THE DAMAGE AT EWEN'S HILL.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1492, 26 January 1882, Page 3

THE DAMAGE AT E WEN'S HILL.

At yesterday's meeting of the Walkato County Council, the Cambridge Highway Board wrote asking for a subsidy of £100 for the purpose of repairing the damage caused by the recent flood at Ewen's hill. The letter stated that the board was not in a position with the means at ita disposal to undertake such a large work. — Cr. Graham said it was necessary to do something promptly, as the means of communication was totally cut off. The work was really a county and not a district work. — Cr. Wells expressed surprise that the board should have come to the county with such an application. How did Cr. Graham think the county got money unless it dame out of the pockets of the ratepayers ? Any special expenditure, such as that required, would have to be raised by these means. The country board had already got all it was entitled to out of the county funds. He did not mean to infer that the board should do the work, but he thought they should have gone to the Government instead of the county. The work was one of emergency, and the Government as they had done in many similar cases, would, he felt sure, make the necessary grant. The council had no funds, for the reason that they did not strike a rate, but if they were expected to pay for all such works as this, a rate would have to be levied. Under the late arrangement the county simply paid to each riding the amount due to it after deducting expenses. — The clerk stated that the Cambridge riding had to its credit at the present the sum of £230. — Cr. Wells said the whole of this amount and more had been hypothecated for the Karapiro bridge. Even supposing the whole of this money were not spent on that work, it belonged to the town of Cambridge. — (Jr. Graham thought the maintainance of the road was of as much importance to the town of Cambridge as it was to the country. — Cr. Wells said the question simply resolved itself into one of money, and the council had nothing. — The chairman (Cr. Primrose) enquired what the Cambridge highway rate was for the year. — Cr. Graham said it was 9d in the £, — The Chairman said the rate in all other parts of the county was Is in the £. He thought the board came before them with a very bad plea. — Cr. Wells said the town of Cambridge had contributed more towards the country than the amount it had cost to construct the road at Ewen's Hill altogether. He suggested that the application be withdrawn, and a telegram be sent forthwith to the Minister for Public Works, urging that as the local bodies had no funds available, the Government should make a grant to cover the damage caused by the flood. — Cr. Runciman thought the damage was caused by the sheer neglect of the board, and Cr. Wells, in endorsing this opinion, considered that the members of the board for the past and present year should be made to pay for the damage out of their own pockets.— The application was withdrawn, in accordance with Cr. Wells' suggestion.