CARNARVON.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 101, 28 September 1878, Page 2

CARNARVON.

[PQOM OTJE OWN COSHES PONDENT] . The only thing of interest m this district at present is the coming election for Warden. Of course a contest will take place, as has always been the case here, save at the first election. There are two candidates to be pitted against each other : Messrs. Dawson and Rockell. As it may be premature to comment upon the merits of the candidates at this stage, suffice it to say, that if Mr Dawson be returned we shall not be left long m doubt as to where the rates will be i spent. He goe3 m on the ticket of " self." I He is fully prepared to show at the husti ings a great budget of grievances ; and, of i course, if returned, well eet them right ! without delay. Mr Dawson's opponent j goes m for " fair pUy " to all parts of the Ward. There is every prospect of the contest proving an exciting and keen one. Anent the twenty per cent., from the land fund due to this riding, the action of the County Council is most extraordinary, to say the least of it. In looking over tho report of the last sitting of that body, I see a petition was presented by the Douglas Special Settlement, and m speaking to the matter, Councillor Gower moved that, thirty per cent, be spent m response to thft petition. Now, without wishing to be selffish, I would ask — How does this motion tally with the emphatic expression of the Council, when it was moved that the money should go to the locality from whence it was raised ? Was any of the money raised at the Special Settlement? Not that I know of. Councillor Gower stood firm to his principles at first ; but subsequently he failed to sustain tho pressure which was brought against him. His departure from the avowed principle that the twenty per cent, should go back to that place where it was raised, exhibited great irresolution and want of political tact. No doubt the Douglns- Special Settlement are m great want of roads, but that consideration is entirely outside the question, and even admitting that fact, the application for assistance should have been nrnde to the Highways Board, and not to the County Council. By the Council's last action, a precedent is established, inasmuch as any district may novf rnnke application to have their roads made* I think lam correct m the presumption that no County money can be spent on other than main roads, but we undoubtedly are led to believe that instead of the money being handed over to the Highway Board, the County undertakes to spent it. It would have been bettor had Councillor Rockstrow held his peace, instead of commenting upon a subject of which he evidently knows nothing. He is laboring under an egregious delusion about the town-, ship of Carnarvon. The Doctor is confusing the Government township, with a subsequent sale of town lots hy private enterprise. Tho former is the township, with which the settlers are identified, through who3e exertions it was sold as a township, and realised such prices, tho bnlk of it beinsj bought by settlers who had known the land for upwards of twenty years. The latter, a barefaced, impudent fraud,_ia neither m locality or quality the township of Curnarvon, though so 'designated by the vendors. A=t last the -weathqi; has taken. * tui'n. for

the better, and under the influence of the genial days we have lately had the grass and crops have made a vigorous start m growth. Lambing is proceeding favorably, notwithstanding the recent wet weather, and settlers look forward to a good per eeufcage. Farmers are busy putting m their late crops, such as oats, &c.