PUBLIC MEETING AT ASHBURTON.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 650, 19 July 1876, Page 4

PUBLIC MEETING AT ASHBURTON.

One of the largest and most influential public meetings which has taken place in this district, was held in the Library Hall on Monday evening the 17th instant, to take into consideration the distribution of the land fund. On the motion of Mr Charles Rccd, Mr Grigg took the chair and road the advertisement convening the meeting, and then read a copy of a letter which had been sent to the Provincial Secretary, being the resolution passed at a meeting of the various Road Boards in this district on the subject of the distribution of the land revenue. The reply from the Government also read, which showed that the Government would give the matter their consideration, but declined to recommend to the General Assembly the appropriation to this district of 25 per centum of the land revenue raised Jtherein. The chairman then read a draft of a letter which had been prepared with which to petition the General Assembly, as follows : —“ Ashburton, July 4th, 1876. To the Hon the Speaker and members of the House of Representatives of New Zealand, in Parliament assembled. The petition of the undersigned chairmen of Road Boards in the district between the Bakaia and Rangitata Rivers, in the province of Canterbury, humbly sheweth—lst; That this district has always felt its unfortunate position, north of the Rangitata ; that whereas south of that river the Road Boards have received 25 per centum of the land fund, your petitioners jto the north of the same river have, out of £561,095 14s 9d contributed to land revenue, received only £47,851 Os Bd, equivalent to B.J- per centum. 2nd. That for the current six months, from April Ist to September 30th, the four road districts have only had apportioned to them the sum of about £6900, whereas the land sales in three months, viz, April, May, and June of the present year, have amounted in the said districts to £83,992 4s. 3rd, That a tramway or light railway, connecting the main line with Alford Forest coal mines, and limestone quarries at Mount Somers, is urgently needed by the district, and that a fair apportionment of land revenue would provide funds for its completion. 4th. Your petitioners therefore pray that your honorable House will take these inequalities of apportionment of land revenue into your consideration. And your petitioners will ever pray, &c.” Mr Edwd. Saunders then moved the following resolution, which was carried:— “ That this meeting approves of the action taken by the chairmen of Road Boards in memorialising the Government with reference to the distribution of the land fund raised in the district, and it desires to confirm the resolution as passed in support of the memorial.”

In seconding the resolution Mr Bullock contrasted this district with the Timam and Gladstone Board, who had been so liberally treated in the way of land fund percentage. Mr Cameron moved— ‘ That this meeting begs to bring under the notice of the Government the claim which this district has for the construction of a branch railway to Mount Somers, the funds for which could easily be obtained if an equitable distribution of the land fund had been observed.”

Mr W. 0. Walker, in speaking to this resolution, stated that he had pressed this want of the district in the Council at their last session, at a time when they had more money than they could spend. This resolution was seconded by Mr Charles Beed, and carried. Mr Beed then moved—“ That this meeting begs to protest most strongly against the proposal to, call this district ‘ the Bakaia county/'as it is contrary to long-established usage, and to the wishes of the majority of the inhabitants, and an unnecessary slight to the largely populated centre cf this district, and they are of opinion that it should still be known by the name of Ashburton.” This was seconded by Mr Wm. Smith, and carried unanimously. The chairman then read some correspon-. dence relative to the necessity for a resident magistrate in this district, and it was proposed by Mr Walker—* 1 That this meeting desires to bring before the notice of the Government the necessity for having a resident magistrate appointed for this dis trict, which might be combined with Geraldine and Bakaia ; and that a copy of this resolution, together with a petition, be forwarded to the Minister of Justice.” This was seconded by Mr Winter, who spoke of the large amount of magisterial duties now required. The motion was carried. Mr Walker proposed—“ That a copy of these resolutions be forwarded to the Government, through Mr Wason, the member for the district, with a request that he will strongly urge the equitable claim of the several Eoad Boards on the land funds of the district; and that a copy be forwarded to the Provincial Government, with a request that thev will support them so far as they are able.” Mr Williamson seconded the motion, and it was carried unanimously. A vote cf thanks to the chairman for the trouble he had taken, terminated the proceedings.