DEPUTATIONS.

Evening Star, Issue 2874, 6 May 1872, Page 2

DEPUTATIONS.

This morning at 11.45 a deputation, consisting of Messrs J. Macassey, M.P.C. ; George Turnbull, M.P.C. ; L. 0. Beal, Graham, and Lamacb, waited upon his Honor the Superintendent to ask him to take steps for the formation of a road from Maori Point to the branches of the Upper Shotover. - .1 Mr Macassey explained that he had been requested to present a very numerouslysigned memorial from miners in the district, ; asking that a sufficient sum might be placed on the estimates for the purpose. In support of the prayer of the memorial, he might say that the means of access to the district were most deplorable, Lives had in consequence been frequently lost, and the necessaries of life were so high in price as to press very unduly on the proceeds of industry. There was a track as far as Skippers, but beyond very little was known of the district. All the deputation asked was that the local surveyor should be instructed to report on the subject, and that a sum should be placed on the estimates for the purpose asked. His Honor said he believed the local surveyor had been directed to report on the identical district. At all events the matter sheuld be looked to. Mr Larnach called his Honor’s attention to the unfinished track between Queenstown and Martin’s Bay. The Superintendent said he was sorry it was not completed, but might say there was a prospect of getting it done. Three applications had been made from persons located at Martin’s Bay to complete it, and land had been offered in payment. One of them would commence at once, and take payment half in cash and half in land, but no terms had been come to. Mr Macassey might addjthe opening up of communication would be an inducement f many persons to settle in the district, which

was really one of the richest in the Province. Mr Beal said the terraces on the Shotover were all auriferous. The only difficulty of working them was the difficulty of access. His Honor said he considered money laid out there for the purpose would be well spent. Mr Laknach believed if a sum were placed on the estimates for the purpose it would be supplemented by large local subscriptions. His Honor said up to this time the people in the neighborhood had not-taken much interest in the matter. He was however hj ippy to say the settlers at Martin’s Bay were highly pleased with their prospects there, and the completion of communication would add to their prosperity. He would take care the object of the depuaation should be attended to.

At one o’clock this afternoon, a deputation of residents in the Kaikorai educational district, headed by Mr Cunningham, who acted as spokesman, had an interview with the Superintendent, and presented a memorial got, up in favor of the teacher of the district school. It was explained to his Honor that a sectiou of the local s bool committee had, by their arbitrary conduct, succeeded in converting a minority of their number into a majority, and against the wish of the residents of the district, and what was previously a majority of the committtee, terminated the teacher’s engagement. The committee had taken upon itself to oust one of its members on the ground of having made the discovery inat he was not a member of the district, had forthwith elected another member in his stead, and afterwards agreed to determine Mr Macklin’s engagement. The rest of the committee and the residents had taken the best legal advice procurable ia Dunedin, and had been advised that the action taken was wholly illegal and unjustifiable. The object of the deputation was to get his Honor, if there was found to be any doubt as to the validity of the election of the member who had been ousted, to order a fresh election, and to take such steps as to him might seem fit to meet their case. The deputation also laid before his Honor resolutions adopted at a public meeting of the inhabitants held after the committee meeting, which affirmed that the charges brought by the committee against the master were raised in a spirit of hostility and solely for malicious purposes. His Honor promised to lay the matter before a special meeting of the Education Board, and the deputation withdrew.