GRAFTON ROAD HIGHWAY DISTRICT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5634, 6 December 1879, Page 5

GRAFTON ROAD HIGHWAY DISTRICT.

A meeting, convened by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, in compliance with a requisition of ratepayers, was held last night, in the Nugent-sfcreet Public School building; %i To take in to consideration the advisability of bringing the Regulation of Local Act into forcc in the district." Mr. Thomas Macffarlane presiding. The attendance wjs not very numerous. The Chairman said ho did not know what were the views of the ratepayers, but he was bound on ths requisition of persons representing twenty-five votes to call the meeting. In answer to questions, he saidthat the decision of that meeting to briug the Act into force was not binding on the Board of Trustees, tie presumed the ratepayers knew the object they bad in their minds when they sigued the requisition. It was for them to explain their object. A Ratepayer : If the decision of the meeting is noi binding on the trustees, the ratepayers might as well go home. Mr. Gamble explained the sactions of the statute under which the meeting was called. The Regulations of Local Elections Act would como into fore* upon the resolution of two-thirds of the Boa'd of Trustees assenting to that course being taken, aud that meeting having decided iu favour of it. Mr. George"Staines said that every ratepayer must know the object of the meeting. Formerly people came to the annual (-lections with proxies in their pockets. Everybody knew the tuckery that was resorted to in order to get these proxies. The proper way was that a ratepayer should hold up his hand for the person he liked best, and who was the best man. lie beggod therefore to move the following resolution, "That in the upiii'oa of this meeting the system of proxy voting is most uu- ; satisfactory 7 , and should be abol'sh"d; and that the llegul itiuii3 of Local Elections Act should be brought into force in the Graftou Road Highway district." Mr. Lv Koeur. thought the resolution rather vague, lie would rccommend' Mr. Staines to withdraw it and {substitute som- - thing to the following effect: "That the chairman (Mr. T. MaefarUne) be r< que>ted to cause the Regulations of Local Llojtions ! Act to be brought into force." ' The Chairniau : 1 could not do anything 1 without the assent of two-thirds of the board. Mr. La Roche: You could request them to assent. The Chairman* : But, if they would not give their ass-.nt—what then? Mr. La Roche : Then, we would hold you harmless. Mr. Robertson" thought the oue-sided I manner in which the last election was conI ducted showed that the proxy-system was | thoroughly bad. One side of the district wan ask'ng for lighting and other rates, ! when tin y had a good road, but other parts of the district were wading in mud. That was unjust. He had great pleasure to second Mr. JStaines's motion. The motion was put, and declared to be carried. Mr. Staines: All voted for itexe'ptthe board. The Ciiaium.vn" : The Board does not vote on this question at all. That is another of Mr. Staines's misstatements. Mr. ttoßßKTsox : I will move, if necessary, since the board is not likely to move in the matter, "That the board be requested to petition the Government to bring the Regulation of Local Electious Act into force in the Grafton Road Highway District." Mr. Laveks said he would second the motion, but io was not put, and lo])sed. Mr. Owen* McGinn moved, amidst much laughter, "That the members of the board b~ respectfully requested to convey the wishes of the district to the proper authority " The mover immediately with- | dr.w his resolution, and moved the following "'J hat this meeting respectfully request the members of the Grafton Road Hoard to convey the resolution of this meeting to the Governor, and have it carried into eflVct." Mr. Staines seconded the motion, which was declared to be carried. Mr. S. IvEiD said that everything that liad bc.-n done by the m-etmg might as well have been lefs undone. The chairmau said the board would do nothing. The Chairman denied that he had said so. Mr. Gamrlb explained that the chairman held the opiaiou that the board itself had no power in the matter. They could ouly act upon the resolution of that meeting, and then only with the assent of two-thirds of the board. The Chairmin said there was no moje busiucss before tho meeting. PRFSEXTA TION FROM THE EMPEROR OF GERMANY TO THE KING OF TONGA.

His Imperial Majesty's ship of war Bismarck, Captain Yon Duinliardt, arrived at Tonga about a month ago, ou her way to Samoa, having on board the new German Consul-General for the South Seas, Captain Von Zembscb, who is to bo stationed at Samoa. The Bismarck also brought a present from the Emperor of Germany to King George of Tonga, in the shape of a handsome portrait of the Emperor William before his accession to thu throne. In the picture, which is in a handsome gilt frame, and which is 10 feet high by 14 broad, the Emperor is represented mounted ou a white charger, while in the background are some officers of the staff aud of the regiment of which the Emperor was then colonel. The portrait was accompanied b}' a lot of small firearms and three hands-iuo swords, also *ent by the Emperor William to his roj'al brother of Tonga. Captain Yon Drinhurdt, in making the presentation, said that he had great pleasure iu being honoured to briug a preseut from the Emperor to King George. He hoped it would be the means of increasing the friendly feeling that already existed between Germany and Tonga. King George replied that he was much gratified in being so highly honoured as to receive such a valuable present fr.m the Emperor of Germany, especially as he was given to understand that it was a picture tak-n from the Emperor's own gallery. [The estimated value of the picture is 2000 guineas.] King George also said that he would ever remember the kindness and condescension c{ the Emperor in acknowledging Tonga as a nation and people, and himself as the sovereign. Me hoped tint, as Captain Dcinhardt had already said, there would over be peace and friendship between his people and thc-se of Germany. Two days afterwards, King George vent on board the German man-of-war, and was received with royal honours He expressed himself as highly gratified at his visit. Throughout the proco-dings, the Rev, Mr.. Baker and the Uev. Mr. Watkius acted as interpreter. King George was accompanied by his son aud his aid-de-camp, W. Te Gu.