SPECIAL RATES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7982, 9 March 1906, Page 5

SPECIAL RATES.

PARLIAMENT TO BE PETITIONED.

At the meeting of the Masterton County Council, yesterday, it was resolved, on the motion of Or Guild, seconded by the chairman (Or C. E. Cobkburn-Hood), that signatures be obtained to the following petition, and that it be forwarded to the House of Representatives—" We, the undersigned occupiers and owners of land, respeotfully pray that you will take into consideration the exceptionally heavy burden we are bearing through having borrowed money for the construction of publio worua. In various localities roads and bridges have been constructed by the State, and in many instances the roads having not only been formed and metalled, but entirely at the expense of the country and without oalling upon the settlers interested for any contribution. In other oases subsidies have been paid by the Government, and the settlers have only been required to defray a moity of tbe cost of the works. On the other hand, a large number of the thriftiest and most deserving settlers in this part of the oolony have taken full advantage of the''Loans to Local Bodies Act," and having borrowed all the money required for their roads aud bridges, are now called upon to pay special rates that am >unt frequently to a heavy rent on their properties. We humbly submit that the settlers in the new country districts, many of whom have had huge difficulties to face, should be placed on terms of equality with tbe older land holders, who have had means of access to a market and seaport provide.! for them at the cost of the colony. We therefore pray that your honourable House will grant us relief by making tbe special rates more general so that they may not press unequally aud oppressively as they do at present."