PETITION FBOM LOWER WAITOA SSTTL-RS RE PROPOSED T HAM E3S HARBOCJR BOARD BILL.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 112, 25 July 1885, Page 7

PETITION FBOM LOWER WAITOA SSTTL-RS RE PROPOSED T HAM E3S HARBOCJR BOARD BILL.

The following petition was forwarded on Thursday last from the above settlors for presentation to the House through Mr J. B. Whyte:— To the Honourab'e the House of Repre sentativos, Welling) m. We, the undersigned ratepayers of that portion of the Ohinetnuii Riding, Trest of the Waihon river, Thames County, desire to luost strenuously object to this portion of the riding beiny included in the rateable district, for which it is proposed by the Thames Harbour BoW to raise a loan an 1 provide a sinking fund For the construction of a barbour at the Thames, for the following reasons :—: — lat. That this district does rot require j harbour facilities at the Thames ; it has already jpt direct steam communication with Auckland, and will shortly have through communication by railway. 2nd. Tf saddle this district with this rate would be a great hardship to the few' struggling settlers, and would gieatly retard the settlement of this district 3rd. That no possible benefit could result to this district by the construction of a harbour at the Thames. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that jour honourable body will exempt this district from the proposed rateable district, and your petitioners, as iv duty bound, will ever pray. (Here follow the signatures.) The petition was preceded several days by a telegram to Mr Whyte protesting against the injustice of the proposed measure, and was accompanied by a lefter requesting him to use his influ ence to the atmost in opposing the passing of the bill, and stating that the settlers already had sufficient through accommodation with Auckland by steamer, and would receive no benefit by the construction of the proposed harbour. The letter also referred at length to the great hardships these settleis suffered through lack of proper road accommodation whereby to transport their produce ; also remarking upon the great injustice of proposing to rate the lower \V.\itoa settlers only, wliilst alt the valuable land above them should be exempted.