OTAGO SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 48, 17 April 1852, Page 2

OTAGO SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.

The General Monthly Meeting of the Otago Settlers' Association was held in the OddFellows' Hall on Monday evening the 12th instant. John Cargill, Esq., in the Chair. The minutes of former meeting were read and confirmed.

The following Report of the Committee was read, and, on the motion of Mr. Reynolds, seconded by Mr. Todd, unanimously adopted: —

Report of the Committee. — With reference to the resolution at last General Meeting to admit voting hy proxy, so as to enlarge the basis of the Association, the Committee recommend that, in order to the effectual accomplishment of this end, the annual subscription of membership should be reduced to Is., and such voluntary donations as members may see fit. They accordingly give notice of this alteration, to be submitted for approval to the next monthly meeting. They further recommend that special Committees of the members be appointed for each district for the purpose of enrolling additional members ; and that the rules and objects of the Association, together with a list of the officebearers, be printed, for the use of such district Committees. The Committee further recommend to the earnest attention of the Association ihe necessity of taking immediate steps to procure the application of the sum of £228, 155., voted by the Legislative Council out of the Local Revenue, for the improvement of Princes Street, and more especially of the Bridge at the Survey Office, which is now in a very dangerous condition. The Committee also recommend that the Association should be watchful as to the permanent source from whence the expenses at present being incurred in Surveys, &c, to the southward of the Otago block, are to be defrayed. These charges are now being paid out of the Otago lieve-

nue for a purpose calculated and intended (if carried out in accordance with the Land" Claimants' Ordinance) to inflict a heavy blow and great discouragement to the Otago Settlement. It was moved by Mr. Cutten, seconded byMr. Proudfoot, and unanimously adopted That the following members be appointed to act as District Committees : — Port Chalmers and ( R. Campbell. Harbour, ( — M'Niel. Anderson's Bay, ( A -J v i ns- " {J. E. Brown. Ocean Beach, ( W. Martin. Green Island, ( J. Anderson. ' East Taieri, f £f T T oddl 1 , (. W. Langlands. West Taieri, j g- S"° bull : , ' I F. M'Diarmid. Waihola Tokomairiro, A. Duthie. pi, ,+t, „ ( J. Shaw. Llutna, < O v (. . ' t — shepherd. Wakari, f '• ** e P b , u ™- ' ( J. Marshall. North-East Valley,'*" J. Adam. I , ( Messrs. Reynolds, Bain. Dunedin, I Rennie,',Clark, Steven- ( son, and Proudfoot. Mr. Cutten remarked, that the subject which had engaged the attention of the Society at its commencement had apparently been lost sight of, and yet it was a subject of the greatest importance to the convenience and welfare of the community; he meant the improvement of roads and the construction of bridges. It was only the inconvenience caused by the last few days of wet weather that was likely to make them move in the matter ; but the reason that had induced him to prepare the motion he was about to submit to them was; that although the sum of £228 15«. had been voted by the Council, no instructions appeared to have been sent for the construction of the proposed work,* ! and it was now nearly twelve months since the grant was made. He would call their attention ' to the fact that, if the present bridge were to give way, which there was every probability of its doing, they would have to construct one at their own expense, or go without; for it was hopeless to expect any instructions from We!j lington in reasonable time. He therefore moved

That the sum of £228 los. having been voted by the General Legislative Council of New Zealand for the construction of a bridge and improving the main street of Dunedin, and no instructions having been forwarded by His Excellency to the Sub-Treasurer, and the expenditure of £60 for a similar object ha\ing been twice stopped in consequence of there being no funds in the Treasury — this Society respectfully protests against the Otago revenue being expended upon objects in which the Otago settlers have no interest, while objects of paramount importance to the comfort and safety of the inhabitants of Otago are unattended to, as contrary to the understood arrangement that the local revenue of earh settlement should be expended in local-improve-ments. Seconded by Mr. Adam. Mr. J. Macandrew said lie quite agreed with the remarks which had fallen from the mover of the resolution, and if he were simply consulting his own feelings he should vote for it; hut as the Society had so often reflected on the political acts of Sir George Grey, he thought it would be better to adopt a simple resolution, praying that the money should be expended ; he believed it would be more successful, and success was most desirable. He would move as an amendment — That the " Otago Settlers' Association" respectfully request the immediate attention of His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief to the necessity of the prompt application of the £228 voted out of the Local Revenue by the late Legislative Council of • New Zealand towards the formation of a Bridge and the improvement of the road in the centre of the town of Dunedin, as the present bridge is highly f i dangerous both to life and property, and if not attended to before the approach of winter, will subject the inhabitants to the greatest danger and discomfort. j That the Chairman be requested to transmit this resolution to His Excellency. ' * ' ' Seconded by Mr. Renxie, and carried. „ Proposed by Mr. Macandrew, seconded' by Mr. Adam, and carried unanimously —

That 10s. an acre of the purchase money of all the land hitherto sold in the Otago settlement, Jiavinp; been contributed to the Civil Uses Fund, heldfin trust and administered by the New Zealand Company as Trustees for the settlement, to be by them accounted for to the settlers, and said Trustees having retired , a Special Committee of this Association be appointed to enquire into the present position and future management and application of these funds and the property created under them, with a view to taking the necessary steps towards placing the management in the hands, and securing its application for the benefit, of the settlers themselves, by whose money the property in question has been created ; said Committee to report in due course. Resolved that the following members be appointed as a Committee : — Messrs. Adam, Macandrew, Rennie, and Reynolds. The meeting then separated.