The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1883. AN ABSENT COUNCILLOR.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1535, 15 November 1883, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1883. AN ABSENT COUNCILLOR.

We have hoard;that sorao settlers lit the Alfredton Riding are dissatisfied that during the absence of Mr George Beetham they should have no direct representative in the County Council, There is obviously .some, ground for such a complaint boiug made, but wo foav that it is too late now to adopt a remedy for it, We believe it was Mr George Beetham's intention, prior to his departure to Europe to lodge his resignation as a member of the County East Council, but he was engaged in Parliamentary duties up to the last moment, and ho probably had not time prior to his departure to ascertain and act upon the wishes of the settlers who returned him. Besides this, three conseoutivc nbscn.ces from the County meetings would be equivalent to a retirement, and the seat might have been filled without any formal resignation on his part. The Council however, decided to give him leave of absence, and this leave does not expire till February next when the absent Councillor will probably be on his way back to New Zealand, The view taken by the Council was, we understand, that it was desirable that one of their number should have a seat in the House of Representatives, and that for this reason it was better for Mr George Beetham to retain his seat in the Council. This practically means that the major interests of the County as a whole outweigh the minor considerations of the Alfredton section of it. The County is to be benefited at the expense of Alfredton Riding. The only thing the settlers interested in the public works of this riding can do is to present their requirements through Mr McOaiiDLE who is the second string to their bow, and expect the Council to entertain them with the utmost favor on tho ground that they have made a sacrifice or possibly been made a sacrifice to the general interests of the Council by boiug represented by an absent member.