PUBLIC MEETING AT RICHMOND.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 199, 21 August 1879, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING AT RICHMOND.

[Communicated.'] A large meeting of the ratepayers of the sub-districts of Waimea East and Stoke was j held at the Agricultural Hall, Richmond, on Friday evening last, Mr B-rnicoat in the cbair. The Chairman called upon one of the getitlemen who had convened the meeting to explain why they had.been calied together. Mr Mcßae thought the time had arrived for the Waimea East and Stoke sub districts lo form themselves into a separate Highway Board. They were quite able to expend the rates raised in their own district upon their by-roada, instead of allowing the money to be spent by other districts in opening up new roads. This had been going on long enough, and he now thought it was lime they looked after and had something done to their own roads. Mr Harkness was sorry onr Roafl Board member was prevented from attending through a bereavement, as he would have been able to give valuable information as to how the rates in the district had been expended. That they had not had their proper share of the money in past years was painfully evident to every farmer. The rates that had been collected were amply sufficient to have made and gravelled every by-road in the district, instead of which they were a standing disgrace, and that, in the face of the fact that the ; law lays down that all rates levied in a sub-district shall be spent m that sub-district. They did not ask for an unfair advantage over other places, but they did object to a direct tax being levied for the purpose of forming their own roads and then used for quite a different purpose. Reading from the last balance-sheet of tbe Waimea Road Board, he showed that Stoke had paid rates to the amount of £228, and had expended in the district £358 ; Waimea East raised £689, expended £489; Spring Grove raised £238, expended £326 ; Wakefield raised £248. expended £573 ; Waimea West raised £310, expended £469 ; and Dovedale raised £101, aud expended £1000 In the item £1000 to Dovedale, it should be mentioned that £670 was a grant from the General Government. In addition to the rates, there had been the subsidies in past years of one pound for every pound raised by the Board. This would make the total for Waimea East and Stoke £1800, aDd deducting £300 as their share iu the working expenses, and expenditure £850, there would still be left £650 that must have gone to benefit the other districts. If the average amount that had been spent in Waimea East in past years was sufficient for the requirements, a rate of sixpence or eightpence would have answered their purpose instead of a shilling, as at present. He did not wish to cast reflections upon any member of the Road Board, some of whom had worked most energetically for the welfare of their own district, but as the Government had stopped the subsidies and consequently the Road Boards had less to spend, it was absolutely necessary to be careful how the rates were spent, aud that as little expense was incurred as possible. The following resolution had been placed in bis hands by some of the ratepayers:— "That, in the opinion of this meeting, it is considered expedient to constitu:e the sub-districts of Stoke and Waimea East, which now form part of the Waimea Road Board district a separate Highway Board, and that His Excellency the Governor be respectfully requested to declare it such in accordance with the provisions of the Nelson Highway Act, 1872." Seconded by Mr Eden. J Mr Harley, the member for Stoke, having entered the hall, was informed by the chairman of the resolution that had been proposed when he said that he was sorry he had not been sooner at the meeting, but he had known nothing of it till that evening. He thought such a resolution as that just proposed was premature, aud that it was the duty of the ratepayers to inform their representatives of any grievance they had or any alterations they wished carried out. 'Although concurring in the general opinion that they had not had quite their share of tbe moneys, and admitting the fact that YVainiea East and Stoke were out-voted in the Board he should propose an amendment to adjourn the meeting, because the very matters complained of were to be discussed at a special meeting of the Board to be held the next day. He then proposed, That the consideration of the question bo postponed till after the meeting of the Waimea Highway Board to-morrow. Mr Kearns said that would not do. The Waimea Road Board had' been tried and found wanting. ; The Chairman asked for a seconder to the amendment, but no one responding, the

original motion was put and carried tinanimously. Mr Kearns said he had been asked to propose : — That this meeting think it advisable that all the main trunk roads and river bridges in the Wairacs County should be taken over and maintained by the County Council.— Seconded by Mr R. Mcßae. Mr Talbot thought this was directly undoing what they had just decided to try and effect, namely, to reduce the rates, for if the County Council had to maintain the main trunk roads and bridges, they would certainly levy a rate to do so. He did not think it advisable to have two rating bodies and two rates to pay, as this proposal would mean if carried out. The Chairman thought such works as river bridges were too costly for any Road Board, or even the County Council, to undertake. If attempted by the County Council it could only be done by raisin* a loan, and the ratepayers who were so heavily tftsed already would hardly agree to this. He thought works of importance such as the Appleby or Brightwatar Bridges should be undertaken by the Government. The motion was then put to the meeting and carried, but it seemed of so doubtful a benefit that fewventured to vote for or against it. Mr Mcßae proposed, That the undermentioned gentlemen be a Committee for the purpose of giving effect to the above resolution in the manner they think best : viz., Messrs Irvine, Marsden, Talbot, J. G. Harkness, Mcßae, Barnicoat, and the members for the sub*listrict3 of Stoke and Waimea East. Seconded by Mr Kearns and carried unanimously. Votes of thanks to the Chairman and the conveners of the meeting terminated the proceedings.

earned out all I hi.vi- undertaken I tiear you are to hare tlm opportunity of returnnijr two member.; of Hie lc ? al profession Allow me lo n ..,,i , o yon a short QXtno - from n sporrh \,y .lolm Brisiht on I!,^ , u i,_ 3eet. Ho s f ,y. of lawyers :— "Thov are not JJPiiorally in fav., r of any roiorm of the law Ihe laws m th.senuirfvv. in llioir complexity' in their ontanßk.mont,aii«l in rheir costline«" are a rliegrntv lo a civilized ponp i o ,-.„/ t.ot of .he law flauu'lUerV' [ have alwavs I ■ ,r pl " Inn Ui!lt ™ h-^ve too rnanv lawyeisinthe rlouse. 1 Imveai-ued that lawyers are no. nlways toboc-ntrustod with drafting _'' r ~ « f foiirso. I don't mean bills of costs » id I would just as soon leave it to intelligent squatters to draft a Land Bill, or to a Chamber of Commerce to draw up a Bankruptcy Law. Tt is not desirable to crowd the House with lawyers as has been done lately. I have tlie highest respect for ihe profession, but T wish to point out that the experience of the colony and of fJrcat Britain is, that lawyers as a rule do not make good politician?. They do not carry the same weight rn the House as laymen. Fluent as they are from constant practice, their speeches are always regarded as the ease for the plaintiff. and there is a general feeling that if a brief were put into their hands for the other side they would make out an equally good case for the defendant. I trust my learned friends will not be offended, but' I think it right to point out these tilings for your consideration. One word more T have to say. I never canvass personally. In all'the election contests I have been engaged in, I have never asked a man for his vote. I don't blame those who do ; T have nothing to say against it, but I only say that I don't like it myself (A voice : You get somebody else to do it for you). Exactly, and lam happy to canvass for others, but not for myself. I now thank you for your patient hearing, and shall be glad to answer any questions. Mr Curtis then sat down amid loud cheering. Mr Lkvestam : Yon have qnoted Sir George Grey's speech, in which he says the poor pay more than the rich. Don't you think this was the case before the measurement^ duties were changed to ad valorem ? Didn't the blue shirt pay more than the white one, the silk dress than the stuff gown? Mr Cf'RTis : The change made no difference in the whole. If it took it off one article, it put it on another. I cannot take the articles in detail, but deal with them as a whole. [Mr Curtis then made some remark about smuggling, the full purport of which our reporter did not catch.] Mr Leyestam : "Would not smuggling be remedied if the dishonest trader was treated in the same way as the dishonest poor man ? In the one case there is only a fine, but if the poor man steals he is imprisoned. Mr CcitTis : I scarcely look upon an evasion of the duty in the same light as stealing. Mr Leyestam : Is it fair" that revenue collected on necessaries should be distributed as subsidies ? Mr CrrßTis : These subsidies are only of a temporary character, and will soon have to be discontinued, and rates raised by the local bodies. Mr Rowelt. : Did you use your influence to have the railway taken over" Jenkins' Hil! instead of by the Tort ? Mr CrßTis : Certainly not. T was never consulted, and never used any influence. Mr Row-ell : "What is your opinion of MiBarton's charges against the Judges, Magistrates, and policemen ? Mr CrrtTis : With regard to bis charges against the Judges, I saw nothing in them ; against the Magistrates, there was no evidence whatever, except a letter signed J. Jones. Tf such charges as were made against the Judges were true, depend upon it other members of the legal profession would have taken them up. When one lawyer quarrels with every Judge he comes in contact with in this colony and elsewhere. I am disposed to think the fault lies more with the lawyer than the Judges. Mr James Graham: You said your reason for objecting to Triennial Parliaments was that members took two or three sessions to get used to the ways of the House. Do you base that opinion on your own usefulness during the last 13 years ? Mr Curtis: I scarcely see the gist of your question. Mr GRAnAM : If returned, will you vote for another £210 honorarium for next session? Mr Curtis: Parliament will have to decide whether they will be satisfied with the pound a day arrangement. I shall be prepared to support that, and will advocate it. Mr GRAnAM: Don't you think the revenue and loans should be expended according to population ? Mr Curtis : I think there should be some such proportion, but the money should not be thus expended merely for the sake of Bpending it. Mr Levestam: Would you support a duty on coals ? Mr Cup.tis : If you mean by way of protection, I say no; but if as revenue, I don't see why there should not be a small duty. Mr Orr: When the £60,000 was voted for the railway, where was the route to be ? Mr Curtis : We left that entirely to the Government. Mr J. Harlet : Will you endeavor to get the Licensing Act so altered as to place all Licensed Victuallers on an equal footing ? Mr Curtis : Yes. Last session I introduced a Bill for making the licenses uniform. I shall he glad to receive any information on this subject, and so far as I conscientiously can do so to support them. Mr Harlet: Don't you think there should be a body of Commissioners for the whole Provincial district instead of one for each small district ? Mr Curtis : Yes. Mr Joxes : Will you support the Local Option Bill ? Mr Curtis : I "shall be quite prepared to do so provided proper compensation is made to those injuriously affected by it. After some questions from Mr Rowell relative to the boat landing atthe harbor, Mr Levestam moved a vote of thanks to MiCurtis for his address and the very good temper he had displayed throughout. This was seconded by Mr Orr. Mr J. Haeley moved, as an amendment, a vote of confidence. _ Mr Curtis hoped this would not be insisted upon. He had always set his face against it at all his elections, and in this case it was particularly undesirable, as they did not yet know who were to be candidates. The. vote of thanks was then carried, and, on the motion of Mr John Graham, a similar vote was accorded to the chairman.