HAMILTON EAST TOWNSHIP HIGHWAY DISTRICT.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 791, 12 July 1877, Page 2

HAMILTON EAST TOWNSHIP HIGHWAY DISTRICT.

PUBLIC MEETING. This was the largest at ended meeting hold for years in the above district, and ratepayers generally took an unusual interest in t,he procaedings, Mr T S Seddon occupied the chair. The accounts a< prepared, having boen audited the day previous, were submitted to the meeting and adopted, Mr Pearson remarking that the avenue of U'bbs planted, this year

through the main thoroughfare ought to hive given place to other and more necessary work, sue 1 ! a3 roads and footpaths.

This view of the case was not favorably received.

Mr Potter (late treasurer) thought it would not ba out of place before proceedfariher to draw the attention of the ratepayers to the oircumstanses iu which ths district would be placed iu consequence of the action taken by the Oounty Council. The rates for this year amounted to £79. This was supplemented by impounding and cattle fees, to near £52 ; dog tax, £14 — making a total of near £70 additional revenue to the district;. The Count/ Couucil had applied to the Gh>Ternme.it for the waste lands of the Crown now in the poisessicm of the Board. The/ had also attempted to levy a tax upon do£s of 10j each. If this was done by tho Council, they would take the poundage fees, cattle ra'.es, dog tax, &c, fro in the Board's assets, throwing upon the shoulders of the ratepayers the burden of the expenditure of the district to ba defrayed solely out o F rates upon property, which would be next year two shillings, in the pound in place of one shilling as at present ; ami in addition to this they would have the- ounty rate. The Board, he stated, hid received a circular from the Government announcing its intention of bringing forwurd a measure thin fortuco nine; session to enlarge the powers of road boards. If that measuro became law, the district need not fear but that the progress hitherto made would be continued. Without it, aud under the present county system, the rates and revenues of the district would go to support other parts of the county with whioh they had little or nothing to do in common. Mr Potter pointed to the long-agitated and neglected work, a traffic bridge at Hamilton. It was said that a bridge some dislancs from Hamilton, to connect tho Auckland and Thames Riilvay, would be erected, and that the county (Contemplated that work in their general maasures of main road road communication. It was also said that the members for the district would get a sufficient sum placed upoa the Estimates for the purpose. these, at best, were but remote contin-

• eucies — 3uch as no thinking man oould place any reliance upon. A bridge, unless connecting the townships in a central position, wou>d be of no use. A great injustice indeed would be iuflicbed upon the holders of property. The county system as at present constituted could not undertake^ to a successful issue. The only way to build a traffic bridge with any degree of certainty would be to rely upon themselves. He wou.d suggest their- obtaining a private Bill for that purpose to be passed this coming session, vesting the tunds, construction, and management in the power of chairmen of adjoining road boards or commissioners appointed for the' purpose. Sufficient fuuds could easilybe raise J in shares or in email debentures transferable. The tolls obtained at present would be sufficient in a lew years to pay the whole interest and sinking fund. With this object, he would request the incoming Board to communicate and co-optjrace with other interes:ed Boards; and he asked the meeting to sanction an nmouat — say £10 or £12 out of next year's income, as the quota of Hamilton East towards tue preliminary expenses. Tiiis was briefly opposed by Captain McPiierson, who strove to ehow that tbe Bjards were nof corporate bodies, and that a private Bill could Hot be obtained.

Mr McDenald spoke of the growing feeling there was of I jrmiog the East and WfcSt townships into one borough. He did not think that a work of such magnitude as the bridge oould be undertaken by any Board, or even by the borougli were ''one established, but that it was fairly a Govornment undertaking, as the whole "ouatry would benefit by it, but if it were necessary that it should ba undertaken by otner than the Government .the borough would be the proper body to deal with, the matter in th<* absence of a county on both sides the river. Mr McDonald also drew attention to th.9 new 'method of levying a rate, which was done by the Board independently of the ratepayers— a course which was provided by the Bating Act, and which should be brought before the Assembly fur atnendmsnt by the unanimous voice of the ratepayers throughout tuo colony.

The meeting then proceeded to the elect on of trustees for the ensuing year. .Nine gentlemen were proposed, from whom Messrs Potter, Joseph Mullion, P LeQuesne, Tippin, and Gardiner wero declared by the Chairman duly elected. Messrs S T Seddon and D V Hunt were elected auditors ; Messrs Pearson and tteid fenca-viewers. A vole 1 of thanks to the Chairman closed the meeting. The newly elected trustees met immediately after the general meeting, and elected Mr Potter Chairman and Mr Gardiner Treasurer of the Board. «