PUBLIC MEETING.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 24, 6 September 1882, Page 3

PUBLIC MEETING.

♦ In accordance with advertisement, a . meeting of ratepayers was held in Roe's Rooms on Saturday evening last. The place was crowded to excess, and there must have been upwards of 200 persons present, most ef whom were burgesses of Feildin<jr, (including several Councillors). Probably there never was a more lively and animated public meeting in the township ; but it was abundantly evident that many came more for the anticipated amusement, than for any Teal interest they had in the proposed object of the gathering. On the motion of Mr dottrel I. seconded by Mr. Caldwell, Mr Reading was voted fo the chair, who, after stating that his personal interest in the object of the meeting wasneut al, rend the adveitisc--ment in which Mr Arnott had called tlie ratepayers together for the following purpose: — "To consider the desirableness of petitioning the Borough Couneil to have the present bye-laws, as aff.-cting stray and tethered cattle, and pnundiges, reconsidered and amended " Mr Arnott was then called on to address the meeting. The Borough Ranger, Mr Hodges, being in the room, Air Arnott very, strongly insisted that he should retire, on the ground, as he alleged, of his not being a ratepayer. An animated discussion ensued as to the fact of this being so or not, when ultimately the chairman, with the consent of the majority present, ruled that Mr Hodges might in any case remain so long as he did not interfere with the business of the meeting, (and it is only fair to Mr Hodges to. say that, although much was said reflecting on him in his capacity "313 Ranger, he bore it all iu silence). Mr Arnott then made a lengthy address, in which he said he hud come to protest against all. the offences thit had been committed by the Ranger, and instanced certain cases in particular, of whit he alleged .to be gross injustice. (After speaking a long lime the Chairman -requested Mr Arnott to come to the point, aad put a motion before the meeting.) Mr Arnott then moved the follow ing resolution :— "That the Borough of Feilding be abolished altogether." This was seconded by Mr Blackmorc, but on being put to the meeting was declared lost, only about three or four haud* being held up in its favor. ;M> Cottrell then moved, . and Mr Pollock seconded :-*" That the Feilding Borough Council be petitioned to have the present bye-laws ; as affecting stray and tethered cattle, and pouudages, reconsidered and' amended." Mr Looney and Air Palmer both spoke in favor of the resolution, each giving bis respective reasons why the said byelaws shoeld be modified. Mr P. Thomson opposed the resolution. He said that if they must hare a Borough they mus 1 have bye-laws, ami made, not for the law-abjding, class, but for the lawless. Some persons wished to have no law except their own. If a man kept 40 cows, while he had only paddock room for 10, they all knew what it meant. !he whole of ' the Borough bye-laws were pubbshed 31 days before they were put into foree. Ratepayers' were invited to . send iu objections! and not the slightest opposition was made by anyouc. Seven 'days* notice was also given as to the appointment, of 'the .Ranger, and why did not those who now complained either protest in time or prepare for the consequences? He then asked Mr Cottrell to give lus reasons for wishing thrse laws amended. Mr Cottrell said that one reason was he thoight the Borough too large, and that it was in. practicable .to govern it by the laws now in forte. Another reason was that in maay instances it was simply impossible to- tell where the road lines were. Mr Thomson made a long speech in reply, in which -he : wa* frequently interrupted, and it was~wi_h considerable dif•culty tbat oTdeir was maintained. Great laughter and applause followed one of , hif 'concluding remarks, viz., that Mr Arnott, who bad said so much against the bye-laws which empowered the Ranger to apt, was well known to bave been about the_firsl man who seat in, an application to ty appo_int<jd to, that pffiee. . Mr CottrelTs resolution, as Affecting a proposed K^Qnsrtruetipn pf the, bye-laws Wis again .read, , and on .being, put to the meeting was 'rejected -by alarge majority. ViAtoid muck noise 'and confusion the Chairman- declared the^neeting dissolved, ahd f vacated his position. ** ' 'Mi'Cafdwelf^o't up \and : proposed that. _tne"meetrng by reconstituted,' for the purpose of- forming a committee to do away witji %e Feilding jjoppugh. ' Mr J?. Thompson' was cafled to the jcl^a .r, .pad .a, skfti; Mr ,Ca)d woß : to nominate a committee, .Caldwell, proceeded to caßout the name* pf .several gentlemen for | jthe iflroppsqd,/ eonimifctee, but . . the $I#rvj)uij . Wa? . i top _ great . for any furtu er business" to be done, and . amid a scene worthy of the Tower of Babel, tbe meeting btfoWmV'- 1 < — ; !