Ratepayers' Meeting at Waihou.

Waikato Argus, Volume XXIV, Issue 3783, 16 May 1908, Page 2

Ratepayers' Meeting at Waihou.

A well attended meeting of the Waitoa Riding ratepayers to consider the Piako County loan proposals, took place in the Public Hall, Waihou, on Thursday evening. There were about forty ratepayers present, and Mr James Walker was voted to the chair. Councillor McGloin telegraphed from Rotorua regreting that he could not be present. After reading the advertisement calling the meeting the chairman asked the convenor, Mr M. O’Donoghue, to give his views on the question. Mr O’Donoghue said he had been asked by several ratepayers to call the meeting. He expressed the opinion that ho would like to see the new councillors elected before borrowing £SOOO for bridge works in the Waitoa Riding. There was a move on the part of the Council to divide the County, and he thought the matter of a loan should be posptponed. He advocated a loan to wipe out the overdraft, then the Council would have to study ways and means as there would only be the rates to depend upon. The Waitoa Riding rates amounted to close on £4OOO, which should be sufficient.

Mr Cooper asked could the loan be used to pay the overdraft. The Chairman: Certainly not; but he would like to know where the rates had been spent.

The Chairman asked Councillor Manuel if he could give any information on the subject. Cr. Manuel said the overdraft was somewhere about £SOOO. the Waitoa Riding being in debit about half that amount; but they were not as heavily in debt as some other counties. He spoke strongly in favour of the loan, then the general funds could be used to gradually wipe out the overdraft. It was necsesary that the bridges should be strong enough to carry a traction engine. The Chairman said it would be advisable # to petition the Council to postpone their application for the loan. On the motion of Mr Bellamy, supported by Mr ..Burke, the matter of petition was left fcin abeyance till Thursday next, after the meeting called by the County Chairman.