The Proposed Town Board.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 263, 15 June 1906, Page 2

The Proposed Town Board.

DISCUSSED BY THE KAWHIA COUNTY COUNCIL.

At the last meeting of the County Council k letter was read from the Colonial Secretary re the above. Tho Chairman remarked that the petition was signed by 49 householders.

Cr Armstrong : Some of the names have no right to be there. Cr Norton remarked tfiat he had been informed that many who signed the petition did not want tbe Board, but signed merely to please Mr M'Cardle and because be said so.

Cr Jonathan .- I signed the petition with the idea of having improved sanitary arrangements.

On a motion against tbe formation of the Board being read, the Chairman remarked that the motion was antagonism to a body of people who desired to t®ke advantage of certain powers placed in their handi by Parliament. Tbe Town Board would relieve the Council, and as far as they were concerned ii; wa* only an act of courtesy to support it. Cr W . Shaw: If a Harbour Board was fotmed how many members would the Town Board have ou it ? The Chairman : Perhaps one. Cr Arms&png: Oae of the chief

re .sons ifor the Board put forward wa* that unless they formed one they wo ild never get a Harbour Burd Misleading statemante have baen in vie all through. Or W.. Shaw remarked that from what he could gather thsre wm u> wish for it, in fact it was just tha reverse. Tbe general opini mwn that the movement ww started s> th it Kiwhia wo il l have greater weight on the Harbour Board, as i« wjuld main an extra vote.

Cr Jonathan : The p ioplo of the district would not allow tbi*. Cr VV. Shaw : If they c >uld prevent it they would do so. Already there has been a Harlnur B >ard Bill drafied ard sent t;o the member. Crs Jonathan and M Cardia denied having personal knowledge of the fact.* Me W. Shaw : It wa* never done publicly. I object to this hote and and c irner business. Kawbi* took it upon itself to get a Harbour B >ard, yet the outside parts were m >ra interested. Ido jiat-know where it will end.

Or Jonathan did not think that Kiwhia could be held responsible fir the hole'and corner work of one or two. It was absolutely ua-British to taboo the whole place. Cr Babbage was in favour of the Board, which he thought would ba a benefit to tbe town.

Cr Armstrong reiterated that half those who signed tbe perition did □ t know what they were doing. For tbe benefit ol Kawhia he opposed it.

Cr W. Shaw said the reason that be was against it was because a number of oesilents had told bim that they did not want it. He had no feeling in the matter so long as he wai not undermined.

Tbe Chairman : This is public. Cr W. Shaw : True ; but I had the Harbour Board in ray mind’s eye. If everything is abivo board I will support it. I would like to help Kawhia to go ahead, but I am not going to allow anyone to cut the ground fronf under my feet.

Cr Jonathan remarked that the opposition was not. on ftucount of the Town Board, but really ag nust a certain section of the public. He be one first to kick against anything underhand. Cr Shaw complained that matters were not done publicly enough. Tne county was cut’ into ridings by one min, but in the neighbouring county of Waitomo tbe ratepayers ware consulted.

Tbe Chairman said he knew nothing of that as at tbe time he was away with the Land Commission.

Cr W. Shaw said such things were not right. One or two individuals could have great influence against a proposal, as was instanced at Kinohaku where had it not been fjr one or two, Kiritehere would have been in the K<wbia County. Cr Babbage remarked that it had been stated that a lot of people whn had signed tbe petition did not know what they were doing, but on looking down the names be found they were people of common sense. If there had been misrepresentation it could be stopped. He moved : “ That tbe Council is in favour of a Town Board. ” —Carried.

Ors Babbage, Jonathan, H. Shaw and M'Cardle voted for the amendment, and Crs Norton, Armstrong and W. Shaw for the motion.