COUNTY AMALGAMATION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1228, 13 November 1882, Page 2

COUNTY AMALGAMATION.

]: ; ; PUBLIC MEETINaS; The meeting converted : 'ai'tjie'''County qffioea, Carterton'; "oh Saturday last by Messrs W.'H. Beetbamai\d waß attended i, by j ,• Boiiip jejfntyj or eighty :settlerßi,and\,w)iU the, j exception of a small minorityi all! present; were.Carterton - .■;* ■; ;6n the • of' Mr i "Phillips, j seconded by Mrßiothi'Mr D; WcGreger was toted to the chair/ w ••'■'■■'' *' ■ ; The Chairman, said the object of the meeting had been,miaupde'rßtbbd';'lt had boon called ;by ,Mr| and jjlmself to tnkflilho itepj n ; «?iJß;y'.'to amalgainftt'ipn-T-nijt.-.as ,pome apparently coniidoredjlto consider'; the, adyiwbijjty of it. : He read, in proof'of.lliis, a.oopy of ■ the adVertiiiement convening the meeting. If they had wanted'to take tho views of ratepayers;! iiysMl very foolishaofi'them to come to r Cafterton. 'Bowfirerj jhe did.not< intends .rule anyone present out'of order, oojjhe point he. had named, but-allow>:the'!fullest diacussion. :!f, however, the'i opponents of amalgamation carried 1 against the; prombters'frf it , 'at ,J ihe'present ; meeting,' this would; not- prevent the latter-from carrying ,(fleafi' only;." difference would be that a coffimittee would have to do the practical work 'wniett'-'ibV been called to arrange. He had formerly been under the impression that the signatures of thne<fifthßof tho ratepayers

were neeissf forfarjfring 6ut]»|»M matien, butPteiv'?(ull?|n»M|W{i?M 1 f others, as Well asf% come to thesonolußioflJthaMhe.um mint be effected ActvofjiPi which only required the lignaturesor one-third of the ratepayers, He did not .thjnkjhere .would be any difficulty in Betting the require.! immher of signature!!!: If they obtained them, the matter would •then-rent, -with.,, their, opponents, who could overthrow the "object they had in view by a counter-petition signed by.ohe-, third of the ratepayers. Taking a' broad' view of the question, there could not be much doubt that amalgamation oughHto! be carried. A j«eotipn,of the community -Bflid it was impbstfbli to carry it,Jbut;he dissented from thai opinion; \ He; beheyedj union would be benefiolal (Mr Boys: No). -It was generally admitted by experlsilwho had studied.thq lationof'the colony that ftew.ZeaJand was. 1 over-governed. ,Confhotins( ihiereits'aroie ,ftom so many'l(tcali bodies the] I same work. They. ! could, by,. union, diminish this evil in the Wairarapa. The Highway Boards were sufficiently numerous to undertake - the 1 ' ;practioal administration of roads (Applause). County work 'was < limited; County East had/'.not a single road on hand, and County West had but one (a voice: They ; have no money). He' believed- a 'north'and south division would place the district in a worse position, than before... He failed.to see what the southern ;part ; of the district would : fain : by separation,Practically it would, if out away from the north, be nothing. A gentleman told him the other day to lot the south have a county, and in one year, they Would be sick of it (A voioa :> Was Jt.Mr Bectham 1) It was not Mr Beetham who said so .(Mr Vile, sen.: The West County is'hot'£2ooo itf Vdabt -.like; ;.thjo Eaßt one). The Act provided for liabilities. ; JuitheJ event of .union the debts I of/ the two counties would b'o the debt of the '.amalgamated 1 county !(Derisive. -laughter); Ho repeated 1 the assurance he; had given that he would not rule anyone present out of order who might desire tivexpross his views.' (Mr A. Bennett: , You only, call a few of the upper ten, together—, the working men have nothing to doMhi 41." , . . ,-:; , !,■ Mr Phillips said he expected to see Mr W. H. Beetham there. ,(TheChairman; .Ha will bo here.) In his absence he would) move that petitions in (favor; of amalgamation be circulated in the district by the different Councillors of the County and the Wardens of the E6ad;BoaroVto> enable the' neceiiiry"" signatures to J»eobtained. The present' ineeti'ng s <VW called.for. the purpose of devisingthe best means of obtaining!amalgamation,;and he thought they hud better keep to this' business. He would state the stops'that. ;were necessary. Mr Armond Bennett: Who is to, payj the.piper 1 MThe Chairman! The piper will bepaid, by private ratepayers.' ■■!;.,■ JfrArmondßennett: I 1 would like to< know what are meant by'''private rate;! payers. '"'"'v. 1 ■'," ':". ■■''•'] The Chairman: Your pocket won't be touched. ~'.■■ : '.'<' ; . :: '. :

> Mr Armond Bennett'proceeded to put further'questions and was called to order by, the Chairman; ■, > •v " ; Mr, Phillips proceeded, to explain ,the "modus operandi'' by which amalgamstion could be obtained. He had, drafted a petition and prepared a plan of Ridings, for the amalgamated County., The latter contained the following Ridings eaoh of which would return one Councillor : 1 Awhea, 2 Otarnia and Kahutara, 8 Fea- ! thewtea, Greyiown anl Western Lake, i Carterton and Taratahi, ;5: Masterion, 6 Alfredton, 1 Wairiili'dru, 8 Cantlepoint, ind 9 Tiraumea, He hoped his Carterton friends would join him iasignihg ! thd petition, (Loud laughter,) Ho calculated " that.., by October next the .two 1 Counties would be united. (A'voice,' Kahore I) In treating of thoneoessity of amalgamation ha at once dismissed the settlers of Masterton, Cartertonj Greytown and Featherston from any serious consideration because they were already supplied with another form of local selfgovernment. The country settlers, howv efer, were without it, and he declared that ho had grave disputes with his own neighbors over fending and draining for; want ot proper local government. He had also disputes with his neighbors in the matter : Of, dogs. (Laughter.) They, wanted local government for rabbits. (A voice: Will amalgamation settle all this']) Amalgamation would be the' first step towards settling all this. He then gave at some length a theory as to the respeo; live claims of area and population. Ho next referred to the barbarous mistake of sweeping away Provincial Institutions. He reminded Carterton residents that if they had a southern County the County meetings wmild probably be held at, Greytbwn, Featherston, or Waihenga. They did not want two County townsin the Wairarapa. He expressed his opinion that Carterton should be the County town of the Uuited County. (Hear, hear, and laughter.) In. his district people were determined not td';go to Maiterton.' (A voice: So are we.) This question might.be left till the Count; Council was elected. (No I) In drafting the.; Ridings he had been careful to arrange that the southern ones should bo strongly represented. (Laughter.),,Be objected to the spirit'shown by the Masterton people, and he instanced the recent horticultural show held at Carterton as an example of it. Mr W. H, Beetham seconded the resolution.. ~...,,,. Mr Booth rose amid loudapplauseto propose' an amendment as follows ■!r- ---" That this meeting is of the opinion that a re-arrangement of boundaries will better meet the views of settlers than amalgamation." He had had U the pait so painful'an experience of oonflioti that be had viewed with apprehension' the starting of this infernal (a whistle) question! of amalgamation, He was glad the Chairman permitted them to disoosi the matter freely. He held that the decision of the different local bodies in favor of amalgamation was an uninstrocted onej and believed they would :'y"et admit that in forming their opinion they were unaware of the grave changes which had been brought about, 'by the new local government Bills.' The Wept County, for example;-deoided the question before its members had/time to read through tljeßilb in question.. He was quite willing to go through the length and breadth of the County, and hold meet, ings of settles on the question, (Applause.) Mr. Phillips need' not expect them to alter their opinion by'his offer of the County town to Carterton. (Laughter,) Whatever. Mr Phillips' views were "with, regard to Carterton, they Vere the views' of Mr Phillips and no one else.' He'did : hot think any pledge could now be given respecting the County town",'or that this point could fitly be determined at the present lime, He referred'to the indecision,; delay, and, wouldarise out' of the' proposed changes! 'They were everlastingly'cbabgibg in 'this.'dis;- . trijit, and not giving things,time to grow. It|Waß_Bttough to make', those who bad beet)') giving ,time and attention to' the Affairs of the; district tlirow up tho whole thing. Practically; the .proposals meant changing their base and beginning all over agnjn. (Hear I Hear!) He thought Mr Phillips was wrong in stating that amalgamation oould not bo effected before Oqtober, as the clauses on which he baaed the. assertion had been repealed. Still there would be a serious and disastrous delay. For some reasons he might prefer , i large County, but not for the extraordi* '

'|a\y mioh oentionad by Mr Phillips; ; lt must be a matter of great pain to Mr iPhjllipß to live on suchbad terms wilt big neighbors (laaghter). but he ventured that this difficulty was not one whioh sottlera generally experienced, day wbb none by for them to oxeioise powers analogousto those formerly poBBekied'by'PrbvinciaT'Oolifl that amalgamationiwould.not be advis,-. , , able for the 'next-five or fan"'yews,, and) 7 that if 'tney-resorted to it* Ihey.wonldtonljr - ~ be dlscojinting igainst themselves the adYftnfageiob'tainaDle from'the new local gorernment Bills. Many settlers present f' ha*d a the i <« of getting things done from Mastorton in ' ; th« Witter 1 of NbiiitWard, difficulty-would recur if the. south" of the district Was lown. He quoted the opinion ovfKJHHp Matthew' Holmes, that the great delect ot theitCountiei wag thatthey/poveredso,. \A larga'ari'iareai Utider the'newißills Iher^'' iwjti/afaiple jjork for. two Co,uniies. The., y Bating-Act-gave .'them a; subsidy frpnV;- ■ /J ' i drown and Native Lands, His Donald thought there was no danger of the Forty-mileßush 1 roa'd being madaa charge oh county 'rates. He (the BpeakerJ'was satisfied that the danger not only. ? x ' ale( ! ; ■.,,-■, but As "soon'as : the'' lc! '-''•' three bridges now in course of construction V. were completed the' maintenance •of the; road would fall on the county, The days for large,or.small, yples for roadd and bridges .wew">numbered.; i material to thera'in'tlie pa«t.would4n,they be discontinued, He believed that a'North' and South' County would be the beat arrangement, and he held that it vki- .'.'. .'// right have |to be tamed ,out |of [rates. It was all'very well for gehttemeni to! say if takes .place your rates will 'be s'pent'iti yo)lr own djatript;;. >He :khW fj jfy by experience how eaßy it was"to drift ' ■ money away from one part of a to. A ,-. another. In No 5 Ward, across the'riyer,; t { * v a-atxmof no less than>|f}Oo ; -had. been so ■; ,"' _ diverted, and had it not been for the '''' , '- ! *' generosity whioh conpeded the just cjaiw;';;•,', whichhad been made ; themoneyVpuia ;''''* 1l ' 1 not have come back for-'..years,, Tfiei'S, , was a poiißtant tendency for money to go ,M| '" A - v from'one part of/ tbo diatjriot tpjanptbor. He was.. not, going to, advocate narrow, selfish views, but at the same time 1)8 ' ! might say that .Carterton, with its .large population had a claim to be'heard; ~ ;(Hear ! t Hqai;l) .It had never separated ijselflfronntjie county, still he did not wish to make the question a Carterton one.."Helexplained.that under.the.new, Actfthe South County would only hive fini 5s in the p'duridforpublioworks, and ~ that with the Id's they would obtain from the/Treasnry they could provide,full era?, ~-,. pipymentfora staff of officers, , He' f beV"u J lieved that' for (he next ten years a county , rate would be unnecessary as the county L could give debentures fpr,its. five shillings,. in the £. He argued that ii was on Vbr • N aclosaland minute supervision thatfull.a|- v , .. vantage could be taken of c I nient'fiilli. ,He j -*j gaW.in'local administrationi butJt' jvajj '"Vw'i li jui'tibflcanbahe : thu'uglit'thatno"eaoqoqiy,-/ 1 couidbeseoujred by amalgamation; ..'that''<•!:•,> : ;ii hp opposed it.. In thei'South;'the'Court-.?■■;-: j,,,, tics and' the' Highway' Boards together ,/.-,;!;•,! would, furnish, ample work for a'staff-'j'" itf which, was|npt available' forthem at''the ii;f preseqt, time;.. .He 'hoped' tha't the "pro-"'- ; J>"» moters of amalgamation, l ' M/ '''''' ! ' : an opinion, expressed agrtirjßt,it,'' would' : ' abandon the movement, ;Hehad,nppigijt', , | "",' tn'say ■.,*' place, but he wonldisay that as far a5',itj,.,',.,..,./ could be prevented it should be (hear j bear I'!)' The difficulties which surrounded tho proposal placed its fate in their hands/ If qe'ithoujjbt, it'wbuld'be darried'"»"v •" he would shy no- more; but he felt certain I '/V that the attempt would be a failure. Mr Braitliw'aiie' seconded' the amend- ~. inent niovpd by Mr Booth, -.Mf'fioji said he' would move; another amendment., He did not intend-like Mr ■•>-■'-•• ■■. Phillips to' nfake-a political speech,)' Tlief present was a local rather tbaW i 1 WairiU rapa /; meeting,, aliHougli | ths[ Carterton people did'not convene, it, He resetted bat thi district had not power to Ugißute pnauch questions as dogs, drainage, ~ ind rabbits, leavingtho central'legislature ~, free for discussing affairs of a more,'•' national' character. He : refuted':', the..''' ' J jharge brbuijht.'by Mr Phillips ,'against " Maaterton in the matter of the' lower ihow, and deprecated such a matter bein'g' | illowed to influence tho important ques- 'I ;ion they were disoussing. He .'did.'tiof,' ~ lolieve that their proceedings that p\iy',■,''" vould prevent the promoters, nation getting a petition^signed, and he,;.,Hi ivas of the opinion that when the question iraß put before ratepayers they would :dolido in favor of a North and South County hear j .heat 11) ,He would. mpVe that he only way to test publio" opiniotfwas >y Councillors calline public meetings in ho different parts of the diitriot, 'Meet* ngs to be held within, one month'after even in the evening, and .seven clear lays notice to be given of such meetings. Mr Thomas Moore seconded the.motion 1 Mrßoys.-. -■ • ■ :'■ ; _. : 'i_ _

Mr ,H. Bunny, who ; was received with applause, called attention to tbeunßuitable;/ hour, half ten, at'which the 'meeting*'!.'!'.) was convened (a voice:' It'sa woman '• hour.) He was glad that public attention I.'was 1 .'was called in the direction of, local self-govern, raent. He spoke as one who had opposed the abolition of Provinoialism.as it lead to the state of chaos aud ( confusion which was now so apparent. .The.question before them 'nor was not one of.: Mr Philip's dog's(A laugh), or -the Horticultural Show. It was a question .whioh would have to,be legislated : upon ' by the colony ; as a' wliole, : andi he hoped that it would be dealt with on a large basis... He. had. not altered'the. opinion infayor pf.;. <( - large oburiliet, which'ho had formerly " expressed in the House of Kipresentatives and hewould like' to eee thtv> Wairarapa one county. He' believed its' business would Ve conducted more efficiently by one'oouhty thanby.two, (hear! heap/I!) With a large county potty.paltry, pergonal .views would not exist. <He waßsurptiiied that the' representatives of the district; the men who; ought to guide : thera on inch a question'wero'nfit'inalteHdarjce.. j'.i 'Mr'Pnillipsf They have attended ' -Mrßunny: You,had,better not interrupt 'foe- becaneo I ; am going to relieve ! yoii jrif the attack made upon;yo'u byj Mr Booth (a laugh). 1 ■' iYoa and Mr 3ooih are like Kilkenny oatsi and if i yp'n werejibut iup in 'triii|rootn rpgether,there would not he a tail left between yon. (loud jaughter). He would aik," had r there been "a iingpj' publio meeting called prior to' the presoM'ri one at which he, as a' ratepayer','!'ooufeij^'- : ■ express his new*.?, In Mb opinion tHtflL. legislation .of last.'sessipn referred to bJHji Mr Booth would itrengtheii the hands' oWW dne county.: ;Thj : bigger' the, county the '% ... > better the work.wouid i be^one,a'nd''Hio ; ■>■ ' bettertbe men who did ft, Mr Ei)i;>lhd 1 s(r8. oated changes, but be could assure him that changes had not ended yet and would not end till the people were satisfied. Were not the four qr five bills passed last session a change 1 Should they, remain stationary? Let them work togethe|;for - the common giod of/all (App!afiip},S v. JM Mr Seth Hart>;d-,he wbb prepared \ 1 to support one County.;. Reasoning and \ explanationi.were'dde thing, aridprtfctital experfenoa was aonieiimes anothor,-' They in i&ittertQuhad ijelped, thernselres in the • past, contending wjih a}l the' difficulties I of a new country, Tbey,ha,d got on well " because they had: t put ,their hands into their ; own .pockets., Let others, tjjen, wprk tbeir,way,/up,;as u tKej. had ! dorie> Referring to the Prorinfaal period, he described it as unprofitable, bat be ad- . i mitted that during the last year or two of /