WANGANUI.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1973, 22 October 1863, Page 3

WANGANUI.

g (From the Chronicle, Oct. 16.) ■O TOWN MEETING. l" A meeting of the town ratepayers was held n at the Rutland Hotel, on the evening of the c Bth inst., to consider the acts under which the s> Town Board is elected or derives its powers, J and the new act lately before the Provincial ft Council. Thos. Powell, Esq., was ealJed to the chair, and Mr H, C Field requested to act as

ecretary. After a few remarks from the chairman, urging the importance of the subject they had met to consider, and requesting all present to behave in an orderly manner and hear every speaker fairly, J Mr G. Beaven proposed, " That this meeting is of opinion that some of the works already carried out by the Town Board will prove themselves to be comparatively useless, and too expensive for the present requirements of the town. Therefore it is suggested to form a committee for the purpose of framing a requisition 10 the members of the said Board, requesting them not to enter into or proceed with any new works during their terms of office." He (Mr Beaven) was strongly opposed to the arbitrary powers conferred on the Board by their present Acts, and believed that the system of deep sewerage adopted by the Board was too expensive to be at present carried out within the town ; and that it would prove a failure from the small size at which it was compelled to construct the sewers in order to lessen the expense. He believed the people in Victoria avenue were mostly opposed to the proposed sewer there, and did not think a Board should have power to carry out any work in opposition to those who would have to pay for it. He did not wish to act unfairly by the Board. The roadway ou Taupo-quay was unquestionably a great improvement to the town, and so might some i other works be, though that was the only one which had come under Ms own immediate observation. Mr P. McWilliam seconded the resolution. Mr J. M. Kichards thought the Board worked on too expensive a scale, judging by what he himself had been called on to pay, and which was a small rental of his section. He objected to the deep sewerage system. As a means of mere surface drainage it was unnecessarily expensive ; and if used for sewage purposes he thought it would be injurious to the health of the town. In Melbourne similar sewers had to be taken up and open drains substituted ; aud he thought this would be thecase here, as the sewers would he likely to become choked with sand, and could not be easily cleared out. Mr W. H. Watt considered the opposition entirely a pocket one. For every shilling charged to most of those present he himself was rated a pound ; but he did not grudge the money as the town wanted improvements, and they could not have them without putting their hands in their pockets. Several questions were asked by persons present, with a view to ascertaining whether the sewer contract for Victoria avenue was let, and how far that work would be affected by the resolution. No one answering, the Board's clerk was appealed to by name, and replied that, " He was not there in his official capacity, and though personally he had no objection to answer questions, he did not feel at liberty to do so with respect to to the Board's concerns without its sanction, particularly as there were several wardens present who could answer as well as himself. He was responsible to the Board and not directly to the ratepayers. The wardens were so responsible, and to them therefore these questions should be addressed." Mr. W. H. Watt was present as a ratepayer and not as a warden. If the meeting wanted information from the Board, its attendance should have been requested. Mr J. Davidson thought such questions ought not to be asked at that meeting. The The Board's books aud papers were open to the inspection of every rate-payer at all office hours. Mr D. Nathan said it was the first time he had heard a Board refuse information, aud that in his opinion the wardens by doing so forfeited the confidence of the rate-payers. He thought the proceedings of the Board ought not to be kept secret, but regularly published in the local paper, as tbe proceedings of Boards in other colonial towns were. Mr Davidson said Mr Nathan misrepresented him. He did not object to furni.shing full information, but merely to doing so in this irregular manner. Mr H. Lyon corroborated the statements of Mr Nathan as to the publication of other Boards' proceedings, and also what had fallen from the Board's clerk, who he had understood was there, not even as a rate-payer, but merely to report the meeting for a provincial paper. He thought however they had a right to information from the Board, and would mention some facts that had come under his notice as an auditor, showing that in two cases works already constructed had been modified or altered while in progress, and that the loose pumice sand in which St Hill-street covered drain is constructed, had twice found its way betweeu the covering pieces iuto the drain during the late rains, and had had to be replaced with clay. The resolution was then put and carried nem. con. The following resolution was then moved by Mr D. Nathan, seconded by Mr J. Hogg, and carried nem. con. — " It is considered by this meeting, that the ' Wanganui Streets, Sewerage, and Drainage Act* is not framed to meet the requirements of the place; and it ispioposedthat a committee be formed for the purpose of framing onethatmay be applicable, and submit the same to a future meeting of the rate-payers for their adoption, before the next session of the Provincial Council." Mr Lyon moved, " That in case the members of the Town Board do not comply with the wishes of the ratepayers, as set forth in the requisition to be presented to them, that subscrip tions be entered into for the purpose of legally dissolving the said board." He said, after the manner in which he had supported the Board about a year ago, the meeting might now wonder to see him come forward as its opponent. His views, however, had greatly changed through becoming better acquainted with the Act, and with the manner in which it was carried out by the Board, and he was manly enough to admit this change publicly. He read an opinion from a Wellington solicitor, to the effect that there was a technical flaw in the Board's election, through which they inifrbt possibly be overthrown if the case were tried. Such a trial would, however, cost £150 to £200, and he did not wish to see the Board in the position described in the Independent's article (which he read) last week. He wished to see town improvements and a good Act; and objected to the present Act, and the manner in which it was carried out by the present wardens. The resolution was seconded by Mr G. Howe. Mr W. H. Watt moved, and Mr J. Soulby seconded, as an amendment, — "That iv case the Town Board did not comply with the wishes of the meeting they be lynched forthwith." After some angry remarks this was put to the meeting 1 , aod negatived with one dissentient vote. Mr Lyon's resolution was then carried nem. con. It was then proposed by Mr B. Hood, and seconded by Mr Townsend,— " That Mr Watt gets a vote of censure for his insulting amendment." Mr Lyon considered Mr Watt's conduct in proposing the amendment was on a par with his taking his place on the Bench a few days since, to try a case respecting Town Board rates. Mr Watt's conduct was the more noticeable from bis having some time ago objected to the presence of another magistrate, as a party interested indirectly in a case, which magistrate at once retired. As the defendant 2 in the case where Mr Watt had acted thus, he , had objected to him, and on his refusal to leave 1 the Bench he longed to kick him. He did not s think Mr Watt's chances of re-election as 3 [ M.P.C. were increased by such conduct;

Mr G. Roberts thought it so clear that there was a conspiracy against the Board that as a warden, he would go and look after their cash ! box. Messrs Gr. Beaven, Lyon, Reynolds, D. Nathan, Soulby, Gudgeon, Gaitt, G. Howe, and Johnston, were elected a committee to carry out the first two resolutions, with only one dissentient vote. After a vote of tliauks to the chairman the meeting terminated. The committee met on the 12th and communicated with the Board, who sent a reply to the effect that — " while the Board feel bound to carry out the contracts already entered into, it is not their intention to undertake any neiv work without first consulting those liable to be rated for the same."