MEETING AT TERRACE END.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 83, 27 July 1878, Page 2

MEETING AT TERRACE END.

A. very largely attended meeting of the residents of -Terrace End was held m Deard'sPrincesi Hotel, Palmerston, on ; Thursday 'night, with the view of taking immediate steps to have the passenger platform now being erected at the Crossing 'atNees's Mill stopped, and a station placed at Fitzroy Street, as proposed ■ by. a resolution of the Borough Councii forwarded to the Government. The Chaiemaut (Mr James Linton) m opening the meeting, said hejrould have much preferred that some one; else had been called upon to presidei as he felt very warmly upon the matter which ' they had been called together to discuss, and he felt that m his position of Chairman he was m a measure tongue-tied. Those present were pretty well aware of the business before the meeting, as it was generally '- : known- that a gang cf men had just arrived from Halcombe to erect the long-fought for passenger platforhi. To the surprise of all; however, instead of erecting it^ at Fitzroy Street, as they had been aJI led to believe would have been done j - and as had been strongly recommended by the Borough Council, it was found that s tlie , Crossing at Nee-s's Mill had baen chosen for the site. If it were determined to utilise that place for a timber platform, he bbuld thoroughly believe iv and cife dorse the step, but as a \>aasentrer^ station itVwas simply i-idifiilous ahii|| nselosSji -' r ■ .-■;/: . x :0

Mr M voice j; sai^ toat there could be no Iwo .opinions as to the absurdity, of . flic oontemplafed step m. placing the platform at the Napier road, and he • would therefore propose : T\aA step" he taken at once to try Jpttd get the Xaiiwrt/ authorities to erect tlid passenger platform opposite the Uospit-ftl nt Terrace End, instead of the proposed site. His only reason for proposing the Terrace Street site was that it was certainly the most central position, which could be chosen. . r ■> I The motion was seconded by* 'Mr Robert -Newman. '.^Y**. The Chairman said that he^did bo^.-> think that would be granted by the** Government.' About twelve or eighteen^ months previously a similar application: - had been made, but it would not be * entertained, and the excuse made%a^r that the Government owuqdgho available land m the vibinfty* AttEiferoy Street on the contmry* CwSs not only » reserve of ten .acresp but they had al- -, ready shunts;, and Y>|her conveniences, with plenty of -land for sheds. Him opinion wasirthat if they now departed from the request forwarded by the Corporation, and asked for a third place, the Minister of Publio Works wovl4 quietly^ jgiiore all representation oa acjoounfrbf the want of unanimity, »%M give instructions to proceed%i|h v ihV ■■ ■■;. 4J^#J&i^ > 'vM* Mickiß was of opinibn'ttif th,e*e -would be no shunt required, and' that", all they were applying for was a plat--fwm with a shed or cover. Mr Mabsh wished to say a few- words; with regard to the resolution. As ...far % a||hie w^s personally concerned ho djidnst care one jot whether the station was • placed at Fitzroy or '■' Terrace Street.. What he wanted was to see it at some; piace where it would be of use fcMthe** . residents j and what he did not "want,, was toTsee^t erected beyond the reacK> ! of the; inhabitants altogether. Aboveall, however) he was anxious that thatmeeting should be thoroughly unanimous m the matter, and having selected thp best site, cordially agree m pressing/: -itj? upon the Government. He Might say*^however, that he was of- opinion tftaj; it 'would hot only be an act of? to endorse the action of the-" Council by selecting the site chosen by ■ it, but also, by so doing there would be far- greater probability of effecting a stoppage of the present work^^Wiiiiregard to the site at which it appeared it had been intended '.'to place: thestation; for all the use or utility it v would prove, it might just as well beihalf tray up to Buunytfiorjpe.; He Jdidu not know r what lever wasif at work, >or from whom the Public, Works Department drew its inspiration for the contemplated step, but certainly that it was a most insane one could not for » moment be denied. The time was not far distant when a mail would have to be made up at Terrace End, and then it would be found that to convey it tor the station would occupy exactly half . the time m which it could be taken on to Palmerstbn. He trusted the meetings would b« unanimous; and declare that' unless the stdtibnwere erected m subH a^rtioh of .'"the-, town'" that it could be ,ina3e oluse to .the residents, th*y did; not" want one at all. JEIe would isk those present to support the resolution; .forwarded by the Borough Council,be*--cause' m doing so; -they would be ; strengthening the claim they "were pre* ferring; whereas, if they prbposea-» third site, they would weaken theiroausdi and possibly have no attention; at all paid to them: "" : : < The Chaipman stated that whe« hewent to the meeting it was under th«impression that it was to endorse the action of the Borough- Council, and tourge upon the Government the compliV ance with the terms of the resolution passed by it. He ,wa* not prepared to- • submit to the proposition of- anew site,, and as a member pf the Council he? would like to speak somewhat fully ©a the question. He felt, however, that ;he could not well do so while presiding, and l consequently if the idea^ wore entertained, he would ask to be relieved of that responsibility. He was quite . convinced that, some undercurrent had been at work with the Public Work*--: Department, and he would suggest that a very strong resolution should bo passed and forwarded to Wellington to the Mayor of Palmerston for subiaisf . . sion to the -Ministor.of^Pibli^Worlcf,. He was quite- sure Mr Snelsbn wiifclji lose no time, but on the contrary work most energetically m the matter, naving; felt deeply hurt when informed by telegraph of the action taken by the Government. . ■- - ■ ■•'■■-■,' /:-'■'-■. ' ' '\ MrDEABD was well pleased to see /«*.: - %any settlers and residents ra^ly .-tbge- 1 ther upon such a very short notice, and it certainly spoke well for the import^ ance of the subject, and the interest they aU took m the He :wa* quite convinced that some one,had bees' behind the scenes pulling the wirei, arid . it was really too'bad that after meetings had been held, petitions signed, and de» putations appointed, the efforts of the whole of the residents should be set at defiancej and count tor nothing,,because ' of s6ine outside- and back-stairs representation. The whole -Press .ol^hl,^^ vincial District, and particulailj^tlii»:^ Manawattt Times, had not bnly^qjtet^ and over again pointed out thenece~|isity . of d platform, but given good reason* why it should be placed where asked for. For his own part he certainly re--cognised the'rplace pointed out by the.. Borough Coj^6il- : -iKtaroy-street— as bj far the most fitting^ There the Government possessed ten acres of a reserve, upon which cattle and sheep landings,, and sheds might be erected, and all the facilities for shunting at hand. He certainly thought the manager, engineer, or whoever else was responsible for advising this insane step, was deserving of;-.---the gravest censure. Befpre the matter had been thus finally disposed of, and ;"' and m the face of a representation frbinthe local body, he was. of opinion manager should have taken ad vice from the bulk of the settlers, iastead o^bei^f led hy the nose -Iby one orl two outsid^ I who happened to; ;have a little stairs influence. He would therefore t' move as an amendDcient to Mr;M ackie's '-:■<: motion — ■ - 7 ;^ .That the platform he erected: at F;r: iroy street, and at : tho po'intreboriir:ic-\.(l.;:'* iby- the Borough Coan^il, and not ai-i?'..a f^^notion of the Napier ron»l i»»k« Bail Wijj- - ||jip where it is now proposed to erect it. .

Mr Gatten, m seconding the amendment, stated that although hewasa centraK man, he heartily endorsed the necessity of .'having the platform at a place where it could be of use to the Terrace End residents. He thought Mr Marsh had put very plainly to the ineetiris: the necessity of uncinimity, and the advisability of endorsing the action of the Council. - Mr Johns had had considerable experience iti railway matters, and he thought there could be no two opinions as to the" preference of the Fitzroy over the Terrace street site, possessing as the first did, reserves, shunts, and other ' conveniences. ■ TjieT Chaiema.n said he was rery plk'as.ed v to liear Mr Deard express himself as hejshad done, as :there could be ' no doubt lia3 he! supported' the motion- lie would be a material gainer. With, regard to himself, it might be thought that.becauW-the Fitaroy-street site was opposite liiSJpriyate residence he was influenced by;interested 4 motives. He could assure' them" Itich' was not the case, for were hevto siudy^his own interests, keep his mouth shut, and allow the erection to take place at Ness's Mill, it would probably put £500 into his pocket. As was w.ell. known, he had 200 acres . at the junction of the Napier road, which he was now cutting r;up, ajidvt^Qhi shortly: place, m th e Welljngjton'Market; and if he; could s^ay, .tiiafc|k passenger platform .was befp^cr -^iiUy Ip;ry door, it would increase thie '■; valfce £400 or £$00. :! , Another, ppiri£ which had been lost sight of was that passengers and parcels, would have to for 'it was, to be expedted j^^^pmerchandise would be sent on to Terrace End station as well a||tb "■w : rere,' i ahd the boon would be grerit "to have ;it<at their very doors, wherein, if "placed thirty or forty chains away, it s \Kould necessitate cartage. : l^T£~was theii decided that : the Chair-be-emppwerea to communicate with *Mr- Snclsoh, authorising, liim,,.to place the resolution forthwith m the .hands "of the Minister of Public Works, and request that m the meantime the work at present commenced- be stopped. ,„ ' A soniehat desultory conversation then ensued, m which Messrs Dcard, Mackie, and others referred to , the rapid growth and large, eomaercial transactions of that part of the town ; after which, the usual vote of thanks 5 ' to the,chair terminated thejproceedings.