The Hawera County Council has jurisdiction over about 438 square miles, and is bounded on the north by the county of Stratford, on the west by the county of Egmont, and on the east by the county of Patea, the southern boundary being the Tasman Sea. The capital value of the property in the county is £2,577,837, on which on a rate of 1¼d in the pound is levied with the exception of Mokoia riding, in which the rate is ¾d. The district is divided into six ridings; namely, Mokoia, Waimate, Hawera, Eltaam, Okaiawa and Mangatoki, each of which returns one member, with the exception of Waimate, which returns three, and Hawera, with two members. About £50,000 has been borrowed for the construction of roads and bridges. In 1906 a large bridge was erected at a cost of £1,100 on Skeet road, over the Kapuni river. Members of the Council for the year 1906: Mr. J. Marx (chairman), representing Mangatoki riding, and Messrs W. Duirs (Mokoia riding), W. Blair, T. A. Bridge, and A. J. Hastie (Waimate riding), T. L. Joll (Okaiawa riding), J. Boddie (Eltham riding), J. Davidson and J. Forbes (Hawera riding). The offices of the Council are situated in Princes Street, Hawera. Mr. C. A. Budge is Clerk and Treasurer, and Mr F. Basham; County Engineer.

Mr. Thomas Andrew Bridge was elected a member of the Hawera County Council in November, 1905. He is further referred to as chairman of the Waimate Road Board.

Mr. James Davidson holds a seat as a member of the Hawera County Council as one of the representatives of the Hawera riding. He is further referred to as a former Mayor of Hawera, and as a member of the Patea Harbour Board.

Mr. William Duirs was elected to the Hawera County Council in 1905. He was born in Laurencekirk, Kincardinshire, Scotland, in the year 1850, and was brought up to farming on his father's farm. In 1872 he landed in Wellington, and after gaining local experience he took up land in 1878 at Whakamara, near Mokoia, where he has since resided. Mr. Duirs has always taken a prominent part in local matters. Many years ago he was a member of the Hawera Road Board and for some years was chairman of the Whakamara school committee, of which he is also commissioner. Mr. Duirs is chairman of the Mells Cooperative Dairy Factory Company. Except for two seasons he has held this position from the company's inception: and he is also a member of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. Mr. Duirs is married.

Gungall, photo.
Mr. W. Duirs.

Mr. Charles Alfred Budge has been Clerk and Treasurer of the Hawera County Council for many years. He was born in Blenheim in the year 1860, and is a son of the late Mr. William Budge, surveyor, who came to Nelson with the early settlers. Mr. Budge was educated at Nelson College, entered the service of the National Bank at Blenheim in 1876, and was subsequently at the bank's branches at Wellington, Reefton, Greymouth, Christchurch, and Nelson. In 1883 he removed to Hawera, and in 1888 received his present appointment. As a footballer, Mr. Budge, when only seventeen years of age, represented Wellington in interprovincial matches, and was one of the earliest members of the Wellington Athletic Football Club.