COMPENSATION MEETING.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume 1, Issue 13, 28 December 1872, Page 3

COMPENSATION MEETING.

o A meeting of the old settlers who were losers of property, Ac., during the Native disturbances in this district, was held at Dalziel’s Hotel, Makaraka,on Saturday evening 21st December, to discuss the question of applying to the Government for compensation, and to decide upon the best method of representing their claims in order to secure a favorable issue to their petition. Mr. Hardy having been called to the chair, Mr. Greene opened the proceedings by a short explanation of the object of the meeting. Here a general expression of approval exhibited itself and addressed the meeting at some length in support of the object for which it had been convened, which seemed to partake of an eager desire to abuse the Government, and to press for compensation to the uttermost. At the close of Mr. Greene’s address, a question arose as to whether the meeting was called for Pakehas alone, or whether Natives should be allowed to take part in the proceedings. Some discussion of a rather angry nature followed, in which most of the speakers took part, (but whether it was upon that particular question, was not clear), which resulted in the chairman vacating the chair, and Mr. W. Walsh being voted into to conclude the business. A committee was formed consisting of Major Westrup, Mr. W. Parker, Mr. H. Harris, Mr. W. S. Greene, and Mr. T. Uren, for the purpose of furthering the objects of the meeting ; and several resolutions were passed, the fourth of which was framed from a letter received from an absent claimant to the effect “ That each claimant should furnish the committee with a statement of his losses, and that such statement should be properly attested, in order to embody the same in the petition.”