MAROPIU.

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 176, 16 December 1892, Page 2

MAROPIU.

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] In your columns a week or two back I noticed that your contributor ‘ Nemesis ’ when speaking of County Council matters stated that (in his opinion) it was preposterous that the Wairoa riding should exercise as oreat a power in the Council as the Okahu riding. He suggested that the two ridings Okahu and Wairoa—should amalgamate and return two members. In other words be suggested that Okahu should swallow up the Wairoa riding, and have the privilege of electing two members where they now have one. And pray why should the ratepayers of Wairoa be disfranchised and the settlers of Okahu have the privilege of spending their rates ? For this is in effect really what it would be. If the ratepayers of the Wairoa riding are wise (as no doubt they are) they" will strenuously oppose such a motion as this, should it be mooted. Let me call their attention to our own —the Aratapu riding. Here we have what really ought to be two ridings joined in one, and represented by two councillors. Did I say represented ?; then I withdraw that statement and say 7 that one-f®urth of the riding is represented and three-fourths totally ignored. Let anyone who doubts my statement look at the roads around Aratapu and Aoroa, and then try and cross the Taita bridge or ride from Maropiu to Opanake. If this will not suffice to convince the most unbelieving of mortals that the southern end benefitsat the expense of the northern, then —I’ll say no more MiEditor. A petition has been going the rounds of Kai Iwi, Waikara, and the Bluff in favour of opening a licensed accommodation house at the latter place. Some twenty signatures were obtained (so I am reliably informed) to this precious document. Hep or t; saith that the name cf a highly respected Bechahite appears upon the list, A friend of mine interviewed several of those who signed this document, with the view oi ascertaining the reason for their signing, and he Some strange answers. I will give a specimen or two. ‘Well,’ said one, ‘ I did not believe in it and I don’t now, hut the canvasser persuaded me for the time.’ ‘ Couldn’t get rid of the fellow without signing,’ said number two. ‘He won't get the license I’m sure, so I saw no harm in signing,’ and ‘I signed because Mr A did,’ and so on. Worthy reasons no doubt. And yet tbose twenty well knew that if a license was granted it would be nothing but a drinking den. They knew perfectly well that the prospective landlord of that den is h—’ I’ll draw it •mild and say ‘ is not a fit and proper person to conduct a licensed house. There is some talk here of asking the Go - vermnent to appoint a Justice of the Peace in this localitv. Several persons have told lue within the past week or two, that they were forced to go to Dargaville simply to set the signature of a J. P. to some paper or document. This means a considerable loss of time, and seeing that we have at least one gentleman in onr midst who would make an excellent Justice, we intend to agitate. Great Scott ! I don’t whether ho is tne right colour, though, • , '^ wa3KS -^