Adjourned Meeting of the Parawai Ratepayers.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2535, 20 February 1877, Page 3

Adjourned Meeting of the Parawai Ratepayers.

The adjourned meeting of the Parawai ratepayers was held at the schoolhouse, Parawai, at 7 o'clock yesterday evening. There were about 35 ratepayers present. »nd Mr D. G. MacDonnell took the chair.

The Chairman said that that night week a committee had been appointed to obtain the signatures of those desirous of joining the County. To-night's meeting was to receive that report, and for the committee to report progress. He would now call upon some of the committee to report what progress they had made. Mr Adlam, as one of the committee, said they had obtained signatures representing £300 rateable value. Mr Miller: The whole rates do not amount to. £300.

Mr Adlam said he had obtained 25 signatures, and Mr Hogg had got 34. Mr Crick had a good number. He had taken the matter of merging into the County in hand not because he had any objection to this particular Board, but because he had an objection to all the Boards on the Thames. (Mr Hudson: JHo.) Mr Hudson could say "no"if he yjjjgd, but it was time they were done. attSy with, and it was time they 1 had done away with the officers who squandered the rates in some way or another. There-was a great talk of the County spending their money outside of their district, but had they not a good representative P If he did not look after their interests he would not be looking after his own. . If he studied his own interest he studied theirs. Let them either join fee County or the Borough, but let them have a change from the present. Let them do away with their petty officers; He was going with the majority to have a change, whatever it was. If they could improve their position by joining the County, let them do so; and if they could improve 'their position by joining the Borough, let them join the Borough. If they were all amalgamated they might do some good. They would not be penned up by, the Itauaeranga, stream as they were now. At present the County could put up a gate there and levy on every passenger that passed the creek. H,e then proposed a motion to the effect that the meeting waa of opinion that they should join the County. . Mr Miller asked the committee if some of the gentlemen who had signed the petition had not since wished to withdraw their names, or asked to do so. Perhaps if that was known it might take away ■ome of the value of tb§ petition. The Chairman said that he had only two lists, and he believed there had been three. .

Mr Crick handed in his Jisfc and the Chairman said that they represented property of the value of £900. Mr Lloyd said that he had wished to withdraw his name from the petition.

Mr Hogg remarked that it was a childish proceeding withdrawing a name after having placed it on paper. A discussion ensued as to whether other persons had wished to withdraw their names, it being stated that Mr Dean had wished to withdraw his. Mr Crick said that Mr Dean had done it in such a jocular manner that he did not think it worth while. The matter then dropped. Mr Tizard asked the Chairman what financial benefit they would get by joining the County, i The Charirman said that they would receive the double subsidy. Mr Adlam pressed the putting of his motion to the meeting, but afterwards, with the consent of the seconder, withdrew it. Mr Miller said that he regretted that he had not been present at the last meeting, for if he had the motion would not have been carried unanimously. There would have been one dissentient voice, .for he would hare gone against it. The question they had to decide was this. At, present they were a Road Board, and had to kill themselves, and the question-was what was the best way to get the most for themselves when they were dead. They wanted to get the most they could, and would give themselves to who would give them the best terms. If they joined the County they would have their main roads kept in order. Mr Spencer had admitted that they would have to rate themselves to make the byroads. Now, they had a revenue of £700, which would all go to the County, and "all they would get in return was £100 to keep the main road .right. It did not need to be made, only to be repaired. Then they lost their representation on the Water -Supply Corporation, which had a revenue of something like £1000 per annum, and they would be in the same predicament as they were before, i They also lost their voice in the Harbor Board. They might get it again, but they had to risk it. JNow, which of the two corporations was the best? The Borough Council were working at onehalf the cost of the County Council, which was going on very lavishly, and the Borough very economically. He had noticed that the Tauranga County Chairman had referred to the large amount the Thames County spent for salaries. They had appointed a valuer at £100 more than the lowest tenderer, and there was the flying visits which made the money fly faster than anything. When they changed they wanted to go into the most respectable corporation. He then referred to the advantages of joining the Borough, sayinft that it secured to them the privileges of the rest of the Borough. Then they had more voting power. They had now one representative, and if they joined the Borough they would be formed into a ward, and could not have less than three members. Three votes were far to be preferred to one. (A voice : There will be 12 in the Borough and 7 in the County.) Three out of 12 is better thai! 1 out of eight. He then moved as at Amendment on the motion carried at a previous meeting, " That it is the interesi of the ratepayers of the Parawai District

to merge into the Borough."This was seconded by Mr McDonald. ' Mr Spencer pointed out that Mr Miller had carefully omitted the larger advantages they got from joining the County. If they, merged into the Borough they would have to pay half the cost of the Kauaeranga bridge. " ; Mr Miller said it would come out of the general fund of the Borough, and not from the ratepayers of their particular district. ■-...'■ Some further discussion ensued, and the amendment was put to the meeting—l 3 toting for it and 15 against it. ■ A rote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the meeting.