MEETING OF RATEPAYERS AND INHABITANTS OF ELLESMERE RIDING.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1286, 3 May 1878, Page 3

MEETING OF RATEPAYERS AND INHABITANTS OF ELLESMERE RIDING.

A public meeting was held at the Eoad Board office, Leeston, on Wednesday, Ist May, to appoint trustees for the management of the recreation ground, public cemetery, &c. Present—Bev. J. W. Cree, Dr. Chapman, Messrs Boag, Bourn, Earle, Lockhead, Lunn, Hill, Spring, Storry, and about five others. Mr E. J. Lee was voted to the chair. The Chairman read the advertisement calling the meeting, and explained the various clauses of the Act relating to the present object. He stated that the area of the reserve for recreation purposes was 213 acres, and that there was an amount (£95) at present in the hands of the Selwyn County Council, portion of Government grant, which would be handed over to the trustees immediately they were gazetted. The Crown Grants would be vested directly in the trustees, to whose immediate attention he would strongly recommend the provisions of the Public Domains Act. He would call upon those preseut to nominate persons for election. Out of a considerable number nominated the following were declared duly elected : Messrs T. Lemon, J. McKellar, W. Bishop, L. V. Desborough, and W. Graham. The Chairman then requested the attention of the meeting to the question of management of cemeteries, and called upon the Rev. J. W. Cree, as chairman of the present cemeteries committee, to inform the meeting as to the constitution of that body. Mr Cree stated that some years ago he had been delegated, in conjunction with the late Mr Bridge, by a meeting of ratepayers at Southbridge, to apply for a grant of ground. They had obtained the present site, viz., reserve No. 1434 (forty-three acres), and reserve No. 1435 (fourteen acres), which had been vested in a duly gazetted committee of management. Mr Lee stated that a Government grant of £55, in the hands of the County Council, would be available, were these reserves vested, so that the trustees elected should have the control of the whole of the reserves. He thought that on the whole that would be the better plan. It was proposed by Captain Willis, seconded by Dr. Chapman—" That five trustees be elected representatives of the various denominations for the control of the cemetery reserves in the Ellesmere district."

An amendment was carried—" That as an addition to the present Board, three gentlemen be nominated as trustees, i Messrs J. Barnett, C. Bourn, and £. Lee were nominated, in addition to the Rev. J. W. Cree, J. McLachlan, A. Anderson, W. Graham, A. Storry, and W. Nixon. Mr Rennie took the chair, at the request of Mr Lee.

Mr Lee stated that small assistance only could be expected from the Government by means of grant, but that the requirements of tho trustees of reserves were such as might fairly be met by liberal grants from the Road Board, who would thus be performing their proper functions. It was proposed by Mr Lee, seconded by Dr. Chapman—" That the Road Board be requested to supplement from their present ample funds with grants in aid the objects with which we have been to-day dealing, and that they pay over to the trustees appointed £250 towards enclosing and planting the recreation reserve, and £250 to the trustees for cemetery reserves." An amendment was proposed by Mr Lockhead, seconded by Capt. Willis—" That the Ellesmere Road Board be directed by this meeting not to grant any of the Road Board funds except for the improvement of the roads of the district." The amendment was negatived, and the original resolution carried. Dr. Chapman wished to draw attention to the necessity that existed for the erection of a mortuary in some central position of the district.

Mr Lee, as coroner, thoroughly endorsed the remarks made by Dr. Chapman,