WHATAWHATA.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2470, 10 May 1888, Page 2

WHATAWHATA.

Uoau Board Meeting : Ovkk Government, —The annual meeting of the Newcastle ratepayers was held on Monday afternoon, at the office of the Board, Mr I'. Uorboy (chairman) presiding. The accounts for the past year, certified as correct by tho auditor, were laid before the latepayers, and were briefly as follows :—Revenue, including £143 IDs lid rates, and £50 2s Government subsidy, was £22!) 12s ; expenditure, including road works, £105 8s (id, amounted to £109 12s 9d, leaving a balance at tho bank of £59 19s 3d, with rates and arrears to collect amounting to £(30 ISsll.'id. The accounts presented were unanimously adopted, on the motion of Messrs' Grix and E. C. Shepherd, the latter drawing the attention of the Board to the small amount which had been expended during the past year upon road work in his seotion of the district, a ton pound note covering the lot, while the area embraced nearly a third of tho whole district. Soino discussion took place relative to reducing the returning ofticor's fee, and advertising for a cheaper olerfe, but the feeling among the majority of those present seemed to be, that the reduction which had already taken place during the past year in the returning officer's feo, namely from £3 3s to £2 2s, met tho case, and that no advantage was to be gained by changing from tho present clerk, (Mr NY. .Tones), at £10 per year. Judging by the opinion expressed at tho meeting, there is a widespread and rapidly increasing feeling of dissatisfaction at tho dual system of local government which wo labour under, involving as it does, greatly increased cost in collecting and operating tho ratepayers money ; but unfortunately opinion is divided as to whethej' the comity pi;mie;ls or the road boards are the best, and until some practical stops are taken to test the feeling and wishes of the whole of the ratepayers by a poll or otherwise, these objections will be confined to occasional grumblings and complaints at their meetings.