THE BERARD HIDING.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 234, 15 October 1878, Page 2

THE BERARD HIDING.

To the Editor of the Alcaroa Mail. Sir, —Were any further proof needed that the petition re representation of Berard Hiding was signed under a misapprehention of facts, Mr Shadbolt supplies it amply in his letter in to-day's Mail. I pass over his allusion to what occurred at the meeting of the County Council as for his sake—it will be agreed by those who were present—the least said the better: but he makes this assertion, for which there is not any foundation. He states in his letter " the figures shewn in that petition as figures and facts? were a correct number of ratepayers and value." That is just what was required in the petition to make it of use, but it really contains no ground for the application, and Mr Shadbolt must have attached his signature under, as I have stated, a misapprehension, as the following- copy will shew : —" That the Berard Riding- in the said county is a large and populous district, and at present it only returns one member to the County Council ; that in view of the importance of this riding, your petitioners request that the Council issue such special orders as they are erapowered by the Counties Act, i 876, to issue, so that the number of councillors to he elected by the Berard Riding be increased by one member, and that the said j riding return two members at the nest j general election."

This is all the petition contains, and it was pointed out to the deputation that " by law " electoral rolls can be made up but once a year, namely, in April, and from the ratepayers rolls in force on the 31st March previous.,. There can be no other .electoral roll for Berard Riding until April, 1879 than the one now existing, and if not trespassing on your space 100 much, I would ask you to allow me to insert the following, which is an exact copy of the certificate given by the Akaroa and Wainui Road Board, in April, 1878, and on which the present electoral roll is based. "Akaroa and Wainui Road Board office, " Akaroa, April 24, 1878. " The Chairman, County Council, Barry's Bay. Sir, —By instruction, I have the honor to submit the' subjoined- for your information re the annual value of the rateable property within tho Akaroa and Wainui Road District. "The annual value of rateable property within the above district upon which rates have been lsvied during the year ended March 31, 1878, as shewn by the valuation roll prepared under the Rating Act, 1876 is ten thousand eight hundred and twenty, five pounds. " Total amount of all general rates actually received by such road district during the said year ended 31st March, 1878 was ono hundred and twenty pounds eighteen shillings and fourpence was received in respect of property situated in the County of Akaroa. —I have the hodor to be, sir, your obedient servant, "(Signed) JOHN BAR WICK, "Clerk to Board. " It must be also bo borne in mind that the return was the valuation for two ridings, whereas Little River, with only one member, shewed a valuation roll of £14,116. The alteration of representation is too serious a matter to bo carried out without consideration, and until the electoral rolls for 1879 shall have been made up, it is impossible to estimate what alterations in other ridings have taken place. " Yours, &c, "E. C. LATTER. " Barry's Bay, Oct. 11, 1878."