STREETS, SEWERAGE, & DRAINAGE ACT.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 1, Issue 31, 24 April 1858, Page 4

STREETS, SEWERAGE, & DRAINAGE ACT.

Pursuant to announcement by the Sheriff, a public meeting was held at the Eoyal Hotel, on Tuesday last, at noon, for the purpose of electing commissioners under this Act.

It was previously known that the meeting would be a failure. Since the publication of the Act in the columns of the Herald, doubts have arisen as to the applicability of its manifold and elaborate provisions to our infant state, and tlis opinion generally arrived at was that nothing should be done in the matter — at least until the completion of the new roll. Consequently, not more than half a dozen persons attended. The meeting having been opened pro forma by the Sheriff, —

The Rev. W. Colenso rose with much diffidence to more an adjournment. He had spoken on the subject of this measure to several of the principal land proprietors, who had all expressed astonishment at what was taking place. Ons ha d designated it as farcical ; another as premature ; a third as ridiculous ; and a forth shrugged his shoulders, and declared he would have nothing to do with it. He himself was astonished at it. Three diffei'-ent times he had endeavoured to ascertain who had taken the liberty of making an application to the Superintendent for this Act to be proclaimed, but up to that hour he had found none ready to own the bantling. He had lately been reading a work upon the early history of Victoria, from which he learned that, although the first house in Melbourne was erected in 1535, yet up to the end of 1853, no such Act as that was found necessary, This Act had evidently been applied for by two or three interested individuals, with reference to whom the Superintendent had truly remarked, — "They little knew what they were asking for." ne (Mr. Colenso) had made a rough calculation of the expense that would be incurred in carrying out the provisions of this enactment, and had found that £1200, or £1 for every acre in the Island would have to be expended in buildings, offices, surveys, &c. before a single shilling could be devoted to improvements. He would therefore move that, in the opinion of this meeting, the election of commissioners be deferred till some future time.

W. Ogilvy Esq., J. P., seconded the motion, which on being put, was carried without dissent.

The Sheriff added that, with regard to a future meeting, he scarcely knew what course to adopti but would at any future time accept a requisition signed by a majority of the electors as an indication of the public wish, and would call another meeting accordingly.