PUBLIC MEETING.

Dunstan Times, Issue 696, 20 August 1875, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING.

—o— A public meeting was held in the Town Hall, Clyde on Monday evening last the IGth instant, B. Naylor, Esq., Mayor, in the Chair, to express an opinion on the Abolition of Provinces question ; also, to consider the application of Messrs Strode and Fraser for an Agricultural Lease of C4C acres on run 323 B. The Mayor said iu obedience with a requisition he had convened the meeting, With regard to the Abolition question il was one that was exorcising the minds o: the people of the entire Colony. Meeting! had been or were to be held in all the cen tres of population, and he was pleased t( see that Clyde was not behind. Tne cnn venersofthe meeting would doubtless b( prepared with arguments for or against, i and he would claim for them a patient hearing. Mr Poole rose and said with reference to the Bill now before the House of Ilepre sentatives to abolish the Pr winces, it wa> a matter that deeply concerned us. 1 dr not think there are two opinions hut that some change is necessary, the main thing was to see that we got something better ir place. Very few people were acquainted with the provisions of the Bill the Govern ment wished to force through the House—the measure was a very lengthy one ; it pr< posed to subsidise Municipalities and Roar Boards with pound for pound raised hj way of Rates ; many Municipalities jumper open mouthed at the bribe offered, litth thinking where the money was to conn from. Then as far as Otago was concerned, they had the Publicans and other Licenses, but this Bill made the money payable tr the Treasury, ami you are all aware tha' when money once gets there it is difficul to get it out again The proposals of th Government were absurd -wo all remem ber the arrangement whereby the Capita tion allowance was to be L2 per head, noi it was fifteen shillings. Whac guaranty had we but that the promises of the Gc verument would not in practice disap pear like a vision and on'y leavi the bareless fabric for our benefit. Pro vincialism had no doubt done good service and no doubt it was time a change occured We have put up with this institution fo years ; why all this haste ? To my mini the thing looks suspicious. Let the matte be ventilated at the next election, then tin aspirants for the honor of representing u would cause the provisions to he known At present not one in ten knew much abou it. Many of the present members woult not again sit in the House ; and it wa significant the desire to push the matter The nominee system was most objectionable Wo have got, at present, enough, of tin nominee element. The great anxiety o the Government was to get hold of the lam fund and the administration of the Wast Lands into their hands. They well knev that the Government of Otago would cut u] the runs, and then they would pay some thing like a fair amount of rent. We hav had experience of this at Tuapeka am Wakatip. They did not like the system o deferred payment. What did we see in tb matter of the Herriut Hundred ?—tin people wanted land to settle on. Let th General Government get control of oni lands, and we shall soon find out our mis take. The deferred system wanted extend ing. The people come out with the idea o getting land, and it will he a disgrace i they are not allowed to settle on the land It is our duty and to onr interest to see tba we get something better than the presen Government, and notallow ourselves to hi hoodwinked by specious promises on thi spur of the moment, but lot time be hac that the people may study the matter be fore it becomes law. I therefore move it is highly necessary that a change shouh take place in the form of Government, i of opinion that the subject should be left ti the different constituencies to express theii opinions at the next general election.” Tin motion was pint to the meeting, seconded bj Mr Auckland, and carried.

Mr J. D. Feraud said he could not agree •with the argument to defer a decision until tho meeting of the new Parliament. It is tacitly agreed on all sides that Provincial Institutions have served their time, and it cannot bo denied but they have done good, but,,at tho same time, they have brought contempt and discredit on politicians. The evils of Provincialikim wens many, tho least not being that the up-country districts —the goldfields especialy—were neglected to bolster up Dunedin. The argument was raised that to provide for interest on the loans for railways imd other public works, together with ordinary expenses, aud the subsidies provided by the new Act, there would not bo a sufficiency of revenue. If there was sufficient revenue to defray the cost of nine provincial governments, there must surely be enough' for one central government-, however, let that bo, there was land which must be sold if railways must be had. He was fio thoroughly impressed with the benefits of the immediate abolition. Ho would propose, as an amendment, That, as soon as the Abolition Bill becomes law the better it will be for the people of New Zealand.” The motion was declared carried. The question of the application by Messrs Strode and Fraser was now considered Mr Poole explained that the land applied for was in the only available block for agricultural settlement in the district, and if the application was allowed to proceed without objecting. a great injustice would be done the district: Mr M‘Arthur, farmer, said he had, during the day, gone over the block, and could say there was betterdand. in it than within fifty miles of the district. He could see no pegs, therefore was unable to say what portion »sf the block was included in Messrs Strode and Fraser’s application. The block •comprised from 1000 to ,5800 acres, into 1000 acres of which the plough could be put at once, and as the block was the only available one in the district suitable for agriculture, and if thrown open would be .immediately taken up, he thought the application should be opposed. Mr Fache said he had gone over the ground with Mr M‘Arthur and coincided with him as to the quality and extent of the block available for settlement—as to opposing the application he thought every means should be used. According to the Waste Lauds Act the applicants have a right to select GlO acres on every run, but the question was, is that right to stand in the Misy of aud bo paramount to the rights of the many who would settle on this said land and thereby add to the prosperity of the district. He contended that it should mot, and said it behoved the residents of the district— the citizens of Clyde especially—to preserve for bona fide settlement the land applied for. If land was available in every direction, any opposition to this application would be unreasonable, but as the area was limited, in fact, this being the only block on the west bank of the Molyneux, the opposition crnld not be so construed. The legality of the application was in question, and in the objection should be mentioned, though every run was subject to having C4O acres taken from it by the holder, but run 320n was only a part of Ikia 325, which vas subdivided into three. Messrs Strode and Fraser holding one part, No. 325n, the New Zealand and Australian land Company, a second pari, No. 325 a, and Messrs Graham .■and Dalton, a thir 1 part not numbered. It arrast be questioned whether tbs identical part had the right. He would propose that the application be opposed, aud that a statement of facts be drawn up regarding the land, the same to be signed by the Chairman of the meeting, and handed to the District Land Officer before the day of hearing. The Chairman and Messrs Poole, Fache, ■and M‘Arthur were appointed a sub-com-mittee to draw up a statement for the Land Officer. The meeting then dissolved with a vote of thanks to the chair. DUNSTAN DISTRICr FLOUR MILL COMPANY. —o— A meeting of Directors of the Dunstau Flour Mill Company was held on Saturday afternoon last, when Messsrs J. Hazlett (in the Chair) Naylor, Auckland, AVilliams, M‘Arthur, Hanlon, and the Secretary- were present. The minutes of the previous meeting was read and confirmed. The Secretary stated the only offer received in reply to advertisement from owners of water tights on the AVest Bank of tho Molyneux was from Mr J. Slaven, who ■offers to Rase to the Company his right of water for any length of time at a nominal rent, conditionally that the water after l>eing used for the Flour Mill is again diverted into his race at its present level. Resolved —That the offer of Mr Slaven be -accepted. Resolved —That a Sub-Committee, consisting of Messrs Naylor, Auckland, and AVilliams be appointed to select site of Mill, wait on Mr Slaven respecting course of proposed race, and to report to a future meeting. ‘ • •’ A vote of thanks to the chair terminated the proceedings.