CAMBRIDGE WEST NEW TOWNSHIP.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1412, 21 July 1881, Page 3

CAMBRIDGE WEST NEW TO WN SH IP.

An jpfhiontpal n^eefeipg of the resjdenijsvof Cambridge' West^aud several others wh^M 'are coucorned in the welfare of the west 'side of the. river, tpok rjlacG 4 iu the schoolroom at--? o'so6k f W ! 3a l turday e'vebihg last. Not\vithptandinff the late hour for which the !t ineefcirfg 'Vast' callecl, 'and the inclioi^eq^ oft thq \7eathQri |the ifteetitlg'; j'was exceedingly, jwe^l , attended', /' there ■ being about 400 persons present. Igari was voted to^heijlja^r.^j , The Chairman,' in opening the proceedings, read the f advertisemen^-^lipg^^e , (meeting/ ana explained the object for .which Ahey bad assemble^ „ ,t, t { , hM » Mr Eeely xhen read tne ( |ollowmg reso'lution;—"Thatwe'the'settlers o$ Cam-

bridge West form ourselves into a Local District or Town Highway Board." Mr Giles seconded the motion. „ In speaking to the resolution before the meeting Mr Keely pointed out the apparent^ adyantages^wjiicjutke district was certain to derive from th'eiY action in haying Cambridge jW.pst, formed into a separate township,, &ns. placed under the Government, of' a Local' Town Board elected exclusively by residents on the west side of the river, and all others concerned in the welfare of that district through having property situated there. He impressed upon those present the result of their remaining incorporated with the governing body of Cambridge East, they having asked to be placed under the Town Districts Bill which was then before, the House and likely to bed'oroe law ,be« • fore the close of the sessioni .."tJnder this new Act — if they did not take immediate action to have themselves separated from the east township — their ample reserves which were vested in a luture corporate body would be eaten up to defray the expense of providing a , w£tor supply for Cambridge Bast, which they could never derive any benefit from. This as the would see was a most undesirable state of things' and if they did not take immediate and decisive action to avert the calamity the tautti was their own, and the loss which would be occasioned by their present apathy in not providing for their future welfare in this matter would recoil on their own heads, and tne loss would be irretrievable. As 'regards the Pukekura Highway Board, he would admit that the residents of Cambridge West had been fairly >dealt with in the past by that body in 'the matter of roadd, &c, and they had not , met there that evening 'to express their dissatisfactions, with 'them.) They simply wished to go a-head in Cambridge West, and it was evident that if they remained under this Board they could not do so. What they wanted was roads and right-of-'W ays to their various holdings, which, at the present time, were cut off through the want of communication, and to meet this want a local Board must be formed, vested with the necessary powers to levy rates and construct roads. If this were done the place would go ahead, and ptopeity on that side of the river would rise in value instead of being iis at pifcfaent considerably depreciated. The local cemetary was an example of how bad some change was wanted, this place in its present state, being a disgrace to any Christian community. Mr T. Hicks remarked that he for one would take exception to the present action of those present, and especially to the proposition then before the meeting, although he had' no vested interest whatever in the district of which they were then speaking. He would assure them that they would be quite safe incorporated with the East side of the river under the Town Districts Bill which had been referred to by the previous speaker. He thought they had been fairly dealt with in the past by the Pukekura Highway Board, considering the small amount of rates which were derivable from their part of the district. The Chairman, speaking in reference to what Mr Hicks had said regarding their being incorporated with the other side of the river under the Town Di3tiicts Bill, remarked that their endowments on the west side of the liver would be sold to pay the expense of a water scheme for Cambridge East — a scheme which, apparently, would benefit them very little. Mr Hicks asked Mr Madigan what was his authority for saymg so. Mr Madigan replied that it was only hearsay. Mr Keely aaked Mr Hicks if he had any interest in the place which warranted Ins present disapproval of the action of those present. Mr Hicks replied that his interest in Cambridge West was identical with thenown. Mr Kcoly's resolution was then put to the meeting and on a show of hands taken was declared to be unanimously carried. The following gentlemen were then appointed a committee to carry out the above resolution : — Messrs J. OBrien, J. Keely, Jones, McKinnou, Madigan, Miller, and Bailey. A committee meeting followed and it was determined that a meeting should be held on the following Monday evening at Mr O'Biien's store.