PUBLIC MEETING AT SOUTHBRIDGE.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2230, 26 May 1881, Page 3

PUBLIC MEETING AT SOUTHBRIDGE.

A public meeting of the ratepayers of the Worth Eakaia Board of Conservators district took place in the Town Hall, Southbridge, on Tuesday, the 24th inst. There was a large attendance from all parts of the district. Captain Willis took the chair, on the motion of Mr E. J. Leo. The Chairman read a copy of the proposed Bill which they had met to discuss. Mr B. J. Leo explained to the meeting the position in which the Board found themselves owing to the faullinees of the Aot under which they were elected. It was agreed that a petition should be forwarded to their member praying that an alteration should be mads. This had been done, and a numerously signed, petition had been sent to Mr Hall, who, with his usual care, had the draft drawn up, and had sent it to him as chairman of the Board to have it published. He saw by the papers that a committee had been appointed at Leeston, He was sorry that they had done so, as it had been his intention to have proposed a general committee to have looked carefully into the draft of the proposed Bill, and for them to have made any alterationsthey thought desirable for the good of the district, but as they had appointed a committee at the other end of the district ha would propose this evening a like number of gentlemen from this end to work in conjunction with the Leeston committee. Mr Lee explained to the meeting the financial position of the Board. They had to pay interest on debentures and sinking fund. The former they had been able to keep paid up, but the latter unfortunately, owing to the non-pay-ment of rates, they were twelve months in arrears with. _ _ . , , , Mr Bluett stated that Mr Desborough had ested him to sign the petition, and he had rei plied that he would do so, provided the present Board would resign on the passing of & new Act. Mr Desborough said that what Mr Bluett had just stated was positively untrue. What he did say was that on his own responsibility he could not say that they would, but would lay the matter before the next meeting. Mr Lee thought Mr Bluett must be in error, as he recollected the secretary mentioning the conversation he had had with Mr Bluett. Mr Bluett read the draft of a new Bill drawn up by the Leeston committee. Mr Lee thought that there were several clauses in the BiU which would not act, while some were worth considering. He thought that the committee he would propose should, in conjunction with Leeston committee, put the two Bills side by side, and out of them draft a Bill that would meet all the requirements of the district. He would propose that the following gentlemen—Messrs E. Euddock, H. P. Hill, J. E. Campbell, D. Marshall, K. J. Lee, E. B. Willie and A. Storry be elected a committee from this end of the district. This was seconded by Mr A. Cameron. Mr Bluett moved, as an amendment — “ That the draft of a Bill, drawn up by a committee appointed by a meeting hold at Leeston on Friday last, be adopted as a basis for our member to get a Bill framed, which shall have reference to the Eakaia river protection.” Mi- John Eonnio seconded this amendment. On being put to the meeting, the amend--mont was declared carried. Messrs R. Lockheed, McClure, B. Marshall and others having addressed the meeting) the chairman closed the proceedings.