HURUNUI RABBIT DISTRICT.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18204, 15 October 1924, Page 4

HURUNUI RABBIT DISTRICT.

FENCING DISPUTE. \ krjc ard -representative meeting of farmers and stockowncr3 was held in the Oraihi Ha!?. Mr Jatnc-s Baxter, chairman of the Omihi Branch of the Farmers' Union, ,-bo was voted to the chair, explained howhis Fanners' Union -meeting h*& clashed with a meeting called by the chairman of the South Eastern Area, and how ho had arranged villi Mr X. D. Campbell to hojd a combined meeting for about half an hour, and then to separate and leave the ratepayers in. the South Eastern Area to carry on* with their own meetingMr Dcak Z3.xc a. very interesting outline oi the position as it affected the Hurunui Board, and <nc ratepayers in the Sooth Eastern Area. He iaid gTeat stress on. the point that the South E-astern Area,had never asked the Hurunui Board for this comprehensive fencing scheme, which had been entered into by it. They had merely in the first place asked for severance from the Hurunui Board, and to be allowed to form themselves into r» new board and to fence themselves off from the rest of the world, and to de;iJ with the rabbits within that area. He also made reference, to the opposition put forvard against the comprehensive fencing" scheme of the Hurunui Board, which he maintained wss and would have been a very fine thing for the whole district. Mr 'Wright, secretary of the Hawardcn branch of the Farmers' Union, made reference to the petition -which had been circulated throughout the district, and: stated that Mr X. D. Campbell had asked hint if it wj3 true, that the hooding of the petition had been akcred in zny way since its inception. He went en io explain that it was the cue and only heading that had ever been presented. Mr X. D. Campbell paid tho original headinp which he had asked Mr Wright about stated very clearly that- the petitioners wero asking for the abolition of the existing board, and he asked Mr Wright if he had not pointed out in the Hawarden inoetin™ that the petition -was only asking- for what they vfouid automatically receive in the course of a few weeks, and that they were only wasting the Minister's time, as tbo present. Board would go cut of office, B-nd they would have the, chance of electing fresh representative*. Mr Wright, admitted that, this was so. Mr Campbell then stated that tho petition which had- been presented in Wellington to tbo Minister now asked for tho abolition of the existing- district. Therefore people who signed the previous petition bad been misled, and their case, misreprcBented in Wellington. Mr Heisley spoke at some considerable length in support of what Mr Wright had said, and during his speech he m»de reference to a third petition having- been circulated. (Laughter, and a voice: "Which of tho three went to Wellington?") Mr Heasley then went on to explain that what Mr Campbell had said was incorrect, and that tho heading of the petition had only asked for the abolition of the Board. Mr Starky: Which petition do you refer to out of the three? Mr Heasley appealed to Mr SIOS3 as one of tho men who had canvassed the district, And asked him whether tho petition that he took round asked for the abolition of the Board or the district? Mr Sloss stated that it asked for the abolition of tho district. Mr Campbell then asked permission to read a telegram sent by the Minister, which stated that the petitioners wero asking for the abolition of the district. Mr Heasley then interrupted and tried explain to the meeting that the telegram as read by Mr Campbell was not correctMr Campbell: Very well then, Mr Chairman, I will read to the meeting, with your approval, a copy of the heading of the petition which is now in Wellington. This stated that the petitioners were asking for the abolition of tho district. The headingof tho petition shown to him at the Hawarden meeting, which had been called to receive the petitions and to elect gentlemen to act as delegates and present the petition to tho Minister, was removed from tho petition -which Mr Heasley hadi been taking round himself. This headingdefinitely stated that the petitioners were asking for the abolition of tho Board. Mr Carupbp.ll asked if Mv Heasley would say that that petition had not been circulated through the district. Mr Heasley: It was sent round. The chairman pointed out that they had ex- ' ceeded the time limit arranged upon, and the meeting then closed with a hearty vote of thanka to tho chairman. Mr Campbell then took tho chair at a. well atten&d meeting of ratepayers of the South Eastern Area, and briefly outlined what had happened in tho interval between this and the last general meeting. He laid great emphasis on tbo point that tho Huqrunui Board had hod pressure brought to bear on them by the Minister, and that the Board had had to go back on their word to him, as their representative, and- ha<J decided- to stay all proceedings until after the elections. Tho business before tho meetingwas the nomination of a candidate for the next election and general business. Mr Starky moved and Mr Doak seconded that tho chairman bo elected as the candidate for tho southern end of the Hurunui Board's district. The motion was carried ■unanimously. Sir Charles Campbell moved and Mr Clifford seconded: "That this meeting views with disgust the action of the deputation who approached the Minister of Agriculluro and utterly misrepresented, the situation. (1) That the petition was not presented to tho Minister in the same way as when fiigned by tbo ratepayers. (2) That many ratepayers who signed had had tho position misrepresented to them. (3) That Cla.U?o 4 was utterly untrue. {{) That Clause. 5 wa3 also untrue, as it stated that tho fence waa to cost more than threo times tho estimated amount. That the meeting also views with (surprise a,nd regret the action of the Minister of Agriculture, who has not only executed a complete change of front on the strength of this petition a,nd withdrawn his own sympathy, but has brought to bear on the. Hurunui Rabbit Board frtistcca Bucb, pressure that they find themselves unable to carry out the work which wina promised after due consideration and in all good faith on the part of the trustees." It was resolved on the motion of MV DoaV, seconded by Mr Eusor: "Thai thg chairman he empowered to go for tho completion of the present petition, and have it presented to his Excellency tho Qovernpr-Genera.l at once, and if necessary to get. together a deputation to wait upon the Minister of Agriculture." At a mectiug' at Hawarden, Mr .Tames Heasley was appointed the official candidate at the election to be'held on November 3rd.