SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 1889.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 347, 2 March 1889, Page 2

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 1889.

At the next monthly meeting oF Piako County Council, which will be held at Cambridge on Saturday next, a very important proposition will be discussed, viz., that of holding the regular Council meetings quarterly instead of monthly. The matter is to be brought forward by Cr Horrell, who nt the last monthly meeting of Council gave notice of his intention to move : That the Council meet quarterly instead of monthly. The business of Council during the inteivals to be carried on by a committee of three members, to be called the Executive Committep ; their powers with respect to formation of roads, bridges, and culverts, not to exceed £20. We understand Cr Horrel has prepared a statement showing that whereas the travelling allowances to the members of the Council now amount to £130 Is 4d per annum, by adopting his proposition this item would be reduced to £61 16s 4d ; and a saving of £74 5s per annum thereby effpcted. Now we are sure that Cr Horrell in bringing forward this motion is actuated by the best intentions, and solely from the desire to reduce travelling expenses ; but we do not consider his proposal desirable, or one that if carried into effect would work satisfactorily. With respect to the members nominated by Cr Horrell to constitute the Executive Committee, (i.e., the Chairman, Crs Williams, and Brunskill) beyond a doubt they would endeavour to carry out their duties fairly and impartially, with regard to all portions of the County, but there are other considerations to be taken into account in so important a matter. It would appear Cr Herrell specially nominated the Councillors mentioned, to act in conjunction with the Chairman, because, living near Cambridge, their travelling pxpenses would be the least, and to make the saving to be effected by his proposed alteration as large as possible. But we certainly think Cr Horrell must have overlooked the fact that to carry his proposal into effect would virtually mean the total disfranchisement of the Ridings of Te Aroha and Matamata for three-fourths of the entire year ; and indeed with respect to all the Ridings, were the course proposed adopted, the Councillors voting in favour oF it would theieby delegate to others the powers intended for them, and vested in them alone by the ratepayers of the j Ridings they represent ; and that too, without the ratepayers having any opportunity afforded them of expressing their wishes with regard to the proposal, unless by petitioning the Council on the subjpct, prior to next monthly meeting. For many reasons we consider the proposed retrenchment very inadvisable, and that to carry it into effect would be inflicting a grievous wrong towards those Ridings in which the result would bi» to debar any or nil its representatives from having any voice in the business transacted by the Council, except once in every three months. It is not reasonable to suppose that the threw members nominated, or any other threp members of the Council, can, satisfactorily, an \ to the best advantage, deal with the various i local requirements of the several Ridings of Piako County, that are brought up fit the Council nit i etini>s each month For consideration. Thoir personal knowlodge of the lncal requirements in Hiding* Other than tho^e they reprpsent. must of necessity l»e more or less of a very supei final kind ; and they cannot « to give hj» the requisite •

time, or go to* the expense necessary to personal investigation and enquiry, without adequate remuneration, which if paid, would simply menu neutralising > the intent of tho resolution. At every meeting questions arise and matters.are discussed respecting which the special local knowledge possessed (or which certainly ouirht to he possessed), by the member of the Riding at the time under consideration, is of the greatest importance. Besides, Councillors attending the quarterly meetings only, would be placed at a most serious disadvantage with respect to general business, correspondence, etc. that had passed, and questions that had cropped up and been dealt with daring the quarterly interval?. I With respect to Te Aroha Hiding in particular, the adoption of C«* Horrell's [ proposition would be a grievous injustice. It is bad enough to see the members of i this Riding, after all their professed desire (at election time) to see the County meetings held at Te Aroha, the County town,|turn round and in direct opposition to the known wishes of the ratepayers who elected them, by their vote have the place of meeting taken outside the County altogether, and to the furthast distance possible from Te Aroha, Cambridge. It was through the vote of the Te Aroha members that the meetings were so long held atMorrinsville, as nearly the centra of the County a* possible, and within ensy reach of the goldfield, and why the Te Aroha members turned round as they did at the annual meeting held on November 2yth, and by their votes had the place of meeting fixed at Cambridge, has never been satisfactorily explained. Some appear to think perhaps it was in order as far as possible to prevent any business in connection with this Riding coming before the Council unless through them, in fact to make it as difficult as possible for the ratepayers to make known their wants direct to Council by means of deputations, as they preferred doing on several occasions when the Council meetings were held at Morrinsville and Te Aroha, as for instance asking that the Hill Track be repaired, WaiorongO" mai township drained, and certain streets formed, etc., and in every case with results most satisfactory to the peti* tionors. Again it has been suggested the increased rate of allowance for travelling expenses to Te Aroha members (viz., from about 13s each meeting when at Morrinsville, to £1 14s) had a good deal to do with it. But we would sincerely trust no such contemptible motives as either of those mentioned actuated our members in the matter. Still their action requires explanation. It is, however, satisfactory to know that Te Aroha Riding has good staunch friends in the Council, who as a body, have ever acted towards it in the most liberal manner possible, and done everything in their power to promote its greatest industry — gold mining ; and we believe the day is not far distant when their faith in the ultimate future of this district will be fully realised. With respect to the Goldfield Riding, above all the others, important questions are sure to arise that should receive the careful consideration of the whole Council, that could not possibly be as satisfactorily dealt with by any Executive Committee, and that could not be shelved until the quarterly meetings. The proposed retrenchment would on the average effect a saving of £1 5 per annum to each Riding, a result by no means adequate to thesacrifice that would be entailed.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Te Aroha Hot Springs Domain Board will be held this evening. There will be a sitting of the R.M. and Warden's Court at Te Aroha on Tuesday next. We are very pleased to be able to Btate that the man Fred Hyde is progressing satisfactorily towards recovery. He still lies in the Waikato Hospital. The ordinary monthly meeting oP the Waiorongomoi School Committee will be held at tho School-house, on next Monday evening at eight o'clock. The children attending the Te Aroha Wesleyan Sunday School are requested to bear in mmd that the School will commence tcwnorrow afternoon at two o'clock, (instead of half-past two, the u«ual hour), and Rev. S. Lawry will deliver an address- • The ordinary monthly meeting of the Te Aroha Goldfield School Committee will be held at 8 o'clock next Monday evening. The election of a Licensing Committee for Ohinemuri, took place on Tuesday last, and resulted in the return of Messrs Edwards, Ritchie, junr., Lipsey, Cock, and Barrett. The highest number of votes recorded for any candidate was 28 (for Mr Kd wards), showing how vory little interest was taken in the mutter. We direct attention to Messrs W. A. Prime and Co.'s advertisement, announcing that they ha\e purchased the Te Aroha branch business of Messrs T. and S. Morris and Co., together with all the book debts connected therewith. Mr Piiine having successfully managed theTe Aroha branch for Messrs Morrin and Co. during the pust twelve months, is well acquainted with the requirements of the district, and intending purchase! s may rely upon obtaining a good article at a reasonable price at this establishment, with a large stock to select frotu.