PUBLIC MEETING AT TINUI.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2200, 21 January 1886, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING AT TINUI.

A meetinf of ratepayers convened by Mr T. Mackay, the County Chairman, was held in the Public Hall, Tinui, after Mr Bcetham's meeting on Tuesday last. Mr_T. Mackay occupied the chair and explained the business for which 'the meeting had been called. From the County Engineers estimate it was found that a sum of £1532 16s would be the amount required for the maintenance of roads in the Castlepoint District. The debt of the County was £I6OO, which would take a rate of seven-sixteenths of a penny to pay this ridings share. This had been raised, together with a separate rate of five-sixteenths of a penny, the latter yeilding £615 towards maintenance. This was equal to |d in the £, the maximum rate the County could strike, unless resource was had to a special works rate. This left a deficiency of £9OO. It was now suggested to strike a special works rate of $d over tho riding to meet this requirement for maintenance, or it was suggested to strike a special rate of fivesixteenths of a penny in the £, which would produce £615 to which could bo added the subsidy under the Local Bodieß Finance Powers Bill from the County of, say £IOO, and from the Castlepoint Road Board £2OO, making up a total of £915. If the ratepayers would not agree to a special works rate, then all the maintenance men would immediately have to be knocked off. The Treasurer of the County having drawn the attention of the Finance Committeo to the fact of tho deficiency ind the necessity of providing for maintenance of roads in Castlepoint Riding till March 31st, tho following resolution was made on the 12th January, and subsequently adopted by the County;"That the ratepayers of the Castlepoint Riding not having given the necessary assent to a special works rat'e to cover the £9OO included in the genoral estimate of the current your, it will be necessary for the Council, unless the ratepayers of tho Riding provide that amount, to stop all further expenditure in the present financial year, and remove the maintenance men, as, in justice to other Ridings, the Council oannot involve itself in further debt." The matter was now open for their consideration. There was another matter he would like to touch upon, that was their expenditure in connection with their income County staff was costing £9OO a year, and ho thought the time had arrived when either the County or the Road Boards Bhould do all the work (hear! hear!) Thoy had no constructive works, only maintenance, and he could not see any cause to keep up the staff of the county, (Hear hear) He did not propose to deal with it now, but merely alluded to it, as he intended to bring it forward at an early date. The question before them was how were they to find the £9OO. They might pay off at once the £3OO by subsidy, and then in April put on the maximum rate, which would produce £ISOO, take £OOO of that to pay off thu debt, and only have £9OO for expenditure. Ho would thank somo one to make a proposition. Mr Maunsell said as far as he was individually concerned he should prefer paying the money at once, but others might not be so ready, and of the plans suggested he should be in favor of the last proposal, that the subsidies amounting to £3OO be devoted to the sum required for. maintainance, and tha balance taken from next year's rates. Mr R. Meredith said they could not consent to take the subsidy from the Castlepoint Board. The settlers expected their roads opened up with that money, and not to have it taken for metalling this end of road at Tinui. Ho would far rather vote for tho payment of these by Bpecial vote, than see the subsidy spent for purposes for which it was not granted, it was not given for tho county, but was given for district roads, and should not be mis-directed.

The Chairman explained that the money was already expended, and therefore could not be used in the way suggested. Mr Belliss spoke about the metal now being used for the road. The Chairman said he had spent many days in trying to find better metal, but he failed to do so. The expense of getting better metal would be enormous. Mr Belliss said the staff of men on the Mungapakeha was fsq.great, and if it waa cut down we might save the money. It did not want a\tnan St 9s a day to watch the contractors getting the metal out, '.ln answer to a ratepayer tho Chairman said the eagineering staff had been worked »t a oheiperate than inmoetawnttes.bub,

would be necessary to reduce their working staff, . , Mr McHutchen said it was rather hard to ask the Castlepoint Board to giveaway £2OO of their subsidy at a slap, and he thought if. they had been asked to give half it would bo more moderate. He thought the fairest way would be to levy a special rate and keep the subsidy for the district roads, for which purpose it was given.

Mr G. Groves said he thought as they seldom got a meeting of ratepayers, and if the Chairman did not object, they would discuss the question of whether it would not be better to do away with tho Road Board and let the county do all the work. They got no benefit from the rates paid to the Road Board, and the County could do the work at a much less rate than it could be done by the Road Board. It was much better to knock tho whole thing on the head and bo under the County, (Cheers) Tho Chairman said the question Mr Groves brought forward to. discuss was one which he would only be too happy to bring before them, but it was not the business before them then. In a months time he would promise to call them together, -and they might decido upon which staff they should retain. Mr R. Meredith moved that the £9OO liability be liquidated by'a special works rate.

Mr McHutcheon seconded the motion, Mr H. Belliss moved as an amendment, and Mr Taylor seconded, that the money be recouped out of next year's rates if possible/

The Chairman said the maximum rates would be £ISOO, and the £9OO taken from that would leave only £6OO for road maintenance next year. The Engineer's estimate had been over £3OOO. This had been cut down to £ISOO, and now they were only going to allow themselves £6OO. He had brought this matter before the ratepayers at the annual meeting. Mr Groves thought it would be a great mistake to let the roads go to rack and ruin. He should be in favor of paying the £9OO off by special rate, The amendment was then put and lost, and tho resolution was carried. This concluded the business, •