Pemberton Notes.

Feilding Star, Volume XIX, Issue 108, 3 November 1897, Page 2

Pemberton Notes.

[from our own correspondent. I Quite a number of mishaps have occurred whilst busbfalling this season, two of which were of a somewhat serious nature. Tbe first was Mr W. Wisdom, wbo had the misfortune to cut one of bis toes off and injure ;wo others which necessitated a trip to Feilding. He is, however, getting on well. The other is a young man of tho name of Burr who bad a tree come back on him while buabfelling near Wairaki on Thursday last. The poor man was brought out to Raugiwahia where tba limb was sot by Dr Musson, who bad been sent for in the meantime. I understand Mr Burr is staying in thn township and is getting on favourably. The weather has been very dense for weeks and the heavy storms cf tbe Jast few days have created havoc amongat the orchards and small fruits. I saw the gooseberries lying about thick under the trees, evidently cut off b}- the hail. A few farmers have shorn their skeep, but I am afraid it will not improve tho unfortunate things to lose their jackets this weather. A public meeting was held at Rangi wahia on Saturday to which a number of ratepayers rolled up. Mr r\ Peraberton was asked to take tbe chair but objected as he did not know what the meeting was called for. Mr McGregor also objected on the same grounds. Mr •T. S. Clark waß evontually voted to tbe chair. He, in opening, said he had called the meeting to discuss what ac consid* ered were a few grievances against the County Council. He aaid he did not like thn way in which thr^e settlers bad been picked out to be summoned for their rates, and thought they had no right to be made to suffer for the whole of the defaulters. Another thing was, ho thought they, as ratepayers, should know where the money was h6ing spent, and he, alio, objected to the Council building expensive Chambers at Birmingham, while he and others had to live in slab whares. The Councillor for tbe riding, Mr F. Pemborton, said he would d j his best to give them all the information he could on the various subjects. He, unfortunately, was not able to give a detailed account of the expenditure but pointed out several of the works which had beea completed within tbe last twelve months which totalled np to over £400- He also explained that in taking over the Rangiwahia riding, he bad tv take over a portion of tbe old Apiti Ridiug debt. This amount was about 1350. The present de.bt of the riding was about I*6oo, and h a believed there was about £200 in rate.s outstanding. As to the chairman's romarks on picking out names to be summoned, there was no picking out at out it, as the names of defaulters were written down on slips of paper and then drawn out of a hat by the member for the riding, which was the fairest to all. There was so much money outstanding in rates that the Council htd to take steps to get it in and all who bad not paid their rates were liable to be sued. As one of the principal movers in sbift> ing the offices to Birmingham, he strongly approved the action of the Council in building permanent offices, He said the shifting of tbe offices to Birmingham was one of the ttest moves that co ald have been made for the dig* trict. He could not see that it was any fault of the Council that the chairman and others bad to live in sli.b whares, and if tbey waited until everyone bad • good bouse, tbe Council would be a long while without offices. Mr McKennon said be wot Id like te ask the Council what the slip bad cost and if be thought it a Satisfactory job ? Mr Pemberton explained that a con* tract bad been let for forming and metalling the slip ; when that; was done be thought it would be all right. Ho was quite sure the Engineer had done right in going over it. Mr McGregor said be thought tho Council quite right in making permanent buildings, and considered the shifting to Birmingham a good thi ng for the district It would enable "people like those there that day to lay their grievances before the Council. Mr Sullivan also approved o f the Council's action in building at Birmingham, and thought the member for the Riding had done right in dealing with the slip. The slip was a misfortune that no one could help, and thought the best had been done. Mr Ahlers said his idea was that when they elected a man to represent them, they expected him to use his own judgment. They had elected the present member and he thought they should give him a free hand and not interfere at every turn. The general feeling was sirongly in favor of the Council building at Birmingham and in the action of the Councillor in carrying out the work of th« riding. I have to report the first sdult death that has occurred in the district. Some ten months ago, one of the Pukerimu saw-millers broke a blood vessel, and was taken to the Palmerston hospital. He returned here after several months, but has been in a very weak state Jver since, and on Saturday last he passed away quietly. I believe his mates wanted him to go out but he preferred to remain with them. His remains were taken out to Birmingham for interment.