MEETING OF RATEPAYERS, KIRIKIRIROA.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1222, 29 April 1880, Page 2

MEETING OF RATEPAYERS, KIRIKIRIROA.

A lar4e and influential meeting of ratepayers of the Kirikiriroa Highway District was held yesterday afternoon at the Royal Hotel, East Hamilton, to consider the proposal of the Waikato Land Association to close 17 roads in the Kirikiriroa district, A. Primrose, Esq., in the chair. Mr W. C. Breakell, the Engineer of the district, was pi*esent with plans, &c. The Chairman having read from the Waikato Timbs the advertisement calling the meeting, MrF. A. Whitaker, M.H.R., said the object of the Company in closing roads was that in the old militia days the roads were often put in out-of-the-way places. They had no desire to injure any person, and if any person present had any wish to have any particular road kept open they .would be happy to meet them, and dorifeV ' with the Board with a A r iew to making other roads to satisfy them. He then read the clause of the Act .providing that any ratepayer present might assert his rights. It was to tfte interest of the ■ Swamp Company to. have* roads made through their property. The Chairman said it was now in the hands of the ratepayers to say whether the roads should be closed or not. Mr dimming then moved — That the 17 roads situated in the Kirikiriroa Highway District which were generally described by advertisement contained in the Wvikvio TiMi'.s newspaper, dated the 6th instant, and shown on a plan now on the table, be stopped, and that they ihall hereafter cease to be public highways, Vith the exception of Nos. 6, 7, and 16. Seconded by Captain McPherson. Mr James Diiworth, on rising to speak, was challenged by Captain McPhersou as not being a ratepayer. Mr Dilworth claimed that he was a trustee in the Hopuhopu property, and therefore a ratepayer. Captain McPherson said Mr Dilworth's name did not appear on the valuation list. Mr Dilworth said he was informed by legal opinion in Auckland that he had a right to attend. The closing of the roads would shut up all communication to seven miles of his property at Mangawhia. The Chairman said he was obliged to rule that as Mr Dilworth's name was not on the ratepayers roll he could not take part in the meeting. Capt. Steele said it had been pointed out to him that a settler named Welch would suffer if one of the roads were stopped. He would therefore propose "That the piece of road injuriously affecting Welch be left open." Mr Potter said the best plan would be to pass the original motion, adding the words " with the exception of Nos. 6 and 7, together with No. 16." This would then prevent any wrong being 1 done to anybody — maitaming open the long road to Tatipiri. Mr Dilworth then handed in the following protest on behalf of the trustees of the property he represented, against the "hand-over-hand" affair in which he waa prevented taking part : — To the Secretary of the Kirikiriroa, Highw-.y District. Sir, — With reference to the ad\citisemcnt in the AVukyio Timls, publicaly notifying under your hand the intention of the Road Board of the above district to stop the roads mentioned in the said advertisement, we, the undersigned bcingthe owners of land adjacent to the ro.ids to be stopped, and being ratepayers owning land in the said district, do hereby object to the stoppage of the said roads on the grounds that no w.iy is icft to our respective lands as convenient as those hitherto afforded by the roads proposed to be stopped in pursuance of such notification. Dated this twenty-sixth day of April, 1880. Jas. Dilworth, Trustee Gi'.o. P. Pihrck, Trustee Loxsdalk Pritt, Ratepayer, T. Kissli.n'O, Trustee. Mr dimming accepted the amendment of Mr Potter. The Chairman put the motion as amended which was declared carried unanimously. Captain Steele said that for the information of Mr Dilworth he could say that if he would write to the Company and confer with them, the Company would be most happy to try and make any arrangements by which Mr Dilworth's interests could be served. Mr Dilworth thanked Captain Steele i for his civil intentions, but stated that in talking with two members of the Land Association no such concession had been spoken of. He came with no hostile intention, but only expecting, as an Englishman, to obtain justice from Englishmen. The Chairman said that Mr Dilworth would have an opportunity of protesting in writing when the matter came Toef ore the County Court. A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the proceedings.