PUBLIC MEETING. WAIORONGOMAI.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 266, 23 May 1888, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING. WAIORONGOMAI.

, + On Friday evening last a public meeting 1 was hclil in Werahiko Ilall, Waiorongomai, for the purpose of protesting against the action of ths Tliainos High School with respect t> proposed mining operations on the Kndowment lands at "Waiorongomai. There was a large and representative attendance. Mr James Munvo was voted to the chair, and having read the advertisement in the Aroiia. and Oiiinemuui News conveniug the meeting, briefly spoke with reference thereto, and called upon Mr SmarJon, as convener, to address those present. Mr Smardon referred generally to the question which they had met together to discuss, and the necessity that existed for somo action to be taken ; after which Mr A. A. Wallace proposed, and Mr James Samson seconded the first resolution, which was as follows :—: — 1, That tills meeting view with extreme regret the selfish action of the Governors 01 the Thames High School Endowment in seeking to debar the developemcnt of the mining industry, by not allowing the present applicants for the Alameda

Special Claim permission to carry on raining operations within the High School Endowment under the same conditions as allowed by the Mining Act now in force with rospecfc to Crown and Native lands : as the applicants were prepared to commence work at once and to expend the sum of £500 in sinking a shaft to prospect the main reef. The rsolution was carried unanimously. Mr D. E. fJJerk next proposed : — 2. That this meeting respectfully i request the Warden of this Gold field to exercise his powers by permitting mining operations to be carried on upon the High School Endowment in accordance with the Mining Act now in force. Seconded by Mr G. Graves. In proposing the* resolution, Mr Clerk said : — Their new Warden. Mr Northcrofr resided a long time in Waikafco, and from his own personal knowledge he could say he was a very jn^fc man, and he Colt sure if lie considered what they weic asking wag fair and reasonable it would be gi<mtoil •, and he thought all present would consider it was a fair and reasonable request. All they wanted was, that the Governors of the Thames High School Endowment < would permit them to mine underneath the surface. The shareholders in the Alameda Special Claim that had been applied for were, ho understood, prepared to expend £500 in sinking a shaft to prospect the reef known to exist underneath. That meant, £500 spent in Waiorongomai, and employment of labour. He would like to ask Mr Brodie, the Chairman of the High School Board, in what way he thought it desirable to raise objections to prospecting being carried on on the flat at Waiorongomai. Surely even from a selfish * point of view it would do the Boaru good. The only way in which ' what lay hidden beneath the suiface could be demonstrated was by prospecting for it. He felt assured Mr Northcroft would Jhelp them in this matter. He would like to ask whathad theliigh School Board ever done for them in the past ? (A voice : Nothing ! Another voice : Taken our money, and given us nothing back !) They were doing worse than nothing now by opposing that which was for the good of the place, and judging by the past, the same sort, of treatment might be expected from them in the future. The resolution was then put and carried, ncm. con. Mr G, Bee^m next puiposed :— ,°). That thU meeting being of opinion that the fact of the (ftuernors of the Thames High School having sole contiol of the Endowment on the Waioiougomai goldfield i* detiimental (o the advancement of the mining industry, and has tended to retard the prosperity of the dUtiict, respectfully urge upon the Government the necessity of re-entenng upon the Endowment lands refened to, and take the nece^nry steps to have same administered for the benefit of the distiict as a whole. Seconded by Mr H. MeLiver. Mr Beeson said, they all knew what it meant for the Thames High School Board to bnve control over the hind they lived on. If roads and other needed improvements weio asked for, they refused to grant them ; in fact they took everything and gave back nothing. If the people had a chance of their freeholds, they would have some heart to go to work and improve their holdings ; as they wore now situated, they had no heart to do so. Mr James Samson said . "Never let them stop agitating until|they gained their freeholds, "it was the freeholds of their little holdings they wanted at Waiorongomai. They had seen the rock on which so many had split at the Thames, through not having their freeholds, and men after having worked hard and made comfortable homes, had to turn out and make fresh homes elsewhere. Mr Smardon said the High School Board in trying to strangle them were acting very much after the manner of the. old fable respecting the man who killed the goose that laid the golden egg ; as what was proposed to be done in the way of prospecting might mean great things for the Board. The Chairman said he did not think there could be o dissentient voice ■with respect to the matter under consideration. It was quite time the Thames High School lost control of the Endowment, and those residing at Waiorongomai should agitate until they succeeded in having the Endowment taken from under the Boards control. Mr 11. McLiver said he thought they ought to go a little further and back up the last proposition by getting up a petition to Government on the subject, and he would now propose. 4. That this meeting is of opinion that a petition for presentation to Governmcntshould bo prepared, and largely signed by those interested in this matter, requesting Government to re-enter on the High School Endowment at Waiorongomai, and administer same in the interests of the district as a whole. Seconded by Mr D. E. Cleik who said he would be very glad to take the petition round for signature. Mr McLiver : We do not want that the Board shall lose their land and get no compensation, land can be given them elsewhere instead of this. He had himself years ago asked the High School Board to assist the place, but they would almost insult you, men like Brodie, simply turned n deaf ear and laughed at you. He thought they had assisted with their hard earnings to educate the few children at Thames who bencfitted by the High School long enough. The proposition was carried unanimously.

Proposed by Mr 11. McLiver seconded by Mr D. E. Clerk and carried unanimously, 5. That the Chairman, of this meeting forward a copy of the foregoing resolutions to the Warden, Government, and the High School Board. The following committee were then appointed from the meeting to take the necessary steps with respect to the petition and other matters. Messrs H. Me Liver, J. Samson, D. E, Clerk, J. Munro, and G. Beeson. The proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to the chair.