THE CAMBRIDGE COUNTY.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1022, 11 January 1879, Page 2

THE CAMBRIDGE COUNTY.

The airne deputation then introduced the (j'lesfcion of the proposed erection of certam portions of the Waikato, VVaipa and Piako'Oouatiea into anew County, to be called tha Cambridge Couaty, and asked on what prouud the request of the settlers had been refused. Mr Sheohan Baid that the Government were averse to proclaiming new couaties, b^lieyiug it would be better to defer doiug so U'ltil the Act had beon working sufficient time to enable the electors to fully understand its bearings, aad come to » more manure consideration of the advisability of making such changes as that proposed m the present iastance Mr G. E. CUirke referred the Minister to the County Act itself — to section 11, sub-sections 1 and 2, — and to the 20th aud 21th sections, which clearly showed that the f ramers of the Act contemplated and provided for such charges as that purposed by the ratepayers signing 1 the memorialfor the construction of the new county of Cambridge. Ho, also, drew' Mr Sheehan's attentiou to the fact that ! no memorial was. over more numerously signed than- that one was, containing the signatures of "470 ratepayers out of a possible 28', Mr Clarke then produced r,he letter from the Under -Secretary at Wellington, acknowledging the receipt of" the msmurial, and stating 1 that the Government could not recommend it to the Governor, as they had not m forraatibu at hand as to the necessity or advisability of doing so. Mr Clarke said that, while under no consideration would lie dictate their duty to the Government, as a momber of the deputation he felt it his duty to inform the Government that the unanimous opinion of the ratepayers of the proposed new county was that the Govemms:at required no such information for their guidance, but that the ratepayers, having complied with the Act m their pro- \ cedure, it followod, as a matter of course, that their request should be granted. Clause 20 provided for this, aud put outside the question altogether the voice of those portions of the counties proposed to hv left out of the ne\t county. Contrary to the provisions of this clause, however, Government, he believed, had allowed themselves, to be influenced by outside pressure. If one thing more than another showed the necessity for a re-distribution of area, it was the action of the Chairman, of the Matamata Koad Board, who had actually returned the sum of £380 to Government, saying, it was not wanted for roads m tho Mataroata district, when it was a fact, tint goods carted a distance of 2o miles beyond Cambridge, passing through a portion of the Matamata district, cost £o, last summer, per ton freight, and, that, ba I as the roads were at that time of the year, m winter they were simply impassable. 'Mr Sheehan requested that the deputation would telegraph to him, when m Wellington, when he would see that the matter was brought again before the Cabinet, with a view to its rooonside"ra- ' tion.