County Council Election.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3036, 7 November 1878, Page 2

County Council Election.

Messes Bbodie and Coutts' Meeting.

A large' and influential meeting of the electors of the Waiotahi Hiding was held at Mr Fugill's house, Waiotahi Creek, last night. The room was not large enough to hold one-forfch of the nun> b«r present, so many had to remain outside. The greatest good feeling prevailed amongst them.

Ou the motion of Mr C. Brown seconded by Mr J. B. Mason, Mr Eobt. j Comer was voted to the Chair, Mr James Smith acting as secretary. The Chairman read the advertisement calling the meeting, and, after doing so, said he considered it his duty to make a few remarks. He thanked the electors for their presence: it showed that they appreciated 'the services of ; the gentler men on whose behalf the meeting had been called, and trussed the electors would show their gratitude by agajn returning them as their members. ; ?_! ' Mr Brodie, on being called upon by the meeting to speak, was loudly cheered by all present. He said he had had no intention of making a speech that evening, and intended to have done so on a future occasion, but as the meeting was to be an excellent representative one of the electors of the Biding he would avail himself of the opportunity of addressing them. In, doing so, it would be be necessary to go in to. a retrospect of the conduct ©f the County Council since its inauguration. He asked those present to take their minds about twentyj months back, to the first meeting of the County Council and they would recollect that immediately after the appointment of the County Chairman a document was laid on the table by Captain Eraser. This document was an offer from the Government to the Council to hand over to them the security held over the Pumping Association, together with the mines connected therewith, and the gold revenue and duty accruing within . the Borough of Thames and the large water race, provided the Council would undertake to maintain pumping operations for the purpose of enabling those companies to test the goldfield at the deep levels. After mature deliberation the County Councillors, like sensible men, accepted the offer of the Government, and up to the present time the pumping operations have only cost the County about £SCOO, and he put it to those present whether* the £50,000 securities, the water race, with its increasing revenue, and the gold duty, were not a quid pro quo for the amount of County expenditure on this work. Besides, the taking over the responsibilities of the Pump averted what was then considered an impending calamity, namely, the suspension pf pumping operations. Of this undertaking the Council will be relieved on the Ist of February next; and although it may be regretted the large expenditure incurred has hot been productive of success in discoveries of gold, no practical miner will question the advantage of continuing these operations, and if re-elected he should so advocate dealing with the £50,C20 securities that satisfaction Would be given to all parties, by a liberal arrangement of terms, whereby inducements would be given to a company or companies to. carry on the prospecting drives from the 650-feet level. Nor had the Council neglected any opportunity of impressing the claim of the Waio-Karaka Pumping and Draining Association on the consideration of the Government. If elected he would still continue to do do so, with a sanguine hope that the proposals made by the Council for a substantial grant in aid of prospecting and deep-sinking would be allowed by the General Government. The operations of the Moanatairi Tunnel Company were important, and it was his opinion that works of such magnitude and public utility were entitled to participate in any provision the Government may make, as they can be justly classed as prospecting works. He would also advocate the extension of this tunnel to Punga Flat, and further, if desirable. The project of the Karaka-Tararu Tunnel Company was favourably entertained by the Council, and strongly recommended to the notice of the Government, and no effort on bis part should be withheld to assist the efforts of the promoters. The goldfields roads and tracks which have been constructed, by the Council during his term of office were evidence of the attention which applications for such works received at the hands of the Council. He had always favored their construction, bnd no application had been refused when the ground they worked was likely to be gold bearing, even to a limited extent. He should 'omit no opportunity of encouraging miners to prospect the back country, by offering facilities for bringing down quartz at a cheap rate to the batteries. As an experiment, the Waiotahi road had, to a certain extent, proved successful, inasmuch as it opened up a new area of country to the miner, and he was pleased to inform them that to-day a party Was carting down from above Weston'i battery over 50 tons of stuff, and it was shaping at the battery for about 2ozs to the ton. The cost of carting was about 12s per load (a ton and a-half), whilst before the road was nr.de the same tonnage would cost about 30s, and he hoped to be ultimately successful, if elected, to have a waggon constructed on the American principle, the same as was in use in California, which would reduce the cost of transit to about 3s 6d Eer ton. He had also lent his best aid, oth here and in Wellington, to have the Thames and Waikato railway placed on the schedule of railways to be constructed by the Gogernment. Great credit was due to Sir George Grey and Mr Sheehan for their action in the matter, as an attempt had been made by certain interested people to prevent it coming fu-'her than Te Aroha mountain. The Council had been entrusted with delecate Maori negotiations, and with the cordial assistance and cooperation of the Native Department had been so far eminently successful. Concurrent with these great works the settlement of the fine blocks of land recently acquired by the Government upon the deferred payment system would be productive of benefit to the districtatlarge. To eaoh of these proposals the Govern* ment were committed, and had no reason

to doubt, if they were wisely pressed by the local governing bodies, that we should happily witness in the new year a radical change in the fortunes of this large and beautiful County. The Thames Harbour Board Act conferred large borrowing powers upon the Board, and accordingly as the sums borrowed were judiciously or otherwise expended so would the public interests receive benefit or suffer injury. The council returned two members to this Board, the Parawai Riding, as a road district, one member, being equivalent to three County representatives. The Thames water-race, which had bat recently been handed over to the Council's administration, miftht be also made largely conducive to the prosperity and comfort of the people. Its extension and completion would sho'tly be undertaken, and as he claimed some credit for the advantageous terms conceded by the Government, so he should, if elected, endeavour to make the race afford to the inhabitants of the upper districts a geod supply of pure water at the cheapest rate. On a retrospect of the transactions of the Council, he felt justified in asserting he had endeavoured faithfully to serve the interests of the districts and of the Wriotahi riding, to the best of his ability, and should they honour him with re election he should act in the future as he had in the past, and so shape his views and opinions, that while remembering their wants he should not forget the larger and more extended requirements of the County at large. Before concluding, Mr 'Brodie said he would just observe that hit colleague (Mr Coutts) had given him the'most cordial and consistent support. Mr Brodie sat down, amidst loud and prolonged applause. Several questions were put to Mr Brodie, by Mr J. B. Mason, the answers to which were satisfactory. Mr James Coutts was called upon to speak. He thanked the electors for their confidence in the past, and could promise that if reelected he would endeavor to merit their support by doing all he could to promote the interests of the Waiotahi Biding and the advancement of the Thamea County. He wai not much given.to speech-making, being rather a man of action than of many words, and his colleague, Mr Brodie's address that evening, as to what had been done by the Council in the past and indicating what would probably be done by the new Council, left nothing for him to say. He would again thank them for their confidence.

Mr A. Mclaughlin, in moving a vote of thanks to Messrs Brodie and Coutts for their past services as representatives of the Waiotahi Biding and a vote of confidence in tbem as candidates for re-elec-tion, referred in flattering terms to the services these gentlemen had rendered, and the manner in which they had looked after the interest of the riding. Mr Hennessy seconded the vote, and spoke in similar terms, and the vote passed unanimously. .. A vote of thanks to the Charman terminated the proceedings.