BROKEN FAITH.

Opunake Times, Volume I, Issue 23, 18 September 1894, Page 2

BROKEN FAITH.

At the Hawera County Council on Friday last, Councillor Hemmingway presented the petition for merging Western Waimate. The petition contained 330 signatures, and if the signatures had been obtained in any sort •f an honest manner, it would be very conclusive evidence that amalgamation was desired. We are, however, in a position to say that in order to obtain signatures the grossest misrepresentation has been used. As far as Councillor Hemmingway’s part in the proceedings is concerned, prievously to the meeting held at Awatuna a couple of weeks ago, we took the charitable view that the misrepresentations which had emanated from him were the outcome of the want of knowledge of local bodies’ powers, and gave him credit for honesty of intention as far as his lights illumined him. Since that meeting, however, we can no longer view him in this light, as his subsequent actions at the Council meeting prove that his sense of honor in dealing with the ratepayers’ interests is so fine that it is not perceptible to the naked eye. He pledged himself distinctly at the meeting that if protection as regards the district rate could not be made by the Council, that he'would oppose the merging to the utmost. At the Council he apparently contented himself with asking the members of the district already merged if they had suffered any injustice at the hands of the Council, when Councillor Scott entered into a panegeric on the happy family they were since their unification. Reference was also made to how happy and contented eastern Waimate was since its inclusion under the cloak of Councildom, which most have been regarded as strong evidence, as at the same meeting an application for work on the Skeet Road could not be granted as the Road Board was still in charge. The Chairman advocated delaying the question for a month, but the proposition received very slender support, and Crs Scott and Quin moved and seconded that the prayer of the petition be granted. Cr McLean pointed out that this would look much better if it emanated from Councillors representing the part affected, when Or Mcßae got up to fill the breach. On Cr Stewart pointing out that it was customary for the person in charge of a petition to move its adoption, the duty was thrust on Cr Hemmingway, and in complying he gave conclusive evidence of his true character as regards public business. It will be a dear lesson to the ratepayers, but they can only blame themselves. They had responsible men looking after their affairs, and advising on the best course to pursue, whieh was to declare all roads in Waimate district roads and reserve control of their own affairs, but they disregarded this advice, and blindly followed one who has proved himself capable of descending to anything to gain bis point.