THE AFFAIRS OF PLIMMERTON.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 3330, 12 January 1898, Page 3

THE AFFAIRS OF PLIMMERTON.

A deputation comprising Mr T. Kennedy Macdonald, Mr Plimmor and Mr J. M. Richardson interviewed the Hutt County Council yesterday and asked why the resolution of the Council constituting Plimmerton a road district had not yet been confirmed. The Council had received a petition asking that a road board be formed, and had agreed to that petition with some amendment, and now the confirmation of the resolution had been delayed, and the last letter received showed apparently that the whole thing had been postponed sine die. If the Council did not intend to go on with it, it ought to say so, and the residents would know what to do. The Council had had control of the affairs of Plimmerton, but had done nothing, and there was no provision for sanitation there, notwithstanding that 200 or 300 people were living there, and that hundreds of people visited the place every holiday. The residents of Plimmerton were anxious to do something, and they asked the Council not to stand in tho position of doing nothing and at tlio same time preventing others from doing something. The residents did not wish to raise a scandal, but unless something wore done they would be forced iu self-defsnco to bring the matter under tho attention cf the Government and to make a howl by letters to the press. The owner who was opposing the proposal could got from £SO to £2OO or d£3oo an aero for his land if he wished, and it was impossible for him to escape the payment of taxation. It was intended to make Plimmerton as far as possible a model watering-place. Mr Field said there was a question cf legality in the matter. Mr Macdonald: Leave that for us to fight. Mr Field: We oinnot divest ourselves of responsibility in that way. Mr Field went on to say that ho had opposed the formation ot the road district, for the reason that he did not agree with the inclusion in the township of land that was not township land. He suggested that a loan should be raised, and Mr Walker’s land included in the special rating district.

The opinion of Messrs Brandon and Hislop, solicitors to the Council, as to the legal position of the Council was read. It was to the effect that as the boundaries of the proposed now district had been altered a new petition should be signed having reference to the new district as agreed upon, and that a new special resolution should be passed. They did not think that the signatures of any persons outside the new district were required, but doubted the power of the Council to amend a special resolution during its progress, unless specially authorised. It was agreed that a new petition, stipulating the amended boundaries, should be prepared, and as Mr Macdonald said the petition could be prepared in three days, a special meeting was convened for Tuesday next to deal with the question. Mr C. T. Richardson and 13 other ratepayers wrote protesting against the action of Mr Powell in putting down a tram-line through Plimmerton. No action was taken by the Council.