Mooting of the Waiotahi Ratepayers.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2560, 21 March 1877, Page 2

Mooting of the Waiotahi Ratepayers.

About 30 ratepayers of the Waiotahi Highway District were present at the Waiotahi School-house at 7.30 last night in response to a requisition calling the ratepayers together to consider the advisability or not of merging into the County.

It was proposed that Mr Brodie take the chair, but as he declined, Mr Brown was unanimously voted to that position. He said that it was for them to decide that night whether they should. join the County or not. He had signed the requisition, and wns in favor .of joining the County. If anyone wished for them to remain in the Eoad Board they could have iheir say, as it was now or never. Mr Young said he had also signed the requisition to the Board, aud in signing his name he had been influenced in this way. He did not see 1 how the Eoad Board could go on, for if they remained as they were they would be rated twice, and from their local rate they would not get raorejthan £70 per annum. They had just enough means to pay the officials, and nothing to make roads or anything else.- He was of opinion that they should merge into the County.' The County Council had bravely taken the bull by the horns,' and were taking.steps to open up the back roads. The Council knew that the Waiotahi was the only place where they would get the gold from, and they needed to open up theroads to bring prosperity to the County at large. Afterisome further remarks he mored that in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable that the necessary steps be taken to merge the Koad Board in the County. Mr Smith seconded the motion. He endorsed all that Mr Young had said. The Board could not carry on in its present impecunious state. Mr Brodie said that at present, as they all knew, they were a Highway District, and were rated at 5 per cent. If'all the. rates were collected they would amount to £90 per year, but they did not get all that, and indeed the most they ever got was £80. On that the County would get £1 subsidy, and they woiild get £1. It had been estimated that the gold u duty ■ accruing in their district for the year would be £3700, but by the way the Moanatairi was turning out gold they might expect a great deal more than Ibat. Now if they remained as they were, all that money went to the County, together with the publicans' licenses, dog taxes, and every other source of revenue except the £1 subsidy on the rates. They should;go into the County, and they would have to do it quick if they wanted to do so. After pointing-'out that the | amount of mining property in the district ] had been the cause that they had not' merged into the County before, he said ' that the Board, of Works of the County I Council, after getting the opinions of long-experienced miners on . the best' means of prospecting the ground, had ' determined to extend the Waiotahi road to Punga Flat. The work would be laid off in small sections for small parties of ! contractors. (Applause.) A great reason to join the County was for the opening up of roads to Obinemuri. so that they could get -their meat and produce cheap,"instead of having to import it from other provinces. So far as joining "the <Bbrough was concerned one of his objections was that the bye-laws applicable to" a thickly populated place like the Borough concerning cattle on footpaths, &c, would not suit them. After referring to the chance they had of getting a source of revenue from the Big Pump and the Water Hace, he intimated that he was' prepared to answer any questions on the subject or explain anything that he had not made clear. . # '! A gentleman present whose.name we could not learn askod what was the difference between tlfe Borough and Couuty Goldfield Revenue. Mr Brodie said he could not say. The same .gentleman questioned Mr Brodie with reference to the maintenance of the Pumping Association, and— Mr Brodie replied that they first levied on the mines benefited, and then, on the Borough Goldfields' Revenue, and if that was not sufficient on the surplus revenue of the Water Race; and then again if that was unsufficient a part of the County Gold Duly was taken.- JNot a penny of the rates was touched, however, even for the want of it. Mr Young asked if they could not go" back into the JKoad Board again after they were in the County. Mr Brodie said . they could not, but they could form themselves into a separate County if they had n sufficient area and population. In answer to a question as to what was the estimated revenue for the pounty for the year, Mr Brodie said ti.at it was estimated they would get £14,000, but he thought it would be considerably more than that. After some further questions had been

put and apparently answered satisfactorily— Mr J. B. Mason addressed the meeting in favor of joining the County, giving as his chief reasons that the land owners would be rated, and that the highest rate —5 per cent.—would be levied, when ifc would do tome good. The motion was put to the meeting and carried unanimously. Mr Hill then resolved that Messrs Burns, Wilson, Smith, Brown, Inglis, Kelly, and Truscott be a committee to carry out the resolution.

This was seconded by Mr Fugilland carried, aud a vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the meeting.