LITTLE RIVER.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 405, 22 June 1880, Page 2

LITTLE RIVER.

(froA-oor own c< anissroNDENT.)

An adjourned public meeting of the residents in Little Rivet was held in the Schoolroom on Saturday evening laat, the 19th instant, to take into consideration the proposed site'of the Recreation Ground, fencing, the Cemetery, &c This was the best attended.meeting ever held in LittleRiver, and the greatest interest was manifested in the proceedings throughout. A. D. Allan, Esq., occupied the chair. The Chairman read the report of*the meeting held on the sth June last, as pub lished in the Akaroa Mail, and"afterwards explained as to Hie surveys. There ought to have been 4 acres~3 acres for the Cemetery, and 1 acre for the Church, but as_ yet 3 acres .only had been surveyed ; this ,left the Cemetery with only 2 acres, and the Church with 1 acrt>. Aβ to-the previous meeting, he was much surprised at Mr Joblin's non attendance, but would read a letter from Mr Joblin, which appeared in• the Lyttelton Times of the. 11th;instant. , [Letter read.] The Chairman said that since Mr G. R Joblin's letter appeared in the Lyttelton Times, lie had drawn up a. document for signature,-*viz.:— ~

, "It baying been asserted by G.R. Jobh'n ' that only a few malcontents ' objected to the proposed Recreation Ground adjoining the Cemetery, we, 'the undersigned, hereby declare that the site-proposed is most objectionable on account of its close proximity to the Cemetery, as decided at the public meeting held on the sth June, 1880, and that the said G. R.Joblin should have taken the public into hie confidence and consulted them before negotiating for the proposed or any other site." This was now in course of signature, and is already signed by 39 residents.

It had been said that he (the Chairman) had an ill feeling towards Mr Joblin. This he'entirely disclaimed. What he wanted was to get at the root of the evil; there had been grosß mismanagement, both as to the Recreation Ground and Cemetery.. Mr J. F. Stanbury wished to know what the land would cost for clearing, supposing it was purchased. ,': '":', The Chairman srid he had been informed on good authority that it would cost,attbe very least, £50 per acre to clear. Mr Osborne said : Supposing the proposed site could be got for nothing, it ought not to be where chosen ; if it were, by andbye they would have the youngsters running all.over the Cemetery in chase of a cricket-ball, or football, and perhaps even running over their parents' graves. Such a thing ought not even to be thought of, if the ground was ever so suitable for recreation. (Loud applause,) Mr J. Smith wished to know how the Recreation Ground Committee has been appointed. • • The Chairman said he did not know. Mr W. Joblin said five people were elected at a public meeting held in the Library, three of whom .yyere at present residents in the district, two were n&nresidents, but had'not'yet resigned. It was proposed by Mr J. Olphert, seconded by Mr N. Walters, and only one That the site which has been chosen for the Public Recreation Ground is in no suitable,: taking into ccmsidertitioh; the expense of laying wit the ground after being purchased, by the Trust, also its closed proximity So the Cemetery." It wag proposed by Mr J. Harw&od, seconded by Mr J. F. Stanbury, and curried unanimously--" That owing to the neglect of the Cemetery Committee in not taking a proper interest in having the Cemetery ground surveyed before calling for tenders, that in the opinion of this meeting they should resign at once as Trustees."

After some conversational discussion, it was proposed by Mr J. Smith, seconded "by Mr L. Jacobsen, and carried unanimously—" That " the Government be requested to cancel the existing Recreation and Cemetery Trusts in order that new nominations may be made to obtain gentlemen whp can give satisfaction .to the public."

Some other matters were then gone into, a report of which shall appear in our next issue. ,