WHATA WHATA.

Waikato Times, Volume XII, Issue 970, 10 September 1878, Page 3

WHATA WHATA.

Thg action taken by the Board of Trustees m our Newcastle district m calling the ratepayers together, to elect a trustee m place of Mr Hodger resigned, is one which will be commended by every ratepayer, the move especially as the Board have, I believe, the power to fill up a vacancy withoutconsul ting anyone. It now remains for the settlers of the Whatawhata district, of whom the late trustee: was one, to roll up at the meeting referred to, and pat another - Whatttwhata settler m his .place. The position of the Newcastle district is peculiar ; the body of the ratepayers reside at the extreme ends with a large belt of waste country m the centre. It is therefora necessary that each end should be fairly represented m the High, way Board. r So far, there is little doubt but _, that the balance; and a very cousidertble balance of ths power has • been at the Newcastle; end, we may not have been any the worse off oh this account, L but it is only human nature, to prefer taking as a right, than asking as a favour, that which is fairly due to us. The action of Councillor Fitzpatrick is causing a considerable amount of discussion, and certainly the feeling m this district is against the Counties Act being brought into force, and this is so for several reasons. Abolition of Provinces was, we are told,. necessary, because the people of this country were rather overdone with Government, but to common minds, there is not much economy m substituting Provincialism, a form of Government which, considering the limited area of the district, is about tan times as expensive. The Waipa County also, is wholy embraced by Highway Districts, so that there ia no extent of waste country perhaps needing roads, left without any local body whatever, and hard-working settlers have , an aversion to bringing into force an Act, tbe jfirst step of which will be, probably, the voting of several : substantial s jla ries .to fortunate Councillors and theii friends. If highway Boards ; hatl slightly extended powers, so that a race more m accorf'a ice with -tlae requirements of their particuhu district could be levied, and a powei to briug into fore * 'some df the use ful by-laws, this, whatever pay be its

political? ! aspect,* would; t be much more popular with settlers. The Act,, has- been brought into, torce m tUe. .'Waipa' County, but; it is yet m the power of the electors, to have it hung up 'again, by sending a petition j from the several Highway Districts to the Greneral Assembly, while yet m session, and it is probable this will b 9 done, for whatever may have been Councillor Fitzpatriok's reason for voting for the Act, he certainly did not, m doing so, I'epreseut a majority of the ratepayers who elected him.— Own Co-respondent. ' . ;