PUBLIC MEETING AT THORNBURY.

Western Star, Issue 465, 27 July 1881, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING AT THORNBURY.

An adjourned public meeting of settlorsJn fche.t VVhsfrfrrt district? Wast hold" at. Foster’s Hotel, Tliorn.hury, yesterday. It will be re-

collected that, the meeting was originally called to discuss the questions o% the property tax: administration of the,Rabbit Nuisance Act,

County Councils v. Road Boards, ; ahd other matters of welfare to the district. .Theftwo former questions were .<;Hsposed~of, but time did not permit of tho last— that of the advisability of Road B.ards being merged in the County—being fully considered.p. It was therefore agreed to adjourn fke mooting until yesterday, so as to enable that question to be fully entered into, as dwell as others that might crop up. Tho attendance —probably owing to settlers taking advantage of the very fine weather to push’ on farming operations—was not so numerous as at the former meeting, although in a representative sense it was quite as important. . . - . • , The convener of the” meeting (Mr J. TV. Hamilton, who was voted to the chair), after having read 'the advertisement inviting the meeting, and explained the circumstances of the, meeting being held, said he hoped

speakers,would refrain from making.comparisons between the work done by one body and the other. Before that 'could be done in a

manner, fair to all, accounts would have to be taken jof the receipts gand| expenditure of both bodies since their establishment.' The real question at .issue- was as to whether either body should be carried on as hereto: fore. Since last meeting, the discussions in Parliament showed that there was great dissatisfaction with, the present system of local government, and that’there was such a groat probability of an alteration taking place shortly that the meeting would be scarcely justified in coming to any definite conclusion on the subject for which' it was called at present. Under those circumstances he thought of the meeting merely affirmed that it was not satisfied with the present system of local government, that was about the length it could Efo for any practical purpose. Dr Hodgkinsdn- said -since last meeting Parliament as he anticipated, had reconsidered the .question of local government.. He then tried to impress upon those present that such was bound to taka place,-and the position now was that a ,vote of no confidence had been tabled on the Ministerial local government, proposals, • and at present' it was difficult to foretell the result ef such a motion. A strong reaction bad set in against the system of centralism established by the Abolition Act. - Many members who had taken a strong part in bringing about abolition,(now, with a candor that did them credit, acknowledged that they wore- wrong in the course they took. The speaker then said ho would not take up the time of the meeting by recapitulating the arguments he used on a former occasions in favor of maintaining the Rond Boards. While cot attempting to bring the meeting to bis views on the point, he gave a resume of his reasons why they, should ' bo maintained as the unit of local government. Ho also viewed the. matter, from a colonial standpoint. Ho had experienced great difficulty i* getting settlers to look at the question from a colonial point of view and to understand that by merging the Road Boards a great evil would, be inflicted upon the colony. That view of the question was no matter of' theory,, but the resillt of practical experience of the new system, and the very men who helped to bring about thatresult now pronounced that abolition was a disastrous failure. The mistake that was committed was in destroying instead of reforming. He had never been a defender of the old system of provincialism.' -One of the worst features of it was that there was no provision for the localisation of tha laud fund. People who saw a bridge here and a piece of road there that did not exist before, approved of the county system ; hut such works were the results of bribes or subsidies. The speaker then referred to Major Atkinson’s local government proposals, .which ho adversely criticised, and said they neither satisfied the Government supporters or the country. Ho hoped the meeting Would not pass a vote that would tend to perpetuate the present state of things, which were a disgrace to the country, livery member of Parliament was expected to work against the interests of the colony f®r th» sake of IPs o«n particular dial riot, and the only way to kill that system was to carry out tho original iiitcnlion of the Abolition Act, the supporters of which claimed that by adopting it, such n tiling »'• a.road ora bridge would never be heard of ie the House again

lie was not obstinate, but be would never bo satisfied with the present state of things, although lie was prepared to aeeopt any measure substantially in accordance with bis views. With a bettor system of local government, the country could do with half the number oi' members of Parliament, or half the length o( sessions, and thus a bettor class of representatives would bo secured. He concluded by moving, That in view of (lie prospect of groat changes being made by Parliament this session in the system of local government, it is not expedient to take any action at present in merging the Road Hoard in County. Mr Drabble seconded the motion, and agreed that it was not desirable to take decisive action at the present lime. His own sympathies were in favor of Road Boards.

- Mr Royd thought one body quite sufficient,' and if increased representation were given to County Councils, these bodies ought to be able to undertake local government satisfactorily. Seeing, however, the present undecided state of the question, he would support tiro motion. 'Mr Lyon supported the motion, and maintained that the largest portion of Aparima riding was against the proposal to merge. The initiative in the matter should have come from another/ source f than a few people assembled at Thornbury. ■ ■ Mr J. Walker also supported the motion, and said before tho Road Board was strangled, Trig. E. road and the road at Collie’s should be looked at.

The motion was then put and carried unanimously.

The Chairman next stated that it was competent for'tho meeting to take any matter effecting the (welfare or the district into consideration. He then alluded to to the recent change in the time-table- of the Western railways, which be characterised, as most inconvenient; and Invited an expression of opinion upon the b ibjrct. This matter was loaf sight of on Mr Lyon., requesting the meeting to pass a motion asking tho Council to repair tho road at Collies. Mr J. Walker seconded the motion, and referred to the very bad state! of the road. ; Mr Collie- moved as an amendment, That the Council be requested to declare Trig.;E. road a county road..., . Mi Drabble moved a further amendment, That this meeting is of opinion that both County Councils and,. Road Boards be informed that this meeting advocates tho making of tho roads direct to the railway stations between Thornbury and Otautau as most necessary for the welfare of the district at large, and that both bodies therefore should expend money thereon instead of spending so much on roads running parallel to the railway. -The-mover advocated the w isdom of making roads at right angles, to the railway; to enable settlers to got accesf to' railway stations. • , . . -■ - Mr Lyon--'seconded, and withdrew his motion in favor of Mr Drabble’s amendment, which was afterwards put as a separate,, ‘motion’,.with-the result that it was carried, as was also Mr Collie’s motion. <•-. The meeting then dispersed. r