NEWCASTLE DISTRICT BOARD. Annual Meeting of Ratepayers.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1263, 3 August 1880, Page 2

NEWCASTLE DISTRICT BOARD. Annual Meeting of Ratepayers.

Saturday, the 31st July, was the day appointed by the Returning Officer on which to elect five members for the Newcastle District Board under the provisions of the Regulations of Local Elections Act, 1876. The Secretary of the .Board also called a meeting of ratepayers at Kellow's hotel, wording his advertisement in accordance with the Highway Act. The accounta having been, duly audited, Mr H. Salmon was voted to the chair, and, after reading the advertisement calling the meeting, requested the Secretary to read a statement of accounts. Mr Barton then read the following statement: — Eeceipts: Balance in hand, 30th June, 1879, £68 7s lOd; from rates, £224 0s sd ; £ for £ subsidy, £190 4s 9d ; County Fund, £123 3s lid; miscellaneous, £154 13s~total, £760 9s lid. Expenditure: Existing roads, £425 Ms Id; new roads, £127 15s 2d ; material, £8 6s 3d ; collection and valuation, £33 17s 9d ; salaries, £22 10s; sundries, £79 0s 7d; deposits returned, £21; balance in hand, £42 Gs Id— total, £760 9s lid. After the usual amount of questions on the expenditure, to which the Secretary replied, the accounts were passed unanimously. The Secretary also showed that the

Board left office with a liability of something like £1000 for the mtt Board 'to meet, against this the Government grant of £1200 has to be placed, leaving & deficit of £400, a fact which suggested to Mr Grix the advisability of the new Board endeavoring to collect an earlyrate. The Chairman then informed those present that the next business before the meeting was to elect two auditors. Major. . Wilson called the Chairman's attention to the advertisement, and, in' accordance therewith, proposed,. " That the meeting now proceed to the election of five ratepayers to be members of the "Board for the ensuing year." He«aidthat the election then going on at the Bchoolhouao was illegal, because only two days' notice had been given of the meeting of ratepayers by which it was decided to bring in the Act, and the Highways Act distinctly states that 14 day's notice shall be given in all cases of meetings of ratepayers. He repeated that the Regulation of Local Elections Act had been brought into force illegally, and therefore he thought the meeting had better elect their Board under the old system. Mr Byron seconded He took exception to the legality of the election under the Local Elections Act ; because, although the proclamation had, been made on the 15th July that the same was in force, the Government were of course under the impression that all the requirements under the Highways Act as to -notices, etc., had been complied with. This,as Major Wilson had pointed out. had not been done ; and, moreover, he saw by their minutes that j the Returning Officer who h&d fixed the days for nomination apd election, had been, appointed on the 13 th July, two days before the Act was in force; and, allowing that every oth°r matter had been in order, this in itself was sufficient to show them the illegality of their proceeding with the election under the Local Elections Act. After a very warm discussion, Mr Foxall proposed, as an amendment, atid Mr James Hobbs seconded, "That this meeting abide by the election going on at the schoolhouse." The Chairman put the amendment first and declared it carried, twenty hands being held up in favor and seven against He declined to put the original motion, and informed the meeting that he should adjourn the meeting till 6 o'clock when their new Board Would be elected. Mr Byron demanded a poll on Major ! Wilson's motion, and insisted that the Chairman could not adjourn the meeting himself. The Chairman, however, vacated the chair, and a considerable number left the room. Those remaining at once moved Major Wilson into the chair, who proceeded with the business before the meeting, and called upon those present to propose five ratepayers as members for the next year. The following names were then proposed and seconded :—rMaj or Wilson, Messrs Carpenter, Morrison, E. Stone, and E. R. Laing. No other names being proposed the Chairman declared the above five gentlemen duly elected for the ensuing year Messrs George Edgecumbe and W. Buvnett were appointed auditors ; and Messrs F. Y. Fitzpatrick and George Little, fence-viewers. That being all thG business the meeting dispersed. At a meeting of the newly-elected Board Major Wilson was elected chairman, and Mr &. W. Barton was appointed secretary and treasurer. Next followed a scene that was simply disgraceful. The Secretary of the Board had put tho boo Us into a kit and was walking up the room when he was seized and the books demanded of him. He refused, when three or four parties attempted to take them by force. He, however, kept possession of them, striking out right and left, and amidst a scene of indescribable confusion Constable Wilde arrived upon the scene, to whom the Secretary gave the books for safe keeping, to be taken to the R.M. C6urt at Hamilton. "Under the Local Elections Act the polling took place at the School-house, resulting in the return of the following gentleraen : — Messrs Day, Dawson, Braithwaite, Salmon, and Johns.