KUMARA EDUCATION RESERVE

Kumara Times, Issue 1039, 29 January 1880, Page 2

KUMARA EDUCATION RESERVE

PUBLIC MEETING. The meeting convened by his Worship the Mayor at the request of a number of ratepayers, at the Town Hall, on Tuesday evening, to take the necessary steps towards bringing the new Act relative to the Reserve into operation, was very largely attended. The Mayor occupied the chair and explained that the meeting had been called to determine the most desirable manner to give effect to the new Act dealing with the Kumara Education Reserve, which had been passed by the General Assembly during the last session, Mr Cuming moved “That in the opinion of this meeting it is expedient that His Excellency the Governor be requested to biing the ‘ Kumara Education Reserve Act, 1879,’ into operation immediately.,’ He said he thought the motion would meet with the approval of the meeting, as it was in accordance with the first clause of the Act after the peramble. He considered that the Act had been framed after great trouble last session, and they should take advantage of it to remedy the grievances under which they had long suffered. He thought that the agitation in this matter had not commenced one hour too soon. Mr Bai'ff seconded the motion, Mr Dungan said he had been induced to make a few remarks on the to deal with the Education Reserve of Kumara. He thought that if the member for the district in the House of Eepvesentatives had been present he might have enlightened them on some of the clauses, as he (the speaker) could not accept the spirit in which some of the clauses were compiled. He could not understand by the report of the Crown Commissi mer on this Reserve haa not been made public. Irue, a garbled report appeared in the Kumara Times, although he did not charge the editor of that journal with complicity in the matter as he doubtless made it public as he received it; still, he (Mr Dungan) believed that the report he referred to as having been published was forwarded to the Times by some interested person. He strongly objected to clause 5, which provided that distinct regulations could be made

by the Commissioners. He did not think it fair that mining should be in* troduced in the matter, more than at present constituted under the goldfield regulations. He contended that the present goldfield regulations Were quite sufficient for miners to work under, without having others framed to draw money from them, and in in his com-mon-sense view of things he strongly objected to the clause. He believed that Mr Seddon had done all he could to deal consistently with the new Act, and that, he had given a great deal of time and trouble in regard to it. Still, ho (the speaker) thought that the sth clause should be eliminated from the Act. Another and very objectionable feature was clause 6, which made provision for the Reserve being permanent instead of lifting it, which he understood was what the bill was introduced for. The report of the Crown Commissioner had been looked forward to with great interest by everyone and the local press had repeatedly drawn attention to the fact of it not being made public. He trusted Mr Seddon [who here entered the hall] would be able to explain away these objectionable features he had mentioned in the present Act. Mr Barff entirely agreed with the last speaker and especially with his remarks anent ■ the mining community. The bill, however, had been introduced at the time of great ’ party struggles in the House, and they must be satisfied with obtaining an Act ot some sort. Faulty as the bill was, he (the speaker) could see his way clearly out of the difficulty. If Mr Dungan had carefully read the Act, he would have seen a clause that would meet the wishes of the residents of the Reserve without interfering with the mining community as clause 7 exactly met the case in everything, Should the resolution before the meeting be carried, the next step would be to appoint a committee to deal with the matter as betweeii'-tlre'' - ''” householders and the Commissioners. Mr Seddon M.H.R. acquitted Mr Dungan of all intention of wilfully misleading those present as to the nature of the Kumara Education Reserve Act, as, if the classes referred to bore the interpretation Mr Dungan put on them, the bill would be untenable. The bill in another place had received great opposition, more especially from those who were interested in educational endowments, as the least interference with one of these endowments brought up a number in arms in the House of Representatives. Even after passing the lower House, the exceptional course was taken in the Upper of asking that the bill be discharged from the order paper. He might say that the thanks of the community were due to the Hon. Mr Lahman, who managed to have the discussion adjourned, and allowed him (the speaker) time to interview some of the members of the Government, as also the Legislative Council on the subject. The Hon. Mr Oliver when spoken to at once saw the At-torney-General on the matter, and eventually they succeeded in passing the measure. He thought they would be very foolish if they caviled over the merits of the bill now, [The speaker "here referred to the various suggestion he had made as to the course to be adopted in the matter before the meeting and which with the bill* appeared in our columns of the 14th inst.] It was no good their falling out with the Commissioners; they were proprietors of the land in fee simple, bub at the same time the Reserve was of little value to that body, as shown by the report of 1878, when their credit balance from the proceeds of the Kumara Education Reserve was only £l3 18s; yet it was well known they had pinched the community very sharply to raise funds.—[applause.] That one fact helped them greatly in the House, and was a strong argument in doing away with the reserve. The report of the Chief Commissioner not being- a printed report, he the (speaker) had been unable to forward a copy from Wellington for the information of the leaseholders on the Rererve. He might say that immediately the act was brought into force the miners would be benefitted first of all, as all miners wauld be able to peg out claims under their miners rights, without auy extra fees. [Hear, Hear.] Under clause 4 leaseholders could surrender their leases and purchase their sections. In reference to clause ,5, to which Mr Dungan had taken exception he might 9 point out that by the amendment-made • therein on his suggestion the fees would go to the Commissioners, and nob into the pockets of the Borough Council, and that was the only object in view and one he thought Would' be quite satisfactory to all. The Commissioners were indebted to the Bank, and he thought they would gladly sell some of the sections to pay off this liability. His advice was to interview the Com-

tnissioners in an amicable and fair spirit and point out to them the grievances under which they, the leaseholders, labored. He would say that during the whole time the question was before the House the Commissioners remained silent, und he thought this a good sign of consent to the wishes of the residents in this matter. He supported the resolution before the meeting.—[Applause.] The resolution was then put by the Chairman and carried unrnimously. The following resolutions were then carried after a slight discussion, in which a well-known resident, by an anti-temperate speech caused considerable amusdfnent. “That this meeting would respectfully request the consent of the School Commissioners to the sale of sections, under section 7 of the Kumara Reserve Act, and that, under clause 8, the balance be exchanged for other lands.” “ That a Committee be formed to communicate with the Commissioners, with the object of carrying out the foregoing resolution, and take immediate steps towards furtherance of same ; such committee to consist of Messrs J. S. Pearn (Mayor), R, J. Seddon, M.H.R,, E. Barff, J.P., H. Cuming, P. Dungan, W, S. Hanna, A. C. Campbell, James Drummond, James Wylde, O. W. Anderson, John Mulvihill, S. S. Pollock, John Davidson.” A vote of thanks to the chair terminated the meeting. The committee appointed met immediately afterwards, in the Town Hall.