NORTH SHORE HIGHWAY DISTRICT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIV, Issue 5017, 14 December 1877, Page 3

NORTH SHORE HIGHWAY DISTRICT.

TO TIIK Ef)ITOIl. Sir, —A dausa of the Highways Act is to the effect that special meetings of ratepayers of a highway district should be called by the Chairman of the Board upon a resolution passed by the Board, or by a requisition signed by a certain number of ratepayers ; but some inhabitant of Stokes' Point has thought lit to call a meeting of ratepayers without in any way consulting the Chairman of tho Board. The noticc convening the meeting contained neither date nor name. I he meeting took place, presided over by a gallant .Major. The object of the meeting (the improvement of the ferry service) was of a laudable character, and one which 1 have always readily devoted both time and money to procure; and, having done so, cannot but look upon the action of the convener of that meeting, and a few of those that attended it, aa an insult to myself as Chairman of the Hoard, and as such shall resent it. However, I hope the result of the meeting will prove beueficial to the district; but let me tell the inhabitants, and more particularly the convener of the meeting, that unless they display more openness aud liberality, the services of all the boats of the Ferry Company and Captain Carey's to boot would fail to raise the district to anything like a high degree of respectability. At a Board meetiug, on Tuesday last, I tendered my resignation as chairman. No sooner done, than I was most grossly insulted by one of the trustees, Mr. Matthews, who characterised my actiou as cowardly, &c. Of course I retaliated, tendered iny resignation as trustee, and left the room. In justice to Mr. T. Forghaiu, a trustee, it should be stated that that gentlemau considered the conduct of Mr. Matthews most ungentltmianly aud uncalled for. I shall attend the meeting that must shortly be convened for the purpose of filling the vacancy caused by my resignation, and shall then defy Mr. Matthews to prove one mean or cowardly action committed by myself during a residence iu the district of over twenty-seven years.—l am, &c.,

H. J. Hawkins. Belvitlere Fruit Gardens, Stokus' Toiut, Dec. 13, 1577.