WAIPA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1148, 4 November 1879, Page 2

WAIPA COUNTY COUNCIL.

A special meeting of the abova Council was held at Ohaupo on Tuesday, 28th October, for the purpose of meeting delegates from the various uoad Boards, and discussing the advisability of getting the boundaries of the several highway districts altered. There were present : Councillors Germann (m the chair), Steel, Battle, Oorboy, Hadfield, and Cunningham. The following representatives were present on behalf of their respective boards: Messrs Harris and Morris, Aewcastle District Board ; R. ft. Hunt, JMgaruawahia Town Board ;.Legert wood and Mackey, Maiigipiko District Board ; George Edgecumbe, Hamilton .District Board; Fishe- and Fleming, Pukekma District Board; Lang and F. Vickers, Tuhikaramea District Board. The minutes of last ordinary meeting of the council having beea read and confirmed, s Councillor Buttle proposed, " That the chairman leave the chair, and the meeting go into committee on the question." Mr S. Steele then p oposed, " That Mr J. Fisher take the chair." Mr Fisher declined doing so, as he would probably want to speak. He proposed vir Ixermann as chairman, that gentleman not being a member of any Koado Bard. Mr tt'dgecumbe seconded Mr Fisher's proposition, and Mr Germann took the chair, and called on Cr. 'iuttle to explain the obj'ct on which the meeting was called. , Cr. Buttle said his idea m proposing the present meeting was to get the representatives of the various districts together and discuss the desirability of making the railway the boundary of the several districts, not with any idea of the Council dictating o iv any way interfering m the matter, but it was generally acknowledged that some alteration was needed, and he had thought if a meeting like the present were held it would afford an opportunity of thoroughly ventilating the subject, and might be the means of some satisfactory arrangement being made. A letter was read from the Bangioahia District Board, stating that that body saw no reason for moving m the matter without first consulting the ratepayers; but were quite willing that the resolution adopted, at their annual meeting m July last, respecting the Ohaupo boundary should be adheed to m all its integ ity. Cr. Cunningham thought the present meeting a mistake ; the tioad Boa-d were quite capable of managing their own affairs. Cr. Hadfield thought Mr Buttle was quite right m having proposed the meeting, it was very desirable that the district which used a road should have control of it. He instanced the road-from Ohaupo to Alexandra, which was m the ftunyioahia District, but was mainly used by residents m Mangipiko ; also, Tuhikaramea, where the Hamilton boundary extended some four miles west of therailway, and that district had for years collected the rates, but had expended no po tion thereof on forming roads on +hat side — the consequence was settlers at gahinapouri and Tuhikaiamea could seethe trains passing but could not get to them. He would therefore propose that the road | boards take action to make the railway the boundary of the several disticts. Mr Fleming seconded the motion. He said the road from his property to the railway was at present m the K?.ngioahia District, and every one knew the state it had been m during the past winter. All the resident ratepaye s were desirous of going into the Pukekura District, which had both the will and the funds to make and keep roads m repair. The roads throughout the Pukekura Distract were, a credit to it. Cr. Cunningham said he had no authority from the Rangioahia Board to make any proposition, but he thought he aught safely promise that the road to railway would be given to Pukekura, provided that district would hand over the road across the swamp, between Xc Atvamuta and Cambridge. Mr I* leming said his district wei'e prepared to give acre for acre, and he did not suppose they would object to part with a piece of swamp road. Or. Fißher was, very gtod that it had.

been explained. The Waipa Council did not wish to assume tho part of dictating to boards. He as a member of a road board and a ratepayer would strengly object to suoh action on the part of the Council. There was no doubt the railway had greatly altered the position of several districts with regard to roada, and thai; Borne change was needed. Mr Mackay was of opinion the meeting was confining their attention too muoh to Kangioahia and Palcekura, but with all due deference to the Council, he thought it would have been better had no meeting been called. Tho County Council was a very unpopular body, and his idea was that a satisfactory arrangement would more easily be arrived at by the boards meeting one another and considering the question independent of the Council. In the case of Rangioahia if the Ohaupo station were conceded to Pukekura there would still be two railway stations m that district. Mr Morris thought the railway would not do for a boundary line m all oases. 'He would like Or. Hadfield to explain which side of the railway he would propose giving, to the Newcastle , District. He would move as an amendment, " Tbat this meeting take no steps m the matter, but' that it be left m the hands of the Road Board ."Seconded by Cr. Harris. v. r. Leg'ertwood moved a further amendment, "That m the opinion of this meeting it is desirable that the boundaries of several of the highway districts be so altered as that eaoh district shall rest on a railway station or navigable river." The amendment was not seconded. Cr. Legertwoo'l wished to point out that while any meeting could recommend to the Governor that an alteration m boundaries be made, it was probable that »a general meeting like the present would carry more weight. He thought Cr. Buttle right m having proposed it. Mr morris said he thought the Council were exceeding their duties m interfering m the matter. The Koad Boards were well qualified to manage their own affairs, but the ouncil appeared' anxious to get m the thin end pi the wedjfe. v short, time since it was proposed to appoirt an engineer for the county, tye objected to the Road Boards being dictated to by the • ouncil. Cr. Hunt, as delegate from the ijTsraruiwahia Board,, said the railway would not. j do for a boundary line m- all cases. In the main he agreed with r. Harris, but he differed on the engineer question. •> c thought it would h "ve been a decided advantage to nave had one qualified en«ri neer appointed "for the county The Chairman said the uounoil had nn wish to dictate or interfere, but had simply desired that representatives of thi j various boards should meet for friendly discussion of the question. He thought Cr. Buttle quite right m proposing such meeting. In some oases the railway would not do for a boundary line. Cr. Fisher wished to explain with regard to the letter read fom the an^rieahia District Board, stating that that body were willing to hand over a portion of the haupo end to the Pukekura district. ~.e was chairman of the : ukekura District Board, and no intimation had ever been sent to that effect by the angioahia Board. Or. .Cunningham said no application had ever been received to get the alteration of boundary made. Cr. Harris said he had been listening patiently to all that had been said, but only the Governor could alter boundaries of districts. He thought where alteration was desired the districts interested should petition to that effect. \fter.some little further discussion, the purport of which mainly went to show that Koad Boards generally were jealous of any interference on the part of the Council, the Chairman put Mr Morris's amendment which waa carried. Cr. Hadfield wished to point out that m reality Mr Morris had, mad 3 no amendment on his motion. •11 present appeared to be agreed ihat some alteration was desired. Only the several Road Boards 'could move m the matter, ne .had proposed that they should do so, and Mr Morris proposed that the matte* 1 should be left to them. A' vote of thanks to the chairman having been passed, the meeting separated.