MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 89, 25 August 1877, Page 2

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

A special meeting of the Monawatu 1 County Council was heldat the Council Chambers, Foxton, on Wednesday at % pbesent. " ' I ; -, < 'Councillors Snelson^McDonald 1 ivb& Thyn^e, (Chairman). .-^ t There not- being k r quorum the meet-* ing was adjourned until 7.30 p.m. Same 1 day. - --. The adjourned special- meeting of the* Manawattt County Council was held At 7.30 m the Council Chambers, when the following Councillors were present: — • Halcombe, McArthur, McDonald, Liddell,'and Thynne (Chairman). The Chaibman said he had called the Councillors together for the purpose of electing a [Returning Officer, as one of their body desired to resign immediately ', although his resignation had been put m, the letter had not been! - opened. In their former proceedings they had negleeted-to appoint a Iteturning Officer, and the Act provided that immediately a Councillor resigned;, they must send the resignation to the Beturning Officer. The first tiling to 'do would be to say what remuneration they should give the Upturning Officer. ' The Government remuneration to* tnis'offieer was one guinea for the. nominatjoti day/ and three for, the day of polling. " The next thing ,was m what ma-finer^ they should elect a Returning Oificer — whether by^a proposer and seconder,- or by ballot. Councillor McAbthub said, ifthe re signation was received, he thought it was the rule of the Council t6 read, letters first. The CfiAiß&A* said if the letter was opened they would not Lave a quorum^ Councillor H*£co»Btf s£ul ne did not see any reason for calling them down here. Of course the 'Chairman had the power to do so. If the [letter containing the gentleman's resignation could lie-by so long, why could it not lie by until the next, meeting of the Council. He could not/fee any such urgent necessity. He owed an apology , to the Chairman for not having been present m, the morning, -at the time the; meeting was called for, but he had not noticed the time, and even had he done so, it would have been impossible foff him to have attended at that time. * . Councillor MoAbthttb said he owed the same apology as Councillor Hal' combe . It would also have been impossible for him to have attended m the "morning. >As regards the matter before the Council, he thought the letter ought to be read.;' • The ChjUßStan said'themeeting was* called, not to discus* tie letter, but to try and appoint a Returning Oflfcto. It ' was his omission that one had" not beert appointed before and- he* hoped they would bow go^onappSiintlng'one. Councillor Hixco-mbb said they were not a quotum, and referred the Chairman to the 66th Clause of the Counties Act. They had been told by him that the letter was m his hand? y tttey did- not have, to go outside for the information. He objected to go into the* matter with-^ out a quorum. It would be much better to wait until* next meeting. He Was veryi sorry that' Councillor Liddell was re--signing. » " Councillor McAbthtxb said he quite* endorsed what Councillor Halcombe hadf said. The Chairman had told them himself . that theletter was lying m his hands, 1 , He believed any action taken by them> that night would be illegal. , *• \ , The ,CHABiMAir said if tltey would; $ look at the 84tbYGla*ttse of the Counties-^ Act, they would see it would do awayi with the illegality of any action that" they might take. He was desirous that| the matter should be gone into. If ite was held over the outside public would; condemn, their actions. He thought no* i time should" be lost m electing another Councillorr Councillor McDonald said he thought it would be better 'to postpone the elec- , tion until the next meeting. i Councillor Liddexi/ said his letter was? j never intended to have -been opened un-5 j til next meeting, but it was not bis 'wisK 1 tor sit there and make &e r matter &- < legal. .: f '. ■;! 1 ' Councillor McAbthub said that th» meeting had a right to see the letter^

3?hje i Gjcmbman sai.d ;if ,a .Returning Officer hact been appointed r^Wel6itteJ?\ •would not have been %fore the Gouncfl;^ He bad So Bbj^faot^^a|^^e||Btter mto the Council, i ;" 'GouncillprM^BSE^j^d not seeany reason for sending the letter fo the Returning Officer. ;r A^HeJters belonged to the CounciL r p^BJ^ fr6^,ebtincill%^liMd^U/%esigniyg lis fceat m the, CounciL \ : Councillor Liddell then retired: : Councillor MqAbthue drew attention-to-be; ?2nik 'Clause^ ol the Counties £<$Zt ■^■•' "■'. - : ■ • ■■•--■ ' /'■ '■■■'■■■-■■: -■ Tife* ! #HAi&kAN; -*now Counr "cUlor^iddell had retired, they were a -,-i accwnling Councillor McArthur had drawn attention to, and he' must now Request that they %Quld>begin tp ? elect a ßeturning Officer ;^Wi^e^r§t-^ing' ! fe> « d&side uppn waß : the:remunerajbion /for that officer. . Councillor -Me Abthttb : a'ik'^d if they ; -now elected a ßeturning ; Officer for the wholevt/b^iiiiy, how ' long wdulcUhis appointment last. , . ?: The Chaibman said at the pleasure of " the Council;^ '0: : :>±. V;; 0 ;i-;f:>/ .'. # - Councillor JKTcAETHTrE sai«J^ that they bbtdd, only -appoint- Returning Officer i Jot 'the A^anuri Riding. ; ,% . t ;; After a discussioh^vpr^ and con. itrtvas ; that they should only ihen elect; "a Returning Officer"' for the Awahuri : V.. Riding^ :.:^; ; ; /;ry ;. .■-..- -^r v■"• . - r^v. -.. r . i Prop^^ed by ypunbinpr' H^ and seconded '-'by^ppuncillorMci)oNAiii>, ; " Th^ the Returning Officer receive one^ ; gnir^forhomuiationi^and two-guineas Mj^V/CT. Cook was appomtedittße- :/ Octuncillpr ; !Ht alcombe i aslcefl|'now^ tho ;. election be lield'JF! . 1 :; la answer to theqiiesHpff :■]_;■ ;■.■ -':> .:, ;-. :V -..y.--- ■■■.•;-- ■'' :; _ Trte Chaibmak read the following ( itelegvam tfiat^;he had received v fi'bm r Gr; . ■;'§. C6operi!JEsq\ *£# 3Q2 m Co&acil," • StH^Marc^^in^^a^^ 4^ 256, makes the^ \io^ttgen^^ proyMed ; for section <fifl^3one.- 'nMox jftEst-jeldctipii ■• apply ; -vtp ;subs_equentj ones until •'■poxtni^ Roll)is?rj?gularly ..ma"de;''out.'"v r ;''" ; - ' .• ; '■■■ 1 sDhe meeting then_closed.;; > : : ; V