MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 23, 6 January 1877, Page 3

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

The first meeting of the County Council was held injjhe J&M. Court, Palmerston, on Thursday la*st, all the Councillors being present, viz., Messrs. Snelson and McNeil, for Taonui ßiding ; Messrs. . Liddell and Thynne, for Awahou ; SMr Halcombe, for. Manchester; Mr for Kiwitea; Mir Gower, , for Kawakawa; JMr L Sanson) for Qroua ; and Mr Macdonald for Horowhenua. After some discussion as to the mode of electing a chairman, it was resolved to appoint a chairman tempore, and - then to elect the Chairman for the year' m the usual, way. Councillor- Liddell was accordingly called to the chair, when two candidates for the chairmanship were proposed. It was propbsed by Councillor Snelson and seconded by Councillor McNeil, that Councillor Halcombe be Chairman. As an amend- "» ment Councillor Grower proposed and Councillor Sanson seconded that Councillor Thynne be Chairman. Councillor. Halcombe said it was "Well, known that a foregone decision had been arrived at m this matter. For his part, if elected chairman he should accept the office with a high sense of the responsibility attaching to it. The of . the county would have impor tant work to do, which, he (Councillor Halcombe) was willing' to undertake without a salary. He was aware that a Jgj&jority of the Council was pledgs&fe- his opponent and also to the appointment of Foxton as the county town. His. (Councillor Halcombe's) great object was to have justice done. A consyfeable injustice had been inflictedqimhe Manchester Biding, and he shonMb endeavour to prevent that injustice being perpetuated. Councillor . Sanson. said he was accused of being the originator of the combination alluded to by Councillor Halcpmbe. He (Councillor Sanson) did not deny that he had been disgusted at the want'of sympathy which Palmerston and. Feilding had shewn m the matter of the Sandon and. Carnarvon tramway, and he was resolved ..to » support the Foxton members. It was quite true that a meeting had been held last night . .at which ah understanding to that effect ' had been arrived at, but he saw nothing to complain of .m that. . It was to be presumed that the other side had acted m the same way, at least there was no reason why they should not have done so. Councillor. Snelson said it was a very honest avowal which had just been made by Councillor Sanson. He (Councillor Snelson) did not know what support Sandon and Carnarvon expected from Palmerston. In his opinion it was their duty to be strictly ' impartial, and for his own part he was and would continue . to be so, studying; the interests of the county as a whole ?and not preferring one part to another. CouneillorM Halcombe said he -had been charged iwith pldfcting 'against Sandon,, but .he.; wished > to -deny the charge m the most public manner possible. He had not endeavoured .to get the boundaries changed to ihe disadvantage of Sandon, nor had he had anything to do with Mr* Fagan's candidature,■'. though* Councillor Sanson had stated that he (Councillor Halcombe) had formed a plot for these purposes, which had been defeated by the Vigilance Committee. •'- He (Councillor Halcombe) had indeed stated at Sandon that he was not satisfied with the ; county arrangements as regarded Feilding, but he did nothing either m Mr, J'agan's support-or m any way directly affecting Sandon. He . (Councillor . vHalcombe) felt hurt and indignant at the charges made against him', and hoped Councillor Sanson would withdraw them' arid giseCouncillor Sanson said that at a meeting held at Sandon m October last Councillor Haleombe had been present, though it was not usual with him to shew so much interest m the affairs of the Sandon district.- On. that occasion Councillor " Halcombe ' had' suggested that the . boundaries should be so ,adjustejlpfcto include Sandon m. BangitikerOounty, and Had also advised them to make macadamised roads which would^ttave been 10 miles of a round, inst^ifrof the tramway/ Moreover/ a" petition to. Government was got up at the meeting, asking that a sum of £5,000 due on the deferred. payments might be., appropriated to the use of the district: This petition Councillor Halcombe .re-, fused to sign, and upon the whole, _he (Councillor Sanspn)-.must. say that, if Councillor Halcombe had not formed some design hostile: to Sandon, it at. least looked Ukeit v \At the same time he (Councillor Sanson) .was , sorry if anything he had said had?given pain to Councillor Halcombe. V Councillor Macarthur said Councillor Halcombe had attended the Sandon meeting, at his (Councillor Macarthur's) suggestion* but solely ■because itVhad been reported that a proposal was to be introduced, the effect of which would have been to divide ihe Manchester Biding between the two counties, and this they were, resolved to oppose at all hazards. . Councillor Thynne said he would vote for appointing Foxton the county town, and that, if elected Chairman, he should expect to be paid for the time to be devoted to the duties of the officer The amount of the' Chairman's salary would be a matter for future discussion. Councillor Gower's amendment was then put— -that Councillor. vThynne be Chairman^— with the following result : —Ayes, 4— Councillors Gower, Sanson, Liddell, and Macdonald. Noes, 4— Councillors Snelson.McNeil, Halcombe, and Macarthur. ; The Chairinau gave his 'ci^\iug^yoie/^ih''i^JLy^ and^ Councillor Thynne was de^ckred' Chairi man for the. year. ■ '■.* ..',-',• J: ..,.-, 'A. The Council- then adjourned for. an hour. •';-.-•■.■ - v

ON~BEBTrMINO, . Councillor Halcombe moved that Palmerston be the place of meeting for the County Council. . It was in his (Councillor Halcombe's) opinion' right that the most central position should be fixed upon as that of the place of meeting. He would not use the. term " County town," because he considered it a misnomer which was calculated to convey a false impression as to the advantages attaching to the place of meeting. It was simply a question of convenience to the Councillors, and to : those who had business with the Council as contractors and in other capacities ; and therefore he (Councillor Halcombe) thought Palmerstori, as being the most central township in $he County, ought to be the place of meeting. Councillor Macarthur seconded the motion. Councillor McNeil suggested that the Council should use the same offices as the Manawatu Highway Board, and thus save the expense of procuring new ones. Councillor Grower moved that Foxton be the place of meeting. He considered that it had been made a party question of instead of being decided according to measurement. The mileage, if calculated, would be found to be in favour of Poxton, and besides, .Foxton, as the port of entry for the .district, had special claims. As the County town it would have additional prestige and would attract a larger share of Government patronage than hitherto. Councillor Sanson seconded. Councillor Macdonald said he would vote for making Foxton the County town, but that in doing so he should act upon wider considerations than that of mere convenience. He preferred Foxton* because it was the port of entry for the district. He had been reproached for having thought beforehand on the subject, but he did not think he had given cause for censure. • Councillor Snelson said that the majority of the Councillors would have farther to travel if Foxton were chosen. Besides, at Palmerston there was plenty of accommodation for the Council, which could not bo said of Foxton. He contended fhat Councillor Grower was wrong in his calculation of mileage. The Council had nothing to do with Foxton as the port of entry. Government had given that port £15,000, and had never shewn itself unwilling to aid it. The convenience of petitioners and others having business with the Council must be considered, and the actual centre of population, taken into consideration. He should therefore move . that the place of meeting be fixed upon from time to time, so that every portion of the County might have its claims considered. Councillor Halcombe here objected that it was irrggular to have. two amendments .befpr^clthe. Council, and, after some discussion/ - Councillor Snelson withdrew his amendment. Councillor Macarthur said it was not the convenience of Councillors that ought to be the chief consideration in choosing the place of meeting, but that of the public. Councillor. Sanson entered into calculations' to shew that the mileage was in favour of Foxton, if the distance to be travelled on horseback were looked at exclusively. He considered that the convenience of the public was not to be considered in the matter, but that of the Councillors themselves. The public ■ would not take sufficient interest in the proceedings of the Council to attend its meetings, and as for petitions and such documents, in.nine cases out of ten they would be forwarded to the Council through its members. Councillor Halcombe said that, leaving out the Kiwitea and Horowhenua Hidings, Foxton was the extreme boundary of the. County. The public would find it necessary to ;-take an .interest in the proceedings rot the" Council, inasmuch as the provisions of the Act re? quired frequent interference on the part of the public, as in the matters of loans, amalgamation, change of boundaries, ■&c. ._ Councillor Gower's amendment, that Fpxtpn.be. the place of meeting, was then put, and carried by the casting vote of the Chairman. • . •• ■ It. was then moved :bj Councillor San son 4 . seconded by Councillor Gower, and carried, that tlie'Gdvef nfflent %6~requested to grant free passes on the railway to members of fhe Council; * Councillor Halcombe gave notice that, at the next meeting of the Council, he would move that the Manchester Eiding.be allowed to.elect a. second representative. • ■..."* : Councillor .Halcombe moved that the" Chairman be authorised *to incur all necessary expenses for stationery. ; The motion was seconded by Councillor Gower and carried. . A somewhat desultory conversation then ensued on several matters of detail, among others the appointment of a Secretary^ which it was resolved to post{)one until the Council should have evied a rate and have funds at its disposal. It was also suggested that tihe Chairman should communicate with the Government, and ascertain what roads, bridges, and other pubKc works, not in charge of the Road Boards, were to be handed over to the County Council. , The Council then adjourned to. Wednesday, the 31st January, when it will meet in the Athensßum at Foxton, at 1 p.m. -;-■ .