MOHAKA

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4010, 29 May 1884, Page 3

MOHAKA

[from our own correspondent.] A meeting, consisting of about twentyfive ratepayers of the Mohaka riding of the Wairoa County took place on Saturday, 17th inst, in the school-room, Mohaka, Mr R. N- Strachan in the chair.

After the usual preliminaries had been gone through, Mr Gilmour opened the proceedings by informing the' meeting , that lie hud nothing to say against the Napier Harbor Board or their bill. They threw away £70,000 in trying , to make a harbor at the Spit, and now they proposed to send £200,000 after it. He suggested the Kidnapper scheme as more likely to prove successful. He proposed, and Mr Sim seconded, " That this meeting protests against the Mohaka riding being included in the rating schedule of the Napier harbor and Loan Empowering Bill for the proposed Napier harbor works." Carried. In the course of the discussion Mr Sim said they could not afford the luxury of taxation for a harbor at Napier, to which they had absolutely no road.—Mr Steele said they would perhaps want all their funds for their own harbor.—Mr Gilmour said the reason the rest of the Wairoa was excluded was because the County Council protested by refusing to elect a representative on the Napier Harbor Board. —Mr J. 1 , . McAndrew said that, if the "Wairoa got its harbor, and Napier also, they would be doubly taxed.—Mr Becker asked if there was over a motion put in the Wairoa County Council to join Mohaka on to the Hawke's Bay County, j and if so had that any connection with the present proposal to rate the riding.—Mr Melvor said Mr John Molvinnon had tried to pass such a resolution in the Council, but ho was defeated on it.

Mr McAndrew moved, and Mr Balfour seconded, " That tho Wairoa County Council ho asked to use its influence in the proper quarter in carrying out the wishes of this meeting as expressed by the foregoing resolution ."—Carried. A committee was then appointed to carry out the above resolutions. ■ Mr William Balfour proposed, and Mr C. Rich seconded, " That this meeting is of opinion that no candidate for tho East Coast seat bo accorded support unless he gives a distinct pledge that he will vote against the Nepier Harbor Board Bill if it includes Mohaka in the schedule attached thereto." Mr McAndrew objected to the resolution as read. All the candidates might refuse to give the pledge asked for, and Ac did not feel inclined to throw away his vote. He moved as an amendment, and Mr Steele seconded, "That this meeting is of opinion that the candidates for the East Coast scat be asked to rote against the Napier Harbor Board Bill, if it includes Mohaka riding in the rating schedule." Tor the amendment 7, for tho motion G. Amendment carried.

An animated political discussion then ensued, after which a vote of thanks to the chairman brought the meeting to a close.