MEETING AT MITCHELLTOWN

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4304, 13 March 1901, Page 5

MEETING AT MITCHELLTOWN

MELROSE BOROUGH COUNCIL ADMINISTRATION. Municipal n atters affecting the Mitchclltown district were freely ventilated at a meeting held in the schoolroom last evening. There were about twenty burgesses present. : ■ : .■ . , . t Mr Oarmody, who presided, explained that the meeting had been called to nominate a member for the district in the Melrose Borough Council. He stated that there had been great dissatisfaction in connection with th© manner in which the lights bad been distributed. There were twelve lights for Brooklyn and two for Mitdielltown. A deputation had waited on the Melrose Borough Council, and had got an extra light, and the number was to be further in. creased to six. With the exception of Mr Tait, they had. never had a representative . In reply to Mr Dqwmaa, th# chairman stated that the Vigilance Committee, which had called the meeting, was composed of the residents of Mitchelltown and Taitville. Mr Dowman stated it was the first he had heard of the Vigilance Commit, tee, although he had been a resident of Mitchell town for sH years. He would like to know the names of the people who were on the committee.

Mr Carxnody explained that the committee came into existence at the time the Melrose Borough Council decided to light the district. The names of the Vigilance Committee were Messrs Lindsay, French, Bay, James, the speaker and others, all ratepayers of Mitohelltown. - 5

Mr Dowman assured the meeting that ho knew nothing whatever about the existence of the Vigilance Committee. Ho had never been asked to attend a meeting, nor had he, seen it advertised in the "New Zealand Times.” He was asking for information as a Mitchelltown ratepayer. , , Mr Warner stated the Vigilance Committee was composed of ratepayers and burgesses who chose to take an interest in the borough. If . any of the residents had not joined the committee that was not the committee’s fault. Ratepayers had been given every opportunity to attend the meetings of-the committee. .

Before proceeding with! the nominations, the chairman stated that whoever got the majority of the voting the meeting would be pledged to support that candidate’s nomination to represent the district in the Melrose Borough Council.

Mr Farbnckerr strongly protested against the manner in which the Council had treated ,the Mitohelltown peo ■

pie. The Council was “hanging them by tbe neck,” and it was time for them to more and assist themselves. They really got nothing at present in return for the rates they paid. Mr Heidstrong considered there could be no alteration made, no matter who they nominated. He favoured joining Greater Wellington. ‘What, they required was better lighting,' and. roads and scavenging, as tho Gully was getting largely populated. Messrs Mclndoe, W. J. Haines and French were nominated, but, the latter declined to stand.

The meeting decided that the nominees should take the floor, the timelimit being fixed at ten minutes. Mr W. J. Haines said he was not pre. pared with a speech, but_ was open to answer any questions the intelligent . inhabitants of Mitohelltown put to-him.

He was not in favour of the borough amalgamating with the Wellington City Council. Their rates would ho considerably increased. The by-laws were hard on the working classes, and he would oppose them tooth and nail. He was not in favour, of the proposed tramway from Brooklyn to Island Bay. He was 1 strongly in favour of a scavenging cart, for the Gully. . i Mr Mclndoe said he believed that the i : Brooklyn people were pulling together with 1 Island Bay to the disadvantage of * ! , Mitchelltown. He was in favour of the top roads being taken over by the Melrose Borough Council. The result of a ballot was that Mr Mclndoo was declared elected by twelve votes to eight. ~ ' ' In reply to a, question as to whether the! result, of the voting had been satisi- ’ factory to the candidates, Mr: Haines 1 staged that he had promised his friends he;would go to the poll, and ho could not retire without their permission. The meeting adjourned till to-morrow evening at 8 o’clock, at Mr James’s workshop, Adelaide road, to form a committee to further the interests of the candidate appointed by the meeting.