PUBLIC MEETING AT LEESTON.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2257, 23 May 1881, Page 3

PUBLIC MEETING AT LEESTON.

A public meeting was held at Spring’s Hotel, Leeston, on Friday evening, to take into consideration the provisions of the proposed Bill re Rakaia River conservation, Mr Bluett, who was voted to the chair, stated that the object of the meeting was to give the ratepayers an opportunity of publicly expressing their opinions as to the Bill proposed to be introduced during the coming session. They had made Mr Desborough their collector, but Messrs Izard and Loughnan had informed him that it would not help them a bit. Ho considered that it was a great shame that the ratepayers should be compelled to assent to a Bill framed by the present Board without having a voice in the matter. He had made a proposition to Mr Desborough, that if the members of the Board would resign in a body, that no further opposition would be offered by them. Messrs A. and J. MoLachlan, Simon Forsyth, and others, having spoken at great length against the action of the Board, Mr John MoLachlan moved the following resolution—“ We the undersigned, being ratepayers in the Ellesmere district, hereby agree to pay any amount proportionate to that in which our several holdings are rated, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of defending the action taken by the so-called Board of Conservators and of testing the legal standing of the gentlemen who now occupy seats on the Board.”

Mr Forsyth seconded the resolution, Mr Lockhead thought that some of the Leeston portion of the ratepayers ought to attend the meeting at Southbridgo on May 24 ;h.

Mr A. McLachlan moved—“ That advantage should be taken of the present opportunity to consider and frame the draft of a Bill suitable for the proper management of the affairs of the North Rakaia Conservators’ district, and for this purpose that a committee be appointed, consisting of the following ratepayers, to carry out the above object— Messrs Bluett, Forsyth, Osborne, Ronnie, J. MoLachlan, R. Lockhead, and the mover.” Mr Forsyth seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the meeting.