NGARUAWAHIA ROAD DISTRICT. Adjourned Annual Meeting of Ratepayers.

Waikato Times, Volume XX, Issue 1712, 26 June 1883, Page 2

NGARUAWAHIA ROAD DISTRICT. Adjourned Annual Meeting of Ratepayers.

The adjourned annual meeting of the ratepajeisof the Newcastle Road Diatnct was held at the Delta Hotel, Ngaruawahia, on Saturday, the 23rd inst. The chairman of the late boaid presided, and informed the mooting tli.it since the last meeting at Whatawhata he recovered the mi&sing books, but that the whereabouts of the &ecretary still lemained a mystery. He said he was sorry to say that the books \\ ere in a very disorganised state. For the short time he had them in his possession he endeavoured to prepaie a kind of balance sheet, which he would not claim to be at all pei feet, but as they met, no doubt, expecting to got borne information he came prepared to give all he could unreservedly. A number of questions being asked and explanations given, the meeting thought it impossible to at rive at any approximate idea as to the present assets and liabilities of the board on account of the di&ouler the books and accounts were left in by the absent score* tary. Under the circumstauces, the meeting was of opinion that a competent accountant should be got to go through the books, and put the accounts in order f prior to sending them to the public auditor, so that that officer's report, with tiie balance-sheet, could be submitted at a future ineotin<r. The Counties Act and its administra* tion in the Waipa county was the next subject brought under discussion, and its merits and demerits minutely compelled with those of other road boards, nearly every peison present spoke unftiAourably of the county system, and in favour of the boards. At this stage of the procesdiugs Mr Corboy pioposed and Mr E. Fitzpatrick seconded the following series of resolutions bearing on the subject in question :— ]. That after giving the Counties Act over six years working trial in the Waipa County, this meeting recognise that although the expenses attending the administration of the same is very considerable, is confidently of opinion that its efficiency as a go ve i mug body is comparatively useless, and should, therefore, be suspended so soon as possible. 2. That while admitting the county system of government may be suitable in some counties, where few or no road boards exist, the practi« cability of which is not applicable to this county, but on the contrary is a stumbling block in the way more remarkable for blunders than consistency, while retarding in many ways the more efficient working of the road boards as is witnessed by the ridiculous fumbling over the Newcastle grant. 3. That in older to oive effect to the wishes of thia meeting, the new boaid be recommended to communicate with other boards in the county with a view to joint action in suspending the Counties Act. 4. That a copy of these resolutions be foi warded to the chairman of the Waipa County Council, intimating at the same time that should that body take steps to suspend the Act, every facility will be offered by the local body of this district In the way of getting signatures to petition, &c.— The above resolutions, being put to the meeting, were carried unanimously. Mr Fitzgerald then handed in and requested the chairman to readf some correspondence he had with (the late board, claiming compensation \g*» expenses put to in that celebrated unwinding case Fitzgerald v. Sb^B,%rd. This question causedr^itoj^Larm discussion as facts wef^|HKScfl|^Valh/ it was decided that a spjpal m^^Hg of the ratepayers be convened for S^H^lay, the 30th inst., at Ngaruawahia, Vj qonsider the amount of compensation, My Fitzgerald is fairly ent^tjed to, and the chairman was authorised to, put an adi ve'rtisement in The Waihato Times to that effect. The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the chair. Subsequently the Newcastle Board held their first meeting at the same place. Thsre were present : A. Dawson, E, Fitzpatrick, W. Skeates, and P. Corboy. On the motion of Mr Fitzpatrick, seconded by Mr Dawson, Mr Corboy was appointed chairman fqr the yw.

England's wealthiest baronet is said to be Sir John Ranisden, of Byram, Yorkshire. His rent-roll is computed at £170,000 a year. He owns nearly the whole of Huddersfield, the great manufacturing centre. The little bit he dosen't own was a \ cry Naboth's vineyard to his father, who, according tq popular tradition, onqe offered ty>, \t% Quaker owner tcj cover it with Sove'rignq if he would sell it. "Edgewise, friend Ramsden?" quoth the Quaker j "in that case it is thine ; otherwise all Hnddersfield must still belong to thee and me." "Edgewise" was rather mow than the. baronet oov^ld a ( waHoMy» ' ' ■ •