WAIRARAPA EAST COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1948, 25 March 1885, Page 2

WAIRARAPA EAST COUNTY COUNCIL.

'. A special meeting of the Wairarapa East County Council was held yesterday af ternooii for the purpose of considering •the financial position, of the County. •Present-Crs Mackay (Chairman),. Chamiberlain,;W H. Beetham, Dagg, Meredith, Maunsell, and Hawkinß. ■:'■'-. DEPUTATION. Messrs Alexander Anderson and James Jones waited upon the Council and obtained leavo to be heard. '...''Mr Anderson said that they represented a numbor of settlors on the EketahunaTinui road, on behalf of whom they ,wishe.d to entor a protest against the action of the Council in agreeing to tho motion of their representative, Cr Macquarie, to decline tenders for metalling on a portion of the road near Eketahuna, as recommended by tho Engineer, and to metal what is known as the Swamp instead. He presented a petition on the subject, which was signed by 20 settlers. Cr Hawkins inquired whether the names appearing on the petition were those of settlers interested,

■ Mr Anderson replied in the affirmative. He coatinued to say that when the sum of £2,500 was raised for the construction of the road, it was understood that £ISOO was to.be expended in formation and the balance in metalling. They were certainly led' to believe that tho amount would be expended in such a manner as to benefit all the settlers, but they found on looking into the matter that £2250 had been spent on the Alfredtonend, and only £220 near Eketahuna. They protested against the proposal of Cr Macquarie, because the portion of the road that was most used by the settlers in the Mangaone Block was aB bad as the Swamp. , Cr Dagg said there was no Government work done at the Alfredton end.

Mr Anderson said what was proposed to be done now would be of no use whatever to the Mangaone settlers. If they metalled the Swamp they would have to go through a sea of mud to get to it, and through another one at the other end to got away from it, They only wanted a little justice, and to be treated as well as those at the other end of the line. They would be satisfied if the Engineer's proposal were carried out. The Chairman explained that as the mooting of the Counoil had been convened for a special subjeot, thoy could not finally deal with the matter then, but it would be brought up again at the next ordinary meeting, when Ors.MoCardle and Macquarie, the representatives of the Riding, would also be present.

To save embarrassment at the next ordinary meeting, Cr Hawkins gave notice of motion that. the resolution passed at the instance of Cr Macquarie at the last meeting berescinded, explaining that he did not wish to express an opinion by this step, but if it became advisable to rescind the resolution the motion would save time.

The deputation then withdrew. Cr Hawkins moved that Cr Macquarie be informed of the allegations made,— Carried,

Cr Hawkins asked the Engineer whether it was true that metal could be got within a mile of the piece of road originally proposed to be metalled, while it would have to be carted four miles where Cr Macquarie proposed to metal now,

Mr Bremner replied that he was not veiy well acquainted with the neighborhood, but it was probably the case, as he did not think there was metal anywhere along the road, and it would consequently have to be taken in from either end. The subject then dropped. FINANCE. • The County Clerk laid on the table the following statement of the various accounts of the Council : LIABILITIES. £. s. d. Creditßalance,Opaki-Mana-watu Road 811 6 11 Masterton-Waimanta Road 471 2 5 Eketahuna-Tinui Road ~. 466 410 Alfredton-Tiraumea Stream Road ... ... ... 17117 11 Vote for clearing slips ... 113 4 4 Mangaone S. D. Road Repairs account ~, ~. 176 0 4 Special Fund, Casfclepoint Loan ... 252 1 0 Balance Castlepoint Board, Claim for Road Maintenance 82 0 5 Interest on Loan, Cuponu unpresented 84 18 1 Deposit on Contracts ~, 87 0 0 Total mm 16 3 Debtor Balance brought down ... 1059 6 1 Estimated expenditure for MarchMaintenance, Wages, Salaries, &c, ... 350 0 0 Interest on Loan accrued 43 15 0 Bank interest to 31st March, 1885, say... 25 0 0 Liability on Contracts— Waipoua Bridge .., 89 0 0 Waingawa Bridge ... 26 0 0 Contingencies ... 100 0 0 Total £1683 1 1 ASSETS.

£, s. d. Balance in hand 246 15 5 Amount expended in excess of receipts Te Ore OreBideford road 122.12 8 Amounts duefrom W. W. 0.0. Engineerand other expenses,., ... 471711 AmountsduefromW.W.C.C.

Waingawa Bridge repaira 75 0 0 Special rates in arrear ... 8812 6 Amounts, due from Waipawa Council, on aceaiint of Manawatu Ferry.,. ,„ 16 4 3 Accounts due from Tenui

Cemetary Trust 20 5 8 Rates in arrear 1883-4 ..' 14911 5 Rates in airear 1884-5 ... 794 13 4 Balance ... 1059 6 1 Total 2665 16 3 The Chairman remarked that the Council had a debt of £I6OO to provide for either out of rates or by paying interest, The debt had increased £6OO during the year. Cr Hawkins pointed out that the expenditure had been considerably, increased by the cost of the Waingawa, Waipoua, and other bridges. He moved that a general rate'bf three-eights of a penny be levid to meet the liabilities. He held that the .Council had done eyerytning in their power'to meet the matter." They had asked the Road Boards to help tnem, and they Jiad vjrtiiajjy thrown thV'responsibility pack, upon the Council and advised them to levy a farthing rate. There was pea]ly no ohoice fqrthe Council but to do something of this kind. He did not Bee how they could very well reduce the general rate. They had already materially reduoed their expenses by working together with the Boards, so that the ratepayers had not now so muoh to pay for the maintenance of a double Btaff. They would want a general rate of threeeighths of a penny, and to make it less onerous he would move that it be levied in two instalments, He would make a motion to that effect,

Or Beetham seoonded the motion, and said he was afraid that there was no way of evading the rate. Cr Chamberlain suggested that it was

tat to strike one rate for all that they required. Sofflooftho ratepayers were bound to growl, and it would bo just as Well to let them have one growl and then be done with it, (A laugh). Or Meredith thought Councillors should have an opportunity to consult their constituents before thoy took such an important stop as the levying of a heavy rate. They had no guarantee that he could see that tliis was not merely the preliminary of another heavy rate. The Chairman said the matter had already been very fairly ventilated, so that ratepayers were very well aware of their position. At any rate, he knew that they wero in his Riding. Cr Hawkins spoke at some length to show that he did not see how more publicity will be given to the position of the Council.

Cr Dagg asked whether they could not do wliat was generally done under the circumstances—reduce the expenses of their staff, The Chairman did not see his way clear to do that, because the staff was fully occupied with the work of the County and Boards.

Cr Hawkins was of a similar opinion. The Chairman said the rate proposed would hardly cover their requirements, and he would suggest that the motion be amended by the substitution of the werds " seven-sixteenthsdf a penny" for "threeeights of a penny." OrMaunsell said as far as he could recollect the Council had always been in debt more or less, and it did not appear to him necessary to get out of it at once now'. He did not, however, oppose the motion.

The mover and seconder of the resolution having agreed to thd suggestion of the Chairman, the motion was amended and agreed to. The question of levying separate rates was, on the motion of Cr Beetham, seconded by Cr Meredith, ordered to stand over till the next ordinary meeting, to be held ou the 14th of April, the engineer being instructed to prepare the necessary estimates. The Council then adjourned.