MINISTERS AT ALEXANDRA.

Waikato Times, Volume XI, Issue 877, 2 February 1878, Page 2

MINISTERS AT ALEXANDRA.

It was only yesterday morning that the Premier and the Native Minister and their party made a movement into the King Country. At 10 a.m. yesterday Sir George Grey and Messrs -Dignan' and Brown went up by the canoe Afiairehia, which they joined at the Puniu river, the y reat of the party proceeding on horseback. During his stay m Alexandra on Thursday, Sir George Grey and Mr Sheehan received several deputations; The first that waited on them was from Te Awamutu, and consisted of Mr Slsane, Mr J. R. Roche, and Mr Henderson, who presented an address of welcome to Sir ' George Grey. They were courteously re- ; ceived, and, m reply to a representation j of local requirements, Mr Sloane — the Chairman of the Rangiaohia Board — was 1 authorised by the Premier to expend a sum of £50 m native labour on he const, action of the Puniu road, and promised an increase m the number of the constabulary stationed m Kihikihi. At Alexandra, the deputations interviewed the Ministers on several matters. Messrs Aubin, Lacon, Seccombe, Edgecu. ab, McMinn, and Tisdall waited on the Premier, and laid before him the present condition of the road— or rather, line for the road — between Newcastle and Alexandra. They asked that the Grovemvernment would assist the several Highway Boards interested by supplementing ! their exertions with the labor of a party of the Armed Constabulary. The Cambridge and Hamilton side of tho district, they urged, had got bridges and roads constructed ready to their hands before the Highway Boards were formed, and that the Government should new erect bridges and form the roads, so as to place them m a similar position. The Premier asked that they would put the request m writing. The question of want of accommodation m the Court House was, ateo, alluded to. It was alt .gether too small. £450, said a member of the deputation, had been voted for each of the three Court Houses at Hamilton, Alexandra, and Te Awamutu, but that at Hamilton had exceeded the cost, and left but a small margin me the others. — This matter, also, the Premier desired should be stated m writing, as it was impossible for anyone to -carry all these matters m his memory. Mr McMinn drew attention to the unjust working of the Rating Act as applied to unimproved property. The Hon. John Sheehan stated that this Act and the Counties Act would both receive considerable amendments m another session, which would make their application bear less unequally on the smaller settler. Tho question of the prohibition to re- . ' move firewood and shingles from the Mangapuri Bush, cut some time since, was < referred to by Mr Tisdall. , The Premier said that he had no more ( power to interfere m the matter than Mi* Tisdall hinwelf had. The matter rested entirely with the "Waste Lands Board, | ' with whom lie recommended those ag- I i grieved to communicate, feeling certain - they would receive justice at its hand-*. Should, however, their request not be complied with, they might then again ( commuuieate with thu Government. I < Mr Sherrett, a member of the Raglan , t County Council, asked whether the CJo. vermuant was prepared to prooeed with [ $ta R&gtaH and Walp yowl m oq»jum, <

on with tha CotunU of tho Etgla bounty. The Premier said the Government; vould parry out the work unassisted V>y ;Ke ; tJoiinty, and he hoped to see it ex* ended as far as Kawhia. •The deputation then withdrew..