr J. Talbot (Temuka Town Board). The chairman read the advertisement convening the meeting of ratepayers in Geraldine and Mount Peel districts, to discuss the question of merging into a county. The chairman asked indulgence while he explained certain personal matters. First, he would say that lie was still of the same opinion on the question under discussion as ho was at the Conference of Road Boards at Temuka. Ho thought the question should bo discussed, and the boundaries formed in a friendly spirit. Certain errors had boon made with regard to what ho said at the Temuka conference. He was reported in the Lrauku to have said that “ it could bo arranged with tho Government to maintain the main roads and bridges right through the island.” That was wrong. What ho did say was that “ the only way out of the difiicnlty wis to try and got tho >-ailway rates lowered so as to lake traliic off the main roads, or else get tho Government to take over tho great main roads,” His reason for writing to tho Levels Road Board was because Mr Talbot had stated at 1 Mount Peel that for ouo man (Mr Mee)

to “ suppose ” for a large constituency as the Levels he supposed for a great deal too much. The chairman of the Levels board replied that certainly the majority of the board’s members were in iavor of the proposal, and also the ratepayers appeared to be greatly in favor of it. Later on the Levels board forwarded him (Mr Flatman) a resolution passed at their meeting in favor of merging into a county. Another personal matter: Mr Tripp had mentioned at the Mount Peel meeting that he (Mr Flatman) sent his compliments to the board, and invited them to the Geraldine meeting that night. The matter had been previously talked over between himself and Mr Tripp, and he (Mr Flatman) decided that there was no need to invite the Mount Peel board as they were already invited in the resolution passed at the Geraldine Road Board annual meeting. He (Mr Flatman), in conclusion, wished to say that he was simply there acting as a servant of the ratepayers, and he had no fad of his own in the matter. He would not fret himself whether the proposal was carried out or not so long as the ratepayers were satisfied. He wished, howeyer, the thing would be carried out in a friendly and not hostile spirit. (Applause). Mr Tripp reiterated several of the main arguments in favour of the proposal as used by him at other meetings, and went on to state that the resolution passed at the Mount' Peel meeting was not worth consideration as several persons out of about 20 present did not know what they were voting for, and others refrained from voting because they did not understand whether they had to vote for the resolution or the amendment. The working man could not attend in the daytime, and it was only fair to the ratepayers that they should have had an opportunity to consider the matter thoroughly before passing such a resolution. Mr Talbot at Mount Peel had criticised a statement that he (Mr Tripp) had put before the meeting, and said that the man who drew it up was fit to be Colonial Treasurer. (Loud laughter.) Well, perhaps he was fit for that position, but the remark was made in a sarcastic way and if there had been so much wrong in the statement why was it not pointed out ? Since that meeting he (Mr Tripp) had sent the statement to the county council clerk to be filled in correctly, and it had been returned with the reply that it could not be filled in because the books were not made up that way. (A voice : “ Perhaps they couldn’t do it.”) They referred him (Mr Tripp) to the council’s balance-sheet as the only information they could give. (A voice: “ It would take a Philadelphian lawyer to make that out.”) He had since asked the gentleman that drew up the statement to go over it and make corrections. They found that Mr Talbot was correct; there was a mistake with regard to the general rate, only it was on the right side. It had been put down at £I2OO, when it should have been £1336 12a 9d, an increase of £136 12s 9d. It was made up thus:— General Bate. Geraldine Boad District ... £462,224 Mount Peel do. 393,249 Bate of Id in £ on £855,473 is £B9l Is 10id Subsidy from Government, 10s in £ £445 10s lid Total £1,336 12s 9d Then ll.—Slaughter Licenses : These came to £lO6 10s 6d, and our share, 1/5 th only, was £2O ss. lll.—The Dog Fees: These were put down in the Geraldine County Council balance-sheet at £312 Is 6d, and our share, a little more than 1/sth, was put down in the statement at £6B 15s 6d. The difference in figures supplied to Mr Talbot and | those Supplied to him (Mr Tripp) by the same person were as under : To Mr Talbot— £ 8. d. Geraldine 45 12 0 Mount Peel 12 18 0 £2B 10 0 To Mr Tripp— Geraldine 44 0 0 Mount Peel 22 15 6 £66 15 6 From Temuka Eegistrar,' 4 dogs at 10s 2 0 0 £6B 16 6 IV. The accommodation and con ditional licenses in the Geraldine Road district came to £l4, or less than the - 1/IBth part of the total in the county " V.—Share of Office Staff at Timaru Salaries clerk, engineer, etc., £422. Our share, 2/sths, was £l6B, and only £l5O was put down on the statement read by him (Mr Tripp). VI. Purchase of office in Timaru, £2lB. Our share, 2/sths, would be £B6, and only £6O had been put down. Taking them all through, he considered the figures were well within the mark. In conclusion Mr Tripp urged the necessity of keeping the ratepayers’ money in their own immediate district. (Hear, hear, and applause). Mr Allan proposed—“ That this meeting of ratepayers instruct Messrs F. R. Flatman and W. S. Maslin, M.H.R.’s, to bring in a Bill at the next session of Parliament, asking the legislature to unite the Geraldine and Mount Peel

boards into one county.” Mr R. Thew seconded the resolution. Mr Allan thought this was the right coarse to take. The Levels and Temuka Hoad Districts were directly opposed to the Geraldine and Mount Peel Districts’ interests. He had been 15 years in the district, and all the county council had spent there so far as he could see was on bridges. He maintained that as a separate county Geraldine and Mount Peel could keep up its bridges and rate the ratepayers about half the present rates. He saw no difficulty about the water - races, and thought the boundaries could be altered so that the new county could take them all over. He asserted that very little of the district’s produce went over the Opibi bridge except a few loads of wool occasionally. (Applause.) Mr Flatman said there was no need to define boundaries at present. The Government would attend to that and would no doubt see justice done. Mr Talbot thought it would take a stretch of imagination to say there were more than ten or twelve Mount Peel ratepayers present that night, and the doings of the meeting could scarcely be taken as an indication of the feelings of Mount Peel at all. Another thing, why was the Geraldine Town Board loft out of the discussion I The town board’s interest was of vital importance in the matter. (MrMasliu: “No.”) He simply looked upon the meeting as a public meeting to consider the question and having nothing to do with Mount Pool district. Mr Flatman had not fully made up his mind on tho question, and was simply looking out for information and guidance. This was not the proper position to take up. Tho promoters of a movement should make up their minds and have an earnest sincere conviction in what they are going to do. Several years ago the Levels district, smarting under the fact of having to contribute to tho building of the Eangitata and Opihi bridges, had moved in the direction of splitting up the County lie (Mr Talbot) then did all lu his powc^

to frustrate the movement, but now it was most peculiar the outside districts were trying to bring the same thing upon themselves that the Levels wanted to do in the old days. What were the objections to the present county 1 One was the dual rating system. There would be something in this argument if it could be shown that more money was raised than was necessary for the expenditure on public works. He contended that all they could save by a change in the rating system would be a little office expenditure, etc., while on the other hand there was considerable expenditure on bridge works to be met, and the only way to do this was by unity. Something like £9OOO had of late been the cost of the Opihi bridge, and since the county council was formed about £SOOO or £6OOO had been spent on the Bangitata bridge. The principal gain to Geraldine would be the entire suffocation of the Mount Peel district and it was thought there would be a gain in keeping the rates in the district. Mr Tripp’s authority on figures seemed to think that he had under-estimated rather than overestimated. He (Mr Talbot) thought that this anthority still maintained a prestige for wonderful discoveries. The subsidies had now been added to the general rate by his authority, but he would remind them that they at present got the subsidies in full and had no need to become a county to get them. At present one half of the subsidy was paid to the road board and the other half was paid to the county council which eventually returned it to the road boards. Besides it struck him Geraldine and Mount Peel would lose something on their subsidies if they formed into a larger county, for as a larger district they would not be entitled to so large a subsidy as they were in their present divided state. The larger the district the smaller the subsidy, comparatively speaking. The Geraldine Town District ratepayers had a voice in the discussion because they were county ratepayers. At present they were only rated for the main bridges, but if an alteration took place the town district would belong to the new county. It was proposed that the new county would do away with the Toad boards in the district, and consequently the town board district would then have to contribute to the whole rate struck' which would be £d in the £at least. He thought he was correct in saying that when a county struck a rate it took effect all over its district. (A voice : “It is the same now.”) No. At present the Geraldine County Council only struck a rate on the town boards for bridges. He was accused of overestimating in the matter of rates, but how was that ? About £BOOO had been returned to the two districts in the way of bridges, and the district had certainly lost nothing by being connected with the Geraldine County Council. It was said that there was a race on between the Levels and the two northern districts. The race evidently was to see who could get a Bill in first and leave Temuka out. (Hear, hear, and laughter. A voice : “ That is why you came here to-night, or you would not be here.’’) He did not know what was wrong with Temuka that they wished to leave it out. In order that such a Bill can go through the Bouse they must assume that the legislature and also Temuka ratepayers will be asleep, which was not likely to happen. Another point—if a split was likely to take place the Mount Peel district would fall to pieces by part of it joining the Mackenzie County, and Geraldine would have to take in Temuka to form a county. Referring again to the dual rating system, he (Mr Talbot) would suggest a solution of the difficulty. The road boards could send notice to the county council what rate they required, and the council could strike it, or, vice versa, the council could inform the road boards what rate they wanted and the boards could strike it. What ought to be the policy of their movement? The resolution should be that the members of the House be instructed to oppose any dismemberment of the county. (Dissent, and cries of “No.”) That was his belief, and the sentiment that they ought to be friendly on this matter was spurious and false for each district had its interests to guard. He would do his best to guard the interest of the county by trying to keep it as it is, Geraldine and Mount Peel’s bank balances were perfectly safe so long as they kept the county as it is, but anyhow he thought it would not be long before, by the opening up of roads, they would not have much of a bank balance left, and if they formed into a county and had to maintain bridges it would soon go. (Applause). Mr Flatmau asked why the Mackenzie County got 10s in the £ up to £IOOO in subsidy and the road boards only got a little over 25 per cent. Mr Talbot was very doubtful whether the Mackenzie County Council get any more subsidy than Geraldine. Mr Wm. Shiers said that where there was a county council in existence without any road boards the council got the full subsidy, but where there were road boards the council got one half of the subsidy and the road board the other half, and the council ultimately returned the other half to the boards to keep main roads in repair. Mr Flatmau was not clear on the point, he still fancied that some of the subsidy was missing somewhere. Mr J. Mundell asked from whom this movement for merging into a county first emanated.

Mr Flatman said it had been laid pretty well on his shoulders that he was tho promoter. He (Mr Flatman) was acting as a servant of the ratepayers, and h • could point to one gentleman present, viz., Mr Allan McDonald, who had asked him to bring the matter before the board. (Mr McDonald; “ Quite true.”) He (Mr Flatman) thought that when a large ratepayer like Mr McDonald had spokeu to him on the matter, even if no one els' had, it was quite sufficient reason for him to bring it before his board. (Applause.) Mr Shiers with regard to the subsidy question said that two sessions ago subsidies were reduced 25 per cent. Further discussion of a desultory nature took place on this question. Mr M. C. Orbell referred to a personal matter connected with himself which had been brought up at two public meetings. He some time past wrote a letter to Mr Tripp in reply to questions put, but had no idea the letter would reach publication, although he did not care. Ho (Mr Orbell) had mentioned that 25 per cent, of tho rates collected by road boards and spent on roads was absorbed in collecting and spending it. It was the amount spent upon tho road work. When ho made that statement ho was not referring to the Geraldine or Mount Peel Boards, but to the system of road boards generally. Mr Shiers in explaining at the Geraldine Road Board’s annual meeting said the figures should have been taken yf tho whole of the board’s administration. On this ho (Mr Shiers) calculated lit per cent. At Mount Pool Mr Talbot referred to the same matter, and ssid that ho (Mr Orboll) did not know what lie was talking about when ho men tinned 25 per cent., for tho Temuka Board’s administration was only 9 per cent., and Geraldine’s lit per cent. He (Mr Orbell) did not personally know

Mr Talbot till that evening, and ho must say he looked upon him as a perfect genius, and defied anyone to find out from the Temuka Board’s balance sheet what Temuka’s actual administration was. On the system of dual Government question he (Mr Orbell) mentioned that there should be either all road boards or all counties. (Hear, hear). With regard to Geraldine Road Board’s administration 11J per cent, quoted by Mr Shiers was wrong. He (Mr Orbell) would include more than salaries, as that item was only part of the administration. The total expenditure was £2,663 for the Geraldine Road Board. This included £542 collected for the Harbor Board and the Charitable Aid, and he would ask anyone present if they could look upon that as an expenditure. What did it cost to collect? Mr Orbell then read the following table he had prepared to show that the administration of the board was 23 per cent, on road work.

Equal to 23 per cent. During the reading of Mr Orbell’s figures Mr Shiers made several objections to the items quoted as not being chargeable to contract work, and said Mr Orbell might as well have charged picks and shovels. Mr Shiers said he was one of throe or four persons who got the Geraldine board separated from Temuka. He well knew the history of all the district’s bridges. The cylinder bridge at Rangitata was built 25 years ago, and the extension was made on iron piles about 14 years ago by the Ashburton County Council. The extension cost about £15,000, and altogether from first to last about £60,000 had been spent at the Rangitata bridge. The Geraldine bridge cost about £2200 for the first contract, and altogether from then till now the bridge had cost £3OOO. It was 20 years ago since that bridge was erected, and as 20 years was the full life of New Zealand timber the girders of this bridge were now in a very rotten state and falling down into the riverbed. The Urari bridge cost about £15,000 from first to last, and about one-third of the bridge had been redecked a few years ago, and the remainder of the decking was about 20 years old, which was the best decking he had seen put on a bridge. This decking required renewing, and the handrail was that rotten it was dropping away into the riverbed. He would ask them to consider what they were doing in thinking to take over these bridges. They talked of a Jd r -te, but they would need a.special £d rate as well to keep in repair their bridges. Besides, in this district there were 22 traffic bridges, and he again reminded them that the life of New Zealand timber was 20 years. If they went over the Rangitata bridge they would see a notice prohibiting traction engines from crossing. But traction engines crossed it in spite of that, and there was now 15 chains of the extension bridge girders totally strained to pieces. In this district they had the best roads, and the biggest credit of any district in New Zealand, and they were well off and did not know it. (Applause).

Mr R. Thew asked “ if Mr Shiers knew that the Orari bridge was rotten, why did he report to the council not long ago that the under structure was sound? They would probably not have had the bridge redecked if they had known it was in a rotten state.”

Mr Shiers said the comity engineer reported that the bridge was not worth redecking. He (Mr Shiers) had a good look over the bridge, and reported that the piles would last out another decking only. Mr Alex. Kelman said he had been over the bridges mentioned by Mr Shiers. He (Mr Kelmau) was not an engineer but he took Mr A. White, and they decided together that the Raugitata bridge was in a good sound condition. The Geraldine bridge they admitted was bad, the lower part of it being rotten. Mr Shiers, however had misrepresented the matter. He (Mr Kelman) would ask Mr Talbot if he was present as a ratepayer of Mount Peel or as a beggar from Temuka. (Loud laughter). The rest of Mr Kelman’s remarks were lost in uproar. Mr Talbot was present as a Mount Peel ratepayer, a member of the Temuka Road Board, and a member of the County Council. He looked upon the movement as of the deepest interest to the whole county, Perhaps it would have been better if he had stopped at home. (Hoar, hear, and no no.) Mr Kelmau was more forcable than polite. (Laughter.) Mr Kelman retorted that when he went before the County Council the other day he could not get politeness, and had to light his battle hard before he could get what he wanted. (Laughter.) Mr Shiers asked Mr White if the planks on the cylinder bridge at Raugitata wore not all loose.

Me White replied in. the affirmative. Mr Shiers said that when Mr Roberts decked tha'Raugitata bridge he spliced the planks. He (Mr Shiers) questioned him on the point, and Mr Roberts replied that the joist below was so rotten that it would not hold a spike. Mr A. White remembered calling Mr Kelmau’s attention to the splicing of the decking on the Rangitata bridge, and thought it strange it was not spiked. As regards the Waihi bridge at Geraldine, it was not safe for traffic at tho present time.

MrM. C. Orbell moved as an amendment to tho motion that a poll of the ratepayers bo taken of the Geraldine and Mount Peel districts to ascertain whether they think it desirable that a separate county be formed, or that tho county remain as at present,

Mr W. S. Maslin, M.S.R., intended to take up a neutral position on tho proposal till he heard both sides of the question. He fully recognised tho good work of road boards in tho past, especially in tho Geraldine and Mount Peel. If it wore a question of things being conducted as at present in tho future, ho would say “ Let us remain as wo arc,” but iidUig-qbs were taking a turq jij thy auu«Levels Board to form - • . ot the

Maslin), ho I- ’ -county. He (Mr riu... > . -* a a decided objection to oonuca being tacked o U to Geraldine. Ho believed that if they made Temuka the headquarters of a county, and created Par Tablet tho first chairman, they would ihon have a most strenuous’advocate of their movement j u Mr Talbot. He (Mr Maslin), was a hearty supporter of the measure to got tho Geraldine and Mount Pool districts merged into a county. (Applause).

Mr Talbot denied Mr Maslin’s reference to him, and said he always opposed the measure in any form. Mr Robt. Skinner proposed an amendment on the amendment“ that a petition be got up to obtain the feeling of the ratepayers, instead of taking a poll, and that canvassers be employed.”

Mr Maslin seconded Mr Shinner’s amendment, which was carried unanimously. On the motion of Mr Allan, it was further resolved “ that in the event of the petition being favourable to the proposal that the road boards be requested to draft a Bill for Messrs Flatman and Maslin, M.H.R.’s, to take charge of, and bring before the House.” A vote of thanks to the chairman, concluded the meeting.

£ s. d. Stationery and printing 37 12 9 Plans and survey 83 8 6 Legal expenses 15 4 8 Insurance building rates 9 7 9 Election expenses 7 s 6 Office expenses, stamps, etc.... 12 18 Sundry small accounts lo 7 4 131 7 8 Salary 225 0 0 Rent bouse and ground 40 0 0 £396 7 8 £ a. d. Board’s total expenditure ... 2663 0 0 Less harbor and charitable aid 542 0 0 2121 0 0 Expenditure salary, etc., as shown above 397 0 0 £1724 0 0