SEPARATE COUNTY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 43, 8 September 1880, Page 2

SEPARATE COUNTY.

The adjourned meeting, in reference to forming a separate county, was held on Saturday afternoon, at the Town Hall, Hawera, about 40 gentlemen, from all parts of the district, being present. 0a the motion of Mr. M. Hunter, seconded by Mr. F. J. Gane, the chair was tak r en by Mr. J. Livingston, J.P., who stated the objects of the meeting to be -those forth in the advertisement published ia^ the Star, viz. : — " To discuss advisableness or otherwise of/ forming a separate County ; and also as to whether, in the event, of such separation taking place, it would not be better that the County Council should perform all the • necessary road works within its boundaries ; and for . the transaction of other business in connection therewith." The Chairman said he hoped the speakers .- would be as concise as they could, and that they would confine themselves to the subject of the resolutions to be placed before the meeting. He explained, that* the meeting had- been postponed from' „ the 24th July, in order that the public might have an opportunity of attending. Mr. M. Hunfcer said he had been asked to propose the first resolution, which-was as follows: — "That, in the opinion "of this meeting, it is desirable' that"the Hawera Registration District should be formed into a new County ; and for Jjhat object a petition be drawn up, signed, and forwarded to the Governor uvCouncil, asking that this he. done." „ It^was >a sound principle atways'that people should manage their ' own- affairs, wherever 4l^ it could be done. The unity of interest tliafc had existed between the northern, and southern portion of the county was. ; not the same now that it had -hitherto 1 been. The people living at this end must > keep their eyes open to the fact that the railway would make a very great difference ; and he (the speaker) had been informed that merchants were -abeadyt<makiiigjQ arrangements to" have 'their goods conveyed to this district via Waitara, so that the only rpad that had been under a the^ control and management of the c county' " council would, be relieved of -the bulk of the traffic, and lowered -to the pqsjtipji v of> A. an ordinary road. Hence the unity bf interest, that linked- them with'the other part of the county, had been destroyed ; and instead of the county road, niniuiife- 1 '• j>ax»Uel witli tbe railway, receiving $Wf\ greatest amouab-of sXteatioc,- iv tJtfjrfrt' to be those striking back into the interior of the country. \Then, again ;:herth"ough ! t r ifc^' would be readily admitted that many gentlemen living at this end had positively refused to become members of. the Patea^ County Council,-" because of the'distahcef'. from the place of '[ meeting. As. -to" ■ the* funds, they would have,- he supposed; a. lively share of the rates to be derived from Crown and native lands— (laughter).; — together with an equivalent from the 2p" , per cent, of the land fund iitherto paid to the counties, amounting, he believed, [toLabout half of the rates. Should they succeed in obtaining what they were moving for, they would, in other respects, be on a - similar footing with other counties.^, ,\ Therefore, he had much pleasure in~proprosing the resolution, and hoped the movement would be carried to a success-, , ful issue. Mr. G. W. Gane seconded the resolution. Mr. Davidson asked what they were to understand by the boundaries of the Hawera registration district ? The Chan-man replied that the bounda- .• ries of the Hawera registration district extended from the Manawapou river to the Patea river at Stratford, and as far ; as , : the boundary of the present county, at Taungatara. -• ■ • ''£ "' Mr. Hunter said there would'be about;, 308,000 acres within the proposed boundaries. • " Mr. Quin proposed the second resolution, as follows : — " That a committee be ' appointed — consisting of Messrs. Livingston, Inkster, Gane, Hunter, Bang, and -Parrington — to arrange for obtaining the necessary names to the petition, r andife»r-' ',' warding the same io the. Governor, and that those signing the petition be asked to give a shilling tawaids the expenses." Finding tbat .it was necessary fc> appoint a committee to carry out the objects of the meeting, he .(Mr. . Quin) consideredthat no better' men could have been selected than those he had just proposed. : The small contribution was only asked, he presumed, in order that the expenses should not fall on a few shoulders, and this he considered was only fair. He had grsat pleasure 'in proposing the resolution; I*1 '* Mr. Finlayson begged leave to, se r condi I it.. Mr. Bate proposed, and Mr. . Hendy" seconded, that the latter clause of the resolution should be struck out ; but after some discussion, the amendment was lost." Only half of those in the room, however^ voted either one way or the other. Mr. King- < wished to know werfc tfhe - committee to understand that they were to see the petition through, or merely^ to i - obtain-the necessary signatures'? *" Were their duties to end then? •> -c . .'.£ The Cbairman thought they only had to get the petition signed, and- forwarded to the Governor. ' ' . < \ f Mr. Parrington was of opinion that the. committee should see the matter through^ Mr. Davidson proposed that the gentlemen appointed should be a standingrcommittee, to see the whole matter through. Mr. Lloyd seconded the" resolution, _ which was carried unanimously. . /; , •--Iv t-'t -' Mr. F. J. Gane proposed — "That the new county be called Egmont" He,, would bear in mind" the- remarks : of tße chairman, and would be very concise in - his remarks. Egmont was a name easily] spelt, and 'easily pronounced ; and. if they looked towards the Mount,- they wouldO always have the name of "the new : county's: before -their eyes. . .- . ,■■>• Mr. Hunter then read a rough draft,of :, the petition which' bad been "prepared byMr. Parrington, and proposed its adoption; ( Mr. Davidson seconded' the motion, , which was carried unanimously.' '..,J ' , Mr. Hunter thought it, quite' possible ., they would have- some opposition', from certain quarters, and it was therefore ad-. . visable that they should beas'uni'ted'as possible. - ■ ,'. ;*?"•■( A subscription haying been started to ,. defray expenses- a«vote of thanks, to chairman brought the meeting to*S 'close.