PUBLIC MEETING.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 44, 21 March 1877, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING.

The adjourned public meeting -to consider matters of importance affecting the welfare of Palmerston and smTounding district was held m the Foresters'/ Hall on Saturday afternoon last. Mr Snelson occupied th'eV chair, and m opening the meeting, gave a resume of the business transacted at the previous meeting. The Chairman further said, without going into the question, of forming Palmerston into a municipality at . any length, lie :would-«ay that, he was; sorry -the County /Council; had; been dragged into the discussion at the pre- ;. vipus "meeting. " 'They* had .got~|hejir members riu the -County Council ?«?ho would work for the interests of theftdistrict.. -'As a- Municipality theyvwould^ have, full control pf. all moneys raised within the Municipality ; they would have fully £1,000 more: to spend as. they liked; and the beauty of it was they need not tax themselves; one. halfpenny more.; At present they had no contr.ol?pver license and other fees. Tiiere; -were many pther matters to consider, but it was impossible to specify the'mL all 'at once. He "thought the best thing to do ,was to /fPrin a committee/ of eight or ■ ten to f Urge upon ' l the : (jbverninenV tiije desirability of forming Palmerstbji into a municipality, 'j--''-' 5 ,[?.;-. ■_, Mr Owen did not think there Was any:ijecessity for liinpdrting^a^j_dis-' cussion about the Ceuiily GQjfocHPfeto" the matter. The question* they fead/ tp T ' consider was whether they SfiotS^take ; the necessary, steps . to. form. th,e/ .town? r ship into a municipality. Qr,^bt, ?? He believed the r borough forript of government would wofk'-well^ m-Palmerstbir. It was ih'fprce m Hbkitika, at" the present time, and when &ere'T«ceritly he had held -some conversation - a 'friend of his concerning that system of government,; and >his .5 friend ; had informed him that it was |he best form of : local government that he could think of. The borough* fbrih of government would not check'the operations -of the .Road Board or anything else cbnduciye to the prosperity;; of the I'disiaict, : and ; iii r its ; i working .would give very/little 1 "trouble. He would, propose /'That a committee; ; . be formed; for the j?juf pbse; of taking ' the initiative "m geti^g-Palmersto'n formed 1 ; into a borough." He thought the corn- .; mitteej^hen' elected, should' begin : -tp work l "as "spott a^ possible, andhdped they would prove worthy of the/ trust reposed . in itheihj. „ ; -; ; ~ ; :d:^p ■"> ; c Mr Linton begged; to second the motion. .He, thought ; the object , of the vpresent meeting ' Had not' been ; clearly statedin the reportio^ilie last meeting, or many more of the adjacent settlers who would be affected by the. proposed change' would"' have" been present. The ; borough y. would .embrace an area of three miles or/ more j:/aud he .thought that if. many of the 'outlying ■ settlers had known this they would have beeu m attenclanoe. He believed, the revenue - of the municipality would amount, f d a larger sudi than that estimated at last meeting/ .; It. Kadi beerij estimated' at ISljSOO.but he thought that it would be more like £2,000. __ '■■-, '■'■-. - ; „v . : The Chairma/N'-^said 1 that ;the Committee should be careful not to take m too .much area: Perhaps it .would not be "\vise to take in'all that the^ Act al-" lowed> : ■-: -.. ;,. _ .".:■/ ; Mr! Bsoce thought the matter should be ; left • optionul with the Committee. He thought; that if possible i* :wou l*i be well some natuial- boundary such as a river. ,> .-,,;. '■ Mr Lintok thought it.would be well to take m all the area: they were entitled to. People would settle around the town, and if included m the municipal area would contribute to the revenue of the Borough. . ; Mr E- Leaet said with regard to v the relation of this place io uxe Goxinty Council it might be sa.id'that asa Muni;cipality, Palmerston, would be less elegible to becbnie the Gowito Town. He thought that it would be years; before the privilege of beiii^'the Couinty Town would be ' worth- anything, and when that time would come, JFoxtop wojjld/ very likely be a municipality also,' iMp* would-be, therefore; on'thfe-gaSie 5 f potm|:'" with ourselves. The inhabitants of Masterton were,; like the inhabitants of making a" move to bring the town under the Municipal ;Act,i and one *)f the main arguments used by thje local press m favor of the measure, .was] that with municipal powersi they wquldvbeable to check the itinerant ofpedlmg trade that prevailed to, the great injury of the local storekeeper; ' In Palmerston, they were not much-troubled with ped- ;- lars m the strict senseof the word, but if they^could as a municipaliiy make the clauses iii the Municipal , Act relating to pedlers, fit the backs of those gentlemenwho came pfiriodicaUy; from Wellington with their^ cheap 'sales pf rubbish that had been rejected from the Wellington market,, they would -benefit both storekeepers and townsfolk, and retain money m the place. ,' It was conconsidered necessary to. protect the country again st foreign capital by imposing an import duty of 10 ov: 11. per cent. He thought it was equally necessary, to protect the towns against the flying visits ,of outside tradesmen, and ii; the Municipal Act Tfould enable them to^ do this, by all means let them adopt* i,t. The arguments already adduced by other speakers had gone to sho^y thatas ; a municipality they would have control • . . of a much larger revenue /than at. present. They might; therefore, look' for many local improvements, that the Local , - Board cannot compass. The Square for instance, which, is now >( uii sightly, with." its heaps "of old timbier,yr6uld be planted with -.: shrubs and transformed into; a Sleasant park. He thought thai any ; isadvantages that might accme from the acceptance of \the^ 4-ct ou ld be inpre than counterbalanced /by^_ the soUd benefits they should experience. ;' The

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change therefore was a safe one to make. . :-. -■-,-<-. ,•. .■ ■<• ■> ■; : \ lowa's then proposed, by Mr. Abra-; hams "and seconded by Mr. 8,.. Leary, That the Committee consist of. Messrs Snelson, Owen, Linton, Reeling, J. P. Leary, R. Leary, King, and ; the mover. Carried. The Chairman said he would take the opportunity of introducing another matter affecting the district. It was a very general "impression that the Government intended at some future time to erect a bridge at the Lower Ferry. He had spokento Mr Baird on the subject some time ago, and that ■ gentleman had informed him that the Government had not decided" that a bridge should be built there, and that they had thought of making a road on the opposite side of the river. He (the Chairman) thought the construction of such a road would prove of immense benefit to Palmerstoh, and to the Pitzherberton settlers. If this road were not made the bridge now 'being constructed would really lead to no where, but the making of such a road would open up : a : large tract of country and facilitate settlement, and he did not think that it would mr juriously , affect the other" end >o£. tlie township, or the Stoney Creek and Poanghua districts'. -The Committee appointed by the meeting 'might take m hand- to point out to the "Government the advisability of setting aside blocks of wasteland on deferred payment along thi^p^poseii.line of .road, which; for the sak> of convenience they would call the River Bank "3s&ad. The matter at all events might be suggested to- Mr Johnston, pointing out to him at the same time .that it would be a great bpon.tpthe district. ' Mr Bhtjc?: said tEat perhaps some present did not dearly understand what was proposed. By the - making; of the road m question, the contemplated bridge at the Lower Ferry would not necessarily be, doneraway ; with;^ IK was certainly a nuisance to have only a ferry crossing on a main femki line of road, and a bridge at. the lower ferry might jierhaps be found to be > 'necessary,' but the making of the road 'ought not to' hinge oh' £he construction I'or1 'or othei'- ! wise of the bridge. The road would benefit a large district,_and land Would be sold to settlers all along it. He did not say that the Lower = Ferry should-be y done' away, with.; -It would be conver nientior settlers m its vicinity to use it, . and whilst it paid it would no doubt be , continued. It would be greatly to the advantage of settler? on the Fitzher- . berton. block to have, this road; made. In advocating its construction he 'was not merely looking to his own interests, for if no action were Vta ken concerning the road there would be no toll on the bridge- leading to his ; property ; but if a road wa3 made on the other side of the river leading to the Lower Ferry, and brought under control of the County Council, he as well as others would then . doubtless have to. pay toll. Mr, 3£aoxT said he- would like to know what the settlers on the Gorge road w ould do rif the Lower Ferry ;v was done away with P v : ■:'_.;■"> r Mr Linton said- they could not do away with the crossing at the Ferry. '.He believed uthe . road on the - other side- of the river was niuch wanted, and a biidge . at the Lower Ferry on the main line of road: leading •to JNapier ;was wanted' also. He did not see why: the district should not have both these conveniences. The Pro* vincial Secretary had been sent- down two years ago to examiae "the river at tie.Lower Kerry, and he believed it was the intention of. the ; Government to build a bridge- there. 'To advocate the making of: the road m; lieu of building the bridge would bo to inflict. an injustice upon settlers online Stoney Creek and Gorge line of : road. . ; . r ' Mi*. O wen thought that the • settlers oil .the; Gorge line; should not stick out against .-the making of the Hiver Bank Road ..as 'against the building' of -the bridge. , He thought there was no possible chance of getting a. ;bridge;at the 1 Lower Ferry at present. -In urging the mattefoipon: Mr: Bunhy some: time kgc^ tbsc^^ueinan had askedhimif the district^equired two bridges 'across the same 'riyer; within six; miles of each" other. ..• '•■ '.% ■ 5- /; The Cbujb&an thought there was tlo chance of getting the ; bridge- at the present time. ; If they, cbiild get it Well and - good ;■ but as He had before stated^ the road was -a necessity to the settlers who had already • purchased land m ( the Fitzherberton Block ; a large area of country Would be opened : up "by it-4at: least some 12,000 pr 14,000; acres /would be made availabe for settlement. v The fact of haying a road leading to Stoney Ureek and the Gorge coujdnot be ui'gedas a reason why they . did not require the,; Eangitijcei.and other;^ jin.es of 'road;: and,; the having 'these roads was no reasptt; ■why they should not have one made on, the opposite .side of- the , riyer. ; The/ bridge would be a matter of time; j£ad . the Government intended to build a bridge immediately they would not have put a punt at the Lower Ferry. .There was now a fair pi;ospe,ct. of. getting this, road made, and , its construction would bf qi great advantage to the settlers on the other .side of, the Manawatu as well as to the tdwnship of Palmerstpn': Mr Beuce said that if it were a question hetyfeep.^ the bridge and; the road, he would n6t feel so inclined to advocate the making of the road, but as the matter stood, there "ap^pedred to be no chance of 'getting the bridgej and he ! Vwpuld therefore say "let us have the road."; :-':?.: - : '■■;- ; -:..^h ; 'b| Mr R. LEAEY.thought that the .formation of this road -would" not ultimately • clash with the interests of ;the StbneyCreek settlers, but undoubtedly^ its immediate'effect Would >be v to put off indefinitely^ the erection of the LoWer Ferry Bridge, and m this Way their .interests would. be for 7ia;~wKile affected. *

They should try and act justly towards ail the settlers, and: if benefiting those m one direction ■would injure those m another, it .would be better to wait a while. He thought it, therefore, better that the- meeting should; not take immediate action m the matter. Mr Linton did not quite agree with the remarks of the previous speaker. The bridge now being constructed was a connecting link between Palmers ton and Wellington, and it would become a necessity to open out roads on the other side, of the river. If the matter were properly- moved m he believed they would get the road made and the bridge built at the ferry as well. "■ Mr Fbancis agreed with Mr Linton's remarks. Re did not think thei'e was any danger of the Gorge road, as a main lirie, ever being done away with. He had observed that, about the Gorge there was much ii'oii stone, and where that was found there was generally coal, and perhaps gold, close at hand; so there Was a prospect of an important industry springing up m the neighbourhood of the Gorge. Mi* Kin& thought they might take for granted that a bridge at the Lower Perry, would not prejudice the claims of the Fitzhej*berton settlers to a road. Ii" the road were not. made, some or" the settlers_ would have to cross m canoes. They might grow crops, but they would have no proper means of removing them to a market. ' . .; Mr Richardson thought it was questionable if they would get the bridge if the road were asked for Mr Linton did not think so. The settlers' across the river were entitled to the road, and the Gorge settlers were entitled' td : the Bridge. ' Mr Beuce .said the settlers on the Gorge road could' easily come to Palmerston with their produce, but without a road, the settlers on the other side of the river, Wpuld be locked up, whilst others' would have free access to the .market. ....,, . " Mr Owen said if it was a question ; of- .road, versus bridge, he would feel inclined to vote for. the bridge, but as no ' such question was involved, he would-; vote for the. road. He would move, That . the .Government be requested; to appropriate a sum of money for making a ime ; of road on'the opposite side of the river. : Mr Abbahams, m. seconding the motion, said he agreed with the remarks made -b y ; Mr Owen. The settlers on the Gorge line had got their land on deferred payments,, but not with the idea ■ that they would get a bridge. The road ought to be asked for at once, as it was necessary to the vvyelfare of the district. . The motion-was then put and carried, and it was proposed- by Mr Linton, and ■seconded by Mr Keeling, That the Oommitteebefore, appointed be requested to act m this matter. > Carried. : TheGHAiEMAN saidthere was another matter which he' would like to bring before the meeting. The Manawaiu iias never hacLfull justice done it by the Government. 'Some have said that afiy amount, of public, money has been "spent" m PaJinerston, but m spending I this ; money the 'Government were but Carrying out the Public Works Policy " and suiting their own convenience. He would say that the district of Mauawatu as Manawatu had not been fairly treated. Large blocks of waste laud m the district were kept locked up. He thought that 'a block of land m the vicinity of •E^itzherberton should be setapart on the deferred system, and that the Committee already appointed should be empowered to write to Mr Johnston requesting him to urge upon Major Atkinson the desirability of setting: apart a block o£ some eight or niue thousand acres on the Other side, of the river on the deferred payment; system.. : There; was such a block as he described to the right of the Fitzherberto'n settlement. It was set down as swamp, but was good land, some of it being high and clear. . Mr "._ Owen proposed. " That this meeting, is pf' opinion 'that a block ox land on deferred payment m proximity tothe, IJitzherbevton settlement should be thrown open for selection, and that the Committee, already appointed be requested ta take the necessary steps to secure this object." . ■ Mr Nelson seconded the motion which, was put. and carried. 'After! a vote of thanks was given to the Chairman the meeting separated.