HAMPDEN.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5162, 26 August 1878, Page 3

HAMPDEN.

(prom our own correspondent.) August 16. An apparent wise, vigorous, and just administration on the part of Governments, and a healthy and easy scepticism on the part of members, appear to be the order of the day in parliamentary matters. The pulse of a country seems to beat more regularly when its energies are piloted by these mild but contradictory forces, than it does under the opeates of phlegmatic anarchy or the spasms of reactionary measures. The Hampden Parliament seems to be no exception to the general rule, for at the last election business was conducted with unusual vigour. I make no apology for denominating what is vulgarly called a road board by so dignified a name aa a a Parliament, for we are forbidden by divine injunction to "despise dominion and speak evil of dignities." Even if an apology were needed for daring to institute a comparison between "the Collective "Wisdom" and the unassuming unwisdom, could we not, Mr Editor, by the power of analysis and a little harmless sophistry, reduce then as to their object and mode of organisation to the same level. The annual meeting of ratepayers to elect wardens and receive the financial statement was lately held. Mr H. M'Lean occupied the chair. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and adopted. The financial statement showed £193 to the credit of the board. Mr Buchanan asked would the board give compensation to those whose property deteriorated in value if the original road line were exchanged for another ? Mr Craven, in reply, said that no compensation would be allowed. Mr Knapp asked if anything had been done to open the road through the Tikokino reserve. He said that a considerable amount of wool went annually to market .by that road, and if the natives closed it up, he and several other settlers would be cut off from communication with the railway line. That it would be of material value to some settlers at the Wakarara, and open up several sections of bush land hitherto inaccessible. The chairman said, in explanation, that the board had no guarantee that the road in question was a lagal one. Letters were received from Mr Ormond giving as his opinion that it was j so, but that the board could not incur expenses in such doubtful cases on any short of responsible legal authority. Mr "Wilson was consulted in the matter, but no reply as yet had come to hand. He felt sure, however, that Mr Wilson would give his opinion in the matter shortly, and the report being favorable, the board would take steps to open the road without delay. Mr Buchanan drew attention to certain correspondence which took place between him and the board re obstructions on a road adjoining his property. This complaint was not attended to by the board, and he thought the reasons alleged for ignoring the same were not sufficient. A long discussion, led by Mr Mathews and Mr Buchanan, followed, the point of interest being whether, on the complaint of a ratepayer, the board was bound to remove obstacles from roads not cleared nor used for general traffic. Mr Buchanan complained that he was rated for land which did not belong to him. That he wrote about it to the chairman of the board, and to the Assessment Court, but failed to get redress. Through inaccuracies in the rate roll, people were put to enormous trouble and expense to disprove their liability for trifling sums. It was preposterous to make him undertake a journey to Kaikora to object to an excessive rate of a few shillings. The board, he held, had discretionary power in such matters, and it was a grievance to the ratepayers that it was not exercised. That became all the more apparent since the County Council levied rates on the board's valuation, an arrangement which increased the exil in proportion to the rate, and perpetuated it from year to year. Mr Mathews said, in reply, that valuators could not always get such accurate information regarding property as to' enable them to lay down clear and definite descriptions as to quantity and position. It was further to be remembered that properties changed hands at different periods, rendering accuracy as to liability for rates impossible. A personal appeal to the Assessment Court appeared to have for its aim and object the rectifying of errors under the eye of the law, which otherwise would introduce endless confusion into the rating system. If the board, as was alleged, had discretionary power it would be right to exercise it with discretion. He felt sure that the board was not disposed to act in an arbitry manner towards the ratepayers, and would give all reasonable facilities to adjust / differences with the least possible trouble and expense. On looking at the question in all its relations, it was clear to his mind that the difficulties arose from the unavoidable complications of the subject, as a political measure rather than remissness on the part of the board. If a system embracing more convenience to ratepayers, and upon the whole calculated 'to give more satisfaction could be devised, -it would have his hearty approval. Several ratepayers — notably Mr Ingles — supported Mr Buchanan's view on the point at issue. Mr Mathews was also supported by other speakers in this interesting debate. The meeting having proceeded to elect wardens, the eligibility of one of the candidates was called in question. A most lively discussion ensued, Messrs Glenny, Knapp, Ingles, Howard, and Buchanan supported the objection. The Chairman, Messrs Mathews, Craven, and others, and of course the candidate himself, stoutly denied the allegation. He paid too small a rate to have a vote, but then he had proxies, and he could vote in virtue of them. The question then arose, could a person whose votes did not amount to the sum conferring voting power become a member of the board. This was the real difficulty of the question. The Highways Act was appealed to, but clauses 8 and 15, which purported to deal with the question, were supposed to be ambiguous, eliptical, and defective. There was, the objectors thought, a glaring inconsistency in the law that prevented a man from voting unless he paid ten shillings, and at the same time gave him the privilege of becoming a member ofthe boardif he paid a fathing. The meeting was about to decide the question by a spontaneous movement of its own, but the wary candidate demanded that there should be a formal motion before his fate was decided upon. He added, with an ominous shake'of his head, acmething to the effect that the man who should table sucli a motion might pre- \ pare to defend it before a higher tribunal. j^ I know not whether from the attitude of our political aspirant or the fear oi other consequences, but none of the knights present known in modern heraldry as °" The Valiant Order of the Leg oi Mutton " took up the gauntlet. The Chairman said that in consequent of the extensive area of the district, tlu amount of work the board had to do, anc the increase in the population, the tim<

had arrived when the board ought to be strengthened by additional members. He moved that the board consist of 11 instead of 5 members. Two amendments followed, the one in favor of limiting the number to 9, the other to 7. . The motion and the amendments were put to the meoting, and the amendment in favor of 9 was carried by the casting vote of the chairman. Accordingly, the following nine members were thereafter elected : — Messrs Mathews, Mason, M'Lean, Hickie, Hastie, Holding, Craven, Ingles, and Burgess. Messrs Mason and Glenny were appointed auditors. The newlyelected board asked the opinion of the meeting as to the amount of the rate to be made for the ensuing year. On the motion of Mr Holden, seconded by Mr M'Lean, it was agreed that the rate be threepence in the pound on rural and suburban land, and Is on town land. Mr Hastie moved, and Mr Mathews seconded, that the rate on rural and suburban land be twopence, but the motion was rejected. Mr Craven was elected as chairman of the board for the ensuing year, and the meeting dispersed. Our hotel has again changed hands, Mr Ingram, the proprietor, having recently taken possession of it. It might appear to be a work of supererogation to recommend to the public " our host" of the Sawyers' Arms, who was long known in the same capacity as he now occupies. The recent additions to the house will enhance the comfort of the weary pilgrim, whether bound to the shrinejof Bacchus'or that of commercial Pluto, and facilitate the business attention and punctuality of " ouv hostess," which characterised her in the past. The Rev. R. Fraser delivered a lecture in our Theatre Royal on Tuesday, the 13rt instant. The subject was, ."The choice of companions in men, books, and marriage. " The fundamental idea in the first section of the subject was the natural influence of one mind upon another as a psycological law, and the overwhelming force of conventional usage culminating in rediculous imitation. The substratum of ' the second section was the inevitable tendency of the mind to follow in the wake of conspicuous characters, whether real or imaginary, and whether conspicuous for vice or virtue. The underlying idea in the third division was the reciprocal influences incidental to the. married state, a preponderance of power not merely as a matter of gallantry, but as a matter of fact, being allowed to the ladies. The lecture was interspersed throughout with pointed illustrations and humorous anecdotes, showing an extensive knowledge of classical and modern literature. The style was free and perspicuous. In short, it was a production which cdmbined the chorus of the novel with the profundity of philosophy. Musical auxiliaries were expected from Waipukurau, but we had to forego the pleasure of hearing Mr Merrylees and other muses from the paragon of townships, through circumstances over which we nor they had any control. Mr Burcham read with his usual ability, and Messrs Ingle 3 and Spiers sang in good style. Votes of thanks to the lecturer and Mr Craven, the chairman, were responded to with animation. Whooping cough is raging here. No inconvenience has hitherto occurred through it, beyond extra trouble to " Mamma " and the Domini.