A DISSATISFIED DISTRICT.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 95, 28 March 1885, Page 6

A DISSATISFIED DISTRICT.

Auckland, March 25. Thk ratepayers of Waitakerei EaBt met at the Oratia Hotel, Henderson, yesterday, to consider the resolution of the Waitemata County Council levying a rate on a portion of the county, and excluding Takapuna and Ararimu.— Mr Hues* ton, Chairman of the Board, presided, and amongst those present were representatives from Bast and West Waitakerei and Titi rang! Boards, besides the Chairman of the Waitemata County Council. — The Chairman moved. "That this meeting view with indignation the unanimous proposal of the North Shore and Helensville members of the Waitemata County Council to levy a separate rate of 3d in the & over the poor and neglected districts of Waikomiti and Titirangi and Waitakerei East."— Mr N. GL Lennox said they had little to reoord in the management of the oounty but empty promises and gross favouritism. The policy had been to set district against district. It was their duty as ratepayers to see that the publio funds voted for long neglected roads north of Auckland be expended on roads, not proposed tramways, and that the £900 voted for the riding was fairly distributed and spent before the winter set in. It was also their duty to see that they did not pay two rates when others in the oounty were only paying one. and that they should have their fair share of publio grants. Out of nine members, the North Shore and Helersville had seven votes, and he was aware of no system by which they could check the receipts and expenditure. They had the misfortune to be wedded to the WaUemata County Council without having a voice it its affairs-r Mr O. Mays addressed the meeting, stating that what would be raised by the district would be spent within it If their rates were handed to the Council they would be expended in their own district to the best advantage under the Engineer's instructions, and the question for the mooting to decide was whether their works should be done for them by the Council, or whether they should fritter away their rates as they had done in the past Waitakerei riding received for two years £676 3s 6d, and contributed £70, Waikomiti received £609 and contributed £80, Manukau received £591 15s id. and contributed £90. All that the oounty got from Waitakerei East was the ioense foe for one hotel, and tne expenses connected with it were as great as the receipts. So the matter stood, th*t in this so-called negleoted district £1.800 had been expended in two years. Several others spoke, and the meeting eventually became very disorderly, the word "liar" being freely used.— Several amendments were moved, but tho Chairman at last put tho resolution to the meoting, and declared it carried.