THE HAGLEY PARK ROAD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 167, 24 November 1868, Page 3

THE HAGLEY PARK ROAD.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAR. Sir, —There are one or two points in connection with the late public meeting in the Town Hall, which I should like to offer a few observations upon. I will be as brief as I possibly can. In the first place, I wish the ratepayers of Christchurch generally—including those who lire about the Triangle —to consider whether it was quite "the proper thing" for the Mayor to preside at the meeting, seeing that he more than anyone else in Christchurch is interested in preventing the proposed road being made. I think, and lamby no means alone, that Mr Wilson would have shown much better taste, to say the very least, if he had simply convened the meeting and allowed some disinterested person to take the chair. I may be wrong, hovrever, and if there is a doubt in the matter, I lay by all means let Mr Wilson have the benefit of it. Mr Wilson was at a great deal of pains to impress upon the meeting that he had acted throughout with the strictest impartiality. I have no doubt, Sir, that Mr Wilson believes he has, and I do not say that he had any other intention ; but the question is, could Mr Wilson be strictly impartial ? Could any man under similar circumstances ? Mr Wilson said he had not written or dictated, or had any part in, annonymous advertisements about the road, also that be did not get up a petition against it, or the requisition calling the meeting. Who has accused him )f doing any one of these things ? lam not iwaxe that any one ha 9, and I therefore say, is the French proverb sayß —" He who ex:uses himself, accuses himself." But, Sir, if Mr Wilson's speech on oponiDg the meeting is correctly reported in your

columns — and I assume that it is— it appears to me clear that he was not so impartial as he professed to be, as, I doubt not, he wished to b«. Did he not tell the meeting that the "subject under consideration had been before the Provincial Council on two former occasions, and each time the proposal to make a road through Hagley Park was opposed by a large majority of those who compostd the Protincial Council ? " Is that being impartial ? I have an idea that it is quite the reverse. I notice that Mr Ollivier proposed a vote of thanks to Mr Wilson for his impartial conduct in the chair. This strikes me as somewhat strange — to thank a man for doing his duty, supposing always that he did it. itAnd now, a word with Mr Ollivier. I give him every credit for being disintereited, as who would not ? But I just wish to ask him, after all this flourishing about " the people's Park, Sir," whether he did or did not invade the rights of the people's Park by planting the hospital where it is. Will Mr Ollivier kindly inform me and the public generally on this point? Tour obedient servant, PILGRIM.