PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 71, 6 May 1881, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION.

Mr Sanson then moved — "That in the '•pinion of this Council the County of Manawatu i 8 entitled to two representatives, whether the same be determined on a basis of population, the number of electors, area, or of commercial importance ; and that the Government be strongly urged to make provision for giving two representatives to this county, either as a whole nr by dividing the couuty into two electorates. That the Chairman send a copj of this resolution to the Colonial Secretary, and avjain press upon him our claims in this matter." He said that though the Eepre sentation Bill was not carried last session, it was certain to come up again when Parliament mot. and he thought it high time that both the Council and the people generally urged their claims for another representative. They had often seen the evil* of being badly represented, both in local bodies and the Legislature. He believed ManaA'atu was entitled to two members, on whatever basis they were allotted. There w«-re about 84 000 electors in the colony, and as there. 84 members in the |j iwer House that would give one member to each thousand electors. When the .lost roll was male up Mauawatu had' 2241 electors, so that on that ground alone we were entitled to two representatives. As to population, he believed the new census would bhowthat Manawatu had a population of from 8,000 to 10,000 people.so that if the population basis were adopt' d, as appeared most probable, Manawatu would still be entitled to two members. It. was proposed to give the country districts an allowance of 15 or 20 per cent, in the matter of population. He thought that would be only right, as there were too many colonists in ■he towns. Thty should scatter population over the country. As to area or commercial importance, he thought there could be no question of Manawatu V right, to dual representation, as the county waß capable of carrying 100,000 people, and was increasing in importance every month. The motion was seconded by Mr M 'Lennan. The Chairman said he. agreed with tho motion. There "vas» one point not urged, however, by Mi S*i.t»>u, to which he would duvet attention. He referred t» th« pro*

posal made last seasion to cut off part of tjgg£96Bl|ituenuy, as far as Ohau, and tack iWtih to Wellington Country District. Thia was -done instead of the original proposal to cut off Swdon and Ilalcombe and tack them on to Rangitikei. They should utter a strong protest, if such an attempt were repeated. (Hear, hear.) If they were not nowr.entitled to two representatives, they never would be, if every advance was taken from them and added on to adjoining districts. They would never get ahead iv that manner. If the Government would not break through their rule of single electorate, let them divide the county, so that districts having a community of interest might go together,*' If RjjLngitikei was too small, or Wellington Country District was too small to be entitle I to a member, let them be merged in- Msnawatn, and not this district be cut up to entitle them to a represeentative. The resolution was then carried unani* mously. TENDERS RECEIVED. For additions to Kawau bridge.— Bryaat & Co, A' 42 153, accepted; Aldudge and Patten, £27; C. Anderson, £62 Os ; — Schlager,- £54 3s 4d ; L. West, £59. Formation Cemetery road, Sanson. — Garret & Gray, 140 53,' accepted ; M'Coli, £84; M. Reid, £46 ; Managb Bros., £70 ; West & Wallace, £49 18s ; D. Curtis, £95 ; A. Matthews, £78 10s; Thompson Bros., £59 18* ; W. J. Hedges, £49; Berent, £67 19a 3d; T. Sanson & Co., £53 10s. Formation of streets in Sanson.—Thompson Bros., £23 17s 3d, accepted ; Garret & Gray, £31 12s Gd ; A. W. Hedges, 129 ; A. Matthews, £24 9s. Leasing County reserve near Palmerston, 14 acres. —A. Thompson, 5s per acre per annum, accepted. For 5 acres. — G. Membery, £1 per annum, accepted; W. J. Thompson, 58 per acre. Formation of Hickford's line. — C. Law, 14s lid per chain, accepted ; J. M'Coll, £1 l«ss ; Buchanan, 17s ; Brennen and Walsh, £l2*6d. Formation of Campbelltown road.— W. Anderson, 13* lid per chain, accepted ; J. M'Coll, il 13a; C. Law, 14s 6d ; Brenner ami Walah, 17s Gd. For feucing on Taipo road.— Thos. Mullins, 17s per chain, felling buph, 3s 9d, accepted ; Wallace' and Ward, 22s Gd and 4s ; Hooking, 18s Gd and 5* 9d ; T. Fraser, 20s and 6s 6d and 10* ; Sheerin and Co., 22s Gd and 3s Gd ; Pooler, 23s 6d and £1 15s per acre ; M'Kiney, 22s 6d and 7s. Formation of Speedy 's line.— Sanson & Cn, 14s per chain, accepted; Hocking, 23a ; Duthie, 15* ; H. Downes, 24s 9d. ACCOUNTS. A large number of accounts were passed for payment. ENGINEER'S REPORT. Since the furnishing of my la9t report I have, according to your wishes, reduced the number of roadmen by four. The roads generally throughout the county are in very good ordei. KIWITEA RIDING. •The road is in good repair. <■ The large stones require cracking. These I will have >l<»r.e as I can spare the roadmen from other j iO3. I have t;iken the roadmen from this n li>i>,', and now have a man on half time only. MANCHESTER RIDING. I have discharged one roadman in this ridinsf, and the remainder are now stationed on Kimbolton road from Ashurst road to the end, half time in Kiwitea, and half time in Manchester ridings ; one man from Feilding to Malcolm's mill ; one man from Malcolm's mill to Halcombe ; one man from Palmerston to the Gorge Ferry, half time in Taonui. I expect I shall have to employ another man on the Gorge road, if the timber traffic on narrow-tire wheels continues as at present. TAONUI RIDING. In this riding also I have made reductions by discharging ono man and extending; the heat of the man on the Gorge road. There are now only equal to two and a half men on the roads in this riding. I have again called tenders for additions to Kawau Bridge. Tho roads in this riding are in exrelleut order throughout the metalled portion. I have called tenders for leasiug the county reserves on the Rmgitikei line. OROPA BIDING. I have dispensed with the services of one of the men in this riding. The roads are in a very fair state of repair. The two bridges (Mokowai and Pickatoo) near Sanson are in a rotten state. The Makawai Bridge should be renewed at once, as the stringers have rotted off at the junction with the sills, and also upon examination the stringers proved to be more or less rotten throughout. I have had shores erected under the stringers until I receive instructions from the Council to erect a new bridge. The Pickatoo Bridge is not so far gone as the Mokowai. It being undersrrutted there is not the same amount of strain on the stringers, and by redecking the samn it will last another year. Both these bridges are 30ft in length, and therefore arp not chargeable to the riding, but to the Bridges and Ferries Account. I have called tenders for the various works authorised by the Council. The various obntractors are progressing with their worka (except Penny's and Taipo line). The Kakariki road work is finished, but requires final inspection before cheque is paid over to contractor. Monteith has asked for an extension of time (letter attached). - 1 would recommend that he be granted say six weeks, as the weather has been so dry that it was impossible for him to plough the ground. '-UvH '•'. KAWA KAWA BIDING. Matthews has finished his contract of metalling on the Sanson-Foxton road. Ocher works in the riding are progressing favorably. I have called tenders for vaji* o<iB works in this riding authorised by this C'inncil. I had occasion to suspend "T. Chine on account of neglecting his work, and shall dispe> se with his services when I pay him his cheque. : ; AWAHOU RIDING. Nathan has commenced his contract on the Avenue Road. Henderson has nearly completed the metalling of the Tramway road. I am sorry to say, some , delay, has occurred in, the erection bf^-the Awanou Bridge through non-delivery of iinftSri 1 ' : I ordered the whole of the timner I thought necessary for the erection. .'bbVtijkm taking the old part -to pjecea it, was jirovetf tribe rotten, and otTier timber haft 'to'' tw ordered in ita place. On account of this the deliy lias occurred. ' ' ■'-'' ■'■■'■' HOROWHENUA KIPWO; 0 ! > L I have instructed J. Cootes to do certain metalling repairs to tke .road: "through Otaki, both to the approaches to the bridge ■\\v\ to a swampy place at the south end of the township. ' ■ ' BHIDGES AND FERRIKS. ' Nothing lias bt;en dmui at present towards the repairs to the Mnnawtttt BnoW Tho ferries are all in good working orjrer thronahont tho county. I have barl"certain repairs done to the punt at Ohau. These Xrere rendered necesaory through the punt being built of green timber, and the »cams opening out so much occasioned the punt to leak. "* ' '*•-■*. K