WAIKATO COUNTY RIDINGS

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 699, 7 December 1876, Page 2

WAIKATO COUNTY RIDINGS

ptoito MEiriNa kibiktriroi. A large and influential meeting of the inhabitants of Hamilton East, (Kinkirirou), called together by pi icird yesterday, met at 8 o'clock III3L mgbt in ihj 'town Hall, Hamilton East. Air (Jumining, clnirmin of the Town Board, expUinol the obj ct of tho meeting and culled on Capt Strele to niove the first resolution, as fallow* :--" Th it the ratepayers of tbi* riling are s lrprtaed to learu that only two members have been allotteJ to them, bur, fmly beliefs that it is an error which will be rectified before the election takes place." la proposing the resolution, Captain Steel o laid it was palpably a most serious error, that a district paying the maj irity of the rates and possessing the larger proportion of the population of the county should have only two rotes out of seven, Mr J X McDonald seconded the motion, nnd iai<i that though be did Hot como prepared to take part in the mooting, he would nevertheless state as a f .ct that two thirds of the rates levied in the county and two thirds of the county populat on belonged to Kiriltinroa, which included Hamilton East Township Komokorau. Carried unanimously. The second resolution was moved by Mr Potter, and was as follows:— " That taking iuto consideration that the Biding of Kirikinroa which iaoludes Hamilton East, represents about two thirds of the popula ior, rates, and ratable area of the County of Wailtato, the numbers of oandiilatesare manifestly out nf proportion and that the following Committee, the Chairmen of the two Boards, aud Captain Meele, be appointed to furuish the Resident Minister with statistics upon which we found our claim, to more equitable representation." In moving this resolution, Mr Polt-r denounced the represent it ion as unfair when examined into. The districts of Hamilton East, Kirikiriroa and Komo koru, inciu led under 'he head o( Kirikiriroa, had a population of over a thousand souls The rateable v»ilue of property was, in Kirikinro.i £135,523, in Hamilton East £13 610. Hamilton East collected in rates, annually, £77, ami Kirikiriroa 4.563 or £640 altogether, -while ihe Cambridge Highway District, and Cambridge Town Board only raised, together, £29J, and Tamihere £65, or little more than half. Yet CambringeandTamaherewereto receive 4 members to Kirikinron'stwo. Indeed, if tiie proposal made, yuaierdny,%\ the Cambridge meeting, were listened to by the Government, Cambridge would receive four members, for, practically, the Tauiahere voting power would be swallowed up in the Cambridge Hightvay Di-trict. Mr J B White seconded the resolution, which w is carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings.