MEETING AT PAPANUI.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2432, 21 January 1882, Page 3

MEETING AT PAPANUI.

A public meeting was held in the Papanui Town Hall last evening, at half-past seven o'clock, to take into consideration the question of the amalgamation of a portion of the Avon Road Board district with the Riccarton district. There were fifteen ratepayers present, and the chair was occupied by Mr I. S. Weston, M.H.B.

The Chairman said that the committee appointed at last meeting had considered the question remitted to them very carefully, and after looking through the several statutes affecting the matter, had arrived at the conclusion that the Governor was compelled to accede to the prayer of the petition from a portion of the district asking to be annexed to the Biocarton Road Board, He read the following report:—

The committee appointed by the meeting held on the 22nd December last have the honor to report that, as the Government have applied to the Selwyn County Council to report upon the petition presented to them for the secession of a part of the district to the Riccarton Road Board, and as tho Council has recommended the adoption of the petition, this committee deem it unnecessary to take any action, as the matter is in their opinion practically settled. The meeting might discuss the question of whether it would be advisable to attach the remainder of the Papanui district to the Riccarton Road Board district. The committee considered that it was not within its province to report upon that question, Mr O. T. Ick moved—“ That the report of the committee be adopted.” Mr Horner seconded the motion, which was carried without discussion. Mr lok suggested that it might be advisable to call a special general meeting of the ratepayers of the district to consider the question referred to by the chairman. Mr Ellen expressed himself in favor of tho rest of the district being transferred to Riccarton. The Avon Road Board was the worst managed in the province. The Chairman said that if those present were unanimous perhaps it would be better to obtain the opinion of the ratepayers on the subject by means of a petition. Mr Feterkin doubted very much whether the Riccarton Road Board would consent to take them over. For his part, if they would be able to get more for sixpence than they now got for a shilling, he would be in favor of annexation. In answer to the question of how it was that while the rates in their district were Is lOd, those in the Riccarton district were only BJd, he might point out that the difference was possibly owing to a great extent to the fact that the land in Papanui was more swampy than that in Riccarton. Mr Woodland understood that several members of the Riccarton Road Board were averse to taking over the remainder of the Papanui district. After some further discussion of a desultory character, during which the opinion was expressed that no definite action could be taken, a vote of thanks was passed to the chairman, Mr Weston, in acknowledging the vote, said although he had been returned for a distant district, yet his services might be regarded by this constituency, and all other censtituencies in the province, as always at their service. The meeting then dispersed.