DUAL RATING

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2509, 9 August 1888, Page 2

DUAL RATING

A cONfKRKNCE of representatives of the several Road Boards in the Waipa. County was held in the Council Chambers, Ohaupo, on Tuesday .it 1.30 p.m., whin the following gentlemen were present : — V. W. Lane, Tnhikarainea Road Board ; J. Atkinson, T. Maunder, aixl W. Jones, Hamilton Road Board ; Jas. Cunningham, Rungia'ihia Road Board ; A. Smith, Alexandra Town Board ; J. Gane, R. Scott, and J. Fisher, l\ikeknni R.ad Board ; J as. Rybmn, Maugnp ku Road Board; P. C»cl'ioy, Newcastle Road Board. Mr N. T. Maunder kindly consented to act as secretory 1> the meeting. Mr (ram: proposed that Mr Lang take the chair, seconded by Mr Ryburn and carried unaminiously. On taking the chair Mr Lang said that the meeting arose from a circular from the Hamilton R'lad Board, and In: would therefore, call on the representative from that Board to ?ive his views on the subject. Mr Junes said that n resolutiou had been passed by his Board to the effect that the present system of dual rating was not satisfactory, and they had therefore sent round circulars calling this meeting to consider the question. His idea was that it would be best to enlarge the counties by making them to embrace tho same area as the present Hospital District, and give the comity officers tho control of hospital, education, police and other local government, but still retaining the Road Boards to carry on works in their several districts. Mr Cnnnineham said that he understood that this meeting was called to consider the question of the several Road Boards in the County merging into the country. He was deputed by his Road Board to say that they considered it inadvisable to merge into the County as they thought that the several Road Boards should be allowed to spend their rates in their own districts, but if one of the local bodies had to be done away with let it be the County Councils. He then moved that in the opinion of this meeting, it would be inadvisable to merge the road boards into the county. Seconded by Mr Jones and carried, Mr Gane, in speaking in support of the motion said that the work of the district had always been better done by the Road Board, than by the County Council, and he hoped that the meeting would be the means of enlarging the powers of the road Boards, and also that the County would concede the matter of rates, as one rate was all that the ratepayers could afford to pay. Mr Maunder said that he was the first one to bring this malter up in his Board, and he had done so on account of the expense incurred in collecting the double rates, and he thought that the Waipa County was one of the worst in this respect in the provice. Mr Ryburn said he doubted whether the Road Boards could administer their (affairs cheaper than the County Councils. In his district it was a difficulty to get trustees to stand. The Chairman said that if the Road Boards did merge into the Council the rate could not be much reduced in amount, although they could then becollocted in one sum. Mr Ryburn asked if some of the Road Boards might agree to take over the county roads could they all do so. Pukekura with its large credit balance and good roads might, but could the Newcastle Board afford to do so. Mr Corboy was not in favour of doing away with the Road Boards, as the County Council did not do the work as well as the Boards. He did not think that doing away with the Road Boards would abolish dual rating, which seemed to be the principal grievance. Mr Jones objected to the manner adopted in the 'Waipa County of allocating the expenditure in proportion to the rates collected, without regard as to where the outside revenue, from the sale of Government lands, etc., came from. Mr Gane moved that in the opinion of the meeting the old system of working by means of Road Boards is preferable to county councils, so as to avoid dual rating. Seconded by Mr Maunder, and carried. A vote of thanks to t,he chairman closed