PUBLIC MEETING AT LYTTELTON.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 606, 29 May 1876, Page 3

PUBLIC MEETING AT LYTTELTON.

A public meeting convened for the purpose of hearing the views of the various candidates for Borough Council honors, was held at the Colonists’ Hall on Friday night last. The hall was crowded.

His Worship the Mayor occupied the chair, and in an opening address asked for a fair hearing for the rar oua candidate?. He requested the candidates to ascend the platform, which three of them did—viz. Messrs Holmes. Hunter, and McKeever. Mr King was not present. The deafening cheers that had accompanied the ascension having stopped, his Worship called upon Mr Holmes to first address them.

Mr Win. Holmes, who was received with great applause, said he had not much to saye If elected he would do his best to serve them. Iu reply to questions he said, if the water ever came through the tunnel, a fact of which he was by no means sufe, the Council would have to take large steps to put the pipes down. He thought the price of gas so high that poor peop e could not use it, and thought it should be lowered. If elected he would try to get free wharfage. Mr W. McKeever, who was received with cheers, said—lt gave him much pleasure to address them as a candidate for Borouga Council honors. The first thing they had to consider was what sort of a man they wanted for the Council. Now what bethought they wanted was a working man with a good bead on him. There were plenty of the other class in the Council already. The re ison he h ad come forward was not so much to get in himself as to keep a younger man out, who in his opinion was not fit to reign over him. [Oh 1] He did not want to keep this candidate out because he had not lived in Lyttelton twenty years or so, for he was or opinion that that did not give any one a claim. Iu fact, a man just arrived, who

had lived in a larger place, would probably know mare than one who had been in Lyttelton all his life. As to age, that was no recommendation. A man who was no good at thirty was no good at sixty. The other candidate was one that was not generally popular, he was so much occupied with his own affairs that he knew nothing of what happened aronnd him; that disposed of the third candidate. Mr McKeever then went on to complain of the manner in which the rates were collected. He thought it was wrong that rates should be applied for on May Ist, and summoned for on June Ist, as it was hard on the poor man. He thought the p-"*or man might be allowed to pay his rates in two sums, at a certain interval. Ho was in favor of the Council meeting fortnightly instead of weekly. After stating that he thought they should only elect a Councillor who intended to remain in the Council, and so save the cost of frequent elections, he went on to refer to the question of a public slaughter yard. The Lyttelton butchers paid £2OO a year to fetch meat through the tunnel, and that £2OO came from the people’s pockets. If the slaughter yards were there, they should have cheaper, cleaner meat, for the meat got knocked about coining by rail, and the butchers would employ more labour. If he got into the Council, it would be his first, effort to endeavour to get public slaughter yards erected. (Cheers and laughter.) As to the future, he should try, if elected, to get on the finance committee. He would borrow all the money he could lay his hands on. He would borrow it for forty years. He believed in having all the streets asphalted, even up to the Heavenly road, so that people could come down to get their provisions in town. If the borough could not afford to have the whole street asphalted, let 4ft of it be done. The bridge in Salt’s gully is one that would have been used in England 100 years ago, and it is almost impossible to go over it without danger. They needed many other improvements in the town. Good steps ought to be made to lead np to persons’ houses, so that they can get to them with ease, instead ®f having to travel up with both hands and feet, as at present. In answer to questions, Mr McKeever said he would, if returned, get the footpath in Oxford street asphalted. If elected he would stick to his post. He would promise to remedy the bridge in Salt’s gully. The slaughter yards, if erected, would be under the supervision of the Borough Council and open to all. He would support them whether got up by a private individual or by the Council. After answering several other questions, Mr McKeever retired amidst cheers. Mr Hunter, who was received with applause, said he had not nearly so much to say as Mr McKeever. What that gentleman had said about his sticking to his own business was true, but he thought he knew what was going on as well. There was no question of any importance before the Council at present on which it was necessary for him to express an opinion ; he should be happy to answer any questions that might be put to him. In reply to questions, he said he went over the bridge in Salt’s gully every day, and should much like to see it made better. What the Council wanted was money, if they had that they would soon improve the roads and bridges. All improvements must be commenced at some time, and no doubt the bridge will be done in its turn. He would support a public slaughter yard. Mr Illingworth asked what he thought of bringing water into the town from the spring at the Botanical gardens. Mr Hunter said that as the water was now nearly ready to come through the tunnel he did not think the question of much importance. Mr Illingworth was of opinion that the Heathcote supply was a dead failure, and that the Government money had been badly spent. The Mayor said that now the candidate had been heard, he would listen to any proposition any gentleman might like to make for the benefit of the town in general, Mr Burns proposed, as a recommendation to the Council—“ That a new bridge be built in Salt’s Gully.” This was seconded by Mr Ralph, and carried. Mr Illingworth then ascended the platform amid shouts of applause. He said what they wanted was a public slaughteryard. Lots of them had fat cattle, but if they dared to kill a beast they were hauled up to the Resident Magistrate’s Court, like McKeever. If the Council put up the yards it would not only be a convenience to the public, but would pay them 10 per cent. At present they had to go to Christchurch to sell or slaughter a beast, and if they did the latter, of coarse had to pay carriage back. Me begged to propose as a recommendation to the Lyttelton Borough Council —” That public slaughteryarda be erected in Lyttelton.” Seconded by Mr W. Ho’mes, and carried. Mr H, Allwright asked the chairman if it was not an unusual thing to propose resolutions at a meeting of this sort. His Worship said no ; they were simply recommendations to the Borough Council, not formal resolutions. Mr G. Agar said there was a resolution he had, which he was sorry to bring before them. He bad had a nuisance and an eyesore in front of his house in the shape of an open drain. He had been advised by a friend to write offering to pay a third of the cost of having it removed, and he would get the money all back again, as had been the case with the people in Winchester street. On the strength of this he had paid his third, and now he heard he should never get his money back. He thought they should all be treated alike. The chairman said that he must explain what had fallen from Mr Agar. The residents in Winchester street were few at a time that the main drain was wanted, and they had paid a share towards it; it was not the drain running from their houses, or the side channel, it was the main drain in the centre of the street. After a time there were more residents in Winchester street, and as these new comers had paid nothing towards the main drain, it was thought only fair to recoup those who had, as it was for the general benefit. They must remember ’hat they had all paid for the drains from f heir own houses to the main drain. Whilst he was speaking he should like to say a few words on the water supply. All was in readiness, tenders accepted for buildings and work, but the Government were in a fix with reference to paying the owner of a niece of land for carrying the pipes through nis section. With regard to the Jis--•■ibution of the water in Lyttelton, the Borough Council had ordered the plant \ud it would soon arrive and no doubt they should be ready to distribute the

water as soon as it was got through the tunnel. As to the public slaughter-yard, all the Council were in favor of erecting it, the only difficulty was about the site. It must be put in a place where it would not he offensive, and yet at the same time must be handy for the carriage of meat into the town. As to the spring in the Botanical Gardens, he had been one of a committee appointed to ascertain what quantity of water could bo procured from it, and at the time he visited it, after five or six weeks’ drought, there was about enough running to fill two tanks a day. As to the frccwharf, all had been done that could be ; they had no right, and could not enforce it ; they could only hope 'that under the General Government they would have more privileges. They would probably get more from the General Government in Wellington than the petty provincial one in Christchurch, He was glad their meeting had passed off so agreeably. [Applause] Mr Illingworth asked Mr Buist why ho had resigned and put the town to such an expense. After a little delay Mr Buist ascended the platform amid cheers, and said he got tired of it. He had his own business to attend to, but he did his best for them when he was there. [Applause] Mr Illingworth proposed—“ That any member resigning before his time should pay the expense of electing his successor.” The Chairman said he agreed with Mr Illingworth that the town was put to very unnecessary expense in this way; but he was afraid it could not be remedied without au alteration in the Act of Parliament.

Mr W. Holmes proposed a vote of thanks to the chair, which was seconded by Me Illingworth, and carried with acclamation. The Mayer having briefly returned thanks, the meeting adjourned.