PUBLIC MEETING AT TAKAKA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 20, 23 January 1874, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING AT TAKAKA.

[communicated.] On Saturday evening, the 17th instant, one of the largest and most influential meetings ever held in Takaka, at which were represented all classes of the community, took place in the School-Room, for the purpose of expressing sympathy with the widow of the late Michael Campion, and of endorsing the action taken by Mr. James O'Reilly in the organization ot the relief fund. Mr John Cann being called to the chair, read lhe notice calling the meeting, and stated that after a residence of over twenty years in the Province, during which time he had been often called upon to officiate as chairman, he never before had to discharge this duty upon bo painful and melancholy an occasion. Mr Campion was a man universally respected, and he was aware that his tragical fate hud been the cause of great diversity of opinion; he trusted however that on this occasion all would be unanimous in their support of the worthy object for which the meeting was called, and he would most earnestly deprecate the introduction of any subject which might give rise to angry discussion. The object of this meeting was to help the widow and fatherless, and he appealed to those present that nothing objectionable might be introduced into the considera? tion of the subject before them. ' Mr W. Page- then rose and moved — •■ That this meeting cordially ty mpathises with the object for which it was called, and will use every endeavor to aid the unfortunate .widow and children of ,the deceased, trusting that i our efforts will have the blessing of Almighty j God." This was seconded by Mr J. Haldane, and curried unanimously, Mr Jamfs O'Reilly, before proposing the second resolution, wished to call the attention of the meeting to the proceedings which he had already taken in organizing the present movement;. What might perhaps have stirred him up to still greater exertions in this behalf was the unfeeling report of the sad occurrence, which first appeared in the * Examiner ' newspaper of the 29th ultimo, entirely ignoring the very existence of the unfortunate widow and children of the deceased, and expressing great sympathy with Mr Lewis and hif* family. He was convinced that no one felt more deeply for Mr Lewis and his family than he did, but he must say that he still more deeply pitied the destitute widow and her young children, who in a few hours were deprived of a Mnd husband and a living father, their only stay and support. He was sure that' all present sympathised with him, which gave him the more confidence in moving — "That, in the opinion of this meeting, a subscription-list should be opened, to extend throughout the province, to aid us in raising a fund for the benefit of Mrs Campion | and her children, and that the action already taken to further this object be cordially en- I dorsed, appointing the following gentlemen as additional collectors:'— Messrs. W. ,Vant, H. Abbott, R. Scott, J. Lindsay, and R. Fellowes, for Takaka; Messrs W. C. Riley, B. Gray, Kinsman, and Swinburne, for, Collingwood ;Mr Montague Ellis for Motupipi ; and Messrs G. Adams and W. Heywood for Anatori; and requesting Mr W. Page to act as sub-treasurer for the district of Golden Bay- all collectors in the district being rerequested to forward their collections to the sub- treasurer for transmission on the Ist of each month." This was seconded by Mr P. Bybne, and carried unanimously. . Mr Pollakd proposed the third resolution — " That, in the opinion of this meeting, the enquiry into the cause of death of the late Mr M. Campion was hasty, and without due regard to the requirements of the law both in a legal aod a medical point of view." Seionded by Mr S-*i„tal and carried with one dissentient voice. Proposed by Mr Spittal : — " That, in the opinion of this meeting, instead of holding a hurried and illegal inquest on Christmas Day, a few hours after Mr Campion's death, Dr Turnbull, the coroner for the district, should have been communicated with, a gentleman in whose experience, justice, and ability wehave every confidence." Seconded by Mr J Walker, and carried unanimously. Mr R. Fellowes, in rising to propose the next resolution, wished to make a few prefatory remarks, more especially as this affair had assumed more of a public than a private character, and there had been so much varied expression of opinion on its merits and conduct.* He had nothing to say against Mr C. Lewis. He had been acquitted by a jury of his countrymen, and, whether he agreed or disagreed with the verdict, he considered that he, Charles Lewis, would willingly have given his own life to have undone the deed. The strongest evidence against Mr C. Lewis was his own statement. Had he been left alone he would have made a clean breast of it, and he considered he was not so much to blame as those who had tried to cloak the deed. Like all around him, he sympathised with Mr Lewis and family in their affliction, but, at the same time, he felt "much • more for the bereaved widow and children. He condemned the whole conduct of the inquest, and said that if such deeds were allowed to pass, no one's life would be safe. Anyone would be justified, on the slightest provocation, in inflicting" upon the thoughtless aggressor a fate similar to that of poor Mike Campion, and when he considered such opportunities to exist he asked himself, were there no measures to be taken to secure us in that personal safety which we were entitled to claim from the laws of the land. Consequently, he felt himself j ustified in proposing — -• That the minutes of this meeting be forwarded to the Minister of Justice by the chairman, calling his attention to the fact that no Resident Magistrate was communicated with in the committal of the accused. Also to the unsatisfactory manner in which the inquiry was conducted." Seconded by Mr J. Lindsay, and carried unanimously. Mr O'Reilly then rose to propose a resolution to which he felt sure there would be no dissentient voice — '- That the thanks of this meeting are due, and ar e cordially given, to the proprietors of the * Evening Mail ' for their generous and charitable action in printing and advertising gratuitously the subscription list required to further the object of the meeting. Also to the proprietors of Charles' Diorama, for their unexpected kindness in devoting half the proceeds of a night's performance to the same purpose,--

Seconded by Mr Wm. Page, and carried unanimously. Mr O'Reilly then proposed that the subscription list be opened, which was immej diately responded to, and at the close of the I meeting nearly £30 was reported aa already subscribed. : After a cordial vote of thanks to the ChairI man, the meeting separated.