Meeting of Parawai Ratepayers.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2529, 13 February 1877, Page 2

Meeting of Parawai Ratepayers.

A meeting of the ratepayers of the Parawai Highway district, convened by advertisement, was held at the school house, Parawai, last evening, the business being the discussion of the advisability or otherwise of merging into the County. There were about 40 ratepayers present, and Mr D. G. MacDonnell, Chairman of the Board, was called to the chair on the motion of Mr Spencer seconded by Mr Adlam.

The Chairman said that the meeting had been convened for the purpose of considering the advisability of merging into the County. He then read the advertisement calling the meeting. He said the requisition to him to call the meeting bad'been numerously signed by the ratepayers of the. district, and he would call upon some of the requisitionists to explain their views.

Mr Adlam said that before doing that he would ask the Chairman what were the assets and liabilities of the Board.

.The Chairman said that if they wanted to know that they should have .included it in the requisition; and he would have been prepared to tell them. However, he did not see that the question was part of the business of tbe meeting, and they must adhere to it. He objected on principle.

Mr Cribb also wanted to know what were the assets and liabilities.

The Chairman said that if the question were answered ifc would only open up an argument which would take them from the business of the meeting. He wished it to be understood that the objection he had was that it was not the proper business.' If the voice-of the meeting was in favor of him answering it he would riot object. . . "Mr Spencer said that as one of persons signing the requisition calling the meeting he would like to say a tew words. When they agreed amongst themselves to merge into the- County, they would have to sign a petition to the Council asking to be admitted. TlVe petition would have to be signed by onethird of the ratepayers holding one half of the.rateable property, deferring to their position he said that if they remained a Highway Board they would be rated, and receive £1 for £1 subsidy, and if .they merged into the "'County they would receive a double subsidy. It was said by Some that if they joined the County the by-roads would be neglected, and the County would only attend to the. main roads. He then showed how they could rate themselves for special purposes. He said it had been mooted, that they should join the Borough. He thought they j would do wrong if they did so, as he thought the Borough would soon join the County itself. He was in favor of joining the County, and if they wanted to merge H. was in their own hands to do so. Mr Adla,m said that during the last 12 months some considerable work had been done by the Board, bul it was hard to find out how it bad been done. The bridge they had put up out there had been, carried, away. Their money had been spent, and the bridge had not even<been carried out according to instructions, and as far as he could find out no surveyor had been consulted. It was throwing their money away not having a surveyor. He ' was not going to sit still and see his rates squandered away. If they joined the County they would have a surveyor. : They paid their rales now, but in a month or two they would have to pay two, for as soon as the new board was elected they could levy another over and above the one they had now. He had property in the Borough, and he paid more for his property in Parawai than he did for it.

The Chairman said it was the rale-' payers that levied the rate, and not the Board. '

Mr Adi am said he disagreed with the Chairman. The Board levied the rate, and they had only the power to fix the percentage at 5 per cent, or 2 percent., or whatever they agreed to. (A voice : Or none at all.) He preferred to go into

the County, though at present the Borough had more money than they. He then proposed a motion to the effect that they merge in the County. Mr Cribb seconded the motion. Several questions concerning the rating clauses, were asked and answered by the Chairman. : ' Mr Bagnall, senr., expressed himself in favor of joining the County. Mr Stillwell asked the Chairman what would be the effect if they joined the Borough. The Chairman said that if they joined they might be declared into a ward, or perhaps two. He then expressed himself in favorof joining the County, saying that if they did.so the County would.receive £2 for every £1 received in rates, whereas if they did not merge the County would only receive £1 for £1, and the Board would receive nothing unless they made another fate, as the government only gave subsidies for money received. Mr Spencer read the clauses of the Counties Act relative to the merging. '. , An amendment was then proposed to the effect thatthey adjourn till next week to receive a report of a committee on the subject, but as there was no seconder it lapsed, and the original motion was put and carried unanimously. Mr Spencer then, moved that Messrs Hogg, Crick and Adlam be appointed a committee to act in conjunction with the Board to get up the petition. This was seconded by Mr Bagntlljjf senr., and carried unanimously,,... . yi/ '• This being all the business, a roie of thanks to the Chairman concluded the meeting.