PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 70, 4 October 1884, Page 2

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of thp above body was hek at the council ■ hampers, Cambridge, on Wednesday evening, 24tn ult. Present : Ors W. L. C. William* (chairman), J. C. Firth, E. Maclean, W. T. Firth, Chepmell, Goulil ami Brnnskill. Police at Waiorongomai. — The Clerk report el that he hail written to Superintendent Thomson pointing out the necessity for police protection at Waiorongomai. ..e had receive' l no reply to liis communication on the subject. Waioroiitfomai Punt. —Denis Murphy wrote asking that, as he had sold his pnnt on the river at Waiorongomai to Cornelius Murphy, he would respectfully ask the Council to formally sanction the transfer. Request granted. Waiorongom.ii-fcjhaftesbnry ltoad. — The Engineer for the Aroiia district, Mr Pavitt, was instructed to etfect certain temporary repairs to the above road, at ;i oust not to I'xeeed £o ; it" any more required the Engineer to apply to the Council. Application for use of Tr.vmway. — Messrs Wells and Soutter, storekeeper^, Wuiorougomai. wrote stati »q that, t-iev had been requested by Mr Adams an I ex-Councillor Cooper to use the tramway for the conveyance of the stores from the flat to the Hill store on the Arizona. It had bdeu and still was their desire to do so, but until the tramway and the pack road were connected by a track from tlie top of the May Queen grade to the road opposite the store, they were unable to do so to any appreciable extent. They would ask the council to make this connection, which could be done for £6. They also su# gested the procuiing two or three tarpaulins or cart covers for the protection of perishable go^ds. The Council agreed that if the applicants agreed to send their goods by the tramway the amount named, £5, be expended, they, however, to find their own tarpaulins,

Polling Booths, Waiorongomai. — A petition was received from a large number of voters in the above district asking the council to take into consideration the desirableness of having a polling booth opened at Waiorongomai, on the occasion of another election in the nding. Considerable inconvenience and loss of time was entailed bj miners and others living up on the hill in having to go so far as Te Aroha to vote. A large proportion of the majority of voters in the district resided at Waiorongomai. The council generally approve 1 of the request. (The question was subsequently disposed of in arranging for the poll on the loan question).

Poll for Loan. — On the motion of Cr Firth, it was agreed that For the purpose of taking a poll of ratepayers re special loan, polling booths* be opened at Te Aroha, Waiorongomai, Morrinsville, Matamata, Oxford, and at Mr Hunt's rosi ence. Tnotaoroa, and that the day for taking such poll be the -At.i October. iiigbt of Miners to Vote. — A long and interesting discussion took place upon this subject. (n\ the motion of Cr Chepmell, seconded by Cr Gould, it was agreed "That a legal opinion be taken respecting the right ol miners to vote at the election of a member of the council upon their miners' rights if they are noi on the roll of county electors." (hi the motion of Cr J. C. Firth secrnded by Cr Maclean, it was. further agreed " Tnat a legal opinion be taken as to the right of holders of miners' rights to vote upon that qualification at any poll for the raising of the special loan.". Crs Chepmell and Gould voted against this motion. Delegation of Eating Powers. — About two years ago the council formally delegated its rating powers within the Waitoa and Taotaoroa road districts to the respective boards in l hese districts. It being advisable thai the council should resume these powers, the Clerk was in strncted to take legal opinion as to the proper means of so doing. Redistribution of Seats. — It was the unanimous opinion of the council that a redistribution of seats was necessary Cr Maclean remarked that some small districts were represented by two members, whereas some large and important districts were not represented at all. He thought that Patetere, being a very important riding, should be represented. The Chairman noticed that Taotaoroa, which only contained about 28,000 acres, was represented in the council by two members. Cr Maclean thought that Patetere might have one member and Okoroire one member. Cr Brnnskill pointed out that Waitoa had got three members. Cr Chepmell replied that if * Waitoa nad got three members it was going to stick to that number. The Clerk informed the council that t'le new distribution would nave to he gazetted. There was not sufficient time

t«> tfiimtp the change before toe anuoal I'ltction, so it wns therefore too Lite to take action in the matter Matter allows! lo drop

Appointment of Returning Officers. — The council appointed the returning officers for the various ridings On the motion of Cr Ch>pmell, Mr Alexander BrenmiT was appointed to the Waiioa Hiding; on the motion of Cr Firtli, Mr Fr.uicis Pavitt was appointed- to the Arolui Kiding ; on tite motion of Or Firth, Mi J. Hoj>liins ap{M>intod ;o the Matatmita Hiding , on the motion of Cr linmskill, Mr Nich<tlas Irwin Hunt was a}>pointed to the Taotaoroa liiding ; on the motion o\ Cr Macloan, Mr Gi'oiTrey Maclean was aj»pouitetl to the Pafetere lii ling.

The Vacant Clmir. — The Clerk announced that an extraordin >ry vacancy had taken place in the Amim UiVin-g through the decision of Warden Kenrick. The usual steps were hring. taken to elect a member within the time required hy the. Act, 25 days. This concluded tlio business. — Waikato Tiiiies.