PUBLIC MEETING.

North Otago Times, Volume VI, Issue 111, 5 April 1866, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING.

A public meeting of the inhabitants took place last night in the Northern Hotel Assembly-room, for the purpose of making arrangement"! for drawing up petitions for presentation to the Wellington Houses of Legislature. The meeting was rather thinly attended. Mr Clendinnen was called to the chair. The Chairman having briefly stated tho object of tho meeting, Mr S. Gibbs came forward to propose a resolution. He urged the necessity of again petitioning the Genei.il Assembly, if local government were dcsited to be obtained ; and adverted to the impudent assertion of Mr Reynolds at last session, to the effect that even more than a fair portion of the district revenue lmd been spent on the district roadi. He showed the absurd tnanagment or mismanagement of tho provincial affain in times nast ; and criticised the present attompt at tho construction of a railway from Dunedin to the Clutlii. Our space does not permit of a full report of Mr Oibbs' speech. The resolution he had to propose was as follows : — (1.) That a Committee be appointed to draw up two petitions for presentation at the next session of tho General Assembly, embodying the same piinciplcs ai contained in what was known as the " Oamaru Petition ;" that they take steps to get signatures to (he same ; and that the Hon be requested to present one copy to the Legislative Council, and that Mr Campbell be requested to present the other befoi o tho House of Representatives, and support the prayer of tho same (2) That this meeting protests against the Southern or any other railway being made out of the revenues of tho Province, and that tho Committee embody such piote«t in the Petition, or take such other steps as maybe deemed necessary." Seconded by Mr Mackay and carried unanimously. The following were then appointed a Committee to carry out the spirit of the above resolutions:— viz., Messrs Grenfell, Gibbs, Sumpter, Ingram, and Smeall — Mr Sraeall, convener. A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the proceedings.