FOXTON.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5118, 18 August 1877, Page 1 (Supplement)

FOXTON.

(FROM OUB OWN CORRESPONDENT.) August 9. A rich scene occurred at the meeting of the Manawatu Council last night. The (separation petition having been presented to the Government, a copy of it was forwarded to the County Chairman, who made, in his own opinion, a very careful digest of the signatures, and arrived at the conclusion that the petition wae invalid owing to certain persons having signed twice, and others not .being on the roll, thus bringing the number o£ bona fide signatures below the amount required by the Act. On his bringing under the notice of the Council the action he had taken in the matter, his conduct was very freely criticised, and it might almost be said that compliments the reverse'of complimentary were unsparingly exchanged. At length a sub-committee of four Councillors, Messrs. Halcombe, McArthur, Snelson.and Gower was appointed to examine and test the validity of the signatures, the Council adjourning for half an hour to give the committee time to bring up its'report. The committee having concluded its labors, the Council re-assembled to consider the report, in which it was stated that owing to the refusal of the Chairman to give the committee the requisite information nothing definite had been arrived at. It was now that the rich scene occurred. The Chairman read the report, and putting on one of those bland smiles which notify to an observer that a point has been made, and for which the Chairman is famous, "quietly asked the committee '/when ho had refused to give them any information?" Ho Haid that ho had never been asked, and ho considered that the statement was an act of the greatest discourtesy to him. After a fow desultory remarks, the committee, evidently recognising the error committed, obtained leave to withdraw the; report in question. At' a later period in the

evening a resolution was passed asking the Governor to carry out the provisions of the Counties Act and appoint a commissioner to investigate the validity of the petition and objections. The question of merging the road board into the county council was taken up from last meetiug, and by the Chairman's casting vote it was carried that such ought to be done, and that the powers of the Council being increased, each member should be assisted by a committee to advise him as to the works necessary for his district. This was the purport of the resolution ; the wording of it was such that one portion completely stultified the other. Several minor matters wore gone through. A new boat was ordered te be obtained for Otaki ferry. The Mauawatu ferries were let to new men. Just before the adjournment, the adjustment of accounts between the new borough of Palinerston and the county was casually alluded to ; but nothing was done respecting it. In connection with this borough a very interesting discussion came up. The Taonui Riding, of which Palinerston constituted the wealthiest part, has two members. Now that the heart of the riding has been constituted a municipality, ought nob one member to bo taken from it and given to some other riding that is insufficiently represented ? I am glad that your Feilding correspondent admitted that there was some truth in my assertion that another chairman and another place of meeting would probably have led to the matter of separation being retarded, but the reasons he alleged for such are too farfetched.'

Mr. Fox will be delighted to hear that tonight witnesses the inauguration of a Good Templar Lodge in Foxton, Mr. Neil having arrived to-day from Wanganui for the purpose.