MEETING AT WAIORONGOMAI.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 58, 12 July 1884, Page 2

MEETING AT WAIORONGOMAI.

ftri last Saturday evening a mee f ing was tielil in the now school -house, Waioron?omai, commencing soon aFter 8 o'clock. Tlie meeting Was convened "to discuss several matters affecting the district, with a view of determining what action, should be taken at the forthcoming election.'* About GO or 70 people were present. On the motion of Mr Brown, seconded by Mr Ferguson, Mr Simirdon was elected chairman of the meeting. The proceedings commenced by <■'•» Chairman reading the notice advertised in the News convening the meeting, after which the meeting was declared open for public discussion of such, niiitters as might be brought forward. Mr Parker wished to' know if Mr H. E. Whitaker was still a member of tue" Piako County Council ? The Chairman, replied he did not know. Mr Parker complained that Mr Whitaker had not been attending the 1 Council's meetings for sonie time past, and if he did not intend dofrig so> lie ought to let some one else who 1 wotfld, and moved the following resolution :• " That steps be taken to ascertain' if Mr H. E. Whitaker has resigned, or is purrosing to resign his seat in the Piako 1 County Council. That the interests of the district are being neglected through his nori-attendance as our representative,and th ait some one else be appointed if he does not purpose attending." The resolution ruled otft of order,, having regard to the purpose for which the meeting was called. Mr Baskett next brought forward a resolution as follows :• u In the opinion of this meeting it is highly detrimental to the progress and welfare of this district that all the surrounding lands are locked up as native reserves, 6r for the purposes of endowments of secondary education, at the* Thames High School.2. That snch reserves as the natives donot need for personal occupation, and the said High School Endowment, should be resumed by Government. Equitable compensation being made for any existing rights, and the land to be" so disposed of by Government as to secure the permanent settlement of the largest number of good and improving colonists." Mr W. A. Murray, who seconded the motion, said he regretted to see such a large extent of valuable land locked up in .the aforesaid manner. He further stated that he had found out that the Thames High School Board had been acting in a very peculiar manner, and read to the meeting part of a letter received by him from Wellington some" short time since in reply to a letter he had written re this Thames High? School Endowment. The portion of the letter is as under : " I am directed to reply to you as follows : Full enquiry has been made into the subject of the Thames High School Endowment Reserve, and it has been ascertained that no grant or any title whatever from the Crown has yet been issued to the Thames ! High School Board in respect to the' land in Te Aroha Block, that has been proposed to be set aside as an endowment reserve. The Government have never been consulted by the Thames High School Board with regard to the leasing of the land in question, or to' the conditions of auction and of lease, the particulars of which have only quite recently become known to the Government. The Government, therefore, cannot hold itself in any way responsible for the action of the 1 Board in connection with the leasing of the land. The Government have now under consideration the eourse to be taken in connection with the vesting of the reserve in the Thames High School Board "' Mr Baskett's resolution, on beiny put to 1 the meeting, was carried unanimously. Resolution No. 2, proposed by Mr Lawless,- " That the prompt completion and opening of the' railway from Hamilton to 1 Te Aroha, and its early extension to 1 Waiorongomai, is of great importance on colonial and local grounds." ! Seconded by Mr Brown and carried. I Resolution No. 3, proposed by Mr' Beeson, " That a survey be made by Government for extra-ling the 1 .aihvay Mrst from Te Aroha to Waiorongomai, and , secondly from Waiorongomai to connect' with the Tauranga and Rotorua railway." Mr W. A. Murray spoke strongly supporting the resolution, which wasseconded by Mr P. Ferguson, and carried. Resolution No. 4, proposed by Mr Applegate, u That the railway from Hamilton to Morrinsville be opened' forthwith for mails and passengers " Mr Applegate said Mr W. A. Murray had written to the Chief Postmaster re the conveyance of the mails as far as Morrinsville by the contractor's trains, which run daily to and from Hamilton. The reply he had received was published' in the News. He referred also to the' inconveniences of the past and present' experience 1 by travellers to 1 and from 1 Hamilton and Aroha by coaca in bad weather. Tflie resolution 1 was seconded by Mr' P. Ferguson, who spoke in lavourof the 1 resolution, and said he could see no real difficulty in the matter if put to the Government in the 1 proper light. Mr W. A. Murray also 1 spoke in? favour of the resolution. The resolution was- then put to the meeting and cairied. Resolution No. 5, proposed by Mr P.FeivU.on, ** That any candidate for therepresentation of ,Waikato should be* pledged to ikjo his utmost efforts to carvy