MEETING OF THE COUNCIL AND HIGHWAY BOARDS.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2028, 5 July 1875, Page 4

MEETING OF THE COUNCIL AND HIGHWAY BOARDS.

A meeting of the Thames Borough Council and the memhers of the several Highway Boards was held in the Council Chamber on Friday for the discussion of matters of general interest. There were present—His Worship the Mayor, and Crs Butt, Macnab, Wilson, Rowe, and Renshaw, from the Council; and Messrs Brodie, Porter, and Charles Hilli from the Waiotahi Board. There were no representatives from the Kauaeranga or Parawai Board. The Mayor said they had met to consider whether it was advisable to petition Parliament regarding several of their urgent wants, which had been long felt, aud which, he thought, could.be relieved at the next session of Parliament. There was one matter of considerable importance, namely, the desirability bf obtaining increased representation for the Thames in the General Assembly. Last year the Borough Council, in co-operation with the highway boards, had taken an active part in' getting up and forwarding to the General Government apetition on this subject, to which were appended somewhere about 3,000 signatures. *This year the want was no less than last year ; and the only.thing was to insist until increased" representation was granted. He did not think there would be much difference of opinion regarding this matter, seeing that it was.even "acknowledged in the House of Representatives itself, although no steps had. been taken owing to some difficulty, but he believed that the Government would grant an increase of representation if urged • to do so! this year. Ihe number of members would be a matter for future consideration. Another matter was the opening of land in and' near the goldfield for agricultural purposes. There were extensive tracts of land which could be worked advantageously both for the settler and- the miner. He thought a large tract of land in the Thames Valley could be secured if the Government interested themselves, somo of the Natives having expressed their willingness to sell. The' third matter was to ascertain what assistance could be obtained from the General Government towards opening up new roads and tracks through the goldfieJd to open up the back country, arid to maintain the existing roads. It was their duty to seek for assistance from the General Government, as they had no goldfields revenue left, and had no means of helping themselves except by imposing new taxation. -These and the endowments ; were the principal -matters requiring their attention— other points of minor importance might also crop up, and the question of misappvdpriatingthegoldfield revenue in the direction of Ohinemuri works might arise. The matter of chief importance, however, was that some assistance should be obtained from the General Government. ■■--■■;

... INCREASED BEPKESENfATION. Crißutt said there was no doubt as to what the meeting had been called for. It -was a political meeting. Any one who had the brains of a crow could see that. The question was—what was the grievance'; what: did they want? As to increased representation, he agreed that it was most desirable, but the practical way to secure it was to put their hands in their pockets and get up a petition to the Government with signatures affixed. He was willing to subscribe his two pounds, but it was no use them coming there to growl, and to abuse this or that individual, unless they were prepared to suggest some practical remedy. The Mayor said that was all he: desired ■—that some suggestion should be made. Cr Butt said what he objected to was that they, who.had been always recognised as centralists and supporters of local self-governmentj should now turn round and take up a toy like Sir, George Grey. _ ; _ • . Cr Rowe said he did not participate in Cr Butt's idea regarding that meeting. It was of course political, but not so far as any party was concerned. In the first place they had found for a long time that the Thames had not adequate representation—he would say nothing there as to its quality—and that an injustice had in this way been done them. The way to set matters right:was to petition the General Assembly. ; . Gr Butt agreed, but said much depended upon how' they got it up. If they ■were 1 going to tack this thing on to it (referring to a long petition setting forth a list of grievances .respecting "the general conduct of gold fields from the" opening of the Hauraki district to the proclamation of Tairua) he should object. ■:■ - ~ , The Mayor: That has nothing to do with, it, Mr Butt—we are simply considering a petition for .increased representation. Cr Butt said they might maker,an, enemy of .their own membei by putting things through, Sir George Grey, and make one adverse vote the more. Mr Brodie said that was far from their intention—they only wished to strengthen -Mr O'Neill's hands. ' , \ Cr Macnab remarked that the meeting i was departing from the subject. A resolution should be passed for a petition to the General Government, and the Thames- representatives and the Superintendent' were apart from that altogether. Cr Ro^e said whatever their politics might be they were not there to. make . them known.; What he.wanted was that they should-secure the means of giving expression to their views regarding the Government of the country in the General Assembly. Mr Porter said thera could be no difference of opinion as to what they had met for. The population of the Thame3 was fully 13,000, and three districts north.of Auckland—which, when combined, had not nearly so large a population—had three members. .......

Mr Brodie Faid the population of the Thames might be doubled by the time the petition reached, the Assembly, supposing Tairua to turn out a success.. Had the Thames been properly represented the Borough -would-have received the endowments, the Thames would have received its share of the public money and the railway from the Thames (o Waikato would have been made; He .considered : they were entitled to four members—two for the Borough and two for the Goldfields, Mr Rowe nioved-r-" That, ...in the opinion of this meeting, it is necessary to take, steps to secure increased representation for ■■) the Thames District in the Geeeral" Assembly of New Zealand." The motion was seconded''>b'y: Mr Broclie, and carried unanimously. Mi 1 Rowo then proposed:—" That a petition..to the General Assembly, asking it to take such steps as shall secure this

object, be prepared, and that the most strenuous efforts be made to obtain signatures to such petition." Mr Hill seconded the motion, which was also carried. The following gentlemen were appointed as a committee to prepare the petition :—The Mayor, Crs Rowe, Butt, Renshaw; and Messrs Brodie, Spencer and Bagnall from the Highway Boards. It was decided on the suggestion of Mr William Rowe to submit the petition to a public meeting to be, held on Monday. GOIMIELDS EOADS AND lAND. The Mayor said the next subjects were the opening of land for settlement, and the making of roadi through the goldfield, and the maintenance of those roads already made. ■Mr Adam Porter said there was a large extent of land within the Ohinemuri Goldfields admirably suited for agricultural purposes. The-Mayor said that land could only be leased, whereas a great many; people would be glad to buy land for settlement purposes. [ Or Renshaw said the various Boards should empower their Chairmen ,_to act \ with the Borough Council in drawing up and signing a petition, to be forwarded to the General Assembly. ■■--■■■■• This suggestion was adopted, the petition to include also the matter of goldfields roads. The meeting then adjourned.