COLLECTING THE BOROUGH RATES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3085, 6 January 1909, Page 5

COLLECTING THE BOROUGH RATES.

STATEMENT BY THE TOWN CLERK, A COUNCILLOR'S REFUTATION. At the meeting of the Borough Council last evening the Town Clerk (Mr W. T. Mansfield) made a statement to the effect that a certain ratepayer had approached him in reference to his rates, saying that he had been informed by Borough Councillors that as the rates were not due until Mer:h 31st he need not pay them until that date. Mr Mansfield taid he told this ratepayer what the position actually was—namely, that the rates were due fourteen days after September 9th, and that he v the Town Clerk) was instructed to collect them. The ratepayer had, however declared that in view of what the Councillors referred to had said lie would not, pay his rates at once. Mr Mansfield said that the Council had passed a res-lulun instructing him to collect the rates, but if Councillors were going rouna telling ratepayers not to pay up, his position was a very anomalous one. The Town Clerk was pressed to state whom the Councillors referred to were, and in reply Mr Mansfield said r,ha; the name of Cr Ewington was one of those mentioned. Cr Ewington at once vrno ar.d asked the nnme of the ratepayer, and on this being given he asked permisson to make an explanation, which was granted. Cr Ewir.gton stated that the ratepayer mentioned had approached him in the o tract, and said that he was not in a position to pay his rates. Cr Ewington said he then referred this ratepayer to the Town Clerk, stating that no doubt the latter official vvoull forego suing for the rates for a while if the ratepayer was really not in a position to pay. Nothing whatever was said by the speaker about the rates not being due until March, and that they need not be paid until then, and if the Town Clerk had been told what he said he had, Cr Ewington said he gave the lie direct to the ratepayer there and then.

Cr Elliott objected to "yarns by the man in the street" being brought up before the Council. The Town Clerk, interrogated by the Mayor, said the ratepayer had come to the Borough offica and made the statement. Cr Elliott said that in thcss circumstances he apologised to the Town Clerk, but if the matter was merely a statement made by a "man in the street," it had no right to be brought up at all. The Mnyor said tnat it was the duty of every Councillor to assist the executive ofiicer of the Council in his duties, especially in the way of rate collecting, and he hoped that Councillors would recognise this. Cr Ewington said that His Worship's remarks implied that he (Cr Ewington) had done as was stated, and he repeated emphatically that he had not told the ratepayer what had been alleged. The Mayor said he quite believed Cr Ewington,land he did not wish to imply what Cr Ewington suggested. His Worship was perfectly satisfied with his explanation. The Town Clerk said he felt greatly relieved at Cr Ewington's assurance that he had not done as the ratepayer had alleged, and he was personally pleased to accept the explanation tendered. The incident then closed.