WAIRARAPA WEST COTNCIL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1629, 10 March 1884, Page 2

WAIRARAPA WEST COTNCIL.

Ameeting of the Wairarapa West Council was held on Saturday last at the County offices, Carterton./ i Present—'. Crs Bunny, Buchanan, Russell, Braitb.waite, H, E Bunny and Mathews, In the absence of the Chairman, Or Bunny was voted to the chair, The minutes of the previous meeting were read and'confirmed.

After soiiie preliminary business of a formal character luul been dispatched, Or Phillips, pursuant to notice, moved the following resolution:— •

That the Council requests tho Council of of Wiararapa East County to recognize (he cordial desire of the settlers for the Eoal Hoards to carry out roadworks (2) That ia.the ovcut ot County East agreeing with- the Road Boards as this County has done, this Council trusts that tho north valley settlers will withdraw their petition for absolute suspension (3) That the question of amalgamation be theu conai lorod"by both Counties and tho result ot such consideration referred to the different Highway Boards for approval

In speaking to the resolution the mover urged it upon the Council on broad grounds. He argued that the union .'of the colony depended upon the local union, and that if they were not strong enough for local union, they would be powerless to'resist the efforts made by the two extremities of the colony for insular sepir.ition.

Or Russell seconded the resolution,

Cr H. R. Bunny in speakitfg to the resolution said that though he concurred wifcU-" Cr Phillips in his desire for amalgamation and looked, forward to the day when that union would ba accomplished of which Jio had always been an advocate, he did not think the pill which Cr Philhds offered to the North County would be accepted, That County had made its bed, and must be content to lie upon it. He could nob follow Or Phillips in his argument as to the influence local union would have on the colony, To put on record the view hi- entertained, lie would move as an amendment : That amalgamation would be beneficial to this district but the present time was not a favourable one for taking action towards obtaining it.

Cr Matthews, in seconding the amendment, agreed that the present time was most inopportune for discussing the question, The northern ratspayers were in a state of ferment, and if they had failed on a previous occasion to carry amalgamation, they would be certain notto succeed now that the 'conditions for''agitating it were more unfavorable than on the former occasion,

Cr Buchanan said he should also support tho amendment. The previous effort made to cany amalgamation failed signally; so much so that though every effort was made for a long period to obtain signatures to the petition, yofc when tho opposition petition was presented it obtained within ten days the necessary number of names to upset the petition. He saw no reason to anticipate at this present time any better success, and from a conversation he had had with some members of the East County he gathered that that they, too, regarded as useless the proposed intervention. He scarcely followed Cr Phillips in his reference to road boards. It would appear that he desired tile road boards to have the sole control of roads, (Cr Phillips; quite so).. He would point out that their own Council had only partially relinquished the control of its roads to the road boards.

Cr Phillips did not, in reply, desire to say much as the Council was clearly against him, He was sorry for it, as his only object was to save the County East frem being absolutely suspended. Or Buchanan inquired why amalgamation was impossible because County East was suspended. Cr Phillips replied that the County would be dead.

The Chairman: By taking certain action you may revive it!

In putting the amendment (which was carried on the voices) iho chairman said that he should like, had he not been in the chair, to have spoken on the question, but Id would have another opportunity of expressing his views.

A motion, of which Cr Phillips had given notice, questioning Cr Booth's right to sit at the Harbor Board, was postponed at the request of the mover, who said he preferred to take it when Cr Booth was present,

Or Buchanan moved that the Public Works ! Committee be authorised to make regulations for the width of wagon tires.

Cr Phillips objected that tho motion could not be pnb without notice, and the chairman sustained the objection.