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been such that ratepayers believe future County Council arrangement could not fairly carry on local necessities satisfactorily. Work of Board has been carried on without financial strain; over £3,000 has been spent on property, streets, and water-races, whereas for equal time previous hardly £300 has been spent.—Dr. Withers, Chairman. Taradale Town Board. —Taradale Town Board would suggest that the Counties Bill be confined to its proper place, the waste-paper basket. —W. Waterhouse, Chairman. Te Awamutu Town Board. —Your wire received re Counties Bill. At special meeting Te Awamutu Town Board held last evening to consider the matter the following resolution was unanimously carried : That this Town Board strongly opposes proposed legislation town districts, and urges that the Te Awamutu Town District should be retained like road districts, maintaining principle that it should be optional; also that cost administration in our case practically nil. We have valuable institutions, including flourishing library and largest Town Hall in county, valued at £1,000, whose progress and benefit would be marred if absorbed in the county.—W. North. Tmwald Town Board. —Unanimous opinion this Board that interests of our ratepayers would be best considered by this district remaining as at present, but if change must be made it is desirable that County Council should not be authorised to raise rates in this town district, as rates so raised are not spent for benefit of this district. —Doherty, Chairman. Waverley Town Board. —Strongly object to abolition of Town Board. Public meeting of town and country residents held here on second, when following resolutions passed: Meeting strongly opposes proposals Counties Bill re abolition Town Boards, which would prove disastrous to welfare of Waverley Town and district, as whole of property of Town Board, two Domain Boards, and Cemetery Board would rest in Patea County Council without local control. That Government be requested, to make provision for retention Town Boards similar to those now constituted.—W. Davis, Chairman. Waverley, Resolutions of Public Meeting. —l have the honour to inform you that a public meeting of ratepayers and residents in Waverley Town and surrounding district was held in the Town Hall, Waverley, on Friday, 2nd August, to protest against the proposed abolition of the Waverley Town Board under the new Counties Act now before Parliament. The meeting was a fully representative one, and was attended by ratepayers and residents in both town and country district. The matter of the proposed abolition of Town Board was fully discussed, with the result that the following resolutions were unanimously carried: (1.) That this meeting strongly opposes the proposals contained in the the new Counties Bill providing for the abolition of Town Boards, and is of opinion that, if passed into law, such proposals will be disastrous to the welfare of the Town of Waverley and surrounding district, as the whole of the property of the Town Board, the Waverley Domain Board, the Cemetery Board, and the Wairoa, Domain Board would vest in the Patea County Council without any local centre. (2.) That the Government be requested to make provision in the Bill for the retention of Town Boards similar to those now constituted under the Town Districts Act. (3.) That a copy of these resolutions be sent to the Premier through the member for the district.—John Muir, J.P., Chairman. Wyndham Town Board. —At special meeting of Wyndham Town Board it was unanimously decided to protest against the proposal to abolish Town Boards and administer town districts by County Councils, as it is considered a retrograde step and inimical to the best interests of this township. This Board will be pleased if you will use your influence to prevent this proposed enactment. This township is an important one, having nearly sufficient population to constitute it a borough. It will therefore be a great injustice to deprive it of its local administrative body, which has been in existence for twenty years, and has always performed its functions satisfactorily. It is believed that local affairs are better managed by local Boards than they can be under the proposed alteration, therefore the continuance of existing Town Boards cannot be too strongly urged upon the House.—Chairman, Town Board.

Price 9d.] By Authority : John Mackay, Government Printer, Wellington.—l9ol.