WAIKATO COUNTY COUNCIL

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2450, 24 March 1888, Page 2

WAIKATO COUNTY COUNCIL

Thk usual monthly meeting of the Waikato County Council was held at the Council Chambers yesterday, at 2.30 p.m. There were present: Crs. Primrose (chairman,) Smith, Forrest, Johnson, Seddon, and Barugh. Auctioneer's Licenses.—Mr J. Laidlaw wrote asking for the price of auctioneer licenses in the Waikato County. Churchill Punt.—The Clerk to the Raglan County Council wrote intimating that the Raglan County were prepared to takeover the punt at Churchill. It was resolved that the letter be received, and that the county liand over the punt to the Raglan County Council, if they will state a day on which they will meet Cr. Johnson to arrange matters. Hospital Levy.—The Secretary to the Hospital Board wrote stating that USD 27s 3d was the amount of levy due by the county for the present year to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Hoard. The chairman moved that owing to scant funds at the disposal of the Hospital Board the Council to-day pay the sum of £200 as part payment ot the levy for the year. Seconded by Cr. Seddon and carried. Subsidy,—4l letter from the chairman to Mi- J. B. Whyf , "is read asking him to bring befno the Secretary to the Treasury the fact that by the action of the Treasury, settlers resident from Mercer to Hautapu have had to pay a sum of £'74 9s being tha proportion of £49fl 19s payable by the burgesses of Cambridge as Hospital contributions. Boakdok Agriculture.— The following letter was received from Mr Graham :— "Hamilton, sth March, 1888.—To the Chairman of the Waikato County Council, —Sir.—l beg respectfully to bring before your Council the following proposals in the interests of agriculture in general, and the beet-Dot sugar industry in particular. I am of opinion that a great service would be rendered to the interests of agriculture were local boards of agriculture established by the legislature of tho colony with defined powers. At present agricultural interests are scattered broadcast throughout the country,and have no organisation or cohesion amongst themselves to govern the vital interests that affect their general welfare, and to this in a great measure is attributable the discomfort and uncertainty of the " farmer's position " I would therefore suggest that tho four counties and two boroughs which at present exist in the " Middle Waikato Basin," and including Raglan, combine as one district, to be called the "Waikato Agricultural District," and petition Parliament to pass an Act to establish a board to be elected on the same lines as the District of Waikato Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. In America tho agricultural interests are considered of the greatest importance, and there the organisations are very complete. Schools of Agriculture arc doomed to be essential to the development of agriculture. In Now Zealand no attempt has yet been made to lift agriculture to the position it deserves to occupy in the state. Chambers of Commerce, Boards of Trade, Railway Boards, Hospital Boards there are to bok after mercantile and commercial interests ; also Harbour Boards and Common School Beards, but where is agriculture ! In support of what I am desirous of advocating, I would respectfully submit for the inspection of your Council one bulletin of the American Department of Agriculture especially devoted to the sugar interests. lam sure it is time this extensive district made a move in the direction of obtaining powers to organiso a Board of Agriculture for themselves, to watch over this important branch of public welfare: and, therefore, I would ask your Council to take the initiative by convening a meeting of the chairmen of counties, road boards, boroughs and town districts to consider the matter of framing an Act to present to Parliament, or to take such other steps as they may think best to establish an "elective body" to represent and promote the agricultural interests of Waikato ; but to bo formed on such a basis that it could be made to apply to other agricultural districts of thu colony which might see fit to bring it into force. Earnestly commending the foregoing to your favourable consideration, —I have the honour to bo, Sir, your obedient servant, William A. Graham.— The Chairman said that it was proposed by such a board to raise the interest on £00,000, the sum required to start a sugar-beet factory in the district, which would be equal to a rate of almost Id in the pound on all tiie rateable value of the property in the district. —Cr. Seddon said that one of tho great causes of the present depression in agricultural matters was no doubt due to local jealousies. As Mr Graham had said, they had boards to look after the mercantile and maritime interests of the colony, but there were none to represent agriculture, and what they wanted now to form this board was unity. He therefore moved that the chairmen of the four counties and the two boroughs in the district be requested to meet at Hamilton on April 4th at 3 o'clock to > discuss this matter.—Cr. Barugh seconded the motion, and said no doubt this board, if established, would do a vast amount of good, as similar ones had done in America. As well as Boards of Agriculture he would like to sije Schools of Agriculture established.—The motion, on being put to the meeting, was carried unanimously. Nabrows Bridge.—Tho Engineer reported that ho had had the work done as instructed at last meeting, the cost being £3 Is 6d. Jkffret'b Bridge.—The Engineer was instructed to prepare plans and specifications for the erection of a bridge over .the Whangamarino, the coat not to exceed Accounts.—The following accounts were passed for payment:—Waikato Hospital Board, £200; F. Johnson, £1 10a; J. J. Smith, 10i ; .t. Forrest, 10s ; Jas. Reed, 2s (id ; J. Davis, 13s ; F. Johnson, 13s : J. Coombes, £(j 2s 0d; H. W. Sutherland, £10 ;W. Stanley, £2!) ss; W. Patterson, £0; T. W. Maunder, £1 11s Gd ; J. Pannell, 19s 0d ; J. Wright, £1 8s 6d ; T. G. Sandes, £7 Cs.

This concluding the business, the council rose.