HIGHWAYS COUNCIL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4980, 28 May 1926, Page 2

HIGHWAYS COUNCIL.

OHINEMURI REPRESENTATIVE. CR. A. R. ROBINSON RETURNED. - At a special meeting of the Ohineliiuri County Council, car Wednesday the clerk (Mr R. W. Evans) explained that the term of the county’s representative on the No. 2 District Council of the Main Highways Bciard expired with the life of the County Council. He thought, therefore, that it would be. .advisable to appoint a representative that day, and formally confirm the appointment at the next general meeting of fire council. In the event of the Highways Council holding a, meeting in the interim the County Council would then be represented. Cr. A. R. Robinson was the present representative. Cr. W. F. Johnstone, in moving that the chairman '(Cr. H. M. Corbett) be appointed to the position, said that when Cr. Robinson had been appointed about three years agO' he was then chairman of the council. Cr. Robinson had acquired a grip of the details, but the speaker sa.id he thought it was a position that should be held by tlie county chairman, for the reason that’ he wap familiar with the requirements of '.the whole county, and not any one particular riding. Cr. C. Hands seoended.

Or. F. C. Hubbard moved as a,n amendment that Cr. Robinson should be reappointed. He said that Cr. Robinson ..had been a member of the Highways Council .since its inception, and he considered tha,t the department was one that required a man thoroughly conversant with the details and internal workings of the Highways Bbard. Cr. Robinson had made a special study of the position, and had rendered good service to the county. He claimed that it was in the best interests of the ratepayers ' that Cr. Robinson, with his ability and experience, should be returned.

The chairman said .that he did not .wish to see an election, but as far as; his judgment was concerned bethought it was a position that should be filled by the county chairman. He said he was not casting any reflections on Cr. s ßobinson in-any way. Crs. C. E. Mace and M. Mason spoke in support o¥ the amendment Cr. R. R. Morricph said that it was; invariably' a position held by the county chairman. Although Cr. Robinson was familiar with the details, it was not unreasonable to .suppose that the chairman could' familiarise himself and become proficient in the working of the district council iii due course. “It would be a reflection on the intelligence of .the council if our chairman is not appointed,” he concluded. The. amendment was seconded by Cr. A. D. McGuire,, who strongly championed Cr. Robinson’s claims to the position. The amendment was carried, Crs. Hubbard, Mace, Mason, and Mcduire voting for it, and Crs. Morrison, Hands,' and Johnstone against. In declaring Cr. Robinsoh duly reappointed the chairman congratulated him on the work he had done for the county in the past. ; In acknowledging the tribute CrRobinson thanked the members for returning him. He said that he had always studiously done his best for the county as a whole, as evidenced by the fact that he had been successful in having all .the main roads in the Ohinemuri County proclaimed main highways, which would mean an enormous saving in expenditure for maintenance. He did hot know of another county in the No. 2 district that was in an equally fortunate position.