The Waikato Times. UNKNOWN SATUDAY, JULY 27, 1872.

Waikato Times, Volume I, Issue 38, 27 July 1872, Page 2

The Waikato Times. UNKNOWN SATUDAY, JULY 27, 1872.

The annual meeting of the 'J'own of Ngaruawahia District Boai'd was held in the Delta Hotel, on the 2oth instant. After some little, persuasion Mr W-. Biitcher was Induced to act the part of chairman. Mr (J. Innes, the ehainuan of the retiring Board read a statement of accounts :— " The following amounts have been received during the past year, viz., by balance from, previous year, 23/ 9s 9d ; to rates collected, 'ill 4s 5d ; received from General (iovcrnment, 161 ; renfc for ferry, 30/ ; lessee's deposit. o/ ; unJer dog and impounding acts, 81 193 ; total receipts, 11.4/ I.'is 2d. The following payments have been made, viz., 08/ 125.1 d for road works ; repairs to ferry and stock-yards, GI 7s-; purchase of punt-house 8/; commission for collecting rates, 1/ 12s (»d ; miscellaneous, 1 ~)l 93 lid total,. LOO/ Is Gd, leaving a . balance of 14/ 1-1 .s Bd, which, with the sum of 18/ 1 'is received from the (General Ooverument since .'.Oth June, makes the total balance on h.md of ;{;{/ 4s Bd, against which. there are claim ß upon the Board for printing, work performed, &c., to about 18/ 3s Bd. Mr GiH'ney moved, and Mr. Newell seconded that the report be adopted. Carried. Mr Newell moved that the conditions oil which the punt was let be read. There was no seconder to the motion, it was therefore-not put to the meeting. Mr Newell moved that a rate be struck of. Id in, the pound on the Government upset price of land. Mr Innes moved an, amendment " That a rate be struck of Id in the pound on the value to sell." Mr Fit/Patrick seconded. The •amendment was put to the meeting and carried. Ten were nominated and seconded for election as Trustees for the current year. On a ballot being tiken the following were declared elected —Messrs. Oil m.o re, Kansome, Fifczpatrick, Thomas, and Innes. Messrs. Hughes and dairies acted as Scrutineers. A vote of tbanks- to the chairman terminated the proceedings.. At a meeting of the new Board held subsequently Mr 0. Innes was elected chairman.

■The. annual' meeting of. the ratepayers of the Pukekura. Highway district was convened, by advertisement; to be held at Moanavale 011 Tuesday the 23rd inst..at 2 Shortly after that hour, ten individuals having put in an appearance, Mr. John Fisher was elected to the- chair. The chairman having read the Bth, 9th and 10th clauses of the " J lighways Act,'' B. Walker and It.. jM. Buttle being considered ratepayers, as, although they are occupiers of land in the district, their names do. not appear on the rate roll for the past year. Some discussion having ensued, it was ruled that there- was not a quorum present, as required by the act. The meetings was consequently adjourned until Tuesday the 30th inst. at

lipm. Thu annual mooting of ratepayers of the Kitikirirna flisferict was lield on Tuesday, 23rd instant, in.thu .Royal Hotel, at 2 p.m. Atone time it seemed doubtful v bother any business would be done.- in consequence of a general refusal to occupy the-chair. Mr Tees,, at last, agreed to-immolate himself for the public good, and took the chair amidst great.demonstrations of applause, intended, 110 doubt, as competaation for his self-abnegation: Mr Johnstone, lion, secretary to the late Board,, read, the report and balance-sheet, showing the income, to be. balance from, last year, ICS/ 9s 7d ; rates collected, 10S' lis fid ; from Colonial (Government, 2)'U Is 4d ; total, -J 79/ 17s-3d ; expenditure for forming roads, 145/9s 31 ; metalling .*vnd channelling, 78/2s 5d ; bridges and culverts, 219/ ()s 3d ; otlier works, 4(3/ Us lid; commission for collecting rates, 11 l(js 3d; printing and advertising, 3/ Ss 2d ; total, 494/ 6s 3d leaving a balance against the incoming Hoard of 141 Ss lOd. To meet this there'were arrears of rates of I7(i/3s6d. Mr J. Davis proposed the adoption of the report and balance-sheet. Mr Seddon, as one of the auditors, passed a high encomium-on Mr Johnstone, hon. secretary and treasurer, for the exact manner in which the' books had 1 been kept. Considerable discussion took place ou the various roads laid out on the map, and leading north. Some were of opinion that the cash spent on the tramway road was so much money thrown away others, that it was a good one. Mr Seddon was of opinion that the late Board had lost a good opportunity of having thp merits of the various roads decided when Mr Heale was up here. Captain Steele was not aware that any one had been sent up, and had had' no oflicial intimation.as chairman of the late Board of Mr l-leale's arrival, considered that the Covernment in courtesy, ought to have let-them know. Mr Johnstone was of the same opinion, and felt the Board, were slighted in the matter. Captain McPherson defended his action in the matter while in Wellington as member for Waikato. The discussion on the merits of the various roads waxed warm till.nothing but cries of "order, and chair" could be heard. When oiiler had' been- restored, Captain Cumming seconded the adoption of the report which was carried ncm. c<m. A long discussion ensued on the best me+horl of rating to be adopted, numbers being of opinion that the rate, had better not be struck at present, but wait till the alteration of the. Act, which was bound to take place; otherwise settlers had better leave the country to land-sharks and speculators who had got the Act passed during last Session. But it was at last agreed, on the motion of Mr I). S. Seddon, seconded by Mr S. Woolley, that the rate be twopence per acre., ab-amend-ment proposed by Mr John Wood, seconded by Mr Size, that the rate be one penny per acre, was withdrawn, and the original motion carried unanimously. Messrs. L Qaesne and McDonald were appointed scrutineers. The ratepayers then proceeded: to ballot for trustees. This occupied a considerable time 011 account of an objection raised to Mr John Wood exercising Dr. Pierce's vote, in that he did not pay the rates to the collector appointed by the Board VuG to the treasurer. After a considerable deal of uproar and argument pro. and con. the votes were allowed-- The following were elected : Messrs. Woolley, Seddon, Johnstone, Primrose, and Wood. Captain Gumming and Mr Farrell were appointed-, auditors. A vote of thanks to the Chairman, whose duties were no sinecure, brought the meeting to a close.. The Trustees held a meeting and elected 1 Mr Primrose, chairman ; Mr Seddon, treasurer, and. Mr Johnstone, secretary.

An accident occurred at Tamaliere on the 23rd inst, between 3 and 4 p.m., by which a man. uamed Robert Stewart was brought to an untimely eud. It appears that he and his mate, William Smith, were attempting to roll a log into a pit. The skidds were slippery in consequence of the rain which had fallen. They had succeeded in getting it up & considerable distance, when it suddenly slipped and fell across Stewart's chest. Death was almost instantaneous. We regret to say that the deceased leaves a wife and child unprotected.

We call, the attention of settlers to an advertisement in another column annonncing that Mr. John Knox will sell a large quantity of fruit and forest trees in the Hamilton. Hall, on the Ist August. As this will be the last sale of the a; son. 8 settlers would be wise to avail themselves of thi oppertunity.

We have seen a sample of the flour ground in the new mill at Hamilton. It is quite e jual to any produced iti the Auckland mills. We are glad to learn that the Bliares are quoted 5s premium. The addition to the ranks of the Auckland members; in the persons of Messrs Sheeban and Jackson is looked upon as a decided acquisition to the practical usefulness of the Lower- House. People were, astonished here that Major Jackson, of whom they had heard, so much) did not wear an imposing martial appearance: " What !" I heard a Southern member, say. — "that fellow Major Jackson, the Forest Hanger? He. looks more like a farmer !" —Star.