THE REPRESENTATION OF HEATHCOTE.

Press, Volume XLII, Issue 6247, 26 September 1885, Page 3

THE REPRESENTATION OF HEATHCOTE.

A meeting of the Heathcote electors was held in the Woolstbn Town Hall last sight to consider the action of their member, Mr J. L. Coster, in absenting himself from Paroament-during the last session. There were about 100 electors present, and Mr T. Tork occupied the chair. He explained the nattue of the meeting, and said, the following motion would be submitted: — " i hat this meeting of the electors of the Heathoote distriot expresses its strong disapproval of the practical disfrauchisemenc of the district through the continued absence of its member in England, and would respectfully ask him to resign." Mr J. S. SiCHASSsoN proposed the motion, and Bald that Mr Coster had promised to return in time to take hie seat in the last Parliament. He had failed to do so, and it was to be regretted, especially as such an important question as the West Coast Sailway had been under discus&ion. A member of Parliament should subordinate private business to the business of the constituency, and the Heathcote electors, he thought, had good reasons for asking him to resign. [Applause.] Mr Jho. Clabkx seconded the motion. Mr Coster had, in his opinion, left them in the lurch. [Applause.] Kγ H.B. Davis, though as much diß&p- ---' pointed as any, would move, ** That this j meeting views with regret the enforced absence of J. l>. Coster, Esq., from the! last session of Parliament, ana respectfully 1 requests him to pledge himself to attend to future Parliamentary sessions cr resign." ! Mr Fibhxb, v/ho seconded the amendment, thought they might give Mr Coster a ■how. [a Voice— Hβ aart worth it." J Mr J. H. Hopkins considered that Mr ' Coster should have put in an appearance in : Parliament, even 2 his voice were not heard. This last seseion he had been absent altogether, and in the previous one ihe was only present during the considerai tion of the subsidy to or support of the New Zealand Shipping Company, As a public man Mr Coster had been a failure. There was no question as to what the electors ehoulddo* At any. rate, &**<*£*■™£g I run the rusk of bung again du*ranchi*ed. HeWported the *sP» ta^vL* B E!S Mr hzirmoirt thought they had had enough. If Mr Coster tori.been »«**«- aWe man he would have resigned long ago. IffewS ha** liked to been m the rtest Coast Eaiiway bueinees. .CLaaghterJ The moSon was carried by a iargfi^majortovaad the Chairman was uistrncted to xSwaSawpyof it to Mr Coeter. 1 ofthanke to the Chairxoan closed themeetto*.