CARTERTON BOROUGH.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 106, 12 March 1879, Page 2

CARTERTON BOROUGH.

A meeting of householders resident ■within the boundaries of the district proposed to be proclaimed a Borough, was held in the Public Hall last night, about one hundred to a hundred and twenty in-

dividuals being present during the two and a-half hours tho discussion occupied. Mr R, Fairbrother having been voted to

the chair, read the advertisement convening the mooting, which, he stated had been' summoned with a view of dividing tho proposed Borough into Wards, one of the parties who had taken the petition round for signature havingobtainedcertain signatures on a promise that such a meeting should be called. Mr W. Hammond stated that he had taken the petition for the creation of the Borough round the district, and had obtained certain signatures on a promise that the meeting which was being held there to-night should be convened, Being undecided on the power of the houso-

lolders within the district to settle the

question of Ward boundaries, lie had telegraphed to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary on the matter, and had received the Mowing reply by telegraph : " Governor may proclaim any district a Borough under Section 17 of ' The Municipal Corporations Act, 1876," but the district cannot be divided into Wards until after proclamation ; petition must then be sent in signed by one-fourth of the burgesses under Section 21 of the Act." The speaker thought this settled the object for which the meeting had been called, but drew the attention of those present to the clause in the Act directing where a stream or road was the boundary, it should be specified whether such road or stream was to be included within the boundaries of the Borough or excluded therefrom.

Mr R. Armstrong thought this meeting was premature. The vote at the last meeting was against the formation of the Borough, but ho understood that since a petition had been sent round, and that it would be a good thing if the question of having the Borough or not was now fully discussed. The Chairman rose to order. The question before the meeting was the settlement of Ward boundaries. A petition had been sent round and 110 signatures obtained, The Act therefore had been complied with. Ho thought it was a waste of time to re-open the question of having a Borough or not, as that had been fully discussed on various occasions, and the signatures obtained to the peti tion settled the question. Mr R. Armstrong disagreed with tho Chairman, He thought they should go fully into the question-straight for it; There might be those present who would have much to say on both sides of tho question. Ho advocated discussion. Mr W. Booth, jun., having stated that the work proposed to be done could not be effected, as the Act expressly declared that Wards could only be created on the signature of a petition by burgesses, and as the Borough was not proclaimed no one came within the designation. He sug-

gested that the meeting resolve itself into one to consider whether the petition, as signed, should or should not be presented to the Governor, when he might have a few words to address to those present.

It was moved by Mr A. Armstrong and seconded by Mr 11 Armstrong " That this meeting stand adjourned until further notice." Mr Walter Francis stated that he had signed the petition on the distinct promise that the district should be at once divided into Wards. He would not have signed otherwise, as with the Borough once in force the whole power would ■ lie in the township, and they could effectually rule the extremities. They had an example of this in Masterton. But little work was required at his end of the proposed Borough, and he did not see why he should be called on to pay as high a rate as those in the centre of the town, where he believed the main work would be effected. He thought if the petition were again sent round for signature with the knowledge that the district could not bo divided into Wards till after the Borough was proclaimed, many of those who had signed it would now refuse to do so.

Mr Join; Smith (T.iratahi) stated ho had signed the petition on a similar promise as that given to Mr Francis, otherwise lie would not have done so. Mr Hammond said ho had made the promise, or one to the samo effect, it having been given to him when he under-, took to take the petition round. The Chairman denied having made such a promise, as he stated ho had no power to do so. He merely stated that it was, he believed, the general impression that Wards could be created. He had heard no word against it, and taking silence for consent, he believed such was the feeling of the people, Mr Booth believed that the town just

as well as those outside only wanted what was fair, and that Mr Francis might rest assured if tlio Borough were proclaimed it would be divided into Wards. If this question were put aside he would ask the meeting to consider whether or not the petition, as signed, should bo forwarded to the Governor,

Mr Armstrong's motion was then pi

and carried.

Mr W. Booth, jun., then moved, and MrR. R. Armstrong seconded "That this meeting do now consider whether the petition as signed be forwarded to the Governor ; and that Mr Fairbrother preside as Chairman of the meeting."

The resolution was carried unanimous]

Mr W, Booth considered that this Borough question was one of the greatest importance to them. It was known to all that on a former occasion he had opposed the petition because, as ultimately turned out to be the case, there was not within the proposed boundaries a sufficient number of householders to comply with the requirements of " The Municipal Corporations Act," He had now signed the petition, not that lie was in favor of it any more than he had been before, _ but because he wished'to see the 'question definitely settled one wiiy or the other, a 8 he thought it was anything but beneficial to the district that it should be constantly unsettled by it, He did not attend the last meeting on the subject because from.

what lie liacl heard previously he thought; it would have been settled adversely to tlvo petition, He found however it. had not. If the people wish to have the Borough, by all means let them have it and put the matter at rest, but it was no good some of tliein pulling one way and then some the other. If the majority wore in favor of the Borough let it go. In all public matters in the district he had always acted on what he really thought, independently of my own private interests, and have always said what he I thought. Whatsolid advantages will you gain 'I Tho publican's licenses, now three probably 1 directly four in number, and the auctioneer's licenses—in all about £2OO You may, too, get a few shillings more by imposing a tax on dogs, and watching every hawker and strolling player that comes into the place and taxing them during their stay. We'll get a big namo! Any one can have a Local Board, but it is only such a community as wo have hero can get a Borough, Any boy of thirteen may sport a tail and bell-topper, but I do not think it adds to his dignity or increases the respect of others for him. So it is with communities. They require age strength, and vitality before they can aspire to any great dignity. Let us rejoice in ouv present progress and have faith in the future ; but while others take a grand name let us wisely wait until we have the strength and vitality to ' assume it. Some tniuk it is advantageous to have tho Borough, and if I thought so, I think I wonld do my best to get it. If

you- all wanted to sell, well and good. Get all the pomp and grandeur you can, and let those you are succeeded by find the level. But I don't think you want to sell out. I know no part of the country where there is a more settled or I believe contented body of settlers. And, if so, you don't want :v fictitious value placed on your properties. Under the Li.nd Board Ordinance you can get all you could if you were proclaimed a Borough. The Tara-talii-Cavterton Highway Board district is

io self-contained that the interests of the

township are immediately bound up with that of the country districts; more so, I believe, than any other part of the Comity. You cannot separate without the one injuring the other. It may at a future time be desirable to have a Borough,' but I would advise that we wait until at least a twelve-month after the railway has been opened to Masterton, and then we shall be better able to judge the question. The traffic at present on the road, lam convinced creates trade, and I am satisfied that after the opening of tho railway

through some pretentious places will become but little country towns for a long while to come. The foolish egotism of the editor of the Wairarapa Standard has,

I believe, been as detrimental to Grcytown as the childish egotism of Sir George Grey has been to the colony at large. If you have a borough as I said, you may soon get your paths clean; but I would rather let the grass grow until our children's feet create traffic enough to wear it down. Money thus spont is one for ever. I would rather keep it since it

should be spent for, works conducive to health, or that are re-productive in them-

selves. The present system of local Government is cheap, but under the borough system there are expenses you must incur, however cheaply you may desire to work it. A man may have a four-roomed house,

and his wife says if she has one with (10) ten rooms she will bo quite contented; but 110 sooner does she get it than she finds the furniture is nqt suitable for the new establishment; the carpets won't fit;

and the .place must be re-furnished—and so to tho expenso of erecting the new house you have to add re-furnishinj. So it will be if tho Municipal Corporations

Act is brought into operation bore—every ' tiling will have to bo in proportion to the change made. You may set an additional income of, perhaps, throo or four times ivhat you now have, but the cost of the maintenance of the main road within your boundary will leave you in no better position than you are now. How are the outside boundaries of the district—say a mile or a mile-and-a-half away—to be opened up if you cut off the main sources of revenue I You will put tho district twenty or thirty years bajk if you adopt the Act now. Go share and share alike! push your roads through the back districts, and the country and town will alike find the benefit, Carterton is noiv the county town, and from its position in the county, I believe, rightly so; but if you cut yourself off from the county you can not expect still to hold the prestige you now do. There may be no great advantage in having the county town here directly; but indirectly it is a great advantage. Much has been said that by creating oulselves a borough we escape being subject to any rate the county may levy; but I do not believe the Council have any intention to levy a rate, and oven if they do, if they give us fair value for our money, why should we shirk it ! I rather think we show a selfish and narrow-minded spirit in trying to avoid it. The Council are now proceeding with the erection of a bridge over tho Ruanahunga River at Hurunuiorangii This will be of great advantage to us, not only as immediately connecting jus with Gladstone and the Tupurupuru district, but also much land in the rear, which has hitherto had little or no outlet. The Council can do great things for us; and I think it would show anything but a large mind on our part to shut ourselves out from the County merely because we may be called upon at some time or another to contribute a rate of 2d. or 3d. in the pound to the County Fund.

Mr R. Fairbrother having expresaccl a desire to speak to tlio question, it ivaa moved by Mr R. Armstrong, seconded by Mr 11. Dixon, sen., and curried:—That Mr W. Parker take the chair, Mr Parker having assumed the presidency, Mr Fairbrother stated that whatevor might be

the general feeling right or wrong, he believed tho creation of the Borough would materially benefit this district. Mr Booth thought the creation of the Borough would merely be robbing Peter to pay Paul, The money at present spent by the Council or Highway Board on the main road would, if tho Borough were in force be spent by them. Mr Hammond had heard a lot about if a rate were levied by the Council the money would not be taken from the place, and so on. But he believed it would. If there were no Borough the County could levy rate. It is said the Council would not, but he would not trust thorn, they had power to abolish road Boards (Booth—the Council have no such power) if they can't they can rate, and if they want money I don't blaino them if they do, but I blame 'ourselves if we can get ■out of the tax and don't. Mr Kiddie I think you and Sayera had a good deal to do with it, you bailed up every man round a public house,, and every " Samdy" you got bold of whether he knew English or not. Mr Hammond I only got two Sc'andys and they spoke as good English as I did, Mr Booth moved, Mr J. Fitzgerald seconded" That the petition as signed praying that land within the specified boundaries be created a Borough be withdrawn,'" .

. Mr A. Armstrong considered that this meeting might deem from what had been said that if Borough were created the rate might bo raised to something enonnouß, this was not bo. The rate would be lowered according to the valuation fixed by the Borough valuer, and would not oxceed Is in the £. The valuation would, of course, bo high or low, aa the valuer received instructions from the Borough Council. Mr Booth had referred to the main road. What had the Highway Board done ? Nothing ! could the road be worse than it had been during tho last 12 months —(voice in the Hall; " Aye boy, during the last 2 years and more.") Mr Bunny when on his tour through tho district with Mr Beetham had stated that it las the intention of the Government duAg the ensuing session of Parliamentjlto bring down a bill to endow municipalities and had urged the people of make themselves into a borough, If tft borough were created they would get™ . Bhare of the plunder, if not they would Se ' left out in the cold and get nothing. No ring in the centre of the town could prevent the creation of wards, as there would always be a foytth of the burgesses at either extremity who could sign a petition and press the matter. ' Mr Armstrong then moved, and Mr R. Fairbrother seconded, " That the petition as signed bo forwarded to the Governor." Mr R. Fairbrother stated ho did not believe in heavy taxation, and such would not be required if the Borough were pro- ■ claimed. Since the Local Board had been., in existence no alteration had been made

in the valuation, and lie did not believe any increase would be made if the Borough wero to come into existonce. A sort of promiscuous discussion, mostly

foreign to the main question then ensued, producing a great deal of amusement to those present, but of 110 material importance, when Mr A. Campbell threw a regular bombshell into the midst of the meeting, as follows Mr Chairman, Gentlemen—The petition, we are told, has been signed by 110 householders. • The requirements of the Act have been complied with, and it is an utter farce our attempting to pass any re-

solution such as has been proposed, unless those who have signed the petition will sign another revoking it. This knocked the meeting on tho head, cheers arose for tho old veteran, and everyone jumped up to go, but someono created a diversion from the general exit, and ultimately, amongst any amount of Kentish fire, the original motion was carried by 27 to 17.

After this the candles were put out by he energetic custodian of the lmll.