WAIPUKURAU.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1678, 27 April 1904, Page 23

WAIPUKURAU.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Last Thursday night a meeting was held of the committee of the social held last Easter Monday. The secretaries announced that the sum of £4O was the net amount raised by the effort, and that the “Waipawa Mail” had donated the printing and advertising required. Votes of thanks were accorded to the proprie*tor of the “Mail.” to the joint secretaries, (the Misses Grant and Bakkiville, Miss Jolly, pianiste, and Sir Gow, proprietor of the hall, the two last-named persons having made large donations in aid. On the same evening a social was held in the Rechabite Hall, when occasion was taken to say gootPbye to Mr Houlaghan, of the Railway Department, who has been promoted and stationed at Hastings. The railway men here and the townspeople contributed towards a purse of sovereigns, which was handed to' Mr Houlaghan as a small token of their esteem. The social was a most enjoyable function. On Friday afternoon, the loth inst., a large and representative meeting of the business men and others was held in the Town Hall to discu'ss matters of interest to the town, with a view to placing them before the Minister for Lands. Mr Chambers occupied the chair. At 8 p.m the delegates appointed at the afternoon meeting met at the Tavistock Hotel, and were introduced to the Minister (Hon. Mr Duncan) by Mr Hall, M.H.R., and Mr Gow. Mr Chambers extended, on behalf of the townspeople, a hearty welcome to Waipuku/rau, and then detailed the wishes of the deputation. In the fir'St place, they wished that arrangements might be made with Mr Harding, of Mount Vernon, to the effect that any reserve of the estate he might make, would not .out off the township from the proposed new settlement, The position of two tenants on the estate whs explained, and a desire expressed that they be permitted to make a selection and not have to ballot; also the desirability of the Government acquiring the Mount Herbert estate was urged. Mr Gow endorsed the remarks of Mr

Handing, and reminded Mr Duncan of the successful issue of the purchase of Hatuma. Mr Barrie stoke in support of the previous speakers. Mr Hall (member for the district), stated that from personal knowledge, more laud was required for close settlement*. T'lio Hon. Mr Duncan, in reply, said that it gave him much pleasure to meet the deputation, and hear their views. He desired to point out that the Ministry had a • grave .responsibility resting upon them as if the present prices of stock and produce should not last, settlers wom'ld he unable to pay their rent; ancl it behoved tlie Miiiistiry to see tliat tlic money spent on the purchase of land was wisely invested. He had driven thioug 1 the Mow,nt Herbert estate, upon a former occasion, and) was impressed with its suitability for close settlement. He would, whenythe Mount Vernon case was disposed of, consider the question of - Mount Herbert. On the-motion of Mr Gow, a hearty vote of thanks to the

Minister was carried by acclamation. Next Wednesday evening a public meeting will be lield, when tlie question of lighting the township will be consaderccT. A meeting of tcwnspeople was held in the Town Hal on Wednesday afternoon Mr Gow occupied tbei chair, and stated that the meeting was called to discuss certain subjects necessary for the welfare of the town. The Hon. W. O. Smith explained! that a proposal passed ait the previous public meeting, when was present the Minister for Lands, was not in the true interests of the town, and should be rescinded. He dealt exhaustively with bis subject, aud several speakers followed with the same theme, two of whom said that they had misunderstood certain information as to the true facts of the case and that the proposal had been passed through a misunderstanding. Hr Godfrey proposed, and Mr Barrie seconded, the following proposal: “That this meeting is of the opinion that there is no demand or necessity for the cutting up of any small sections on the IWaipukurau end of the Mount Vernon property, there being ample small bolding© in Waipukurau already to meet the lie—sent requirements. That the application made to the Minister for Lands in this matter by the deputation that Availed on him last Friday be withdrawn us not being in the interests of Waipukurau. The motion Avas carried. It Avas resolved that a copy of this resolution be torwarded to the Minister for Lands and Mr C. Hall. M.H.E., and that the Hon. Vv-. C. Smith he authorised to wire the resolution to the Premier. In the progress of discussion several speakers stated that no agitation had been made in vvaipukurau for the acquirement of Mount Vernon and the meeting eulogised iVr Harding as a desirable settler and far preferable as an occupier of the land, thau a stranger. The meeting also affirmed the resolution passed at the x; ,st public meeting a© to the desirability of the Government acquiring the Mount Herbert .estate. • The question of ioavu lights Avas adjourned pending the estimate of costs of lamps. Votes of thanks were accorded to the chairman and secretary, and the meeting closed. April 21st.