MEETING AT NEWTOWN.

Evening Post, Volume XVII, Issue 314, 8 January 1879, Page 2

MEETING AT NEWTOWN.

| _ Last night a meeting of ratepayer;, convened hy the Hew town Committee, was hold at the Newtown Hotel last night. Mr. BaylUs, chairman of the Committee, presided, and among those present was bis Worship the Mayir. The Chairman said that he should first or all like to get an expression of opinion from the meeting ag to whether they would be in favor of the Corporation raiting the loan of £150,000 for toakiog streets, &c. Referring to the tenderajcalled Tor by the Corporation for metalling Rildiford, Rintoul. and Luxford streets, he urfced that it would be a waste of money to go on metalling thaw atreete without first reducing4hem to a proper level. He also pointed out <hat Adelaide-road required to be levelled, addtog (hat he was endeavoring to gel the tramway brought to Newtown, and if the road were levelled It would be much easier to bring it out there. The chairman next pointed out that at present tbere was only one policeman in Newtown, and it was impossible for him to do -all the work required of him. He thought tnpy should urge the Commissioner of Polite to grant them another comtable, and also a lock-up or small police station and ¦ pound. There was a Government Reserve near Mr. HowelTs, which would make an excellent ifte. Mr. Wilson urged that it was pre-matu»-to. v discusß the loan of £150,000. It. would be w^ite""ttaw,jenough to discow tiu* when the-Cerpwalion fltrtntrltted the question to the ratepayers, as they were bound to do by law. _. ¦ The Chairman replied that he merely wanted an expression of opinion on the subject. It was impossible to carry out the works required tmless the Council borrowed money. After tiome further conversation the discussion of tin's subject dropped. With reference to the tramway, the Chairman said that if they got up a petition to the Company, and asked the City Council to do what they could in the matter, be thought they might hope to get the tramway brought to Newtown. Mr. Matthews asked if it was ctrrisd by a majority of the ratepayers of Newtown that the Chahjnan should call a meeting whenever he liked. He urged that any little matter that wanted seeing to la Newtown could be attended to as it always hßd been, without calling meetings and Having all this bothor. The Chairmak replied that it was carried by a majority of the meeting held some time ago. Mr. Wilson moved, and Mr. Tanner seconded, that a petition be sent to the Tramway Company, asking them to extend the tram as far as Newtown. Mr. Mafiißstok, as one of the committee, protested against their being found fault with by those who did nor hold the Interests of Newtown at heart. If they had any objection to make against the committee why did they not attend the meeting at which the committee was appointed, and objtct then? (Hear, hear.) Mr. Mathbws said that it was shown in the Post that a committee was quite unnecessary. Mr. Maplbston— Simply by an individual letter. After some further remarks of this kind, the Chairman interposed asking the speakers to confine themselves to the question and not to enter into any personal discussion. The resolution was then carried. Mr. White, junr., who appeared on behalf of his father, stated tbat the directors of the Tramway Company were prepared to extend tbe line to Newtown at once, provided the residents would take up a certain number of shares. A vote of thanks was passed to Mr. White for the information he bad given, and it was resolved that the meeting would do its best to get a number of shares placed. With reference to the question of an additional policeman, ice., his Worship the Mayor, i amid applaase, promised to wait on Mr. Shearman on the subject. The Mayor then explained the reason of his presence at the meeting. He stated tbat he met Mr. Bayliss a few days ago and told him he should like to come out to Mewtown to meet the ratepayers and have a talk with them, because he gathered, during the late contest, that tbey had many grievance which they wished to ventilate. It wa mot always the best time during a contest o that kind to gather the feelings of the ratepayers, and he had come now quietly to hear what their wants and grievances were, and he could assure them that he would do anything he possibly could to carry out their wishes. (Applause.) He refrained from making any promises during the contest, but told the ratepayers they must take him on his merits. (Cheers ) He did not believe in electioneering | promises, because, as a rule, they were seldom carried out. He expressed the opinion that the question of the loan was a very important one, especially to the inhabitants of Newtown, because they would get the lion's share of tbe money. He imagined that at least two-tbirds of the £150,000, If it were obtained, would be expended on Cook Ward and the south end of Te Aro Ward. He told them candidly that his own opinion was in favor of the lead, became without it tbat portion of the city would not go ahead as they would all wish it to do. He considered tbat meetings of this kind were calculated to further their interests very considerably, because wherever a large number of ratepayers decided upon a course of action, and waited upon the Council, they were almost certain to get what they wanted if they were at all reasonable. He did not of course expect them at the moment to tell him what they wanted, but if they would take » plan of the ward, and decide upon any particular works they wanted carried out, he would always be glad to help them to the best of his ability. (Cheers). 3 A vote of thanks to the Mayor and Chairman concluded the proceedings. •"«•«*