AMALGAMATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 448, 19 June 1902, Page 1

AMALGAMATION.

A BREEZY MEETING

A meeting of the Amalgamation was held yesterday. Present : Messrs Matthewson (Chairman), W. D. Lysnar, Alatthews, Harris, and Bright. A reply from the Colonial Secretary dated June 12,- was to the effect that tire matter wbuld receive consideration.

The Chairman sarcastically said the Committee could consider themselves proud on now receiving a reply directly. ; Mr Matthews : They don:t commit themselves much. Mr Lysnar said the letter was satisfactory as far as it went, and should he courteously acknowledged. The Committee should now deputationise Mr Carroll on the subject. Mr Matthews said as the Whataunoko ratepayers would hold their annual meeting shortly, and a vote would be taken on the matter, they should wait till then before Mr Carroll was approached. He. was willing to fall in with the majority ii they decided in favor of the- petition. The Chairman said the matter had been fully ventilated, and they wished the petition given effect to. Mr Bright said they had a distinct grievance against the Government, as the petitions in favor of amalgamat on were stronger than those against. Mr Matthews ; Not on Whataupoko. Mr Bright said he was speaking from what he knew. The Government had ■seen fit to ignore the petition. The wish of the majority should be respected. He supported Mr Lysnar in his proposal to approach Mr Carroll. Mr Matthews said most emphatically that the majority who signed the petitions on Whataupoko were against amalgamation. The Committee had' not reported to the Borough Council, and had lapsed.

The Chairman sa'id the committee had reported to the Council. Perhaps Mr Matthews had been absent. The petition for amalgamation had been signed by three-fourths of the ratepayers. The Government had treated them shamefully, and the great majority of ratepayers had been insulted. Mr Lysnar said the committee had reported to the Council. It could be proved by the minutes that tiiey had carried out their functions properly. The opponents of amalgamation should stand out like men, instead of making untruthful statements. Mr Matthews resented such remarks. He had stated but the truth. Mr Lysnar took upon himself more than any other man in the district in daring to try and thrust ‘.this thing down their throats. Why not’,hold a» public meeting to decide the matter ? Mr LysnarAfter you have finished— Mr Matthews : I will not allow you to blackguard me. Mr Lysnar : You have made a mistake— Mr Matthews : I am not going to be treated like that. The Chairman said that Mr Matthews had not; been at all the meetings. Mr Lysnar : He said we. did not report to the Council. Mr Matthews : Your assertion was most ungentlemanly. Whatever I say I say in ai bona fide way. Mr Lysnar said Mr Matthews should make himself acquainted with the facts if he did not know. i Mr Matthews : I know so. I tell you the best way to test tlje whole question. Let us both resign from the Whataupoko Road Board and test the matter. I don’t care whether amalgamation is adopted orliot, so long as the people decide. Mr Lysnar : The people have decided by their signatures. It was proposed that the Chairman and Messrs Bright, Harris, Harding, Lysnar, and Matthews he a committee to wait upon Mr Carroll, as member for the district, as proposed by Mr Lysnar, i.n regard to getting a Commission appointed to deal with the subject. Mr Matthews at first declined to act,, but afterwards consented on being requested by Mr Bright to allow h s name to stand. Mr Matthews moved as an’ amendment that Mr Carroll he not approached until after the Whataupoko ratepayers’ annual meet ng. Mr Harr s seconded pro forma. Tlie amendment was lost, Mr Matthews voting for it. The motion was carried.