PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1746, 13 September 1883, Page 2

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

At the oidinnry monthly meeting of the above council held yestciday, a full loport of the business of which we tire obliged to hold over, the following transpired '■— A SC'Iv.VK,— Mil FeUWoON's MISHEPRESENT.VTIQJfii. Cr. Whitaker said Mr Peter Ferguson bad come to the meeting as a deputation from Waiorongomai with reference to oertain roads in- that di&tiict. As he was a settler at Waioiongomai he was thoioughly up in the matter winch he was about to lay befoie the council, and after hearing him they would piobably see their way to t take action in the matter, and decide which road should be chosen to give the people of Waiorongomai access to a good landing on the bank of the river. Great credit was due to Mr Ferguson for the leacly mannei iij which he responded to the request of his fellow sotiltjvs, a.]ld the tiouble which he had taken, and the inconvaniejjQe lie had been put to m coming to Cambridge to rei.iesqnfc this important matter to the council. Before pioceeding with the business, however, he had to ask Mr Ferguson to answer a few questions. The remarks were said to have been ma.de u.se of by Mr Feigusson at the la.nt meaning of the council concerning the forming of a road to the landing. In those remarks serious reflections were made upon the personal honour of Mr Whitaker, who, it was inferred, had been using his position as a member of the council to benefit himself by diverting a road through i a cci tain section ofland where it could be I of no eai thly benefit to any body but himself ; and also that he had entered into some sort of a compact with some other property holder hi the vicinity to give effect to his own personal ends. These reflections were contained in the statement that Mr Whitaker had agreed with a Mr West to have the old. load, tq the landing closed, and in oxohange for this l]e ljad a.gieed with Mr West, aa a member of the counqil, and representing that body, to open the road at present laid out. The agreement which had been made, and which was produced for the edification of the council, showed that these allegations were absolutely incoirect, and that Mr Fergusson had made false statements to the council in Mr Whitaker's absence. Mr Whitaker having read the report in question, asked Mr Ferguson if what was there stated was correct, M.r Ferguson : Yes ; the matter was mentioned at the las,t meeting of the counMr Whitaker : You know there was a great deal of trouble in getting 1 a proper landing to which the nearest and best load had to be made. Here you infer that I did not give the question of convenience any consideration— that I did not take the best i'QJi,d, IJqw, i§ what is contained in thi& report correct? Mr Ferguson replied : The report of what I said at the last meeting is correct. At least it contains the purport' of my remarks. \ ■> •' ' vJ .. Cr. Whitaker: In the first place you state that I made an agreement with West .to allow hini td close up the old road on seotiqn $0, 3. You have here made a statement" which 'fa false and imtrue. You have been casting, a great f s reflection, bn .me,, and-i^ is right the council j should ,kno,w,all. Such an agreement as you speak hi was never contemplated! ' [The Chairman here-read the Hgreement.] 1 ,- Gr,' Whitaker: I think that ' wuVproye conclu^ivgly #}»t yiif-Hiatteri Tyhioh!' reflects/so seiioisiy< qip«me/|,a.n4'fwhlBb'^en.dB jtq. mjur&inyfljqwwi i?» the qQuqpiljjliaij l^een, Ebt together, for » purpose, ,imd I.^aveTno esitajapnjin.^a-ying-^hat was ale^erm^fe'^A-?", v ;> I'l/1 '1/ 't '-; • - vMf'FerCTaoni-Wpw f {hat j^eiagreement;

was, m fact, a ridiculous proposal to say, 'that a' landing could bo made there ; and that was why the road was changed on. the representation of those peqple. " There wad no;cojilusion between Murphy and. mysolf^ to, 'get this section. I think- that whenever, any reflections are cast upon a councdjor in , ■Jtiis official capacity the council^shoul^liavS, Sthe subject matter of such, : reflections brought before them that "they might' be enquired into. The report has been acknowledged by Mr Ferguson as correct. These^ reflections upon -in*e appeajr i$ lihe ;liame/ raport, which £ states that certain nfsmbefs of the council were present when' they wWo-made, and if they were not corrected the public might think that they were true. The people who scut mo here to represent them would say I had been accused of certain improper actions at a meeting of the council ; that the council had said nothing on the matter, and it now looks as if the council agroe with these charges. With this short explanation of the whole affair it is unnecessary for ma to .say anything more, but to leave the matter in the hands of the council. Or. Campbell said Or. Whitaker was mistaken in thinking that the council had agreed in the repoit of Mr Fergusons remarks as published. They weie not piepared to accept ex parte statements and accusations made against any member of the council, paiticulaily in the absence of the poison against whom they were directed. Cr. Whitaker : Theie is another matter which I cannot pass w ithout notice, and which I would like the council to liexr now that Mr Ferguson is present. (To Mr i Feiguson) : I think you * went to the trouble of disti Uniting several copies of the paper in which these statements about uvj appealed, among certain people at Waioiongoinai, with the object bast knowa te yourself, and only to be surmised by me. Mr Ferguson : They were left there in ray absence by somebody, but I did not distribute them. Mr Feiguson : Well I was aware that a lot of the papers had been sent over, and I gave orders to have them distributed. The Chairman : I think that in this matter Mr Whitaktn has done his veiy utmost to serve the interest of the council, and of the people of Te Aroha. The council have every icason to be thankful to him for his efforts on behalf of the district which he represents. Auything that ever Mr Whitaker has done as a member of this council has been for the public good. All the councillois present fully endorsed the chairman's .statements regarding Mi Whitaker. Cr. Whitaker cordially thanked the council. He could not but refei to the malicious act of which Mr Ferguson had bieu guilty in taking these papers over to Waioioijgomai for disti ibution. The whole thing hacl been very damaging to him. He could not .see why the council should receive deputations horn .such men as Mr Ferguson, it being now satisfactorily shown that this gentleman wasjnot over truthful in making representations on public mattei.s, Cr. Firth : The council never received any imputations agiinst Cr. Whitaker. Indeed, had any been made they would not have permitted them to pass unchallenged — they would not have heaid them, especially in the absence of Mr Wlntiiker, who had own ted himself in eveiy way to forwaid the Aioha, dihtiict, and the business of the council generally. The Chaii man : Had it not been for Mr Whitakei thcie would not have been any Aioha oi Waioiongomai to-day. Ci. Ellis : F mo\o that unless Mr Ferguson -withdiaw his statements regarding Mr Whitiker ho be not heard by the council. Mi Ferguson said lie did not wish lo throw any reflection on Mr Whitakei ab-mt the road," further than West's aucl Miuphy's statements to him. As the agieemont showed, ho had been led astiay. He would admit ])u had been deceived. Cr. Whitakur L-aid he was prepared to behove MrMiuphy in pieferenco to Mi Feiguson, tho former gentleman having told him he novei made any such statement about the purchase of section No. 3 to Mr FeigUDii. Mr Feiguson : I will have to withdraw what I have said, as T have been misled, Cr. Whitakoi : [ am prepaied to bring witnesses heie to prove that Mi Foiguson was never told any such thing. Tho statements made by Mi Feiguson as to his being told coitain things by Mr Murphy are uUeily untiuc. Mr Feiguson then laid the following apology on tho table of the council : — "1, Peter Feiguson having been led astray regarding tho steps taken to fi\ the road to Murphy's landing, reflecting on Mr Whitaker's action in the matter, beg to withcb aw any statements T have made, and expie.ss my legiet that I have been so misled, and request the publication of this apology, " With Cr. Whitaker's consent, Or. Firth then proposed, "That Mr Fciguson's apology having been read, it bo accepted by the council, and that Mr Ferguson be now hoard. " Agi cod to. After Mr Feiguson 's recommendations re pioposed load at Waioiongomai had been hoard and consuleied, Cr. AVhitaker pioposed that a coidial vote of thanks be accoided to Mr Feiguson for the trouble he had taken iv coining such a distance to repiesent the lequiiomeiits of the district to the council. — Seconded by Ci. Fnth, and cai rieel unanimously. The Row is Qujcstiox.— Cr. Fiith then proposed the following resolution, beaiing on, (he load lef erred to in the above discussion, and Mr Whitaker's action regarding the same :— " That in the matter of the load fixed to Murphy* landing, the council having made the necessary enquiries aro satisfied that the load fiom tho landing has been fixed at the best placu, and that with reference to certain statements bsing in cii - dilation to the detriment of Cr. Whitaker, tins council places on record its sense of the perfectly honourable and successful mahuei in which Cr. Whitaker has carried out the matter of the road to Murphy's landing ; and further that this council consideis that they, and moie particularly the Te Aroha goldneld, aie under very great obligations Jo Or, Whitaker for the analgetic and honourable manner In which he ha-s discharged the duties entrusted, to him, by the council. " — Carried.