Meeting at Matarawa.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2040, 9 March 1887, Page 2

Meeting at Matarawa.

v meeting w;.s held in the Matarawa school room l ost night. There were about twenty pm sous pro-,cut including Mr II Hdy, Mayor •if Greytown, Messrs if Udy, jum, and P Cotter, jun,, Greytown Borough Councillor;, and Mr S Haiah, ot Greytown. Tbu meeting was convened for the purpose of considering the matter of the bridge across the Waiobiue between Greytown and Matarawa. This preject has been advanced in many directions for some considerable time, but no definite conclusion has yet been arrived at as a solution to the difficulty, although the matter has been brought before tbe County Council by Mr Coleman Phillips and advocated upon the Taratahi-Carterton Boad Board when Mr Gallon was warden for the Matarawa district. The Greytown Borough Council have also discussed tbe subject on several occasions. At tbe meeting last night Mr Gallon was voted to tbe chair, and in taking the position said that the warden for the Road Board subdivision (Mr Stevens) would have been the most suitable person to preside at that meeting. He thought that as Mr Johnson had been instrumental in convening the meeting he should have taken the chair and explained uis wiews. Mr Johnson said he expected Mr Phillips would have been present as chairman. The Chairman, fitter expressing his views in favor of the bridge being erected, called upon ,J hose present to give their opinions. Mr Welch said he thought tbe proposal to erect a bridge was premature, and those few words expressed his full opinion of the matter. He would ask, Was the convenience worth the extra rates they would be called upon to pay ? He only looked upon it as a luxury, and would not enhance tbe land in the district per aore. Was it worth while to spend the money merely to give access to Greytown ? They had a good toad to Carterton, and it they wanted to send away their produce in any other direction ; they could send it per rail. They were not a great producing community at Matarawa; they sent batter, a little wool, and perhaps a ffulheep. . He thought tbe expens ditrore was not warranted considering the few people the bridge would benefit, and the few people upon whom would fall the burden of the taxation. Perhaps if they waited a lew yean longer they would be in a better position to demand the outlay. He thought very lew would make a general use of the bridge. These were only his own views. He would like to hear others give their own opinions, then the feeling of the settlers generally in the district might be made known. He did not see many from the lower part of the district present. Mr Zillwood said that the bridge would be a great convenience and Greytown bad partly promised L2O and Carterton LlO. Mr Welch said he was told by Mr Buobanan that Carterton had guaranteed nothing. (A Voice) They have guaranteed sympathy and that is very cheap. The said it would cost about LI2OO to erect the bridge aud that would amount to LOO interest per annum for 20 years.

Mr Cotter said that the whole cost oi the bridge would not fall tsp-n> the nuttier;; oi Matarawa ; the Gmytowo Boi-cngli Council WOll'.t. pl'ol'lll.lV li.-iSiSt.

'iu Ch- : ;i. ll lii.mght it would ho os well to eiihtgn t ’.induct. Gel, mom hi.tiowing U"a, r.t ittii , it would mil come heavy on a hj v, Olio | art of the distiict li .1 LimTOWid li-i-S) aider :ne late lioiuis ittui Brnigis Act and hud pud 9 per cent interest on the money ; if say Ld)o at 5 per cent were hunowed ti;e district as a whole would not be rated any heavier than that part formerly hud In en under the old nirangcmeiit respecting the loan under the Hoad i and Bridges Act. Mr flaigh said they all wanted the bridge and they wanted other people to help them to pay for it ; he would like to see the bridge erected and would not mind being rated for it. It was no luxury but a convenience. The Chairman said it could not be called a luxury.

Mr Anderson said that if they made the Swamp Boad a good road they could get either to Greytown or Carterton without difficulty. Mr Welch said there was no certainty that the bridge would stand, and if it subsided what position would they be in. The Chairman said that was a contingency that was not likely to occur and if the bridge was once built he thought the County Council or the Bond Board would sustain it.

Mr Welch said that the Greytown storekeepers had held out no great advantages to the Matarawa people that they should prefer to deal with them ; he believed that if the Greytown people knew that they would be extra rated they would vote agaiustthe bridge. Mr Hnigh “ No.” Mr Cotter said he had attended to hear the Matarawa settlors discuss the proposals for the bridge ; it was needless for him to enlarge upon the benefits that would accrue from the bridge. If the Matarawa people determined to push on with the work, he was satisfied that the Greytown people would come forward and assist ; even since the swing foot bridge had been erected the settlers had evidently found it a great boon, but a cart bridge would undoubtedly give great facilities to the ratepayers in the way of getting to market, as at present they were completely us it were hemmed in from Greytown, although so near. If the bridge was built they could go direct to the cheese factory without having to rush at a certain hour to catch the train.

The Chairman said that there were about fifteen or sixteen ratepayers at Matarawa outside the district, the boundary for which the last loan was raised under the Beads and Bridges Act, The rating might fall a little heavier upon such as Mr Welch and Mr Anderson, but he thought they were quite able to bear it.

Mr Welch suggested that if they wished to entertain the matter they should form a conimittee. He was pleased to hear from Mr Cotter that the Greytowu people were so liberally inclined toward Matarawa. They must have taken a new departure; for his experience of tlie Greytowu people was, that if they at Matarawa only required assistance to till up a hole, the Greylown people would must promptly recommend them to do it themselves. They had not been so icady to assist in the past. At present a committee was required to investigate their position. They were uow groping iu the dark. Mr Cotter Said ho did not tell them tim Grey town people wore gwug to assist, but that they were willing. If they wished Grey, town to help tuem, they must commence by helping themselves Mr Welch said tho.County Conned, an.- -rdmg' to Mr IWluuimi’* opinions, luiilv ~i power to giant auyiiiiu,;. Tho e on, - ,, a unben Hi" i«c. ..pcii.M 00. .'ir /.ulnvod asked if Mr Wtiilr uot tie ' imi 1 . i 'to without aov :■ ;.us or

■! Cdv, .hiun ul (iiuytowu, j l.i Ti .1 bun: til,via tlli( bio elun.d !, runii'am by muted, and m and.', a to Air Cotter i.o said lira Uu pie-cut lm, iiiiirimtiJ t.i LlOll, and u (ho (I my tow., B aough part one third lowaids thu proposon new Iran if..SOU), the interest would ....Iamount to a" uda-ivaai Lm p ti j. auumn. Air Johnson would propose a vote of thauke to Urey town for its kind offer of assistance. Air Welch —And to Carterton for its kind sympathy. (Laughter)

Mr Anderson moved that the meeting ad journ till that night three weeks, at 7.3d, and that Messrs Buchanan, Phillips and the War. deu be asked to attend, the Chairman to write to them in the meantime ; seconded by Air CotUr and canied.