DEPUTATIONS.
THE TAIEBI COUNTY. A deputation from the Taieri District, consisting of Messrs Roberts, David Grant, Shand, Donald Borrie, Richardson, Peter Grant (Gowrie), Cox, and Andrew, were introduced to the Hon. G. M'Lean this morning by Mr Reed, M.H.R., who explained that the deputation, holding that a great injustice would be done to the Taieri County if the proposed boundaries were altered, had decided to interview Mr M‘Lean and produce statistics to show that the statements made by the Roalyn deputation were fallacious. He thought it would be very unfair to mnlrf. any alteration and deprive the Uutram settlers of any representation. Mr Shand explained that the deputation had decided on waiting on Mr M'Lean in consequence of the assertions made by the Roslyn and Mornington deputation. The present deputation was got up on the spur of the moment, and merely represented the Outram R«ad Board. He was prepared to show that the ridings of Outram, Maungatua, and Deep Stream were by far the largest half of the Taieri County, and yet they had only three members. These ridings had over fifty miles of main roads to keep up, besides two large bridges over the Taieri River, and one of the large streams still unbridged. The amount ef rates collected in the Outram district last year was L 752 16s 9d, and in the West Taieri L 926 14s Sd, which alone would compare favorably with that raised in the three suburban districts of Roalyn, Mornington, and Caversham. In addition to this the Maungatna district had included with it 30,000 acres of land comprised within the Hundreds of Traquair, which would have a yearly assessment nearly equal to the Outram road district. Thus he was of opinion that the deputation which previously had waited on Mr M'Lean did not know the facts of the case.
Mr M'Lean : I will tell you that, before I took into consideration what fell from the other deputation, I telegraphed to Wellington to know whether, after the declaration of the ridings, there was any use considering the proposed alterations. I was quite willing to consider any injustice which the people of the district were laboring under, but before proceeding to consider it 1 thought it as well to know if the ridings could be altered after consideration. I have not received any reply to that message, but the more I think over it the more I am satisfied that the ridings are put just as fairly as they can be. There is no doubt that there is a large populace in those districts around Dunedin, but, as I told the deputation, we never contemplated giving L2 to LI to such populous places. Their idea is to spend all the money in their own district, but we must look to it that portion of the money is spent on main reads. The elections are to take place on the 19th, and I don’t see how the boundaries can be altered. The more 1 think over the matter the more and more I am convinced the ridings as at present are just about as fairly put as they can be. No doubt the Roslyn and Morning-' ton people regard it as an injustice to them, but 1 don’t think they will be at all so badly off as they imagine. Mr Reid thought this statement satisfactory. The Moruington deputation had under-stated the rating power of the other districts. Portion of the rates must be spent on the main roads, otherwise the County system would soon come to grief. Mr M'Lean said he perfectly well knew the Taieri rating power far exceeded what the other deputation thought* and he had told them so. The Roslyn deputation stated that they collected L 2,000 last year, while it appeared Outram collected over L 1,600. Ho had come to the conclusion that he could not see his way clear to propose an alteration of the boundaries, ana was only sorry to have given the deputation the trouble of attending.
The matter of the surface-men having been removed from the road between the Lee Stream and the Tuieri Plain was mentioned by Mr Shand, who said the road was now impassable, and Mr M'Lean promised to see into the matter. He pointed out that he had only come here to wind up matters, but while the Government had not too much money to spend works of necessity like this must be attended to. ANOTHER MUNICIPALITY WANTED. This afternoon htench, Sutherland
and Fletcher waited upon the Commissioner of Customs, and explained to him that since their last interview the residents of the Lower Harbor had had several meetings, and expressed themselves unanimously in favor of being declared into a separate municipality. Mr M ‘Leak replied that he could not see his way to helping the district, unless it could come under tue Municipal Corporations Act of last session, and he did not feel justified in proclaiming a municipality under the Municipal Ordinance. In reply to a remark by Mr Dench, the hon. gentleman Said the Road Board or County Council could move in the matter of proclaiming as roads the streets in the district.
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Evening Star, Issue 4299, 6 December 1876, Page 2
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861DEPUTATIONS. Evening Star, Issue 4299, 6 December 1876, Page 2
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