MANGAPAPA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 13101, 14 June 1913, Page 4

MANGAPAPA.

TOWN BOARD TO BE FORMED

There was a large attendance of Mangapapa residents at a meeting held m -the Mangapapa school last night to further , consider the question of establishing .a. Town Board. Mr VV. McGliskie presided. The chairman said they were there to state the results of the committee's canvass. They had to admit that the supposed total population had been greatly over-estimated, and , they fell short by about 50 -of the number required,looo. ..They had visited almostevery house. There were exactly 200 houses m the district, but three were unoccupied: They found that there was -an a.verage'<>f five persons m each house. There were five or six ''more' hotfses m the. course of erection, and .the number would soon be right. The committee thought" they should proceed with a Town Board.- The members could then get into the run ; of things, and it would be an easy matter to change into a borough. -The change would cost about £5.

Iri reply to Mr Ackery, the chairman said the number -of members on the Town Board would not be so larga as for a borough. M*r Oaks read letters from Huntly and Upper Hutt re the procedure m connection with Town Boards. •.-.-•■■...

The Chairman said* the information was plain and clear, but there was lv.tning fresh to what they, had m the Acts. It would be as well, perhaps, to t *.rry a resolution to form a Town Bo£vd, seeing they had not sufficient jjopulati )u to form a borough,- as decided at a. previous meeting. Mr Willah: What was the' Objection to taking m Nelson Bros. ? The chairman': We have no objection at all, but it wouild not make such a convenient boundary.

Mr Willan : But look at the rates you would get ?r \ ■ : ,■

The chairman: We did not consider the rating. We tried to get the riiost suitable boundary. Mr Willan : Captain Tucker said the area was fixed for the sake of getting rates. >a:.t, ,».- .....

The chairman: That was a 'statement hardly worth contradicting, for I think we are too •fair and above board to do a thing like. that. Mr ( Willan asked : why the Harbor creek v was hot nXade the boundary without?going > beyond it? The chairman pointed out that the land included beyond the creek was suit-j able 'for subdividing, and" 'he . did hot thinkli^Would he long before that was dorie* o The creek- 'wotdd- make a winding boundary., . and surveyors told them it .■was," better to have a straight boundary* ThG'J^-iiirere now "within 100 acres of the linfli Jfor a Town Board area. They couid.'fnot go beyond 1280 acres for a Town .Board.

During further discussion about' th 3 botfaa'dary, Mr W. Duncan said they could not- "plealse everybody. The chairman : SThere will be objectqnb.jrio doubt, .but there will be objectors to almost anything. • Mr Willan: It is a question of- the pocket. This : will liit me for about £100 a year. -y ; ■.■ '.'■*" It was' 1 suggested that a Drainage Board should be formed to control the creek. •--.---•-

The chairman said they did not want too many controlling bodies, The Town Board could fulfil the functions pf a Drainage 'Board.:; ' «•-■>: Mr J. 8.. Hall moved that steps be taken to formulate a Town Board. It did. not concern him much whether they hacli a- Town Board or a borough. He thdttght they should -commence with a ToWn^ Board*; for i€ was almost certain thafr if they did- not do something they would be .merged into the- borough of Gisborne.

Mr E. E. Somervell, m seconding the motion/ -said it was a step m the right direction. The boundary question could be fought out later- v The motion was carried, Mr M. McLeod being the only dissentient. The question of preliminary expenses was mentioned by Mr W. Duncan, who did not thinfc-the committee should be responsible. It was agreed . that these expenses should be subscribed to. The chairman 'they had a petition, which the householders had to sign. This produced, and a number of signatures were obtained. . , •