COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTIONS.

Clutha Leader, Volume III, Issue 127, 15 December 1876, Page 5

COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTIONS.

-*# The nomination for a, member to represent the Matau Riding in the Bruce County took place at Messrs Horn, Roy, and Co.'s .tore, Stirling, at noon on Wednesday, — Mr Robert M'Kenzie, returning officer. The following, were the nominations : — . James Petrie, proposed by IVIr P. B. Muir, and seconded by Mr Reginald Macdonald. , r .,, ... . . George IngleSg* proposed by Mr Peter Smith, and secdMed hy Mr Alexander Peters. ------- The , Returning Officer having read the nominations, intimated- that the poll tvould betaken at the sable place on Saturday, the £3rd instant. The two candidates being present, and being asked to address the meeting — about 20 ratepayers being presentMr Petrie said that as the people had been unable to obtain copies of the Act, the nature of the Juties of Councillors and the working df tnV Counties Act was very much a mystery. ' He, however, had been seven year's a' member of the local Road ' Board-, and was fully acquainted with the ' whole 'district and its requirements, arid • if they elected him to represent them, he would devote his time and whatever abilities he possessed to further the interest ef the Riding arid the County generally-. In the absence of the Act he did not consider it necessary to go into details. ... In reply, to questions, he .said he did not consider : the boundaries satisfactory, and it would be , one of the first duties of the Council to .put . them right: He thought the boiindary between. Bruce arid the Clutha should 'be by a' ••line from FraSer's Valley by ■'Stoney 'Creek? to the ocean beach-. .'This would;.; be; a- more rational boundary, and- as " the inhabitants of; Matau bad {nothing in common with

Tokomairiro, and the one district had no interest in the other, he thought the Matau Riding should be joined to the Clntha.' - - "-»■-" ----■:■ lii* Inglis said that in some things he differed and in ; others agreed with Mr Petrie. At the first meeting the Council would have to consider as to adopting the whole or only a part of the Act. He would vote for the latter* course, as they would thereby save £400 or £500 a year in salaries to chairman and other officers. If the whole Act were adopted, the Chairman would have to devote the whole of his tune to the business of the County, and would have to bo well paid. If the whole Act were adopted, the Council would only have to distiibuto the funds amongst the road boards according to "the necessities of the districts. He would be in favour of Otago being divided into only threo Counties*— Southland, Otago, and Oamaru, or, if it could be obtained, he would prefer only two, but with the present state of feeling this could not be accomplished. As to. the boundaries, he thought Bruce was the most compact County in Otago ; it had but bttle waste land, and its roads would be easily kept . up. The size of the County was small enough ah-eady, and there was no hope of the Coxiiicil agreeing to reduce it. It had been said' that Balclutha would be the County town of Clutha County, but-he-assured them it could not be sO, as it was a municipaHty, and not included in the County. The Council might meet and conduct the business of the County in Balclutha, but it could^not be the County town. Neither, for the same reason, could Milton be the County town of Bruce, and it would therefore have to be Stirling, or perhaps Kaitangata — he did not care which. He would be in favour of a Board of Works foi* the whole of Otago. -He saw no difficulty -in getting Inch Clutha transferred to Bruce. The Bruce Council would petition for it, and if the Clutha Council refused and forced the Island to remain in the Clutha against the will Of the people, they would be as bad as the Government in f.rcing on Abolition against the wishes of tbe' public. If Inch Clutha were transferred to Brace, then the bridge would be free, but if not, there would be a toll, as Bruce would not agree to maintain their share of the bridge and keep up the road to Balclutha for the benefit of Inch Obttba settlers, from whom they would receive ho rates. If the Inch Clutha people would build a bridge at the top of the island to let them get direct to Balclutha without passing over the foads in the Bruce County, then he would not ask them to join BrUce, but remain in the Clutha. ; Votes of thanks to the candidates and returning officer concluded the proceedings. -— »■ -■■