PUBLIC MEETING AT LEESTON.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2070, 12 October 1880, Page 4

PUBLIC MEETING AT LEESTON.

There was a crowded attendance at the Boad Board Office, Leeston, on Friday, at tho meeting convened by the chairman of tho Bead Board, for the purpose of considering the action of the Selwyn County Council iu voting the funds of the Boad Board to bo spent on protective works on tho Bakaia Biver without having obtained the consent of the ratepayers to whom such funds belong. Mr John Bennie presided and opened tho proceedings by reading an vening the meeting and the petition of tho ratepayers calling upon him to do so. Ho also read a letter from Mr E. J. Bee, iu •which appeared the following paragraph — «That the ratepayers who have requested you to call tho meeting are labouring under a wrong impression altogether. The money does not belong to the Road Board, but has Ijeen set apart by tho Council out of its own funds to forward necessary works within tho district which might not coma within the power of the Boad Board to deal with. Several most useful bodies have received grants from the Council at my instance, when assistance has been refused by the Boad Board (under the impression that their funds .should not be diverted from tho care and maintenance of roads) ; and I really can conceive no object of greater general utility to the ratepayers than the subsidising of euoh a body as the Board of Conservators.” Tho Chairman remarked that the money had not been taken from tho Boad Board funds, but that if the River Board had not got possession of it, it would probably have been handed over to the Boad Board. Mr John McLaohlan, of Doyleston, as one of tho petitioners, addressed toe meeting at considerable length. He read an extract from the “ Lyttelton Times ” of the 291 h ult., in which was stated that the money was “ out of the funds allocated to the Ellesmere Bond Board District.” Ho (bought if it had been for a permanent good it would have been different ; it was a crying shame to a portion of the district beyond tho utmost limit of danger, to the residents of Brookside and Killinchy, who, when the present Boad Board funds were spent, would have to pay a rate equal to 4d in the £ to make good the money. He had denied the power of the Council to vote the money, and perhaps Mr Lee might ask for another £IOOO before long. He would therefore impress upon the ratepayers the necessity of making their voices heard throughout not only the district, but the colony, and let the Oonnty Council know that they could not do *noh things with impunity. Mr Bluett considered Mr Lee’s letter at variance with the report in the “ Times,” and thought it a pity that tho County Council at this particular time should have passed such a vote- He very much questioned the legality their doing so without reference to the Bead Board. Two members of tho Council objected to it; another thought that body deserved a vote of censure. Mr S. L.. Jones, of Doyleston, Mr W. Watson, of Brookside, Mr W. Bishop, and others addressed the meeting in favor of the following resolutions, which were carried with few dissentient voices -•—“ That in the opinion of this meeting of ratepayers the action of Mr Lee in getting £IOOO of road district funds voted by the County Council for Bakaia protective works is an injustice to the district generally.” “That tho chairman of the Ellesmere Boad Board be requested to write to the County Council, and respectfully ask tho Council to furnish the chairman of tho Board, for the satisfaction of those interested, with the particular clause or clauses in tho Counties Act under which tho Council granted to the North Bakaia Board of Conservators the sum of £IOOO out of funds (as reported in tho “ Lyttelton Times” of the 29th September last) allocated to the Ellesmere Boad Board district.” A resolution of Mr J. MoLachlan’s—“ That in the event of tho County Council’s reply not being satisfactory, a legal opinion be taken to see if the money can bo recovered,” was opposed by Mr Bluett and others, and although supported by Mr Spring and Mr Jones was allowed to lapse.