QUESTION OF POLICY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 September 1938, Page 6

QUESTION OF POLICY

CONSTRUCTION OF RIDING BRIDGES CLAIMS OF MASTERTON COUNTY OUTBACK SETTLERS. GRANT SOUGHT FROM GENERAL FUND. A proposal to make a grant to the Upper Taueru Riding out of the General Account to enable twp bridges to be constructed on the Wamui-O-Mapu Road, was not favoured at yesterday’s meeting of the Masterton County Council. Several councillors contended that as the council had turned down uniform rating, the settlers would have to make a contribution towards the cost of constru’Ction.

The matter was raised by a lettei’ from Mr 1/learh Sriiith, who stated that he had noted that the council proposed to apply~fsr the transfer of the grants made available by the Government for the Wainui-O-Mapu bridges to other works if a cash contribution was not made by the settlers whose properties were directly benefited. He suggested that the finance for the bridges be provided out of the General Account as a. loan to the Upper Taueru Riding as he understood the council had authority to do that. He appreciated the past policy of the council in those matters, but suggested that the circumstances in this case were somewhat unusual in that the thre,e settlers directly interested in the construction of the bridges already contributed over 21 per cent of the total rates in the Upper Taueru Riding. That in his opinion should cause the council to review the position in regard to payment of cash contribution by interested settlers in asking the Government to transfer the grants to other works, for he suggested that there was a definite limit to their taxable capacity as individuals. He ventured to state that in no other case in the county where bridges were erected for the first time, had the interested settlers been paying as much as 21 per cent of the total rates.

Without criticising the work done by the council in making good roads better roads, it appeared to him that the outback settlers were entitled to some consideration. Action had been taken to make good metalled roads dustless roads in the vicinity of Masterton and it did appear from their point of view that some of that money could well be applied in providing all weather roads where they did not at present exist. He reluctantly referred also to the contribution paid by the Upper Taueru Riding in metalling the Alfredton-Tinui Road, a road which ratepayers in the riding never used. The riding’s immediate requirements should have been the first consideration. He appealed to the council to find an alternative to a cash contribution, if it could possibly be arranged, as the bridges were urgently required and any consideration extended to the settlers would be greatly appreciated. The Clerk, Mr J. C. D. Mackley, said difficulty might be experienced in ob-

taining the consent of all the ratepayers in the Upper Taueru Riding to the construction of the two bridges. The three settlers concerned paid 21 per cent of the rates levied in the riding, but they only had nine votes between them. A special rating area could be created and the settlers would pay interest and sinking fund on the grant made from the General Fund. If it so desired the riding as a whole could make an annual contribution to the fund in reduction of the debt. It was a very wise measure that had not been adopted by the council in the past. The chairman. Mr R. E. Gordon Lee. said one of the bridges was really a public bridge, but the other was more or less a private one, which was not used by the public and not likely to be.

Councillor H. H. Mawley said that to be consistent with its policy of not favouring uniform rating, the council would have to insist that the settlers find part of the cost involved. He would definitely oppose the proposal. Councillor W. I. Armstrong said he was against the proposal as ratepayers in back-block ridings could not afford to make any contributions. “We would have to find the money straight out,” he added, “and my ratepayers could not afford to. If we had a uniform rate it would be all right.” Councillor G. Moore moved that the Upper Taueru Riding be asked to find £3OO over two years, the council £5OO over the same period and the settlers interested the balance of £5OO required to construct the bridges. Councillor J. W. Colquhoun said they should find out whether the settlers were prepared to rate themselves for the cost of the bridges. The motion lapsed for want of a seconder and it was eventually decided to hold the matter over in the meantime. Application is, however, to be made to the Government for a £3 for £1 subsidy on the cost of construction.