NGARUAWAHIA

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2926, 16 April 1891, Page 2

NGARUAWAHIA

O.N' Saturday afternoon lust, a meriting of ratepayers of the Newcastle riding of the Waipa County Council was held in the Public Hall, Ngnrutuvahia, to consider the bad state of the county road from Ngaruawahia to Stone's corner. There were about twenty ratepayers present, and Mr U. i\ Dickenson, chairman of the Nofaruawalna Town District Board, was appointed to the chair. The Chairman read the advertisement in Thk Waikato Timks calling the meeting, and also read the report of the last meeting of the Waikativ County Council as appearing in Thk Waikato TI.MKS, which stated that Councillor Shepherd opposed the reformation if tho above road as recommended by tho Engineer. An invitation was sent over to Mr Shepherd to attend the meeting but he was unable to do so. After considerable discussion the following resolutions were passed :—

1. That if tliu Wuipa road from Stone's corner to Ngaruawahia is not properly repaired by being re-formeri and gravelled, it will be all but impassible, and very dangerous to wheel tmtiic during the comiug winter. 2. That when Cr. Shepherd represented at the meeting of tho Waipa County Council that the ratepayers of the Newcastle riding were opposed to having the Waipa road placed in a state of repair, he asserted what was contrary to the wishes of a majority (if tho ratepayers. 3. That the Waipa road, when taken over by the county, was in a very good state of repair. It has been neglected for years, and now it has got into a deplorable state. Were the county only to expend the rates contributed by the town of Ngaruawahia and property in the district there would be more than sufficient to keep the road in the northern end of the riding in a thoroughly good slate of repair. 4. That the meeting requests the Waipa County Council to appoint Ngaruawahia as a polling place in the Newcastle riding. The majority of the ratepayers reside in the northern end of the riding, and in consequence of the great distance of the polling booth at Whatawhata, about 12 miles, are precluded from taking part in the election of a councillor. ">. That a deputation, consisting of Messrs Daws Mii, Saulbrey, and Corbett wait on the Council at their next meeting to urge the abore.

In reference to the above ;ve give the portinn of our report of the last meeting of the Waipn County Council referred to: —

Extracts from Mutineer's report and discussion on it. " Cr. Shepherd being indisposed the engineer inspected the road between .Stone's comer by himself. The piucu « jf lead U about -U miles in length and has had nothing beyond a few slight repairs done to it ior some years, and it lias got into a very bad state, being not quite safe for wheeled trallic at night. The road requires reforming nnd gravelling. . , , The chairman said the work in tho Newcastle ridine was necessary, but pointed out that the riding was considerably in debt.—Cr. Smith moved that the work stand over until tho spring of the year, Seconded by Cr. Exelby and oarried" When the Jatter resolution was oarriod Cr. Shepherd was not present at the meeting. Further on the report says: "Cr. Shepherd here tonic his seat. He said the settlers in the Xewca:.tle ridincr recognised that the state of the riding account was such that the amount necessary to reform tho road was not available. They thought, however that if the rough places were filled up and the water holes cleared out, the road would be passable in wet weather. He moved that £■"> be expended in carrying this work nut.—Seconded by Cr. Smith and carried." From this it cannot be gathered that Cr. Shepherd, as was said at Ngaruawahiaj opposed the reforming of tho road.