TOWN DISTRICTS' ACT.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1489, 19 January 1882, Page 2

TOWN DISTRICTS' ACT.

A public meeting was held in Cambridge Public Hall on Tuesday evening, for the i purpose of discussing the provisions of the above act with a view of bringing it into operation in Cambridge. The hall was fairly well filled with a representative audience, consisting of nearly all the business people and numerous householders. The Town Boand chairman, Mr Wells, presided. Having stated the order of business he (Mr Wells) proceeded to say that, practically speaking, the idea out of which the act in question was framed originated in that place. Cambridge had been its birth-place, notwithstanding the fact that it had now become a colonial statute, and had been introduced into the Legislative Assembly by the Colonial Secretary. Under these circumstances he contended that, if any community was entitled to the benefits derivable from it, it was this one. Some of the townspeople, a few years back, convinced of the brilliant future before Cambridge were anxious to have larger and more extensive powers for carrying out necessary improvements, and accordingly set themselves to think out a better form of local government than that of the Highway's Act of 1874. That act had been passed by the Provincial Government so as to relieve itself of the petty offices in the country districts such as, the building of small bridges, to which they had to send their engineer at a considerable cost, entailing as much expense for travelling and other incidentals, as would have been spent in works of greater magnitude and more general importance. The other system of local government was the Municipal Corporations' Act, which had been framed to suit the wants of such large commercial centres as Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland, and amended by them to suit their requirements, but the powers conferred by that act were far beyond what they required. It was consequently felt that an amended form was necessary, and the gentlemen (above referred to) accordingly interviewed the members of the House of Representatives, and he was happy to say the matter received most favourable consideration on all sides, though, owing to the vicissitudes of Government, it had only found its | way into the statute book last session. | Although altered considerably in minor matters from its original construction, it was still, in his opinion, a desirable measure, and one if properly worked would materially advance the _ prosperity of a town like Cambridge. When this matter was taken in hand in 1879 and 1880, the rateable value of town property was in round figures £100,000. Valued, with the exception of a few allotments, by something like the same standard, it now amounted to £120,000, having increased in little over twelve months to the extent of £20,000. That included only town property, and was exclusive of much valuable property such as churches, etc., as well as thepublic domain, which would raise the valuation about £8000 more. Whatever requirements there were at that time for a more extensive and liberal government, these were now increased ten-fold. Before sitting down he called attention to the town endowments. Under the Town Reserves' Act of 1875 Mr Whitaker senior had had set aside temporarily some lands as endowments for a future corporate body. Through the assistance of the Town Board some 49 or 50 acres were selected on the east side of the river and a like number on the west. These, however, were only temporarily reserved. He had had an interview with Mr Whitaker (sen) when in town, and he (Mr Whitaker) had told him the Act under which they got these reserves was repealed and that they were likely at any moment to be deprived of them. Consequently he had advised him that the sooner they moved in the matter the better. The member for the district would accordingly be asked to move in the matter, and he could assure them that the local body would do its best to assist him. By adopting the Town Districts' Act he thought they would be in a position to have these reserves permanently secured. (Applause^ Mr J. P Campbell in proposing the first resolution, gave a short sketch of the act. As regards the powers conferred by clause 9, he said, he anticipated at one time they would have a large number of the residents of Cambridge West willing to form a united township. That however, he was sorry to notice, was not the case, as the paucity of attendance from that &ide fully demonstrated, though he was glad to see a few gentlemen from across the river had put in an appearance. It was the general feeling in Auckland that all the little boroughs snch as Parnell, Newton, Ponsonby, and others should be incorporated with Auckland and thus make one grand city. According to this clause at any future time, presuming the other side of the river was desirous to join with them in forming one united township, they could do so. Iv reference to clause 32, he believed it was conteinpleted last session that certain roads should be proclaimed main roads, to be taken over by the Government. There were certain roads proposed to be main roads, the Great South Road coming from Auckland through the interior of the country, and passing through Cambridge to Rotorua, the other to the Thames. The main road, therefore, which passes through the township, would accordingly be placed under the control of the Government, which would be responsible for its maintenance. Clause 34 was a very important feature of the act, as it dealt with the sanitary requirements of the town by providing for a local board of health, which would be found very desirable, especially now, as the population of the place was daily increasing, and native land courts were held at frequent intervals. Through some slight oversight in the matter of the sanitary condition of affairs, an epidemic might originate and prove very disastrous in its consequences. In the matter of rating, clause 37, which caused so much discussion on a previous occasion, provided that the Board could only levy a rate of one shilling in the £ on the rateable property, which was only equal to the rating ' powers vested in the Board under parts 11 and 12 of the Municipal Corporations Act, and parts 2 and 3 of the Public Works Act, which were incorporated with the Town Districts Act. In regard to water works, he hoped that at no distant date a meeting would be held in respect to that matter, at which it would be decided that Cambridge should have an efficient water supply. They were all aware of the great risks the place bad been subjected to within the past few weeks. They knew howtwofires had brokenout.and were only extinguished through the personal risk and courage of one or two individuals. Had energy and activity not been manifested by these men in extinguishing the fires, instead of having a pile of buildings in Cambridge they would in all probability have had a pile of ashes. -The powers in respect to waterworks conferred* under tMe act were ample and sufficient. Another master , he was desirous of drawing attention to was the liability of hpujsehplders as" regards water icaiies. i giving Jb hundred /y&d*ssdiB^t7 & frpm, t the^niain wefre liable f'to beifated^ati^UMf \&eyX did> noj; choo4e;to:take.;fche^

the works would only have to pay half rates. Section nine bestowed ample powers in the matter of recreation grounds and public buildings. - With the Town Districts Act were also incsorparated the Eating Act and theßegulatiofiof Local Elections' Act. He concluded by proposing • ' That this meeting do.nsiderS'it desirable that the TownDistricW Act, 1881. should be brought into operation and that the proposed district to be constituted under the Act named, should consist of all the hind lying within the outside boundary of the eastern portion of the Cambridge Domain, and the northern bank of the Waikato River." Seconded by Mr A. Rayne*. Mr Donald McKinnon .as an amendment that the name of Cambridge West be left out of the resolution** 'A Mr Campbell explained the *»6^tion. Cambridge West he reminded^ aUj^esent was not included nor had the people of that side of the river any say whatever in the meeting, it being called for the purpose of obtaining the opinion of the householders of Cambridge East. The Chairman hoped that any gentle, man present who was desirous of fur* ther information on the matter would ask for it before the resolution was put. Any Cambridge resident who was wanting information as regards these matters had only to call at the Town Board office where the statutes were all, kept available to the public for perusal. ' Mr Clements thought it exceedingly hard that the Act only permitted householders to have a say m the matter as to whether it should be adopted or not, and that ratepayers, who were nothouseholders, should be exempted from voting. Iv this matter he considered the Act unjustifiable. The Chairman admitted that this feature in the act operated unfairly towards persons situated like Mr Clements, who were extensive ratepayers, though^ not householders, but gave as his opinion that, the Legislature had s constructed the clause as it stood designedly, that those only who were living hv the township and who would be materially effected by the introduction of the act should alone have a voice in bringing it into operation. And also to prevent small townships coming under the act by means of outside assistance. The resolution was carried unanimously. Mr Williams then proposed " That a. petition to his Excellency the Governor in terms of section 4, of the act be drawn up and signed fortwith, and that the Town Board be requested to seethat the necessary steps were taken to give effect to the foregoing resolution." This was seconded by Mr Roberton, and carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the chair and to Mr Campbell, for the able manner in which* he submitted the business, was carried with applause. The petition to the Governor^was then signed oy all present, and the meeting dispersed.