The Waikato Times.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 702, 14 December 1876, Page 2

The Waikato Times.

A Mangapiko Elector very properly drew attention in our last issue to the utter absence from in. tending candidates for tho County Councils of any expression of the views they may entertain upon local and other subjects, which, as councillors for the several county boards of the district, will bo brought under their consideration. We are almost inclined to believe that this reticence on the part of candidates, not merely as to their opinions,' but even as to their intended candidature, arises as much na anything from the shorfcnesß of time which has elapsed since the ridings, and the number of the members allotted to them were proclaimed. There is, however, no time to bo lost in the matter. Saturday next is the day of nomination, and on the following Friday the elections, where more than the requisite number shall have been proposed will take place. It is not at all desirable that it should be left to chance or conjecturo as to who shall bo brought foiward, and the ratepayers generally will have themselves to thank if, on the one hand, men in whom they have no confidenco are returned withont oppoaition on Saturday, or, if, on the other hand, candidates who would command the general confidence of the electori are unnecessarily subjected to a disputed election, simply because such candidates, or their friends, did not publicly annoance their intention of coming forward. There are, too, qu gtions upon which it is imperatively necessary that intending candidates ■hould be heard before election, and primarily they shonld be required to atkte whether they go in to work the Act in its entirety, or to avail themselves of the permissive clauses of the Act. There are general questions, too, affecting the concerns of

Iho 'cvoial counties, without an opinion on which the electors of the YAiious ridings ought to semi no candidate to the Council. We neod not enter into these in detail, for they will, or ought to bo apparent to every olector who takes a citizenlike interest in the working of, perhaps, the most important constitutional measure which has been submitted yet to the country by the Legislature for its practical working out. Already, in the districts about Auckland, public meetings have been held, and electors are showing some interest in the matter, and it would be well if some of the other country districts of Waikato showed a little activity, and followed the example of Pukekura. There hare been hitches and blunders on the part of the Government in bringing these new local institutions into operation amongst as, still, that is all the more reason we should put our shoulders to the wheel, and shape them as much as possible to our own advantage. What that shape shall take can only bo arrived at by the thorough ventilation of the question, both by electors and intending candidates. We recently went to the expense of publishing the Act in full, that ourreaders might thoroughly understand and comprehend its clauses in all its intentions and bearings. We fear, however, that even now much misapprehension exists in the matter, and partly, perhaps, that the Act needs to be read in connection with the Financial Arrangement's Act, Local Elections Regulation Act, and Public Work's Acts 1876, to be thoroughly understood. There appears to be a dread lest in adopting and working the Act, too much power will be placed in the hands of County|Councils, and thatjthe Highway Boards, with their still more diffused local administration, will become absorbed in the County Councils. Now this, we take it, is altogether a mistake on the part of thosj who thus read the Act. The Highway Boards can only be absorbed into the Counties by their own act, as laid down in clause 37 of the Conn ties Act — and such functions as the County Councils will perform in the full exercise of their power are derived, not by infringing upon the powers of the local Boards but by assuming those now exercised by the General, or, lately, by the Provincial Governments. If County Councils will not accept the full powers conferred upon them by the Act, these functions will nevertheless be still performed — but not, let our readers clearly understand this, by the highway districts but by the Colonial Government. This was clearly expressed by Sir Julius Vogel in introducing the second reading of the Counties Act. Referring to the proposed permissive clauses, the 11th aad) 12th, he said : "We are asked how will you deal with those parts of the country which elect not to come undei the operation of the Act, but to remain uuder the present system of local adminiatratiou, notwithstanding that they are goograp hioally marked out as coun ties'! We shall endeavour to give them as far as possible, all the advantages they vvould otherwise enjoy. We propose to give them the £2 to .£1 subsidy, and that the license fees should be set apart for them : that the subsidy and the license fees should be subject to the payment which will be necessary for constructing main roads in the districts. If they are prepared to construct main roads, well and good; but if they fail to do so, it will be the duty of the Government to see that such main roads are constructed or maintained. It is proposed that they ! shall be entitled to their share of surplus land revenue, or rather that this should be expended for their benefit." Thus it will be seen that if the County will not do the work it will be done by the Colonial Government — if the County will not receive its subsidies and expend the money •in the performance of its functions as a County, then the Colonial Government will simply do its work for it and hand over the balance for distribution among tho Road Boards. Are our settlors prepared to accept this state of things and to prefer that the Colonial Government rather than that they themselves shall have the expenditure of their mouey, and to await with faith the handing over tho balance by the Colonial Government? We have alluded to this matter as wo know that there are those who regard with jealousy the entrusting the County Councils with power. To hesitate, however, is simply to mistrust local self-govern-ment and to imagine that the County Councils, directly responsible to the oleetorsof the several Ridings, will be less amenable to the public than the Colonial Government. Of the two, we prefer king Log to king St ork.

Messrs J & E Fisiieb call for tonders, which m ill be received until 4 p in ol Wednesday next, for clearing about 40 acres «f ti-trce.

The Mahqapiko Highway hates now due mutt bo paid before the Ist met, or, the collector giros notice, fhoy will be recovered by summary process.

Public MERTiNoPoKERism. —A mooting of tlie r»topayeri of the Puketura Hiding htn been called for Saturday morning next at 10 o'clock to discuss tho Counties Act. Tho meeting will be held in the School house Pukerima.

Waitoa Highway Dibtrigt.— Bridge onlverU and earthworks hotwecn the Pinko Acd tho confiscated boundary Are about to be execute 1 for tho above Board, nnder tho superintendence of their Engineer, Mr W. H. Olurke, and tenders for theiaiio will be nojlved by tho Board up to nocn of Saturday, the 23rd iaat.

Tub Te.ndi'ks for the erection of a Hotel at Cambridge, will be received up to the 20th lust. The plans and specifications may bo seen ut Mr Hewitt's unlil to-rky, and after* that till the ISfch inst at Mr Laybournes, Forl-slreet, Auckland.

The oifich o* Valubr, under the Rating Act, to the Newcastle District Board ii now Tacant, and applications for the same, stating qualifications and rate of remuneration required, will be rcceited by Mr L B Harris of the Delta Hotel till noon of Saturday next.

1.0 G.T.— At the usual meeting of the Onward to Vicbory Lodge, Bro. T C Hammond wat elected as Representative to tbe%ext Seaaion of the G-rand Lodge, to be held in Auckland early in January, and Bro. J L Longbottom, at Alternate.

Nisw South Wales beats the Am. England Elevjh. — Our latest Sydney telegrams pubhthed in our last issue loft the wickets drawn at 6.11 p m on baturday with the Sjdney team wanting twenty-three runs. These were made on Monday with three rena to spare and two wickets to go down.

Stolen on Tuesday night from the columns of Tuesday's Waikato Times a short account of the Waikato Cavalry Review. When last seen it was in tho same garb ai when stolen, disporting itself in tbe "local" columns of the " New Zealand Herald" of yesterday. Our contemporaries are welcome to adopt our literary bantlingi, but common honesty should teach thorn to admit the paternity.

Extensive saxs of Deanery, &c. — Mr John Knox will hold a very exteus've sale on Saturday afternoon next, at Gwynno'a Hamilton Hotel, when he will offer without reserve, as they mast bo sold, and in lots to suit purchasers, a very large con*s'gnment of milinerj ,draprry, men's and boy's clothing, hati, boots, shop Ump and fittings, &c. The sale ia a lion a fiJe one, and a Urge quantity of generally useful goods will be offered.

Mystert Cbeik Bridok. — Our attention has been drawn to the necessity for ! some alight repaira being made to the planking at the Hamilton end of thi» bridge. A portion of the woodwork is unsound, and the end of one of the planks is broken out altogether, making a dangerous trap in the dark for a horse's leg, or the wheel of a vehicle. The local highway authorities will, doubtleis, vee to the matter.

TnE Next Raglan Cattle Sals h we see, fixed for the 19th in«t , Tuesday next, and though, unfortunately, the date of holding it will clash with Mr A Buckland's opening cattle sale at Cam. bridge, there will, we trust, bo a full attendance of buyers in eaoh case. Mr T B Hill.* fale wid take place at 11 a.m. sharp, on Tuesday, so as to get through this time in the one day, as there ia a loug catalogue, both of cattle and horses, and several hundred sheep. The road, we are infoimed fa, notwithstanding the late rains, ia veiy good condition.

Hamilton West Spobts.— Wo would remind those cjncerned that the adjourned meeting to make arrangements for the Hamilton West New Year'« Sports will be held at the Hamilton Hotel, this evening. We need scarcely point out that if anything ii to be done in the matter, it need to bo done quickly. The Ohriatmas week will soon be here and very little will be able to be done then, so that the arrangeinenta need to bo set about as promptly as though the sports were held on Boxing day itself, instead of the Ist ot the New Year.

Pedigree Stock for Waikvto. — Two pure-bred shorthorn bull calves have been purchased for Waikato, at £84 eaoh, namely :— Dukoof Lancwter, red, calved 17th September, 1870, got by Duke o( Cambridge, bred by R and E Maole»D, dam Couutest of T&unton, bred by W Ji Howett, Nortoa Court, Somorsots'ilre, &c, purchased by Mr Martyn, Pencarrow, Cambridge; aad Duke of York, white, calved Ist May, 1876, got by Ninth Colonel Treguuter, bred by Mr Rowly, Si-ldington, Gloucestershire, dam Lady Eleanor, bred bj W H Hovrott, Norton Court, Someraotshire, &c, purohaied by Maclean & Co , Pen Court, Cambridge. The illustrious atr&agors arrived at Hamilton, per steamer, on Tuesday evening last, and oa landing on the East side of the river, were met, and escorted to their respective quarters at Penoarrovr and Fen Court.

Thursday Evening Services. — We would remind the Church-going puhlio of Hamilton that the seoond of the Thursday evening services will be held by the Rev W. Calder, this evening, ia Churoh. The practice of holding an evening service in the middle of the week is one which obtains in all large towns, and we are glad to see it introduced here, affording as it doei to those who have from any cause mined the enjoyment and benefit of the meant of grace afforded by the regular Sabbath services, another [ opportunity of attending divine worship. ' After the service, the usual practice of the choir will take place. It it with great pleasure we learn that both Christmas Day and New Year's Day will, in H»miU ton, be ushered ia with prayer. Midnight Watch Services will bo held in St Peter's Churoh on each occasion, and doubtless, as was the case Ust year with the New Yoar Watoh Service, will be largely attended by the more seriously disposed amongst us.

Equal and exact justice to all men, Ot whatever state or pei suasion, religious or political • # # • * Here shall the Prcn the People's right maintain, Unnwed by influence and unbribed by pain.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER!*, 1576