ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1495, 8 February 1861, Page 5

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

(To the Editor of the Wellington Independent.) CARTERTON.

Carterton, 2nd February, 1861

Sir, — There are few places in the Wairarapa that possess the natural advantage for the site of a large township that Carterton does. It is situated upon a gentle rise of ground from north to south of about fifteeu feet to the mile, aud a similar gradient from east to west, thus the "contour" of the country is admirable; the land is varied in its quality, some of it very rich, as the present crops fully testify ; there are numerous streams of excellent water running through tbe village, that for ordinary, and sanitary purposes are iuvaluable ; there is also an abundance of good timber ; an extensive plain generally known as the " Taratai ;" and there are also gome other valuable openings tbat may be fairly included in the natural district, as bouud upou the east by the Ruamahunga, upon the south by the Waiohine, upon the west by thg snow-capped Tararua range of mountains, anti upon the north by the waters of the Wainau, this district may be said to oc copy a space of about fifty square miles. Carterton has auother important advantage not enjoyed by either Grey Town or Masterton ; the township is never flooded, ami with such advantages it is only reasonable to expect that Carteiton will soon leave its less favored neighbours in tbe rear. The excellent crops this year hav<? giveu great encouragemet to tbe hardy little farmers, aud the annual increase of stock renders it imperative that they should have I some little grouud beyond their ten acres for gracing purposes. Having some vague notiou that they are legitimately entitled to a commonage right upou the " Taratai Plain," they 1 aye been for some time past pondering how to get at that light. About ten months ago a meeting was held at the School Room, Carterton, for the purpose of considering the propriety of having the district proclaimed a Hundred, having been given to understand that

such a Proclamation would ensure them the right of commonage upon theTaralai. The meeting was weli attendod, n<.t indeed by tho ten acre farmers, but by a class of hwger landowner.*, who monopolise the exclusito right of commonage upon the Taratai plain. These parties made such a representation of the ■ hideouS-ioss of tho Hundred Act, tint the simple-minded ten acre men became frightened, jand this useful power of local management | was qnieily shelved, to the great satisfaction of the Taratai monopolists, and it might have long remained a frightful buuhour about which no liltl c Ca ltertou farmer dared have openod his mouth, had not that meeting considerably overstepped ils power. It was not satisfied in adjourning itself for twelve months, but it trie/1 ' to stop the mouths of people upon the subject ( for the same peiiod, and actually passed a resolution that no public meeting should be called iv the district without the Taratai monopolists, and their representative's (.Vir. Bennett's) coos ent.

This attempt at local tyranny fermented in the minds of the ten acre men. They could not see the justice ofa lew individuals, favourably siiuated upon the Tara Mi, having the exclusive right of conmonage; nor can the t.n acre men see the justice of improving the ab sentee's laud, with bye-roads, bridges, &c, &«., and the absentees contribute nothing towards it. The Hundred Act may bo an ' imperfect one (like many others), but it has two most, important ends in view,— it secures lhe right of commonage, and it legalises the self-manage-ment of local affairs ; thus enabling the actual settler to tax the absentee his due quota towards the public improvements in the distiict. This view of the case having got into the heads af the len acre men, they convened a public, or rather a preliminary, meeting this evening, to give notice ofa general meeting to he held on the 16th iustant, at 2 p.m., for the purpose of memorialising Uis Honor the Superintendent to proclaim Carterton district a Hundred.

About 7 p.m. nearly all the settlers of Carterton having assembled at the School Room, busiuess commenced with Mr. Bennett being called to the Chair. The Chaiiman said that he did not understand the business before the meeting, upon which the enclosed resolution was put into his hand, and having been read, the Chairman said that he was surprised that the people should presume to call a meeting upon the subject, when he and his fiiends had decided that none should do so without their consent, and for his part he was entirely opposed to the subject being brought before the meeting, and be wished to kno,y by whom the meeting had been called. Mr. Meyrick, the hou. Secretary, said that the numerous meeting might explain who called it, and he (Mr. M.) did not deem it necessary to bow to the wishes and opinions of the geutleman in the chair, who seemed to have forgot his duty, and as the meeting expressed a similar sentiment, the Chairman was called to order, and the resolu tion having been proposed by Mr. Merick, and seconded by Mr. Dixon, the Chairman asked for a show of hands, when a number of hands were held up in its favour, and on the contrary, not a single one. The resolution was . thus unanimously carried. The Chairman then left the Chair.

The meeting then entered upou some schoolbusiness, and while so engaged, the Governess ofthe school entered and informed the meeting verbally that if certain additional accommoda. tion was not afforded, that she would leave the school at the end of the year. The Honorary Secretary informed the meeting that he had received two guineas from Messrs. Smith and Revans, and that thoy had now some surplus funds. The subscription list was produced, and an .imount towards thf. chimneys was raised to £3 10.-.., which, with some expected assistance from the Provincial Government, leads the committee to expect that Ihey will be able to provide the school and governess's dwelling with good chimnies against the next winter. .,

Your's, &c,

Jo/r.v AsmroßE.

RESOLUTION AfIOVE ALLUDED TO

Proposed by Mr. Meyrickj seconded hy Mr. Dixon,-— That this meeting deems it desirable for the promotion of the interest of this settlement, that the district be proclaimed a Huntired, whereby the rights of commonage may be had by all ou the Tarataj, and also that absentees may be made to contribute their quota towards the public improvements iv the district, which tend to increase the value of their property at the expense of the actual settler. Therefore this Meeting convenes a Geueral Meeting of the inhabitants ofthe District, to be held at the School house, upou the 16th mat., at two o'clock, p.m., for the purpose of memorialising His Honor the Superintendent to proclaim this district a Hundred.