IMPORTANT PUBLIC MEETING ON THE MAIN TRUNK ROAD QUESTION.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 214, 17 May 1865, Page 2

IMPORTANT PUBLIC MEETING ON THE MAIN TRUNK ROAD QUESTION.

A public meeting was held at the Commercial Hall last evening, to take into consideration a letter received from Mr J. B. Bradshaw, now on a visit to Dunedin, in reference to the Main Trunk Road. Mr Hallenstein in the chair. Mr Shepherd said that a letter had been received from Mr Bradshaw stating that endeavors were being made by certain parties to divert the formation of the Main Trunk Road by way of Arthur's Point, instead of by Frankton, as previously settled and guaranteed by the late Executive. He spoke at length of the various public meetings, petitions and correspondence that had taken place in connection with this much vexed question, and stated that everyone thought it was finally settled in favor of the Lake Hayes and Frankton route, until Mr Bradshaw's letter was received. The speaker said that the late Provincial Treasurer in the month of December last, in reply to a deputation of the Queenstown inhabitants on the Main Trunk Road question, had used the following language :

The first subject they had brought under his and his colleague's notice was the Main Trunk Road; and the strong arguments that ,had been employed by the various gentlemen had much impressed him, and he would say that the argument which had the greatest weight with them —under the present financial condition of the Province—was that of cheapness; and if for no other reason than that, and the great saving that would be effected to the Province, they intended, he might tell the deputation, making the main road via the Kawarau and Frankton to Queenstown. ,

What could be clearer and stronger than that—why subsequently an official letter was received by the Queenstown Improvement Committee from the Cargill Ministry enclosing what Mr Clapcott had stated. The speaker drew attention to the want of representation in the Provincial Council, and to the utter recklessness of Mr Brodie in anything that touched on the Wakatip district—a district that had not long since passed a public vote of disapproval on his conduct, for which, no doubt, he felt a certain amount of malevolence; hence his present desire to have the road made against the wishes and interests of the majority of the Wakatip population. He trusted that the present Ministry would not be misled by the sophistry or bounce of that representative of the Dunstan district, but would render the inhabitants of Queenstowu tardy justice in the construction of the road as proposed, and moved—" That a petition be forwarded to the Government, praying that the pledges of their predecessors be carried out." (Applause.) Mr Powell seconded this resolution, which was carried unanimously.

Mr Hadley spoke in favor of the previous resolution, and moved—"That a committee be formed, consisting of Messrs Weaver, Malaghan, Hallenstein, Powell, and Shepherd, to prepare and forward the petition." Mr Crofts seconded the resolution, which was carried.

Mr Malaghan moved—" That Messrs Clapcott, Mouat, W. W. Wilson, Bradshaw, and Rees, be requested to form a wait upon the Executive with the petition, and urge their right in the formation of a Main Trunk Road via Frankton."

Seconded by Mr Weaver and carried unanimously. After a vote of thanks to the chair the meeting terminated at a late hour.

[ln consequence of the late hour of the meeting we are compelled to compress our report very considerably.]