JUBILEE MEETINGS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1584, 19 May 1887, Page 2

JUBILEE MEETINGS .

TBMUKA. J. • A pmblio meeting to consider the re* V port of the Committee appointed to receive end consider snggestions for the celebration of the Queen’s Jubilee took place in the Temnka Volunteer Hall last Tuesday evening. There was a good attendance, and the chatr was occupied i.r- M> K. F. Gray, Chairman of the To wn Board. ■ • The Chairman commenced the proceedings by reading the advertisement iu the Tikuka. Lbadbr calling the meeting.: After doing so be said that the Committee had held two meetings. They had received five or eix suggestions as to the best inode of celebrating the Jubilee. He might say the Committee went very carefully into them, and after due consideration had decided to adopt one, or an amalgamation of tw 3, which would be laid before them that evening. The Committee had advertised for suggestions, with the result before mentioned. Every suggestion was carefully considered—none were slighted—so be thought (he Committee had carried out the expressed wishes of the former public meeting. He then asked the Secretary ef the Committee (Mr Dyeon) to read the minutes of what took place at last meeting of the Committee. Mr Dyson then yecd the minutes of the v two meetings' of the Committee, after which , The Chairman said they had beard what took place at the Committee meetings, and he did not think be need ask for any discussion oh the subject. He thought it would be as well tor him to

propose at once—“ That the'plan suggested in Mr Twomey’a and Mr Levona' tchemoa—that the procession, obellak, ■porta, the naming of the Park 1 Victoria Park,* with a display of fireworks a&d a concert in the evening be the programme to be carried out in celebration of the Queen’s Jubilee— ba adopted by this meeting." Thia programme was unanimonaly agreed upon by the Com* mittee to be the beat. It was a very attractive one, and it appeared to him Sty ba a worthy way of celebrating the/ Jubilee of Majesty's reign. He had very much pleasure in propoajng that the scheme indicated should’be adopted.' Mr Wyth said he had great pleasure in seconding the proposal. After the ex» planations given by the Chairman he did \ not think it was necoieary for him to aay j mnchj He might say that at one time he was in favor of adopting the scheme of the Rev; Mr Hamilton—that the reading room of the Temuka Mechanics’ Institute should be made free, and the subscription to the Institute reduced to l(js per annum. He had given up that idea, as if the public liked to come forward and aubsoribs to the Institute a little more liberally it could be set free at any time. He thought the programme just laid: before them was one in which everyone might take part. There wa« the procession, the sports in the park, and the concert and fireworks in the evening; it ; ought to suit everyone. He hoped everyone would go fn heartily for the scheme. Mr Gaze said be believed pact of the original programme was the planting of an oak, and he should not like to see that item left out. The Chairman said, that that formed part of the programme, and read, the resolution passed by the Committee embodying the programme,' which was the same a* the above with the exception of planting the o»k. n". Mr Copestake wished to know whether the Committee hid considered what.the

carrying out of their proposal would coat. The Chairman said that question bad been most carefully considered by the i Committee. Tha programme was a liberal one, in which all could participate, and he thought all would r subscribe liberally. With regard to tho ' obelisk, he had made careful enquiries, ’ and had found that a very handsome obelisk in red granite could be obtained for £3O, and a blnestone one for a far i less amount. It would depend on the amount subscribed which was selected* Of course there would be a oertahJr' amount of expense in connection with the treat, and he did not think that the pro* 1 gramme could be carried out in its entirety for under £l6O. That waa hie own idea, but he felt sure it would coat i that sum, and if all went into it heartily the money would be easily raised. Mr Bolton suggested that the child* ren’s treat should be the first and tbs obelisk the last item on . which tbs money subscribed should be expended. The Chairman said tbat that was the intention of the Committee* If, after all was provided for, there was a surplus, no doubt the Committee would come before them again and atk how the money should be spent. The first thing would be the treat. (Applause.) Mr Mason said he understood the meeting was called to consider the suggestions received by the Committee the celebration of the Queen's Jubilee. He bad no doubt that the Committee had w, given due consideration to all the.schemes r suggested, but be (bought that they should be submitted, to the public meet* ing, and that-the resolution proposed by the Chairman would have been better had it come from anyone else. Ha thought it would be right for the meet* ing to consider all the proposals. He still thought that the Rev. Mr Hamilton's suggestion was a very good one, add deserved further consideration. Therefore he thought the meeting should be allowed to express their, uptuion as to it. The Chairman siid if. Mr Mason had arrived earlier be would have heard him (the Chairman) explain that the Committee had met after calling for suggestions by advertisements, and after careful consideration bad decided that the programme now proposed was the most suitable to recommend. The Com- , mittee as far as they could go had carried* out their instructions, and they now \ ' brought forward the result of their deliberations. If the meeting chose to adopt their suggestion, well and good ; if not they must appoint another Committee to carry out their wishes. Mr Mason said he did not wish it to b* thought that he was throwing oold watetNt on the subject, bill bo thought the meet* ing was to consider the whole of the suggestions. w Tho Chairman said he thought not. f Mr jßlyth suggested that the sense of the meeting should be taken on any amendment that anyone might choose to propose. Mr Twomey said with regard to tha hint that had bean thrown out in to tho

propriety of the Chairman proposing the ‘ the motion before the meeting, he would point out that it was the regular thing for the Chairman o! Directors of public companies and the Chairman of public bodies to move the adoption of the reports. Mr Mason was a member of a public company, and he was sure he had only to remind him that the same procedure was followed in the company of which he was a member to convince him that the Chairman was perfectly right in moving the resolution. The Committee had carefully considered’ the suggestions. They had laid bare the whole of their transactions by .reading the minutes of the meat-, logs at which the schemes had beep laid before them, and the recommendation of the Committed had now been moved by the Chairman. How could anything be done in a better way? If anyone was dissatisfied with tbe Committee let him come; forward and say so. The Committee bad done their duty, and m»do their recommendation, and it was nos the duty of the meeting to either accep' the proposals of the Committee, or reject them. He would point out that it had been advertised that no scheme pould be considered if i-t sent in by a certain time, and it wo* -’ not do to now consider new schemes. The time was too short. Mr Mason was about to reply to Mr Twomey when the Chairman asked whether he would move an amendment. Ho did not think it was advisable for them to prolong the meeting with re-

plies. Mr Bolton , said It would perhaps simplify matters if the Chairman explained the reasons of - the Committee for not accepting soma of the schemes submitted. The. Chairman said he would do his ; best, and he then went through the whole of the rejected schemes— first dealing with Mr C. J. Rayner’s cottage home or- hospital , the Rev. Mr Hamilton’s for freeing the reading room of the Mechanics’ Institute (this be said : weald only need about £lO per annum, and the Committee considered it but a small matter, and one that the public could sea to at any time—the Committee alio thought that if the reading room was made free, the people might go to it and leave the library without support); the Rev. Mr Thomas’, lor the Prison Gate Mission or rescue work in connection * with the Salvation Army; and Mr Levans’ for an obelisk to be erected in the market reserve and the name of the Main Road through tbe lewn altered to “Jubilee” Road or Street. Part of this scheme, had been adopted. Continuing, tbe Chairman aaid the Committee was a most representative one, and be considered their recommendation a good one. Still be was not going to force it down their throats. He thought it the beat, and coaaidered if they succeeded in carrying it out it would be a credit 1 to Tenmka and district, and all might take part in it. - Mr Twomey said the Committee trnd done their beet, and he thought bey . ahould adopt their recommendation am time was short. Mr Edgelar said be might say they had left Arowhenua out, and he should go. It was all .“.we.” Mr Edgeler then loft. The motion, with the addition of the oak, was then pot and carried unanimously. The Chairman said he was very pleased to see that the meeting hud taken it up so heartily. The Committee had carried out the work for which they were appointed, and it would be necessary for themeeting to appoint another to carry put tbe proposals. • At Mr Twomey’s suggestion the names of the old Committee were road over, and »D’ the motion of Mr A. G. Wright, -seconded-'by Mr Lawson, they were unanimously ie-sppointed. On the -motion of Mr Twomey power was given them to add to their number. Mr Bolton suggested that the Hon. W. Rolleston should be invited to plant the oak. Mr Meyer said without intending any disrespect to Mr Rolleston he thought Mr Alfred Cox should be invited to plant the oak. It was owing to him that they had ■ the park at all. The Chairman aaid he did not think it was necessary, but if Mr Meyer liked it could be moved as a suggestion to the Committee. Mr Bolton then withj ew his proposition, and Mr Meyer proposed—“ That it be a suggestion to the Committee that Mr Alfred Cox should be invited _ down to plant the oak, on account of his services in getting the Park," It was Mr Cox who got the Park for Temuk*. He believed they would not have got it if it had not been for him. Ur Brown asked whether any particular

•part of tbb money wai to be set aside for Ihw - monument, or was it to be thought • of after the olbsr part of the programme y.wsl provided for J , , Tbe Chairman said subscription lists : would be got out as soon as possible, and as Boon as sufficient money was collected ■or promised to justify the Commi'tee in -«0 doing dbey would take steps for getting the obelisk. It would depend on the' •mount subscribed whether the obelisk wras ef granite or bluestone. The procsssioQ, entertainment, etc., would be presided for first; Ho had no doubt that ' at any rate the foundation atone in connection with the Obelisk could be laid on Jnbilee day. In conclusion be hoped they would ail put their bands into their pockets as deeply as possible. It was a v Jubilee year, and they expected a good timewas coming. : Mr Wright suggested that the obelisk ' should, if possible, be of Kakahu marble. It was a first-rate malarial, was a local article, and it might serve to open up a new industry. .. The Chairman said the suggestion was a very good one indeed, and he had no • ■doubt but that tha Committee would do • their bast to carry it out. Totes of tbankii to the retiring Cora- ' inittee and to tbe Chairman were then pasted unanimously, and the meeting terminated. Committee Mektino. At a meeting of the Committee held afterwards tbe names of Messrs J, L. Flint, A. G. Wright, and J, Brown were added to the list of members, Some details were arranged with regard to collecting subscriptions, and it was decided to ask some of the ladies of tbe district to • Assist in getting in subscriptions towards the funds of tbe Jubilee demonstration. It was also decided to advertise tbe names of tbe collectors, and at the close of the collection to publish tbe names of those who subscribed toward* the fund. After talking over general matters tlje meeting .adjourned to Tuesday next,

GERALDINE. A meeting of tbe Jubilee Committee was held on Monday evening. Present Messrs R fl. Pearpoint (Chairman), J. Mundell, Dr Foster, C. E. Sberratt, N. Dunlop, A, White, and W. Colfman (Secretary). The minutea of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. A letter was received from Mr A. Fisher for the Timarn Herald, asking for a share of ll.e advertising and printing in connection with the Jubilee. The letter was addressed to the members, and stated that tbe printing of post cards, circulars and subscription lists, bad been done for the Committee of which the Herald had not had a share, and suggesting that their Chairman could not be a lover of fair play in causing the work to bo given wholly and solely to one office. The Committee flatly denied the assertion that they had had any post cards printed whatever. As to the circular* and subscription lists, the Committee could not have divided them if they had * anted to, but as the Guardian Office was in a position to do the work most expeditiously they had had it done there. The Chairman considered the wording of the letter was a direct insult to himself, and ho was very much inclined to have it published. He would move that it be received only. Mr White seconded the motion and it was carried unanimously.

Mr Dunlop, as oneof the sub-Commlttee appointed to ascertain (he cost of obtaining edibles for the Jubilee, stated that from enquiries he found it would be about Is per head. Mr Mundell thought they would have to conduct .the Jubilee on tbe simplest scale or it would be a failure. Mr Col I man said he h«d . ascertained the price of medals, and they could get very respectable ones from 6a up to 60s per gross. If they took the four gross of the 60s ones they would be able to have 566 supplied at the £l2. This would be a medal that a person 14 or 15 years of age would not be ashamed to have. He had no fe«r of the celebration being a failure. He had never intended that it should cost anything like £IOO. His icea was that for £2O or £3O the thing could he carried out to the svisfaction of all. He had never contemplated giving tarts, etc., to all. It was more for (he novelty of th« thing that he had proposed it. He believed when the subscription lists came in they would have a sum of £2O or £3O available. They might perhaps settle upon getting the medals for the school children. As to having a gala day, that might perhaps be a matter for further consideration.

The Chairman thought if the resolution had read like that whoa put to the public it would never have been carried.

Ur Sherratt thought that considerably over £SO could be collected if it were wanted. He was sorry the races were to be held oa the same day, as some of the Committee would have to be there. Their in'erest would thus be divided. Bethought if it were a failure it would be on account of the races, but be had never known a single thing that had been got up in Geraldine for the purpose of giving a treat to the children to be a failure yet. Mr Dunlop agreed with Mr Sherratt as to the races dividing the interest. He thought, perhaps, it would be possible to have the races postponed. The Chairman and Mr Mundell, both members of the Racing Club, said this was impossible, as all arrangements bad been made with a view to bolding them on that day. It was considered that very little more could be done in the matter till the subscription lists had come in, when they would be in a position to arrange as to what expense they should go to. The meeting ihen terminated. WAITOHI. At the dose of the public meeting in connection with the Library at Waitobi, on Tuesday evening, a Jubilee meeting was held. The Chairman stated that every town and village throughout the cclouy were preparing to celebrate the Jubilee in some suitable way, ond he thought that they should not be an exception. It was unanimously considered that something should be done, and consequently a Committee, consisting of Measrs J. Fraser, E. O’Neill, T. Talbot, D. Cunningham, M, Moore, T, Orr, L. Scott, E. Body, G. Anderson, and J. Watson was elected, and it was resolved that the Committee meet on Tuesday evening to consider ways and means to celebrate the jubilee. This being all the business the meeting terminated. ■