HAVELOCK NEWS.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 178, 5 June 1869, Page 4

HAVELOCK NEWS.

(From our Own Correspondent.) Public Meeting. —A meeting was held at Havelock on the 24th ultimo. Mr. Cohen was called to the chair. He said the object of calling the meeting was to hear their members explain what they had done in the Provincial Council, and to arrange matters for the future guidance of the District. Mr. Levien rose and said that the proposed scheme of the Council was, that the province should be divided into four separate districts, namely, Wairau, Kaikoura, Picton, and Pelorus. The district he had the honor to represent, had a fair share allotted to it, as it had more unsold land than any other portion. This, with its gold fields, would place them in a fair position. It was also proposed to have three district boards, namely, education, charitable, and public works, five members to compose each particular board, the mode of election to be this;—Havelock, 1 ; Havelock Suburban, 1 ; Kaituna, 1 ; Pelorus, 1 j and Sound 1. The education board to be endowed with one half of the land fund, the remaining half to the other boards; to which would be added all the monies raised in the goldfields,

land sales, &c. He also believed the future prosperity of Pelorus would depend on the men they elected to sit on the different boards. (Cheers.) Mr. Douslin said he thought the object of calling this meeting together, was with a view of asking Captain Kenny, their member, to attend a public meeting, in order to get an expression of opinion from him with respect to the resolution passed by the Provincial Government, with reference to the province being divided into districts, but if the meeting thought that Captain Kenny would not have time, that a requisition should be got up requesting him to support in the House the petition adopted by the Provincial Council, and also to see that the divisions of the districts were maintained as laid out for educational purposes. (Cheers.) Mr. Thompson said he thought the Education Bill would press hard on those working men with large families who were least able to pay. The Bill made no provision how the rates were to be enforced, and he was afraid it would prove a failure as to its working. Ultimately a committee was formed to draw up a requisition and obtain signatures to be sent to Captain Kenny. After passing a vote of thanks to the two members, the meeting separated. Some evil disposed person or persons have fallen a tree across the fluming of Mr. Levien’s water-race, Wakamarina, and damaged it to the extent of £4O. A reward is offered, and as this race cost over £IOO, we trust the offender may be- brought to justice.

A fire took place at Canvasstown at four o’clock on tlie 27th ultimo. The Masonic Hotel, and the “ The Bank,” ocicupied by Mr. Muller, storekeeper, were entirely destroyed. Most of the goods were Isaved. The origin of the fire is unknown.