THE MAYOR'S ADDRESS AND POLL OF BURGESSES.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1255, 15 July 1880, Page 3

THE MAYOR'S ADDRESS AND POLL OF BURGESSES.

Sib,— With regard to the " Poll" which the Mayor and Council have resolved should be held tomorrow to vote on the now celebrated "Seddon Allotment" affair I would like to say a few words Imprimis. I cannot find anything in the Municipal Corporations Act which givea the Council authority, to call for such a Poll, consequently I say that the thing is " ultra vires " and entirely illegal. I look at it in this wise. The Council now see that they have made a big mistake, and in order to get themselves out of the mire they have resolved on this "poll" business. Well Sir if the burgesses by their votes say "We vote against the purchase," then the Mayor and Councillors can say "Very well! On your heads be the responsibility of entering on a lawsuit." Whereas, if they say " We vote for the purchase," then the Council at once say " Right !" and immediately proceed to pay friend Seddon out of the rates of the Borough, which, as I have before mentioned, is I think quite illegal. My opinion is that no voting on the matter should take place at all (it being quite illegal), but that the Council must be made to accept the responsibility they have brought on themselves and settle the matter as they best can, the ratepayers taking good care that the money is not paid out of the ordinary rates. That is all they need look to ; and this Avill require close watching too. It is a fact that, notwithstanding the apparent openness of the Mayor at the public meeting, a document known to be in existence re "Seddon's allotment " was suppressed (aye, even from the Councillors), I allude to an, agreement duly

signed, stamped, and registered, between I. R. Vialou and William Price on the one part and S. T. Seddon on the other part, binding the Borough to purchase a strip of hnd at an exorbitant price for the Borough of Hamilton. I feel thoroughly convinced that the Councillors are severally and personally liable for the purchase money, and they should be made to pay it. Fellow-burgesses, an attempt is being made to lead us all by the nose on the part of two or three of the Council, and to give you an instance I will call your attention to the first part of the Mayor's address as published in the Times at present. He says, "The present Council took over a heavy overdraft at the Bank, less in amount now than when a majority of them took office," etc., etc. This, sir, I maintain is not true ! And in support of what I say, 1 just give you the amount of the overdraft from last November up to the present date, as declared in the signed minutes of each meeting of the Council. Your readers will easily see that the overdraft is just as large now (with one exception) as it has been for a long time past.

and at present it is about £590. Where is the reduction ? And I can assure you that, with the works now in hand, the overdraft will be in a month greater than it has ever been for a year past. So much for the Mayor's statement. Another thing I remember was that when it was arranged that Anglesea-street was to be the Jint work of the Borough (this more than eight months since), Cr. Beale voted for it, and got a resolution passed that Heaphy Terrace (in front of his own house), should be the next in order to be made after Anglesea-street. Sequel : Beale is Mayor! Heaphy Terrace is made !! Anglesea-street is still mud !!! Burgesses, pause before you endorse publicly the aotion of those who at present pull the strings in the Council. — I am, &c, Viator. Hamilton, 13th July, 1880.

In November, 1879, overdraft £550 7 6 „ December, „ „ 560 11 10 „ January, 1880, „ 557 7 0 „ February, „ „ 591 11 0 „ March Bth, „ „ 588 7 3 „ March 22ud, „ „ 546 12 6 „ April, „ „ 545 0 0 „ May 4th, „ „ 592 13 0 „ May 28th, •„ „ 485 7 11 „ July sth, „ „ 571 911