ONEHUNGA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1305, 21 January 1868, Page 3

ONEHUNGA.

PROPOSED SALS OF BSSERVES. A mbetino of the inhabitants of Onehunga was held last evening, in the Institute, Onehunga, for the purpose of taking into o nsideration the außWer of tho tiuperintendent, in respect to a request that bud been made to him not to eell the reserves, which include " The Spring?," in that town. \f r. Gallagher waa moTod to tho chair. The Chaibman said that the object of the meeting wtiß known to all (resent. It waa propo?ed, he behoved, by the Superintendent to eell the ISprings which supplied water to the settlement. What w.-is more important than water. It-was the real staff of life. It was necessary to have those springe, for if they were taken away it would be a great itjury to the people of the town Mr. J. D. Jackson said that he was authorised to state that u communication hud been received from Captain Syrmnda, the respected Resident Magistrate, who regretted that he could not be present at the meeting. But he approved of the object. Captain Christky road extract from the memorial of the inhabitants to his Honor, together with hie Honor's reply, stilling thit he did not see sufficient reason in the objections urged to warrant him in complying with the requeet. Captain l/hristey next read Mnjor Ueaphy's report, to the effect that these allotment.! were not the only allotments which would supplv water to Onehunga, that the supply of Auckland the elevatea position at One Tree Hill had been judged more convenient. These two acres had not been reserved on account of the springs. Mr. aiooiiF. said that the springe had so far be>n reserved, that when a question 01 selling them came to be discussed, it was Siid that they could not sold because they were reserves. Mr. DaYJ>OJT eaid that it waa well known that these springs were a portion of an Imperial reserve, and ae an Imperial reeerTe, the Superintendent had | do right to interfere with them Hβ believed that it. would amount to an actual spoliation of the pensioners to take from them the meanß of getting a supply of water. Onehunga was worse off in respei.-t of w.t'ter supply, than most other towns, tie begged t>) move tho following resolution " That this meeting, knowing the fact that 3 acres, being lots 6, 8 and. 10 of ee.;. 14, were originally set apart by tho Imperial Government a3 a Water Ue.-erre, and have been bo retained for a period of 20 years, regrets that tho Superintendent (should have refused to comply with the prsyer of the memorialists ; and wt, the inhabitants of Onehunga now assembled, prtt-.et moßt strongly against the proposed sale of any portion of the said allotments " Mr. Baths seconded the resolution. Hβ said that was a settlement laid out fi>r the reeep tion of Ihe pensioners. It was ulwbtb understood tbat tho Springs were reserved for tho use of the peltlement. Hβ could inforrc the meeting that, although Mujor He:ipny's report wob referred to iiir a very considerable time after tht> eettleintfit was established, hn never heard the name of M«j >r lieiiptiy mentioned- h'e believed that Mr. Williamson himself knew as much anouc th« matter us Mujor Henphy. He thought it would be most ::n----just-moat improper—to take aw.iy «. right of access to those springe, which had continued accessible for more than twenty years.

Dr. PuKCHAa whs Jou3ly called ior, and said that it pained him much that one or two member.* had, caused disorder. Hβ would merely exoress an opinion ; some persoTS h-ul disputed that Lhf.se allotments were reserves. He knew that they were marked on the Government map as reserves, lhey were constantly spoUen of as reserves, and he believed they were reserves. He thought fcW, any person, no matter who they might be, that would eel! the; 6 allotments for a few pounds, was, to say the least, exceeding hia duty. The maintenance of these reserves was a matter of vital importance to the health and well-being of the town, and to take the away would be a gross breach of pnblis trust. The sale of these reserves would go, not only to the injury, but to the destruction of Onehunga as a town. Mr. Jacksos , said that when Captain Symonds Epoko to him about these allotments he said they did not heli'ing to the waste l»n is of the province at all,th;ix they were distinctly reserved by the Imperial Government, and that I- e Provincial Government h*d no control over then, whatever. Mr. Cuahlss Fleming reposed the next resolution, and regretted th»t then- bad been some disturbance in the meeting, by whii: Onehunga had been degraded. (Soma young ; esple hai intruded thoi propensity fop br.-aking i o the proceedings, and the result waa some occasions interruption of the several sneakers). But ho believed th»t the whole of the people of Onehunga were uuanimons in thiir desire thnt these allotments should bo preserved to the tlemoit, and that Borne acli'in should bo taken to vent tlmir privileges being taken from them, moved, "'lhit a poiition to the Provincial Council be drawn up requesting the Council to take eueh steps as might seem to it best in ordor to move h;a Honor to withdraw these lots from sale, und that our representatives bo requested to support the sains." Mr. Moobe seconded the resolution. Lite petition was then read and signed by those attending the meet ins?.