THE CAMBRIDGE RAILWAY. AND TOWN DISTRICTS BILL.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1401, 25 June 1881, Page 2

THE CAMBRIDGE RAILWAY. AND TO WN DISTRICTS BILL.

Meeting of Ratepayers at '. /"? /* f Cambridge. An important public meeting was held in the Town Hall, Cambridge, on Wednes day night List for the purpose of considering the advisablene3s, or otherwise, of petitioning Parliamont to p.isa the Town Districts Bill, aud also to, take action in rogurd to tho question of railway communication between Hamilton and Cambridge. Notwithstanding the inclemoncy of the weather the lull was considerably well filled. Throughput the meeting Mr J. P. Campbell 1 occupied the chair. Having read the advertisement conventhe meeting, the Chairman said: — Gentlemen, — This r meeting has been railed at tho request of the members of the Town Hoard for the purpose' ot diaoußsirig two questions which moit vitally affect thefutuie welfare of this township. I am glad to see that notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather such a large number of ratepayer are present, thus evincing in the most practical manner their appreciation of the importance of the subjects to be brought under their consideration. As the first, question referred to in the announcement convening the meeting is the Town Districts Bill, I shall make a few remarks in relation to that matter. As you are aware, the Cambridge township has hitherto been worked, in regard to its governing body, under the Highways Act of 1874, an Act which, while very well suited for country distiicts, is not so suitable for a township such as Cambridge. As matters stand at present, we must continue under the Act named or adopt the Municipal Corporations Act, 1876. It h difficult to say which of tho two wo.ild bo the inoie undesirable course to pursue. On tho one hand we have an Act unsuited for our requirememts which on being formed was evidently intended • only to apply to country districts and was never supposed to be worked by townships such as Cambridge. On the other hand we have the privilege (if privilege it be) of adopting the Municipal Corporations Act 187(i, an Act which, however suitable for towns such a« Auckland, "Wellington, Dunedin, and Chiistchurch, is far in advance of our requirements and with it's cumbersome and expensive machinery and its unweildly governing body is equally removed from our necessities* and unsuited to our wants. Tho feeling that some legislation was required on this matter has been pretty generally exhibited over tho colony, and resulted in an Act being introduced into Parliament during" last session by the Hon. Mr. Dick which is framed expro^ly for the purpose of enabling small towns to pon&ess most of the privileges enjoyed by a coiporate body without the elaborate inachineiy attaching thereto. Those of you who have seen tho proposed bill will have observod that thirteen towns in the North Wand have already decided to avail theniselvos of the pnviliges to be conferred by tho Act, as they are cnumoiatcd in the schedi^e attached thereto as towns in which tho bill will come into operation immediately on its being p,i>-hcd. One of tho resolutions winch will be placed before you tonight will be to tho eftect th.it the member for the district be requested to have tho nemo of Cambridge added to this list, upon which being done and the Act being introduced and passed by tho House, no further action would lequuc to be taken in the m itter by the r.itopaycis. I presume that it is unnecessary for me to state th.it the Lown Distuots x>ul, though i.iiiuciuooil last session, and although favourably received l>y the House, was not added to tho Statute Book ; it being among the number of those measures which, at the close of every session, arc placed m that legislative-box:, from which they arc supposed, at the commencement of the following session, to omcige previous to their tiesh reception, ensuing ratiiication and ultimate adoption That some action is required in leforence to this matter, and that our meeting ib neither premature nor ill-timed, is abundantly appaient fiom a paragraph winch appears in today'^ papei, and which, among other Parliamentary news, states that m reply to Mr Whyte. the Hon. Mr Dick said " Crovernincut would be glad to introduce the Town Districts Bill, provided the pi ogress of busmen wariautod such a stop " Having made those piehminary H'uiarUs, I shall now, inoic especially as I have bcon lcqucsted by the Board to do &o, piocecd to give a bhort synopsis of the piopobcd bill, <md to bhow wlic. em it (hlleis horn the Highways Act, JS74 (Pio\inci.il Act) and the Municipal Corporations Act, 1870. In doing bo, I shall merely dncct your attention to the balicnt clauses of the bill, and will cndcuoiu to make my remarks ab bnef <u> may be consistent with giving a fair and intelligible account of tho principal provisions of the mcasute. The Bill under con-ideiation differs from tho Municipal Coiporttuas Act and from tho Highways Act veiy matciially. The fhot clxu^o of the Act states that the short titlo of the Act .shall be the " Town Districts Act." The second clauso states that tho Kiting Act JS76, the Regulation of Looil Elections Act, 1876, parts 3 aud 4 of the Public Works Act, 1876, and parts 11 and 12 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1876, aie heroby incorporated with this Act, aud shall respectively be read with the necessaiy change of words aud phrases to render them applicable to the purposes of this Act. As the Rating Act of 1876 i" at present in operation in this district, it will be unnecessary for me to make any rcmatkd in regard to tho piovibions of that measure with which the ratepayers aie presumed to be acquainted. Those present will remember that two meetings were held some time ago regarding the advisability, or otherwibC of bringing into force the regulations of Local Elections Act, 1576 At neither of those meetings was that proposal carried, but I believe that this Act would have been brought into operation by a resolution of the last meeting", if it had not been stated that in all probability the Town Distiicts Bill would be passed during this session, and that m> this Act would be incorporated with the Town Districts Act which it was generally understood the ratepayer meant to adopt. It would be unw.ise and unnecessary to pass such a resolution. Parts 3 and 4 of the Public Works Act 1876 are not of very groat importance and will not therefore require any very lengthened explanation. Part 3 relates to th 3 compensation which is to be given to any person whoso estate or interest in any lands ia taken for or injuriously affected by any public works under the Act, and proceeds' to specify the manner in which that coivipensation is to be recovered, into the particulars of which it is uiinecessaiy for me to enter. Part 4 deals with surveys to which the same remarks will apply as those I have just made. Part 11 and 12 of the Muncipal Corporations Act, 1876, stand, however, upon a different footing, and as it ia under those parts that the Councils ' arid Boroughs derive 'their extensive powers, it will be necessary for me to make a fuller reference to the various subdivisions of these parts of the bill. The preliminary portion of part 11 gives tljie Council large general powers in regard to the making of contracts, the leasing of lands, (the property of the Corporation). It also gives power to take

lianas under the Public Works Act, and ' conveys the following powers more particularly specified, and which I shall now enumerate. In respect of streets, it states that the Council shall have power to construct and repair all streets, to lay out new streets, to alter the course of any street, to increase or deminish the width of any street, to stop .the, traffic ,yi any street, and generally to' exercise^'the powers necessary for the construction repair, -awd-maintennnorof-"RH'Btreets inthinitff limits. Secondly, in xespect of drainage, the Council shßll have f ull?poVer to construct, iilt'er, 'and repair all drains that may be needful for tba efficient .drainage of the Third, ,in respect of iiuieancls Which > although ;it is An unsavoury subject, is one in regard to which extensive powers' are v very desirable, as was evinced . during the sitting, of the Native iL'ands ' Court in ' Cambridge, the Council have full power to prevent nuisances, to 'appoint inspector^, and generally to provi.de against the existence of such nuisances as may be offensive to the inhabitants or prejudicial to the public health. Part 4 deals with waterworks', a question which has lately attracted considerable attention in' Cambridge, and is deemed by many one of the principal reasons why we should adopt the Town Districts Bill, as we should then have power to procure a supply of good water for household I purposes/ and would also be . enabled, if r a system of water supply were adopted, in the event of fire to prevent a great portion of the buildings ' of the town being consumed, which might otherwise happen. As considerable misapprehension seems to exist in the minds of some of the ratepayers with regard to this question, I would desire again to direct their attention to sub-section Bof clause 253' 0f the Municipal Corporations Act, which shows conclusively that no one can be made liable to pay water rates, ' unless his property, dwelling, or place of business is situate within 100' yards of any part of the waterworks, and to those situated within the distance specified but who do not elect to take the water only half rates*. No. 6 deals with lighting,, and provides that for the purpose of constructing gasworks the Council may borrow monies by way of special loan, and enacts a number of provisions with regard to the same. No. 7 deals with tramways, a matter which is rather premature for us to consider at present, and which I will pass over with that remark. No. S deals with markets, and No. 9 with buildings for public purposes, neither of which are practical questions, and which I shall therefore pass over. No. 10 deals with places of public recreation, but as we have a Domain Board, in whom are vested large areas of land adjoining the township in trust for the public for recreative purposes, that question need not be further considered. I shall merely enumerate the other matters dealt with in part 11 without making any comment upon them. No. It is in respect of chili itable institutions ; No. 12 in respect of baths and wash-houses ; No. 13 in respect of slaughter-houses ; No. 14 in respect of pounds ; No. <13 in respect ot wharves and jetties ; in regard to all which ' the powers are as extensne and useful as could l)o desired. Part 12 deals with by -laws and provides th.it the Coucil may from true to time make, alter or repeal by-laws for the' "food government of the Boiough, in the manner aud in respect to fclic several subjects bet forth in this part of this Act, which .subjects as they are veiy numeiovis it will be impossible for me to specif y. I shall make no remarks in legard to the Municipal Corpoiation* Act, but proceed to clause 5 of tlic proposed Bill which provides that the inhabitants of any locality not constituted a borough uarler the " The Municipal loiporations Act 187G" wheiein there are not less than fifty householders and not sufficient to bu constituted a borough under the Act, List named may apply by petition to the Governor praying th.it such locality may be "constituted ,i town district under this Act. Sometime ago two members of the Town Board were appointed by th.it body to revise the proposed Act and .suir^est any alterations to the member for WaiK.ito that they might deem if advisable to bs made Mr. Wells and myself who were appointed by the Board for that purpose proposed" that the words " and not sufficient to be constituted a boiouph under the Act last named" be struck out as useless such were done Cimbudgo would not be able on account of havimr moie than 250 householders to avail itself of this Act. Clause No. 6 provides that no .such locality shall exceed two sij u ire miles in area. We proposed for a similar leason that " two" be altered to "four." Clime 43 provides that a town dibuict ebtablishcd under this Act shall nevertheless continue to be a part of tho county whereiu it is included. We suggested that this Clause should be struck out and No 104 of tho Municipal Corporations- Act inserted in liou thereof. Clau.se 14, which is one of the most important of tho whole, prjvides that all property real or personal previously allotted to the town district shall become invested in the Board thereof on and after the date of the establishment of such town district. As tho Bo.ud has succeeded in obtaining some 60 acres on each side of the river, to be set apart as an endowment for a future eorpoiate body, that property will at onco become \ ested in the Board on the adoption of thi& Act, and would be. available for lease. As some of the allotments are veiy valuable, the revenue derivable theiefrom would be very considerable. Clause 17 states "That the Board of Commis&ioneis shall consist of not less than five or more than seven in number, and that they shall hold office for the pei lod of two years. " We suggested thai the words "they shall hold office for* period of twoyeais" be stiuck out with a view to the insertion of the following or similar words. "That one-half of thg, Board consist of an even number t(L« membeis, or tho minority, when the Boar/jft is odd, retire at the end of twelve months, '• and the remaining half or the majority, if an odd number, at the end of the second year." By adopting this suggestion the following results will be obtained : 1. It will ensure the introduction of fresh blood into the local body every yeai-, aud it would further ensure that there would always be some members of the Board in office who are accustomed to the transaction of public business and had a knowledge of the affairs of the district. Part of clause 31 provides very advantageously that meetings of the Board shall be open to the public. The next section to which I shall, direct your attention is clause 35— a most useful and desirable clause, which provides that every Board shall within its limits and jurisdiction be, the Local Board of Health therein. Clause 36 states that every Board shall have all the powers granted to< a Bdrotigh Council by any enactment relating to auctioneers, cattle trespass, cemeteries,, dog ' nuisance, fencing, fire prevention, licensing publicans, municipal .police, public pounds, roads, or highways, and any other matter of social economy. Clause 3$ gives power to levy general rates, but .the total amount of such ratds for any one 1 year shall not exceed one shilling in the ~£ on the rateable value. We suggested that the word " one " shall be altered to " two." Clause 46 pro videsrtbafc, tire accounts' of the treasurer shall be audited by independent auditors to, be appointed by the Governor. We suggested that the words "by the Governor " be struck out with, a view to

the insertion of the words "by the rate-, payers at the Annual .meeting' ' Having' now laid before you We principal provi : sions of the proposed' Act, it Is for you to consider whether' it is desirable that an Act embodying these . provisions is one such as you could support and adopt, and if so whether you are agreeable to the amendments suggested r>y the Town Boardi In the discussion which must necessarily take place, I trust that if there be any divergence of opinion in respect' to-tiid introduction of the measure as a whole, or of any part thereof, the 'gentlemen who "may *> discuss the question will, while giving full expression ta^hett opinions, speak with temperance aiia moderation. ■ Mr Raynes : I think yon said in clause 52 or 53 that you had altered the clause empowering the Board to levy one shilling in the £, and substituted the word "two " for " one." The Chairman : With regard to that matter these are merely the suggestions made by the Board. Presuming that these suggestions are adopted and the Act is passed we would then have the power to rate up to two shillings. Mr Raynes : That power would be vested in the Board. The Chairman : The Board derive their power from tho ratepayers, and would not be likely to act in opposition to their wishes. Mr Raynes : There are a few hero who are taken a-back with the clauses of the Bill. We have already given you power to tax us, so let taxation stop here, unless you wish to drive us out of the place. Mr Wells : A resolution has been put in ray hands with reference to the adoption of this Bill. After the clear and lucid manner in which our friend has explained the principle features of the Bill, it will not be necessary for me to travel over the same ground again. The advantages Which this town will derive in the event of this bill being adopted may be summed up in a few words. Firstly by .having this mado law, we, so to speak, Vme into our inheritance while we are still in our minority. There is a number of valuable endowments that would at onco become ours, and all lands invested in them on both sides of the river would be available for town purposes and consequently enable the local body to do a great deal more than could be done at present. That I think is one of the great advantages derivable from the now bill. One of the great objections to the Municipal Corporations Act is the Mayor and nine Councillors. It is too dignified for a small place like this. There i 3 too much weight to curry in a small boat, and the consequence is we would capsize it. It would lie with the ratepayers whether they would have moie than five members to constitute the governing body. Wherever there is a local body consisting of not more than two or three members, there is considerably more Avork done than if that body consisted of eight or ten members. Another matter, which would be of very great assistance in tlic event of tins Act passing, lay ill point out to you. A similar matter occurod lately in this town, which I will give you as an illustration. CVitain ratepayers living along Victoria-street, were desirous of having their piopeity impioved by making a foot-path fronting their pioperty along that street. All AVcre agreed except one man, for Avliom the rest had to pay In the event of this Act being passed, all that would be necessaiy was the estimate of the cost, and the Board Avonld have power to fix: the late, and the whole of the piopeity m the street Avould have to contubute its quota. Mr Raynes: If one Avon't do it you AVill make him do it. Tins question having given rise to othcisof a similar nature, the channun rose to .i point of older. Mr Wells : la\ ould not have one man act the clog in the m.iugcr when others were uuanimous in thinking that .something 1 should be done. This Act would bo useful in keeping that one in his proper place. Before mo\ing tlri^ resolution I Avould like to aniwer tho objection which has been raided against the adoption of tho bill. As to power being in the hands of a local board to borrow what monies they thought proper and spend it as they thought pioper, this is not light. If there h money Avantod to bo boi rowed the ratepayers would have to be consulted befoie it could bo done. (Mr Wells then quoted from the Municipal Corporations Act ) Before any money could be borrowed, before the i.itepaycrs could be burdened with any liability there must bo fom Aveeks notice given of the intention • theie must be a special meeting to discuss tho nutter, and then a poll taken to decide. The matter was therefore still in the hands of the ratepayer, and not the Board. With these remarks I will move the folloAvinjr lesolution :— ''That tins meeting eonsideis the ToA\n Distnctsßill, introduced during List session of Parliament, eminently suited to the requirements of this district, ghiug as it does all the beneficial powers bestowed by thp Municipal Corporations Act, without the cumbersome and expensive machinery attaching thereto ; and that Mr Wbyte be icqucstcd (in the event of the bill being brought before tho House) to propose that Cambridge bo addca to the list of towns mentioned in the schedule at the end of tho bill." This resolution] was seconded by Mr Hoskmg. Mr Reid : I would like to propose as an amendment " That the name of Cambridge be not added." I consider we have enough taxation. In my experience of public bodies in Ncav Zealand I find that if they get the power to levy a tax, whatever poA\er they have, they find some moans of using it. (Hear, hear.) I have never known one instance in which they did not fully use the power they bad got. Mr Kirk wood : Nonsense! nonsense! nonsense ! What bosh ! %Mr Reid : If avc are let alone we are nfetting on very nicely in Cambridge. y»Vc don't feel the troubles they have in Hamilton. The powers that have been given to the Boiough Council there have been misused. All the endowments they have got there have been swallowed up and ours would go the same Avay. If Aye would press the Government to give us a railway — a thing that we all want — instead of asking for more taxation, and if the additional powers of taxation are exempted from that bill I'll vote for it, not otherwise. As to AvaterAvorks for this place, ten years will be time enough to think of such a tiling. There js a good lake and plenty of Avells in the toAvn which arc sufficient for all such pin poses. I have sunk a good Aveli and put a pump on it, and in consideration of my efforts the insurance company have condescended to raise my insurance fee for me. Mr Kirk wood : Would your Avell put water over the house. Mr Reid : Yes ! It Avould put it over your house anyhoAV. The amendment I Avould propose is— "That Cambridge be not added to the bill as it now stands." Mr Reid afterwards altered his amendment, which on being put to the meeting read :—": — " That this meeting considers that-.it is -inadvisable that the Town Districts Bill should be brought into operation." Mr Kirkwood haying alluded unneces- , sarily to Mr Reids amendment, Mr Raynes vehemently expressed t his intention of retiring from the building if such a thing was permitted. The Chairman here interposed and order was restored, i

; Mr Raynes then seconded Mr Reids amendment. Mr Williams did not think that the local bodies took advantage of the powers with which they were invested. Mr Kirkwood wished to ease the minds of those who referred to the local bodies abusic/g the powers of rating. He would wish them ,to know that the power of levying rates under the new Act would be still in the hands of the ratepayers. The Rev. Mr Willis, in speaking to the resolution, said : It appears to me that the proposal to adopt a oill of this kind is an attempt at improved legislation. If such is the case we surely ought to favor such an attempt as much as possible. When this bill is discussed in Parliament it may be altered very materially, and we don't know how we may then he affected by it. We might all agree to passing the first part of the resolution put to the meeting. Having the namd of Cambridge added to it is another question. Seeing how it operated, we might then consider how we liked it. If Mr Reid ia willing to withdraw his amondment and agree to the first part only ot the original motion being adopted, I think it would be a wise measure. Wo could then see how the Act worked when in operation, and accept or reject it accordingly. The Chairman: Anerroneousimpression seems to have seized the minds of some people with regard to the powers of raising loans. The provisions in clause 10 of the Municipal Corporations Act is one very stringent with regard to the manner in which loan 3 are to be raised. I shall read one or two clauses with regard to this matter, which will show you what respect the Legislature has entertained for your pockets. It requires that the ratepayers should be consulted before any such steps be taken. Having read clause 139, he proceeded : You will now see that before any special loan can be raised these preliminaries have to be gone through, and the ratepayers previously consulted. Mr Wells : It is usual for the proposer to combat any argument raised against him. I feel like a man deprived of his occupation ; nothing whatever having been said with respect to my motion, the arguments against it being totally in its favour. Mr Reid, the mover of the amendment, appears to me to be in fault the whole time. He (Mr Reid) spoke of the Municipal Corporations Act, and not of the Town Districts Bill. We don't want a Mayor, and all the concommitant officialism of the Corporations Act. This is what Mr Reid spoke oh Then again, he said he quite agieed with the Town Districts Bill, but he wanted to strike out the last portion of my motion, although he agreed that it was a very good thing ; still, in all, he said, we did not want it. If the bill is desirable at all, I think it is doubly necessary that we should take such precautions that we should be put in such a position to use it when it is made law. The Chairman, in Ins opening remarks, pointed out that as the printed draft of the bill stands, in all probability we should be shut out from using it. Thciefore it seems to mo doubly necessary, if the bill is got at all, that the name of Cambridge should be in the schedule of ot the bill. Ahcady there are on the schedule the names of towns -which are anxious to be in the position tiiat we are asked to be put in to-night on the passing of this bill. It seems to mc gentlemen, that we have met here to-night to discuss measures likely to be of practical public utility in working and carrying out little matters to make our town a credit to the piovincial district which we arc in. (Applause.) I would ask that in voting on these •natteis, that these considerations only should actuate us. If this matter, on common consideration, seems to bring about this object, let us have the bill, but if, on the other hand, it seems to act as a deterrent to our welfaie, have nothing to do with it. To be looked at fiom this point of view, there really appears to me to be only one argument worth dealing ■with which has been made against it, and th.it was a question of giving the Board the extra powers ot taxation— substituting two shillings for one. It certainly would be a question worth all attention if the bill gave us power to levy two shillings in the £ instead of one' as the ordinary general rate. I will now confine myself to this one matter, the only one I have to answer. The matter of increasing the rate is simply a recommendation from our own Town Board, and il hud nothing whatever to do with tho bill before the House or what the meeting would pledge itself to to-night. The poor inhabitants must be communicated with as well <is al! othei* before anything could be done. The Boaid then would have no more power to le\y lates than the Town Board has now. So th<it xeally, as this is the only argument that I have heard to-night, a misapprehension oppoais to have been created in the iniud where it emanated, »md such a thing, in faot, really did not exist. Tho Chairman then put Mr Reid'j> amendment, heconded by Mr Raynes, to the meeting, and on a show of hands being 1 made, four were counted in favour of its adoption. Mr Well's resolution was then put to the meeting, and seconded by Mr Hosking, and on a show of hands being taken was unanimously adopted. Mr Raynes : But are all these people ratepayers ? Mr Campbell : That question we shall not discuss. Mr Reid : I am sorry indeed to see the ratepayers of Cambridge come to this meeting and second this resolution when they know nothing about the Act. lam faoiry to consider they don't think moro of themselves Mr Kirkwood : I am sorry for the gentleman indeed who cannot understand tho Act; when it is read to him. Better have it read again to him, or let him take it home and peruse it. Tho majority of ' the gentlemen present understand the Act thoroughly. There is nothing there binding, unless by the consent of the ratepayers. The Corporations Act is not established here. It may suit such places as Auckland, Christen urcb, or Dunedin. The Town Districts Bill is simply made to meet the wants of such rising townships as Cambridge, and such is thoroughly understood by the majority present. (Applause). A little controversy was then entered into between Messrs Tuck, Alford, Kirkwood and Wells, as to the adaptability of the measure and its effect upon the welfare of the place and also the matter of the extra taxation. With the consent of Mr Honghton, Mr Williams withdrew his former pioposition, and the following was substituted : — "That a petition be drawn up and signed by those present at this meeting praying Parliament during thu present session to adopt this or a similar Act (with the amendments suggested by the local body), saving the amendment suggested in clause 38." This was seconded by Mr Houghton, and unanimously carried. Mr Isaacs then moved — "Thab copies of these resolutions be sent to the members for Waikato and Waipa, and that the petition be forwarded to the member for the district for presentation to the House of Assembly." Mr Reynolds' having seconded the resolution it was carried unanimously., • . > [The discussion on the Cambridge railway followed, which wo will publish in our next issue.]