MEETING AT JACKEYTOWN.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 92, 28 August 1878, Page 3

MEETING AT JACKEYTOWN.

A meeting- of settlers about Jackeytown was held .during the past week, to take into consideration what steps they should adopt p-^r-M consequence of tho disadvantages under which tbey labor -by the treatment they 'Have received front the Eailway authorities. Mr. Wiliiam -.Akers was voted 'to the chair, Aand' that gentleman after having read the :riofcic'e convening the meeting, apologised for the absence of several ir.fluential settlers, who were unavoidably prevented from being present, '.." 'Mr Rowiands expressed himself m indignant terms l - against the Eailway authorities, asserting that before the formation of the railway he could make farming pay by the.- exercise of energy and perseverance, but' since the appearance of the fair Helen McGregor and the ill-omened Black Dwarf, be had tried m vain to benefit' by the railway by bringing a larger amount of land under 'cultivation, and employing more labor, However be had found he was mistaken, and had come to Vthe_ conclusion, that the line was a clog "instead bf aii assistance, and that if something, were not done to remedy the present state : of affairs he should have to devote the Whole of his time and energy to sheep,'; arid «rop no more. ' Mr Hamilton said he was inclined to believe that they should never: get a' shunt put m at Jackey town ; and although be bad done well by farming; still by having to pay .fare, and freight , from , Oroua: Bridge, if" he went to Paimerston 5 and from Karere, if he went- to: Eoxton, he found the major portion of his profits would :be consumed. The railway appeared to be a convenience for members of Parliament \vho were' transported about the country free of all expense, while the GoTernment was wholly neglectful of the req^rements and necessities of the hard- ! working settlers, who supplied the means of providing fche toys. He had come to the conclusion, that he should not trouble the railway any more,- and wifcXfcbat intention he had purchased a number of sheep at the recent Feilding sale, as he had the satisfaction: Vof knowing that mutton could Walk to the centres of consumption. Mr Tanner, in r a most determined man--ncr, demanded that, the settlers should be provided with a shunt, not as an obligation, but . as a rigbt, asserting that Mr Johnston, the member for the district, should see that his constituents had justice accorded to them. He asked did not the railway belong to the people, and bad it not been constructed for tbe benefit of the many irather;thah a few ?-^-(A Voice : Yes, and we bate a; claim to its -advantages.)— rlnVay few weeks a knd tax would be imposed as a. guarantee of their loans as security for the w)iolej but be was of opinion that the Government should give the people ways and iridans'pf .'getting away their produce to a market, . bef ore saddling- them with taxes. Woe '^0/ an^ Ministry which refused to set, a "people's right at defiance, Mid;.as far as theyiwere - concerned they would not be trampled - upon, ' and- were determined to fight against being crushed.: X jMr .Sherman said it was all very well f or ithosewhb could do so to turn themselves tcj sheep-farming, but wished 1 to know what were people, to do- who had no sheep at present, and whose farms were, too Binall to jjdopfc, that. stop ? iThe Chairman said that he did not doubt for a moment that they should get the fhunfc, and also a regular rate of charge to K and : from Jackeytown, The number of settlers, were daily being added to, all recruits of the right sort. Men, of, mettle, r and regular Spartans, who thought it tod effi- > initiate to milk a few cows for a precarious living, or tend sheep. He knew them per-" eonally, and he knew by experience that most, of them were good ploughmen: It Bhould be recollected that m cultivating their lands, they were not only benefitting themselves, but enriching the country and contributing to its wealth ; and with their land 'they should be m. a position to grow their own flour, instead of sending for it to other districts, thereby keeping their money circulating within -their own circle. The speaker then; refprred to the grievous complaints vwliich had been repeatedly made, wi ; th regdrd. to' the transit of produce, and said iK certainly was ia matter for wonder that -the residents had borne the treatment ■ io.lbng. , VMr Tanner Btated that Mr McEwenbad written to.' the Minister for Public Works, respecting a petition which had been forwarded, and- to which .dq reply had been . received/. 'He would move that the meeting be adjourned for ai 'fortnight, to see if any information on the subject would arrive m the mean time. The motion was seconded by Mr Taylor, and a vote of thanks to the V chairman, terminated the proceedings.