Northern Miner (Charters Towers, Qld. : 1874 - 1954), Wednesday 30 April 1924, page 2


Lo'cal'AuthoriticSr

DALRYMFL.E AND ILA.VENSVVO0D

8HIBBS. ?

AMAIJOAMATIOU EROPOSAL.

AccoM Ide to official Information uldcli bu been received by Mr. W. J. Wellington. M.L.A* tbfe Home Besrelaj't sepsrimfebt ate dfccMefi ibat the proposed amalgamation of the Dnlrymple BBIre 'Council and Ravenswooj Shire Council be carried out) and tbut tlje former Shiro -be asked to recommend a suitable schelne of division. The betftrttaHit nas guided In Its action by a report from Mr. Chuter, an oifleer of lbs Department, whose report in connection' Wltla the proposal read aft follows':

"I proceeded to Ravenawood Junction as arranged to (heet .representatives of the Dalrymple and Ravenswood Shire Councils and settlers.

"Representatives of the Councils did not apt)oar, the reasons being that the Councils bad not had the opportunity of discussing tbe matter. Is my pplnlon tbls was not a valid reason 1 think it would not hare been

p. difficult matter for tbe chairman to have been present. Tbe object of the conference was not to decide, but to discus?, 'the question, for tbe purpose of getting local inform Wlon and viewpoint.

'.'However, I Wis met by a number of Settlers who were Introduced by Mr. Wellington, M.L.A., including; Councillors Downey, Richards, nnd Hedlefs, and Messrs. TMstello, Ross, Wlllicb, Coper and McDonough.

. "The iacts of the matter are simple. The rateable value of the Shire of JUvenswood Is Exceedingly small, Tielngpnly 1:37,000, The 8b'tre Is dlvi<dqd into tour divisions, the division flwnjrtrfclng tbe towbshlp Raven&i wooi, having the email - value at £G814. I metatlon this value bectrtlhe tbe' objection to the" amAlgtUnsHon from tbe Ravenswood SlTiri Council is test-d upon tbe probability of -tbe recovery or the mJnlngtaduttry 'Of till town of Ravebmytod. "

' '1A oemp&rteon 'of taxation levied in thfe SUItaa of %ftenwoo3 end Dalrymple' oloariy 'iitai crest rates the position^ The . lands, generally apcaklng, iit> Of eame quality and used for. tbe num* purpose. The comparison teasfolldWs;

v Shirs of JUtvenswood.

. 'Rfite.i^lUe.Ratek, Division 1 ..........E6,Ml lOJft, Division 2 4,04 l«ia. Division 3 11,072 frt.

Division 4 16,131 3Jd.

Shire -of Dalryreplc.

Division 1 751,ON W. Division 2 276,711 - Id.

*fbe flgure& for Divisions 3 and 4 should be token (or comparison. ?M comparison, to My the lent, is etrflctag. Nothing «ul Jaatity ttu» Inequality of taxation hereto disclosed,

and the anomalous slid absurd position is accentuated by rte Act that CD per cent ot the rates (geheral and special) goes In office e*peu»ea. There Is bo argument which can jnntity this tw&ttion.

"The Daltymple Bhlre Council Oppose' the proposal on tho following

grounds

(1) That the 'fcpjflieaUo|i *as not extensively sighed. .

| 42'That the fihlro of BavehiiwOod (tumid tie ' amalgamated Vrilh Ihe ihite ot Ayr, to it 'belong* geographically, and lor «U prjoctlesl jiurjioe*«,->!. '.

I(8) TUat tie-area bl Hif Shire ? <£ Dulrymple Is .already too big, Vis* tt),ODD square miles;

14) That tho Shire vt tWrirthpln «taibrafcta several Homestead, PentlMitt, Romans preek and Prairie, tho ssliltaty tequlfemrtte of which involve tonsMefitktb, attention, and dltflfcnlty, andthst th6.nl>. teratloh wouljaud iWo tnofe, vlit,, Raven&wood anii.BavewirOod Junction. . j : . * "

"Reason It In )v|etf pt the nets disclosed above,- the reMoU.' is o* no wetght. .

I '?Season Sr Thei rohtsotton Ik wrong. A glance fit themep tHll; clearly show thl* '.. ' -

"Retaon 3: Tne *rca ot the flblre ot RavenswooA-fsonir k'lltdo snort than IBM square ttiles, so that ttfe practical difference tot grtat,

"Reason 4: Tbls^slio tettBh. ??ib: Council msy dislike""tilt ^respoaslbi-' Ilty, but that does JiotconstUutB * reason. ' - '? . . . .

"The community «f interest ot the

Ravenswood area-lies :with -ChaitAm' Towers. '

"Summed up, tbe-fcoHtloit Is that tho Shire of JtiveriSwood is- ah anomaly as a sepaJfete' Bhlffenrl should the abolished.' TOeabwIahed - area,

tnust be amalgamated *it& the 'ARfe'' with which itg community ot Interest' lies, and obviously tbU ii ih<) BMr* ot Dairymple.

"The text qtteMfcih to4«M6 .» Mntr Is the ares of tbeShire ot Rarinswoofl to be aUacheito'lhfeSblre tit Dalrymple ? The latter Shire * Is divided into divlslohs, 'the rateabM' valne ot Division 1 Wis? 1751,039,? three times greater .than tgjp rateable value ot No. 2 Division, or £7?l,0OT against £37S.MJ. The .toes lnf the Ehlre tit ftavenirrobd AnBuot be mafie^ a eeporote division, and because bit

the system ot dtvlatens In Jhe Phire ot1 Daliymple it must be added to Dlvi-i Blon l ot that Shire, making the Aleparity «tui ereater. -

.'It Is obvious that 1h«"tcbbimS'

divisions in the 6htr« bt Da'.rymple Grants revising and the CofincIl tnlgbtJ be requasted lo take thl9 tnattei1 into

oosslderBtftra."- - - ^