PUBLIC MEETING AT BINGSLAND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4428, 4 July 1882, Page 4

PUBLIC MEETING AT BINGSLAND.

A public meeting was held last evening in the District Sohool, Bingsland, to consider the proposed alteration in the name of the distriot. About 40 persons were present, and Mr Ooohrase was voted to the chair. Mr Flesher stated the business of the meeting. He had inserted tho advertisement calling the meeting, as Mr Dick, the postmaster, had been to the Board of Education office, and stated that much difficulty was experienced in sending letters to tho district, as some were directed to Hiohmond. Now, there was a town in N»lson of that name, which had been established 30 years, and letters intended for Bingsland were sometimes sent thither, especially on days when tho steamer left for tho North. So the authorities had adopted the plan of sending all letters bearing a Id stamp to tho suburbs, and those bearing a2d stamp to Nelson. This plan would not work, howorer, with regard to letters tent from the country, which bore a 2d stamp, whether intended for the Canterbury Biohmond or the Nelson one. Mr Dick had seen him, and advised that the lresidents should choose some other name. Accordingly he had called the present meeting, and had published the statements Mr Dick had made, especially as he had seen a local in the paper to the effect that the residents were taking steps to have the name Biohmond inserted in the ." Postal Guide." An elector did not see much difficulty in the matter. There were two Bichmonds in England. Mr Flesher said that Mr Dick had told him that the name of a suburb of Auckland had recently been altered from Bichmond to Matata, for the same reason. Mr Swarm paid that all the difficulty could be avoided if people would address their letters "Bichmond near OhrUtchurch." There were two or three Kaikouraa in the Colony, and he had corresponded with one of them for a loDg time without his letters going attray. He had spoken to Mr Cowlishaw on the subject, and had communioatad with the Postmaster-General, who had replied that if the inhabitants of the suburb were about changing the name they would do well to adopt some otber designation as there was a Eiobmond in Nelson. He answered that so far from the change being a recent one, the district had been knowu by that name twelve months ago in connection with the Domain, and the school district was also called Biohmond. A telegram came in reply stating that the name would be inserted in the next " Postal Guido." This had not been done, and he noticed that a township was to be formed on Messrs Maxwell and Matbias' run, to be named Bichmond, and if the people of the suburb did not get the name now, they would lose it altogether. He thought they should stick to the name of Bionmond. (Applause.) Mr Flesher, while in favour of the name of Bichmond, was of opinion that there would be a deal of inconvenience caused by its adoption. He thought that the name of Stanmore, as that of the electoral district, was the most suitable, and would carry more prestige. He proposed a motion to the effeot that the postal authorities should be asked to insert the name of Stanmore in the "Postal Guide," as the name of the district hitherto called Bingsland. Mr Pearce seconded the motion.

Mr Swarm thought they had had enough of the name Stanmore. What would the people of Phillipstown and Znightstown, whioh were also in the electoral district, say to the people of one part of the district taking the name of the whole district. He moved an amendment to the effect that the PostraastorGoneral be asked to alter the name Bingsland to Bicbmond.

Mr Bigan seconded tho amendment. Mr Davis spoke in support of the name of Bichmond. He could not gee why the postal authorities in Christcburch should not send all letters posted in Christchurch, and addresßed simply "Bichmond," to the suburb, which was near at hand, instead of sending them away to Nelson. Another elector supported" the name of Bichmond.

Mr Flesher, in reply, said that there was no danger of correspondence addressed " Stanmore " going to other parts of the electoral district, as one letter-carrier delivered the whole. As an example of the inconvenience occasioned by the use of the name Bichmond, he might say that a letter, posted to him by a resident of the district, and addressed to Bichmond, had gone first of all to Bichmond in Nelson, and then to the suburb of Auckland, whose name had recently been altered to Matata.

The amendment wbb then put, and carried by an overwhelming majority, nearly all present voting for it. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings.