PUBLIC MEETING.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 200, 29 August 1874, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING.

On Tuesday evening last a goodly number of town residents —considering the short notice given in an anonymous advertisement—assembled in the Court House to hear what the conveners had to say on the subject of Mr. Vogel’s Abolition Resolutions.

Mr. Buchanan having been voted to the Chair, said that as it was desirable that an expression of opinion on the Premier’s Resolutions should be made by the people in this district, he hoped, if there should be any difference of opinion on the subject, that each speaker should have a fair and impartial hearing. Mr. W. W. Wilson, in moving the Ist resolution as follows :—

That this meeting cordially approves of the action taken by the Premier in moving his resolutions for abolishing Provinces in the North Island, and pledges itself to give every effect thereto in the event of an appeal to the country,” Said he thought there were few who would not support the Premier in his resolutions to abolish Provincial Institutions in the North Island. He thought the change would be beneficial to the North Island generally, and to this district in partieular. All we have got from the Provincial Government have been promises. Nothing has yet been done in fulfilment of the pledges made by the Superintendent at his last visit ; and although Mr. Williamson said that the province had called in the family physician, in the person of himself, he (Mr. W,) did not think he had effected a cure. With regard to the resolutions themselves, they will let the Provincial Government see that politics have an active existence in Poverty Bay, and although they may not influence parties in the House of Representatives, they will have the effect, if carried, of giving a moral support to the Government. Mr. Dufaur said that he had much pleasure in seconding the resolution. He thought the district suffered greatly from its connection with the Provincial Government. He had no doubt that the action now being taken would insensibly influence opinions of the House, and would shew that the settlers are alive to their own interests.

The Chairman having put the resolutions declared it to be carried. Mr. W. H. Tucker said that he had much pleasure in moving-— That a copy of the foregoing resolution be forwarded by the next mail to Wellington, to the member for the district, for presentation to the lion. Julius Vogel. Mr. Cooper seconded.

Mr. Sheet said that to strengthen the hands of the East Coast member in the House he would suggest that Mr. Kelly should be furnished with the facts of the negligence displayed by the Provincial Government towards the district.

Mr. Tucker thought it would be superfluous to state the reasons the settlers had in coming to the determination they had done. If the resolutions be forwarded to Mr. Kelly, it would be his duty to make himself acquainted with the surrounding circumstances connected with them.

The motion was declared to be carried, and the meeting separated.