PROPOSED BOROUGH FOR COROMANDEL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5413, 24 March 1879, Page 2

PROPOSED BOROUGH FOR COROMANDEL.

A hp.oe and influential meeting of the Inhabitants of Corouiandel took place at the Masonic Hotel oa Tue.«-ay evening l«t, called thereto by a notice issued by the ch iraian of the County, Mr. A. J Cad* mat). A. few days before a meeting of a private nature w*s held in the tatne place for th* purpose of formine th« Cornmandel Highway DMriet into a Borough,and this being a question of vital importune* to the inhabitants, tho County Chairman resolved that the question should b<% fairly and openly discu>sed, aud ca ltd t'ie nt meeting for that parpose.—T'r. Hovoll wa* called to the chair.—Mr. Cadman explained why he hid called the meeting.—Mr. K. Harris said on:i of hi- reasons for desiring a Borough was that a sh rt asfo the County Council c.lled for tenders for buii Jmf'a certain bridge. The lowest tend-r was £I">3, and the next, which wis acc.pted, £170 He fditvil I like to know why they did not accept the lowes*, tender. He also condemned the Tokatea Hoad, which could have been made for much less money and was h {/eat mistake.—Mr. Cadman explaioed that the Cmncil had several tim»s accepted tenders for works at a low price, which were ultimately thrown up, causing great loss and iccoavenienc s. As f.»r t'io Tckav.a Road, he admitted that a mistake, b'lt 'he Council wa* deceived and tho road had cost a great deal in >re thin was ever contemplated.— Mr. Woollam? su-1 they were the best judges as to how their money v.-as to be spent. had in round numbers abtnl CIOOO, which he believed was to bo spent in the ou*-1 s:ric:s, yet lie had heard that this money was br u h* into the Highway Districts and spect. They iivl four membe:s for thi< riding, and there w re tiire- for Mercury Bay, and thay nil knesv that if •> o or :h«ir members wavered the? might spvd th-ir turiey against their wishes. They p\id a l»rgs amount of calls here in lookirg for gold, which wem in wires and found it 3 Wiv into thy various stores a'.d :has created a revenue, bat thosfi people on tho *;th«;r aide paid their men hy orders on Auckland, and ih ?*• go* no advantage from it. For this reason he w.s d sirous of teeiug a Borough fomisd of itree v.*a- Is of three members to each, and the revenue fairly it tded. between them.— *.ftera long discussion. Mr. Docki=e said one of the disadvantages of a was that they only got pound for p iUnd subsidy r'rom the Government instead of two for one. as at pres nt. Their rates wera about £200 per annum, consequently the would loss .£IOO sub>idy to bpgin with. Then there was a d juble set cf officials—Mayor, Town Cictic, collector?, valuers, office?, &c., and if they obtained the foreshore, which they probably would do. it would mean harbourmaster. wharfinger, rates, licences to watermen, fc*., —«;ven the st» amor which the Coromandel people ittended running h-»re would be pretty heavily taxed. He concluded ty moving the following resolution "That this meetiog conside s it undesirable at ths present time that a B rou?h should be formed within the Harataung* Kiding, County oi Coromandel, and this meeting is of opinion that in any matters of public import* ice, like the present one, no step 3 >hould be t*ke» until the matter hid been considered by a paMic meeting specially convent for that purpose."—-Mr. lir.-tbble seconded the proposition in a few pertinent remarks, Mr. Uorne prcpo.se 5 an amendment, ''That ths ratepayers cf Oorom»ndel Highway District u'.erga into the Borough."' Mr. Home said if the Highvray District wa3 merged in the Borough they would not get the £2 for£l. The proposed Boroueh containei about onehalf the inhabitants of the County, and about fourfifths of the revenu4. Thera wer« a little over 20W people in the County, divided as follows : -About 350 in Mercury Bay Itidiog, with three aiembers tone to every 120 people) : about 16S0 ia Baratau- ga Hiding, or one member to every 400 odd people, and nearly all the revenue. Jn the p-oposed Borough thera were about 1100 inhabitantJ.—Sfr. Cadmansudhs would second the amendment pro forma. He oxpected to hear something in favour of a Borough. but had heard nothing. Ho ?ead correspondence, and told the meeting of ma y things the Counciihad done during iheir short termer ctlice.—A,goodd"l of confusion here took -Mr. Mr. Woollams, Mr. Dockriie, and others all speaking in rapid succession.—Mr. Gibb«. i.» forcib'e language, advocated fostering the ouj districts, and desjed that the place had been fairly s- d. —ilr. McDonald moved an amecdment "M.-. Horne*a amendment, "That the resi&jnu < t .oromandelHighway District, viewing wiih aUrm tho psesant state of representation in tMs County, are of opinion that the Coromandel Highway District shotted, be formea into a municipality as soon as passible."— Woollaun seconded A considerable ssa >unto! cis^ ensston again ensued, but ultimately the motion* were pu& to iho meeting, 'irlth the following result• Mr. McDonalds, 21 vote?; In favour of Mr. Hoiaes. 27; fot Mr. ikvchrllo's, 50. The original motion w«is dHilared. carried.—Mr. Colebrook proposed, and Mr. Docktila seconded, "That this meeHn< desire tnei* representatives in the Couoty Council to take tno necessary steps to counteract any action that m ir» taka to have a Borough formed within thisC"" " tunga) Riding." Carried nnaßlmously.—A vote thanks to the chairman tb® —IQjm Correspoad«t.j