PIAKU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 15, 15 September 1883, Page 2

PIAKU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Thk ordinary meeting of the above council* was held at Cambridge on "Wednesday last. Present— Cr. Campb-11 (ch;linnan) r J. C. Firth, Chepmell, Ellis, Whitaker, McLean, Williams and Brurihkill. A quantity of correspondence was re. *id. An application from Mr' Cnff for the construction of a pack track from Anha to the locality of the late discovery, wan received and referred to the engineer to report on by next meeting. Mr Laidla\v\s application foraslaughter \nx license was granted. > Cr Whit.uW proposed "That J;h 3 coun oil vote £1 j!) for the formation a id draining of streets at W.iiorongomai, and a similar amount f >r A roll i township." — The aiuoun.K were passed by the council, the council agreeing to undertake the work on the money being available. " * Cr. Whitaker proposed •' That a vote of the inhabitants of the Aroha riding be taken as to the best lino of road fidm the main ro-id to the Waiorongomai township." An amendment was moved ami curried to the effect th.it this counfil agrees to spend £ for £ with thu High School Governors up to £100 in making a good road from the main road to Waiorongoniai bv continuing the present roul through Wilson's in a straight line with Murphy and West's, joining on to a cross-road on the boundary of Wilson's and Joy's sections. The Clerk was instructed to write to the High Scnool Governors, a-kin-jj how much they would contribute.

MR FERGUSONS MISREPRESENTATIONS. Cr. Wlii hiker said Mr Pet>v Ferguson had comij to the meeting as a d^putafi >n from Waiorongomai with rer'eroncv. t<> c - tim roads in that district. A.s he wi ,i settler at Waioron^om v' he was t'loi'Mi^hlv up in the matter which he was ah.mt in laybefore the council, and after h >aring him they would probably see their way ro take action in the matter, and djeide which road should be chosen to give the people of Waiorong-omai dccp^x tv a good lauding on the bank of! the river, ixivafc credit was due to Mr Ferguson for the ready manner in which he responded to the request of his fellow settlers, and the trouble which he had taken, and the inconvenience he had been put to in coming to Cambridge to represent this important matter to the council. Befoie pr x-cedin^ with the business, however, he had to a^i MrFeigusonto answer a few qu^ tinny The remarks were said to hivo been mado use of by Mr Ferguson at the U^t meetingof the council concerning the forming o£ a road to the landing. In these remarks serious reflections were made upon the personal honour of Mr Whitaker, who, it was inferred, had been using his position as a member of the council to benefit himself by diverting a road through a certain section of land where it could be of no earthly benefit to anybody but himself ; and alse that he had entered into some sort of a compact with some other prr-perty-holder in the vicinity to give eil'ect to his own personal end". These reflections were contained in the statement hat Mr Whitaker had agreed with a Mr West to have the old road to the landing closed, and in exchange for this he had agreed with Mr West, as a member of the counci 1 , and representing that body, to open the ro.id at present laid out. The a^roemeut which had been made, and which was produced for the edification of the council, showed that thes^ allegations were absolutely incorrect, and that Mr Ferguson had made false statements to the council in Mr Whitaker's absence. Mr Whitaker having read the report in question, asked Mr Ferguson if what was there stated was correct. Mr Ferguson : Yes ; the matter was mentioned at the last meeting of the council. Mr Whitaker : You know there was a great deal of trouble in getting a proper landing to which the nearest and best road had to be made. Here yon infer that I did not give the question of convenience any consideration — that I did not take the i>ost road. Now, is what is contained in this report correct ? Mr Ferguson replied : The report of what I said at the last meeting is correct. At least it contaius the purport of my remarks. (Jr. Whitaker: In the first place you state that I made an agreement with West to allow him tn c]w> un the nU\ ro id, on section No. 3. You have hero rn.i.te a statement which is absolutely false and untrue. You have been casting a great reflection on me, and it is right the council should know all. Such in agreement as you speak of wan never contemplated. [The Chainnun here road the agreement.] Cr. Whitaker : I think that will prove conclusively that this matter whioh reflects so si'iiouslv on mo, and which tends to injure my position in the council, has beou got together for a purpose, a.id I have no hesitation in saying that Mr Ferguson was a lender in it. Mr Ferguson : Now that the agreement is iiere it is quite true. Mr West told mo what 1 stated, and L wanted to knov whether it was correct or not. Cr. Wbitaker : I absolut '1 y deny thai; the^c is au excellent luuding-plaoe wUoro Mr

Ferguson says there is. I hold reports from Messrs Bayldon and Purchaa, engineers, to show what I say is correct. It was, in fact, a ridiculous proposal to say that a landing could be made there ; and that was why the road was changed on tho representation of theße people. There was ixo collusion between Murphy and myself to get this section. I think that whenever any refleetionH are cast upon a councillor in his official capacity the council should Have the tmbjeet matter of such reflections brought before them that they might be enquired into. The report has been acknowledged by Mr Ferguson as correct. These reflections np«m me appear in the BMine report, which states th.it certain members of the council were present when'they were made, and if tlu»y were not correctedthe public might think that they -were tiue. The people who sent mehureto represent them would say I bad baen accused of certain improper actions at a meeting of tho council ; that the council had said nothing on tho matter, and it now looks as if the council agree with these charges. With this short explanation of the whole affair it is unnecessary for me to say anything more, but to leave the matter in the hands of the council. Cr. Campbell said Cr. Whitaker was mistaken in thinking that the council had agreed in the report of Mr Ferguson'* remarks as published. They were not prepared to accept ex parte statements and accusations made against any member of the council, particularly in the absence of the person against whom they were directed. Or. Whitaker : There is another matter which I cannot pass without notice, and which I would like the council to hear now that Mr Ferguson is present. (To Mr Ferguson) : I think you went to the trouble of distributing several copies of the paper in which these statements about me appeared, among certain people at Waiorongomai, with the object beat known to yourself, and only to be surmised by me. Mr FergUßon : They were left there in my absence bj' somebody, but I did not distribute them. Mr Ferguson : Well I was aware that a lot of the papers had been sent over, and I gave orders to have them distributed. The Chairman : I think that in thi» matter Mr Whitaker has done hia very utmost to serve the interest of the council, and of the people of Te Aroha. The council have every reason to be thankful to him for his efforts on behalf of the district which he represents. Anything that ever Mr Whitaker has done as a member of this council has been for the public good. All the councillors present fully endorsed the chairman's statements regarding Mr Whitaker. Cr. Whitaker cordially thanked the council. He could not but refer to the to the malicious act of which Mr Ferguson had been gnilty in taking these papers over to Waioiongomai for distribution. The whole thing had been very damaging to him. He could not see how the council could receive a deputation from such a man as Mr Ferguson, it being now satisfactorily shown that this gentleman was not over truthful in making representation * on public matters. Cr. Firth : The council never received any imputations against Cr. Whitaker. Indeed, had any been made they would not have permitted them to pass unchallenged — they would not have heard them, especially in the absence of Mr Whitaker, who had exerted himself in every way lo forward the Aroha district, and the business of the council generally. The Chairman : Had it not been for Mr Whitaker there would not have been ani Aroha or Wfiiorongomai to-day. <.'i. !Cili^ : 1 move that unless Mr F- . guson withdraw hi.? statements regaiding Mr Whitaker he be not heard by the council. Mr Ferguson said he did not wish to throw any reflection on Mr Whitaker aboui the road, further than West's and Murphy's statements to him. As the agreement showed he had been led astraj r . He would udmit he had be9u deceived. Cr. Whitaker said he was prepared to beleive Mr Murphy in preference to Mr Ferguson, the former gentleman having told him he never made -any such stuetmeut about the purchase of section No. 3 to Mr Ferguson. Mr Ferguson : I will have to withdraw what I have said, as I have been misled. Cr. Whitaker: I am prepared to bring witnesses here to prove that Mr Ferguson was never told any such thing. The statements made by Mr Ferguson as to hia being told certain things by Mr Murphy are utterly untrue. Mr Ferguson then laid the following apology on the table of the council :—": — " I Peter Ferguson having been led astray re- ! garding the steps taken to tix the the road to Murphy's landing, reflection on Mr Whitaker's action in the matiei, beg to •withdraw any statements I have made, and express my regret that I have been j so misled, and request the publication of this apology." With Cr. Whitaker,s consent, Cr. Firth then proposed. ''That Mr Ferguson'a apology having been read, it be accepted by the council, find that Mr Ferguson be now heard." Agreed to. After Mr Fergusons recommendations re proposed road at Waiorongomai had been heardand considered, Cr Whitaker proposed that a cordial vote o? thanks be accorded to Mr Ferguson for the trouble he had taken in coming Mich a distance to represent the requirements of the district to the council.— Seconded by Cr. Firth then carried unanimously. j Thk Road in Question.— Cr. Firth and proposed the following resolution, hearing on the road referred to in the abovo discussion, and Mr Whitaker's action re-! garding the same :—": — " That in the matter! of the road fixed to Murphy's landing, the council having made the necessary enquiries ana pjitiniied that the road from the landing has been fixed at the best place, and tint with reference to ceiUiu Rtateniunts being in circulation to the detriment of Cr "VVhxtakcr, this conm il nine's om record its sense of the perfectly honourable and Micce&rful manner in which Cr. Whitaker Ims curried out the matter of the road to Murphy's landing ; and further that this council considers that they, and wore particularly the Te Aroha goldtield, under very great obligations to Cr. Whituker for the energetic and honourable manner in which he has discharged the duties entrusted to him by tho council.'