NEWCASTLE HIGHWAY DISTRICT,

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1573, 3 August 1882, Page 2

NEWCASTLE HIGHWAY DISTRICT,

The annual meeting of ratepayers of the above district was held at Mr Kellow's Hotel, VVhatawhata, ou Saturday, 29th July, at 2 o'clock p.m. The attendance was not so large as last year, but there was about twenty-five present. Mr George Little was elected < chairman, and having read the advertisement calling the meeting, the secretary read the following statement of receipts and expenditure for past year : — Receipts, Government, subsidy, £84 12s lOd ; Waipa County Council, £22 Os Id. Rates, £123 13s 3d ; cattle fees, £25 17s 6d ; Cattle sold from pound, £6 16s 6d ; on account of land sold for rates, £205. Expenditure, general works, £295 12s 4d ; material purchased, £46 15s 8d ; printing and advertising, £31 17s lOd ; Valuation and election expenses, £15 15s ; secretary and collector, £25 15s 3d ; interest on overdraft, £2 3s 2d j Land purchased as compensation to Mr Bonfrey for roads through the property formerly owned by Mr Hobbs, £11 ; paid to public trustee on account of lands sold for iates, £65 Is 6d ; rangers' salary, £7 10s ; poundkeepers' salary, and repairs to pound, £12 19s ; law expenses, £15 11s 7(1 ; sundries, £10 Is 9d. The 1 secretary explained that the two items for material and advertising were mainly for outstanding debts left by previous boards, and also that in the law expenses a bum of £11 14s od was included which had been impounded by Messrs Wliitaker and Sheehan in payment of a claim which this board and their immediate predecessors had always refused to acknowledge, tiio items being for action taken on the instructions of Major Wilson, who was not at the time a member of the board. — The balance-sheet was unanimously adopted. Cattlk Fees. At the request of Mr I Foxall the secretary read a list of those who had paid cattle fees. — In reply to a I statement made by the poundkeeper that the ranger had not pounded cattle which were not registered when they had been pointed out to him, the ranger and Mr \V. Shepherd explained that on one occasion he had paid for assistance to get a lot of cattle into the pound, bvit in consequence of its dilapidated condition ( ihey had broken out, and he got nothing for his trouble. Had the pound been in good repair the revenue would certainly have been larger., — Mr Dawson moved "That the system of cattle fees be abolished." — Mr Foxall seconded the motion, remarking that he thought there was not another district in Waikato where the practice was in force. — Mr E. C. Shepherd moved, in amendment, " That the system of cattle fees remain as they are, but that the pound be put in good repair." He thought it was a very short-sighted policy (especially for poor men), to talk of doing away with the fees, as rich men could ovei'stock the run, —Mr McKnight seconded the amendment, which was carried, on a show of hands, by 14 to 9. — Several present spoke of a number of cattle having been on the run without payment of fees, and implied that the ranger had not discharged his duties so satisfactorily as he might have done, but Mr Corboy, the chairman of the late board, said that no complaint had at any time during the year been made on the subject, and he thought if anyone fancied justice was not being done it was their duty to have communicated with the trustees. Mr Bomfrey.— Mr E. C. Shepherd asked for information re Air Bomfrey's claim against the board. The secretary read the original agreement between Mr Bomfrey and the board in office at that time (187S) ; also Mr Bomfrey's protest against rimu posts being used, and an opinion obtained from Mr Brookfield, that said posts could not be objected to, - a claim made •by Messrs Hegketh and Richmond on behalf of Mr Bomfrey for damages against the board for breach of agreement, amounting to £300 was also read. — Mr Shepherd wished to know if any offer had been made to Mr Bomfrey at any time. The agreement showed that a sum of £35 was the compensation originally arranged for, to bepartly paid in cash and partly in land. Had this sum ever .been offered ? — The chairman explained that so far as the late board was concerned, they had thought it better to leave the matter over to be laid before the ratepayers at this meeting. There not being a large attendance to-day, and the fact that this matter would be brought before the meeting not having [ been publicly notifiecj|3Mr Shepherd proposed that the chM|man-of the new board be requested tsp|tl a special meeting for the cousideratum of^this matter as early as possible jgffPjlf meantime, if Mr Bomfrey objects w^^wf or this, comI pensation be offerecttKiniifi term's of the originalagreeraent.'— This * was seconded by Mr^ Rathborne, and ; carried:— Mr Sceats' wished to draw the attention of the, meeting. td,the fact thaft? himself^ancl Mr Charlton had no, roadl»|th^jpronep ties.— The. chairman said that woulcl'be a matter to, Jay before the new^tjoard. Mg^orjtibyiiiiQyed that, this^anegting imaJiingsthe. required toad v -^-SQconded %rby ,

in amendment that the making a road for Messrs Sceats and Charlton be not made a special recommendation to the new board. He thought it an insult to any five men they might elect as trustees to trammel them, or to attempt to do so, as to how they were to expend the funds at their disposal; for himself he would not accept office on such terms. The amendment was seconded, and carried by 16 to 7. — Mrßathbome thought it was not fair to settlers at the other end of the district always to hold the annual meeting at Whatawhala, he would move that in future annual meetings be held alternately at Whatawhata, and some central place near the main road to be named by the new board. • The motion was seconded by Mr E. C. Shepherd, who said he did it on principle as he knew himself the inconvenience of having to travel such long distances to attend meetings, and carried.— ln reply to Mr E. C. Shepherd, who asked for information as to mode of conducting election, the secretary read an opinion obtained by the chairman of the outgoing board from Mr F. A. Whitaker, to the effect that only those who had paid their rates prior to or on the 30th of June, could vote or were eligible to nominate candidates, or be themselves nominated for trustees. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings.