Meeting at Colyton

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 125, 11 April 1893, Page 2

Meeting at Colyton

A meeting of the Uixmtoi Farm Homestead Association was held at Colyton Hall on April Bth, Mr F. Dnckworth in the chair. The secretary read the report of the Association's business since its formation as follows : — The Association was loruied on January 16th 1892, to take up that portion of the Pohangina Farm Homestead Association Block lying to the north of the Oroua river, which was named Uinutoi to prevent any confusion in names and places. The Marton Farm Homestead Blocks are on the west boundary, the Onslow on the north, the ranges on the east. Messrs Laydon and Barnes were employed by the Association to inspect the block, their report being favorable, the land was applied for. The metalled road through the Peraberton Block is only about 2£ miles from the west boundary of the Uinutoi so that it will have a good start for a rond. In July 1892 • this Association joined with the other Pohangina Valley Associations in the request for freehold and four years without compulsory residence, and together with eight other Associations petitioned the House in that direction. Messrs Biiick, Bruce, and Wilson, M.H.R.s., undertaking to do their best for them. As a result tho ten years' compulsory residence clause in the Small Farm regulations was altered by tbe new Act to four years' without compulsory residence. The balance sheet showed that the receipts of the Association amounted to i"8 10s and expenditure £8 l;3s 6d which included the use of the Hall on April Bth. The next business before the meeting was to hear the surveyor's report on the block, and see the sketch plan forwarded to the Commissioner. The report said that ns a whole the block was very high. Snow laid on the ground during last winter for several days. A portion of it, the surveyor considered, as too rough for 200 acre sections. There are some fairly good sections near the Oroua. The rough portion is not cut up, as birch shows on the spurs. The secret tary was instructed to write to the Commissioner to ask for 4 320-acre sections to be surveyed from the best of land allotted, as the broken ground, so that no member need be ballotted out. The Commissioner was asked to attend the meeting if possible, to conduct the ballot. A letter, howeyer, was received from him saying that he was unable to leave Wellington, but would appoint a day for ballotting at Ashurst as soon as he could. A letter was rend from Mr Carver, Ohingnite, asking the Association to assist in a movement for bringing under the notice of Government the need of the Otara road and bridge being made at once, a 9 Ohingaite will be the nearest railway station for the Associations north of the Oroua. The end of the metalled road by Pemberton near the bound ary of the Umutoi is thirty-nine miles, from Feilding, Hnnterville is about 18. There seems a probability of a township springing up on the Government reserve on the Whnre road, where there is a school. The last section on the Peinberton Block was uutil last week owned by Mr Alex. Morgan, but he has now sold it to Mr S. J. Thompson, late of the Rod House, Feilding. This section is only separated from the Uinutoi Block by tin education reserve. This has also changed hands lately, the lease haying been purchased by Mr Marshall. On the motion of Mr Harvey, seconded by Mr James, it was resolved, That tho Association be brought under the provisions of section 16U of " The Land Act, 1892," instead of remaining under the amended regulations for the formation of Farm Homestead Associations of the loth December, 1891. The secretary has received instructions to send a form to each member to sign to the above effect.