CLUTHA COUNTY ELECTIONS.

Clutha Leader, Volume V, Issue 226, 8 November 1878, Page 6

CLUTHA COUNTY ELECTIONS.

RICHARDSON RIDING,

The nominations of two members to represent Richardson Riding in the Olutha County Council took place at the Waitepeka Schoolhouse, at noon, on Tuesday. There were very few electors present. The Returning Officer, Mr J. Porteous, read the nominations as follows : Peter Ayson, junior— nominated by Messrs W. Christie and George Scott. William Dalgliesh— by Messrs John Grant and A. Robertson. WA. Mosley— by Messrs T. Paterson and Robert Mackenzie. John M'Neil— by Messrs W. Dalgliesh and John Grant. The Returning Officer intimated that as there were more candidates than vacancies the proceedings would be adjourned till Wednesday, 13th inst., when the poll would be taken between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. at the Schoolhouse Waitepeka, Schoolhouse, Warepa, and the Dnllshed, Ichclutha. The several candidates then addressed the meeting : — Mr Peter Ayson said it was unnecessary for him to apologise for again coming before them as a Candidate for election as County Councillor. If he had consulted ' his own convenience he would have declined again to come forward, but a general wish had been expressed that he should again represent, them and he had agreed ,to do so. His only desire was to be of some service to his fellow settlers They all knew -the part he- had acted in - the past and it was therefore unnecessary for him to explain- his "actions or votes; * H e hoped as his name was at the top of ;

the list of speakers:;. it would be. found at the top of the poll on the 13th? ' In reply to a question by Mr Christie, he said the County rate was too high. The district would have a larger revenue by the County Council only levying a 6d rate and the Road Boards a shilling rate ; that is if the Boards would levy a uniform rate. Mr William Dalgliesh said he had repeatedly been asked. to allow himself to be nominated as a candidate to represent the Riding in the County Council and he had agreed to the request. If returned he would do his best to serve them. THe always considered one rate would be sufficient. He would only support a small rate by the County. . He considered it should be compulsory for, the outlying districts to form themselves into Road Beards so as to bear an equal share of rates. The revenue should be expended within the ridings in proportion to the sums raised within each, although newly settled districts might require a little assistance untill they got their roads formed. MrW. A. Mosley Baid he had come forward at the unanimous request of the Inch Clutha people. They had tried to " get the Island created a seperate riding. The County Council seemed to favour this, and a bill had been introduced in the Assembly to create the riding. The Council did not declare the riding as it would have run the risk of disfranchising them and the clauses referring to the riding were struck out of the Bill, because the County Council had the power to create the riding. Thus the matter fell through in consequence of circumstances they had been unable to control. Inch Clutha, therefore, appealed to the electors on that side of the river to do them the justice of allowing them to be represented by a, member in the Council. He had a considerable stake upon the Island, and also at Warepa, where he now intended taking up his residence. Thus his interests were in the. west as well as the eastern portion of the riding, and if elected he would endeavour to do evenhanded justice to all and to the whole i County. He thought, however, Inch Clutha , had a fair claim for a member, and he had \ no doubt the electors of the whole ridin^ would recognise that claim and vote \c- ' cordingly. He-was opposed to the shilling i rate of the County. That rate had pre- • vented them doing anything on the Island ; , it had smothered them. If the County required to levy a rate it should not exceed 3d or 6d. He considered Road 1 Boards were better able to do the work i than the County Councils. He would > give the Boards more to do, ahd curtail , the powers of the Councils as much as t possible, and thus . prevent them doing harm. He would oppose paying any salary to the chairman of the Council. He did not see how he should* get paid and the chairmen of Road Boards unpaid. The acceptance or non-acceptance of salary was a test as to whether patriotism or . selfishness was the ruling motive of action. . He thought every public-spirited man , would do the duty for the honour and from patriotic feelings. At present they ; paid their chairman LISO a year. The ; Council had twelve regular meetings and if the chairman was to be paid it should be a guinea a meeting. If returned, and ; | if asked to take the chair he would refuse to take any salary. | In reply to questions, he said that if Inch Clutha had been declared a separate j riding and if it were found by the valuations that the other portion of Richardson Riding was under-represented he would . agree to it having two members. He would be very guarded as to allowing members travelling expenses. That sort of thing only required a commencement , and then it could not be told where it ; would end. He would rather see the ( money expended upon roads then upon chairmen and members. Mr John M'Neil said it would be un- \ necessary for him to detain them by eulogising upon what he had done for the County. He had no desire again to thrust himself upon the electors, but it had been said to him that it would be ungrateful of , him were he not to give them an opportunity of again returning him to the Council, If they elected him he would do the best he could not only for the Riding, but for the whole of the County. He had always held that Road Boards had been very useful, and he hoped that it would be a long time before they were abolished, but he entirely disagreed that these Boards were competent to do the work performed by the County. If there were no County Councils there would require to be conferences of Chairmen of Road Boards to adjust general matters. He would regret to see Road Boards done away with, but it was necessary to have somebody to attend to general matters. As they were aware he had been elected Chairman of the County Council, and he could assure them it required a man of firmness and active mind to perform the duties of chairman. He was exposed to misrepresentation, and was the butt of everyone. He considered it was absolutely necessary for the County to levy a shilling rate. It was not intended to be oppressive, and he deeply sympathised with the ratepayers in having to pay it. - Had the County been brought under the Act at first the shilling rate would not have been necessary, but by not havino* adopted that course the County lost the subsidies it otherwise would have had. Had there been provision in the Act for levying a general rate over the outlying districts alone, which there was not, then the shilling rate might have been avoided In reply to , questions,.. Mr M'Neil said he had no part in voting the salary to the Chairman. The Council had voted it and he consideered he t had no option but to accept it. If he were to enumerate all the calls. that had beenniade upon him in consequence of his being Chairman. they would find he was no = gainer by it, If he were again returned,; and again elected Chairman, he would accept a salary. He thought the .Councillors should also be remunerated for their ; ,As a rule, the public was a bad master and should be made to pay for services rendered. In reply to a remark that there : had been some complaints as to the. manner ih which the duties 0f ... the chair had been performed, Mr^Nett assured the meeting ; he ; had •to screen some of the subordinate Officers from hlaxtie.. '; The duties, of the Chairman Wer£. Ve^ OTduous, he : assured them he .h^:ll-f-d'tm6ro r %;^*ilum ' ,ariylclerk-he<knewv6£r. - ?'? ;f ■yAi.yyyyy ; - ;A( vote 7 of -t-hanks f?to Tth^^eWhiiig 1 ;