TEE COUNTIES ACT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 7, 8 January 1879, Page 2

TEE COUNTIES ACT.

PUBLIC MEETING AT MOTUEKA. In pursuance of an advertisement a public meeting was held at the Institute, Motueka, Mr Hursthouse, M.H K , in the chair, to consider the proposition of the County Council to bring the Act into full force. The meeting was addressed by the Chairman, and Messrs Bisley, W. White, Tarrant, and Harley, who said that they failed to see any advantages that could possibly accrue to the ratepayers by the adoption of the Act, but on the contrary a county rate would have to be levied in addition to the road rate to make provision for the payment of a chairman anil clerk, and, indeed, another set of officials, which would act extremely hardly on the majority of the ratepayers. The following resolutions were carried unanimously : —(I.) " That in the opinion of this meeting it is undesirable that the Comities Act should be adopted in its entirety by the Waimea County Council, as there can he no doubt that its adoption will eventually (if not at once) lead to further increased taxatiou, which the public at large are opposed to, and in many cases unable to bear." (:>.) " That the County Council be respectfully requested to delay the consideration by them of adopting the whole of the Counties Act for another month, in order, if uecessary, to get a full expression of public opinion in other districts as to its desirability or otherwise." The meeting was well attended, the whole, except one, of the members of the Waimea Highway Board being present, and a vote of thanks was accorded to them for their attendance, which must have been undertaken at considerable discomfort to themselves. The compliment was duly acknowledged by their Chairman, who said that they had come over to confer with the members of the Motueka Highway Board, and with one or two exceptions were united in believing that if the Act were adopted in its entirety by the County Council it must result in increased taxation without any corresponding advantage. A vote of thanks was given to the Motueka Highway Board for calling the meeting, and one to the Chairman, which closed the proceedings.

January Mora. After. ■Wednesday 8 ... 9.38 958 Thursday 9 ... 10 16 10 35 Friday 10 ... 10 53 11.11 Saturday n ... 31-30 1148 Sunday 12 ... 12-0 126 Monday 13 ... 1225 12 45 Tuesday 14 ... 16 i:n