PUBLIC MEETING AT ROTORUA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 7841, 10 January 1887, Page 6

PUBLIC MEETING AT ROTORUA.

» [BX TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDS}?!.] ROTOSUAj Saturday. Mb. Grace, M.H.R., called a public meeting of the inhabitants of Eotortia last night for the purpose of hearing their grievances, and arming hi-nself with a thorough knowledge of the actual requirements of the district. He was well received by an appreciative assemblage, who did their best, although in a tangled and mixed-tip sort of fashion, to ventilate the many grievances waiting for his representation to Government. First and foremost came the question of having lands adjoining the line of railway surveyed and opened up for village settlements ; next, the all engrossing subject of starting a section of the Lichfield branch at this end ; then the repairing of the Tauranga and Ta Pnke line of road, the extension of water supply to the old township, the planting and laying oat of the Pakeroa domain, the race coarse (a new one is wanted), the neglected state of the Priest's bath, the reduction of the upset price of sections in the Government township, etc., etc. To some of these subjects Mr. Grace bad already given his attention, having sent two telegrams to the Minister of Public Works in the forenoon, asking for a section of the railway at this end to give irtmediate labour, the other for additional men to be placed on the Tauranga* Te' Puke Road, so as to render it passable for baggies during the tourist season. As regards the other subjects, he said that he would do his .very utmost in lepresenting to the Government the' necessity of Carrying out some of these works, and gettiag for us a good share of whatever expenditure was available ; but he was afraid that at present bat little could bo expected, as it was indeed a hard struggle for the Government to make both ends meet. Other places were suffering besides Rotorua, and perhaps were in a worse predicament. He did not attribute our depression entirely to the Tarawera disaster,but attributed its origin principally to this terrible year of financial depression. The meeting was of opinion that the Government did not sufficiently realise the state of this district, and the great loss it had sustained by the Tarawera eruption, and that in this dilemma special consideration should be shown, as otherwise people will be forced to leave the district and break up their homes. It was proposed and earned that a special committee be at once formed to work up the various subjects and arrange them in a popular form for Mr. Grace's representation to the Government. At this juncture the replies to the telegrams in the forenoon arrived, whioh Mr. Grace read to the meeting :—" Re railway : The Government had come to the conclusion that a start at the Rotorua end would not be advisable, • as the earthworks would be liable to damage before the rolling stock could be brought for-; ward. * Re Te Puke road : Funds were not available for placing more men on It at present." The ardour of toe meeting was considerably damped on hearing the unsatisfactory result of these telegrams, and it was resolved that the committee just formed should the more endeavour to exert them-, selves to the utmost. Mr. Grace statsd that he himself would not be discouraged by these rebuffs, and that the residents of Rotorua might rely on his integrity in still pushing the matter. A cordial vote of thanks to Mr. Grace closed the meeting; . " ' To-day it is noticed (as a result of last night's chosen committee) that placards are out convening an indignation meeting for thia evening, after which the unemployed are invited to attend. , ; Mr. Grace, accompanied by Mr. Blythe, left early this morning for the volcanoes nerland, via Pareheru,