Ashurst Notes

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 95, 9 February 1892, Page 2

Ashurst Notes

(FHOM OUR OWN COUBESPONDENT.) : A meeting of the Association formed for the purpose of buying the unsold portion of the Waugauui Harbour Board Endowment Block, w:is hold on Saturday last at the Colyton Hall. Forty members v/ere cither pvo^ent or were represeutecl. Mr Lucas took the chair, and after calling upon the Secretary to j read the minutes of the last meeting, he j proceeded to inform tho meeting of the interview he had hart with the Harbour Board at Wanganui. He was deputed by the Association to accept the term 3 offered by them, in a letter dated December 10th which offoreu the laud to the Association at 30s per acre, on deferred payment, the first years' rent to bo paid on application, but they would not agree to expend one- third on roads. To make the terms oasior Mr Lucas was instructed to ask for an extension of time from 10 to 14 years, which however was refused as the Board said their debentures fell duo at a certain time, and therefore they could not extend the term. The Association were fully satisfied tbat Mr Lucas had done all in his power in their interests, although he had not met with success. He also asked for an annual subsidy from them to help the Association in the road making and advanced several sound reasons for this and other affairs connected with the block. Perhaps it may be seen that the Board had ayery good reason why they should not concede anything. It was announced in the papers of December loth that this land was offered us. The Association did not reply accepting tho offer till January 6th there being seyeral matters to arrange and a public meeting to be held. To our astonishment we were informed that as soon as the announcement of the offer to us was known another association was formed in a town not a hundred miles from Feilding, and it wrote immediately to the Harbor Board and accepted its terms unconditionally, and that, sir, is, no doubt, one reason why no concessions were granted. Mr Lucas had to fight a losing battle — but he fought it well. A meeting is being arranged between the Association, the Harbor Board, and the Waste Land Board to adjust the business. Mr Thompson, of the Spur road, has sold his property, consisting of 290 acres, to Mr Michael Ryan, of Wanganui, at a very satisfactory price, showing the solid advancement of our district. Mr J. Spiers Freeman, of Ashurst, was agent in the transaction.