WAIKATO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1609, 26 October 1882, Page 2

WAIKATO COUNTY COUNCIL.

A I The usual monthly meeting of the council w.\* hold at the chambers, Hamilton East, yesterday. Present : - Capt.' Steele, (fliriumnii) Cis. Wells, Ruiiciman,, Hewitt aiul Pi imiose.— After some preliminary l>u->iiiess of a routine nature, the action of the ratepayers of the outlying district of R.uigiriri, re closing road through Mr Bires 'property, was confirmed. A number ot small accounts were also pabseel fof payment. Division or Cambridge Riding. — Cr. Wells said \\< understood that Cr. Primrose's resolutjon dividing the Cambridge ruling, and fixing the representation, was to come on for confirm ition at this meeting. He purposed asking Cr. Primrose to withdraw the resolution, or if that was not done he would move that it be not confirmed. By the Counties Act Amendment Act, 1882, it would be necessary within the next few months to make many alterations in the boundaries of ridings, as the iieiv act would nob allow one tiding to contain within its bouudaiie,s poitions of two highway districts, which Mas the case of both the Cam*' bridge and Kirikiriroa ndings. The council might therefore leave the question of dividing the Cambridge riding o\erfora time, the moie especially as the two councillors most nearly affected by the proposed change were opposed to it. With the permission of the council he w ould like to s>.iy a word on another subject. From the practical woiking of the Counties Act in tliia district, he was sure they would agiee with him that tht dujjlicate machinery of the counties and road boards was cumbei&omc, entailed a waste of time and money, and that no piactical good resulted fiom it. He pointed out that there wore provisions contained m the now act by which the council could be abolished, and he thought it was the general wish of the i atep ivcrs that Mich should bo done. But w hctbor they hung up tho act or no, considciablc alterations would ha\ c to be nude, and, therefore, he did not see the necessity for doing now in pai t w hat they \\ ould boon bo compelled to do tlnoughout the county. — Cr, Piinuoso admitted that the resolution wis not so urgently required under the altoittd condition of tilings as shown by Cr. Wells, but he was still ot opinion th it it was necessary, and would press it. — Cr. TLunuimiin concurred with Cr. Pnmrose. He thought the country district had suliered great injustice at the hands of tho town. — Or. Wells said his objection was not so much tothepioposed alteration a» to the time the mover had selected. '1 hue were ju&t now certain monetary transactions betw een the council and tho udmg, mid if the resolution weic canied theio would only be one member to look after the town interests instead of two. The towu had paid its share of the Karapiro money, while the country had not, and jet the council was going to give increased representation to the latter. He had another obiucttou to the resolution before them. Jle had not recehed notice of the meeting on the 27th ult., at which tho resolution was carried, in accordance with the pi o visions of the act. He only icceived his notice on the 2."> th. — The cleik pointed out that the meeting was an adjourned one, having been postponed from the 23rd August, at the request of ('it.. Wells and Hewitt.— Cr. Wells declined to discuss the question with the clerk. Ho had made a statement which he believed to be true.— After some further discussion, the resolution of Cr. Prim rose passed at the &pechl meeting on the 27th September was confirmed, Crs. Wells and Hewitt voting against it. — Cr. Wells said he would use all his endeavours to prevent the resolution taking effect, and would put his hand m his pocket to tent its legality if necessary. Kakapiko Bridge.— Cr. Wells applied for£lsoo>i account of this work. He said more than half tho work had been com. plcted, and tne money was badly wanted. Tiiey had not received any ot the Government grant, o\\ ing to a misunderstanding on the part of the District Engineer. — The Chairman thought it would be necessary for the council to get au engineer to see the work. — Cr. Wells said this had not been customary hitherto. The councillors for the riding were responsible to the council for the proper expenditure of the money, but he v ould be willing to forward them the engineer's certificate if it was ncccbsary.— ln answer to" tho chairman, the cleik said there was about £100 standing to the credit of the riding at present, and it was resolved to grant JJIOO towards the Karapiro bridge. " Hamsisg up" the Act.— Cr. Hewitt expressed himself as anxious to " hang up the Counties Act in Waikato as soon as possible. He considered it was a most useless piece of machinery. He wished to know whether the council oould do anything in the matter ftt that meeting. — The Qhainaan said they should give a little more thought to the subject than they had been able to do so far. He sympathised with Cr. Hewitt's views, and if he found that the new Road Boards Act of last session conferred sufficient powers on the highway boards he would support a motion for doing. away with the council. Ck. Wklls' Dovbt.— At the request q| Cr. Wells it was ip&Qjved to consult the Jaw r.ffioers of fehe Ciown, concerning the legality of the' council's action in dividing the Cambridge riding.

.Messrs H. E. Cotton and Co ,, Cambrifl^e;'will sell s 'bn Saturday next at their rooms, at 2 o'clock, j&,,lar£e assortment of furniture, jewellery, produce, &c, (see extended listj.