PUBLIC MEETING.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1104, 24 July 1882, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING.

A rrni.ic meeting was held in Parnell and Boylan'z ball on Saturday night. Hie Worship the Mayor in tho Cliair. Hie Worship read tho advertisement convening tho meeting, and stated there could bo no doubt this District had been shamefully neglected. The figures quoted by Captain Ferris at tho Inst meeting of the Cook County Council, proved clearly tho importance of the Bay and the large revenue it supplied to the Government. Notwithstanding this only a paltry £lO had been voted by the Government towards tho funds of the Library. Mr. S. Locke said he had been asked to propose a resolution, but before doing so explained that although it might seem strange that ho who but recently had sought to bo pivoted as a member in the interest of tho Government, should now be acting against it. However, the best friend a man could have was the one who told him of his faults, and a wise man always accepts thia axiom. Ho had no hesitation in saying that the Government had not acted fairly towards this district, neither bad it acted judiciously. The speaker reviewed at some length the absurd clauses of the Licensing Act, relative to supplying Maories with drink, The district appeared to he specially marked out, and no publican was actually safe in selling drink to Natives, The Land Act Amendment Bills too were strongly commented upon, Mr Locke moved “ That this meeting deeply regrets to see by the Public Works Statement that nothing has been allocated from the three million loan, toward providing for the urgent requirements of Poverty Bay, and that a respectful address bo presented to the Government through our member Mr McDonald, urging him to move the Government to grant that assistance to which this district is justly entitled.” This district had been played with in tho same manner that tho game of battledore and shuttlecock was played for 18 or 19 years. It had boon kicked about between Hawkes’ Bay Province & Auckland Province, and it was about time wo commenced to assort ourselves. We owe the Government nothing, and it is monstrous that from a loan of three millions we are to receive nothing. It would really be a good speculation on the part of the Government to expend money for road making in this district, as the contents of the Treasury chest would be considerably augmented after tho works were completed and the country opened up. Poverty Bay should have a si.aro of the loan, and every fair menus to obtain this share should be used. Ho would not trespass further upon tho patience of tho meeting as, ho understood, other resolutions were to bo movod.

Mr J. Somervell briefly seconded tho motion, and spoke warmly about tho money voted to other portions of tho North Island. Mr James Mackay said ho was almost a New Zeulandor, ns ho hod lived in tho Colony for 37 years. He was comparatively a stranger to Gisborne, us ho had only recently cast his lot amongst its people. Ho remembered tho time when Queon-stroot meant Auckland, and that town meant the whole Province, but these were things of tho past. This district I had been grossly neglected, and there woe I only ono remedy for this neglect—agitation. Agitation constant and incessant. The North I Island had always to succumb to tho Middle I Island, and did not got a fair share of) GoI vornmont. money. The North Island had had many difficulties to contend against which appear to be quite ignored by tho people of the Middle Island, and was entitled to greater consideration than it had received. The lands owned by the Southern people had boon purchased fqr a more song, some of the largest property owners having purchased their present valuable estates at a penny an acre. Mr Mackay also spoke about the Native difficulty, and said that all the troubles which hud occurred were purely through tho Government. Even now on this Coast there wero parsons putting up the Native, to repudiate agreements made in the first instance in all sincerity, Mr Filo hero said that Mr Mackay was not speaking to tho motion before tho mealing. Tho Ciiairman thou put tho motion, and it was carried unanimously,

Captain Tucker said he was simply going to state facta, ha did not intend tq nso persuasions, or argument, he would state what ho jiad to say plainly. The question qf making tho port of poverty P-iy a harbor of refuge was one for the Colony ut large, as it was tho only available site between Wellington and Aqbkland, Jt evident he thaqght that the people of thi, disti'ict filmtiul doriyo some banaflt froin a loan, t.ho Eurd.-n of which Hu')’ had to boai', Thu spoakof uUu touched

upon the subdivision of Native lands, and said that so far the Native Lands Court would never tackle the question. He concluded by moving, “ That tho requirements of this district have a right to demand some recognition from the hands of the Government, more especially as they have been totally ignored in the expenditure of the seven millions with the exception of £10,090, and as far as it can be ascertained at present the injustice is to be perpetuated.”

Mr Carlaw Smith seconded the proposition in a brief but pithy speech. Mr File said that in proportion to the population Poverty Bay was entitled from the loan to £62,500.

Tho motion was put and carried nom. dis. Mr Shelton said that figures clearly proved that even at the present time a breakwater here would return two per cent. Very many if not in fact all tho railways throughout New Zealand when started paid nothing. Some of them even at present did not pay anything. He would more, “ That as the statistics laid before Parliament prove that at present the imports and exports of this district at a scale of 8s per ton would give a return of 2 per eent. on an outlay of £194,000 for a breakwater, it is, therefore, urgently desired that this work shonld be commenced forthwith.”

Captain Porter in seconding the resolution, said that he had frequently heard disparaging remarks about Gisborne from persons travelling in tho steamers. Many of them would not come ashore when the opportunity offered, Gisborne was tho intermediate port between Wellington and Auckland, and the work would be of Colonial importance in mukin" it u harbor of refuge.

Captain Tucker said ho did not agree with the latter portion of the resolution, namely the £194,000 mentioned. A well-known contractor here had publicly stated I e could do all that was required for the sum of £50,030, He would sooner ask tho Government for £92,000 which sum could afterwards be supplemcnted if necessary. He thought that instead of adhering to Sir John Coed’s report, it would be bettor to ask for definite sum for a definite purpose. Captain Porter said that Sir John Coode’s report showed clearly that a harbor of refuge could only be obtained on the Coast either at Gisborne or at tho Kidnappers. To tho latter the Napier people naturally objected. Captain Tucker said all ho was averse to was the particular sum of money mentioned, and Sir John Coodo's report. The motion was then put and carried unanimously,

A vote of thanks to the Chairman, concluded the proceedings.