WOODVILLE

Waipawa Mail, Volume 5, Issue 607, 7 December 1883, Page 3

WOODVILLE

(from our own correspondent.) December 3. A meeting was held in the schoolroom on Saturday evening last, for the purpose of obtaining an expression of opinion from the ratepayers as to the advisability of suspending the Counties Act in the County of Waipawa. Mr T. F. Fountaino occupied the chair, aud read the advertisement calling the meeting. Ho referred to the difficulty of choosing between the suspension of the County and the formation of a new County. He did not consider the County system a success as far as Woodville was concerned, and thought a smaller and more compact County would act better. Mr T. Moore, in moving the first resolution, made a few remarks to the effect that the ratepayers were dissatisfied with the working of the County Council. The amount paid in salaries to County officials was about £ISOO. He moved a resolution to the effect that owing to the remoteness of this riding from the centre of the County system, this district does not receive the attention that it should do. Mr Hall, in moving a second resolution in favor of separation from the County, referred to the visits of the County engineer to this district, and putting his visits at six per year, they cost £25 each. The Woodville riding contributed to the Waipawa County Council £2OO by liceuse fees, <fec.,out of which fund the management expenses of the County were paid. Mr Hall spoke at length in favor of separation, aud thought it would be better to get the work done more under the eyes of the people. The chairman explained that somo ridings paid no license fees, consequently not contributing to the salaries of the County officials. Mr J. Sovvry proposed a third resolution, appointing the various road boards as committees to carry out arrangements for obtaining signatures, <fcc.

The three resolutions were seconded and carried. It was decided to ascertain the opinions of the Danevirke and Kuraeroa Road Boards. It was also suggested that the Paihaitua Board would probably wish to join the Woodville County should one be formed. Mr Chamier promised to ascertain the views of the settlers on the subject. A vote of thanks to the chairman, terminated the proceedings. (FROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT.) A meeting of ratepayers was held in the schoolroom on Ist inst., to discuss the advisability of seceding from the Waipawa County Council. Mr Fountain© occupied the chair. Mr Moore, one of our leading merchants, made a speech to the effect that the ratepayers had a great grievance, and suggested that affairs could be altered by forming a Woodville Couuty. lie proposed a reso-

lution to that effect, which was seconded by Mr Murray in a neat little speech, and carried with acclamation, Mr Hall, the local carpenter, and one of the tallest persons in the township, accused the Government of all kinds of jobbery over the Roads and Bridges Construction Act and certain runholders, their “ sisters, cousins, and aunts.” Mr Hall went largely into figures, but got mixed terribly between valuations and number of acres in the riding. He also stated that it now cost the County £25 for each trip of th 6 engineer to Woodville, which sum would be better in the hands of the local board. He would move that the Woodville ratepayers have a total dissolution with all bodies that “ jobbed” the money away. Gallant Mr Sturdy, with an able speech, seconded Mr Hall’s remarks and resolution. Then up jumped our worthy friend Mr Sowrv, who, in a forcible manner began to put everything into “ shipshape,” by proposing persons to canvass the district for the necessary signatures to carry out the wishes of the Woodville people. Things now began to get exciting, and I could stop no longer, the enthusiasm of the ratepayers being so intense as to overcome any ordinary person. Professor St. Leger, the horse tamer, gave us a lecture on Friday evening. He was to perform the next evening on a wild horse of Mr Peebles’, but as the immediate necessity of separating ourselves from Waipawa County engrossed the whole attention of Woodville, the poor professor had had to postpone his intended treat.