MEETING OF PROTEST.

Colonist, Volume LVIII, Issue 14539, 17 October 1917, Page 3 (Supplement)

MEETING OF PROTEST.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

(From "The Colonist," Qct. ]2th.)

A meeting ,of .electors to protest against the'alteration in the name of ti.e electorate.ana new boundaries' was | held at Motueka- on Wednesday even-1 ing. Mr. J. A. Wallace, Mayor of the ' borough, presided. j Mr. Wallace stated that already re-1 presentations had been mado through j Mr. C. R. KJll, of the Nelson Chamber i of Commerce, who were in sympathy I with the object of the meeting. Mr. j Fell had bwm in communication with | Messrs. T. A. H. Field and ft. P. Hudson, M.P.'s. Mr. Wallace thought that some.action <i.om the old district, giving reasonable grounds for protest, was necessary. It wat> proposed under, tie new electorate tmVt Tapawera, Wangapeka, portion of Pokororo, and the Upper Moteuka Valley should be in Wtiirau, electorate. This, was absurd. The electors had a right to protest against theelectorate being altered to the ,name of "Buller." Motueka was the only municipality, and tad al-; ways been the centre. It had to be i considered from an advertising point of' [view that the name was. of great importance to the development of the district, and a strong protest- should! be-made against the I6*ss of tto name Motueka.

It was proposed by Mr H. Everett, and seconded by Mi\J. A. Wallace, and carried 17—"That a copy of the following resolution be .forwarded to-the' Electoral Boundaries Commissioners: 'That this meeting of electors (residents of the Borough of Motueka and the County of Waimea) empfc atically protest against the elimination of the name "Motueka" from the number of the electorates, and its merging in that of Buller, for the following reasons: The part of the electorate wtich opens upon Blind Bay is the-most progressive portion, is closely settled, is steadily increasing in population, and rapidly in wealth. It is traversed by excellent roads, it has fast motor services,, its rivers are all well bridged, and it is connected throughout by telephone. "Motueka" (the only municipality in tl: c electorate) is a well built, flourishing, and growing township, is the centre of the most important fruitgrowing district in the Dominion, and is in daily communication with Wellington by steamer ;• in fact, the whole condition of affairs in respect of bath private and public, activities is greatly in advance of that obtarningjin the-western portion of the new or proposed electorate. The interests of the Murehison district are more closely allied to those on this side of the watershed, as is/evidenced by tl: eir inclusion—at their own request—in the Nelson Hospital and Charitable Aid District; and, further, "Motueka" as an electorate has an existence many years before that of "Buller," and it is more in accord with the fitness of things that tfce older Native name should '"be''preserved, unless good and sufficient reasons can be adduced for the adoption of some other.' "

Mr. C. R. Fell (Nelson), who was in Motueka on private business, was invited to speak. He said that the boundaries of the new electorates were quite "unsuitable. The only reason he could see for the change was that the alteration of the name to Buller waa out of compliment to Mr. Cplvin, who was one of tie fathers of the House. Reefton had the largest population, but the interests of Reefton district were not in accord with. Motueka. .He would suggest that a representative committee from the districts affected be set up to protest to the boundaries Commissioners.

Mr. J. H. Rankin,' J.P., said it was necessary that some action should be taken to retain the name "Mbttieka," wtich was a great advertisement to the Nelson district. Motueka had the only port of the proposed new electorate, and Motueka had advertised the district world-wide with its fruit exports. Motueka should work in common with Nelson, and protest against the alterations of the boundaries and change of nams.of the electoral district. ' , .

The following executive committee wore elected to further the object:— Mr. J. A. Wallace (Mayor), Mr. H. Everett (chairman of the Waimea County Council), the. chairman of the Upper Moutere Road Board/the chairman of the Riwaka Itoad Board, and Mr J. H. Rankin. . .