PUBLIC (?) MEETING.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 415, 15 October 1861, Page 2

PUBLIC (?) MEETING.

[COMMUNICATED BY OOK REPORTER EXTRAORDINARY.] A Public Meeting having been convened for the purpose of. taking into consideration the latealleged unjust conduct of a principal public servant, ■Mr. Nelson Maitai, '■■■ ' ■ " ■'■ ■■> Sir Peter Church was unanimously voted to the chair, which was well supported by a very respectable number of gentlemen on the platform. Sir Peter introduced the proceedings of the evening by mentioning the painful subject which had called them together—a subject/ which* from his very exalted position he had unavoidably t been a witness of—the sad delinquencies and the, unpardonable innovations of their otherwise invaluable servant-, Nelson Maitai. < He stated that in the present infantine state of the province,. they were not in a position to repudiate Maitai entirely; it therefore became a question for them (the public) tP consider whether remedial measures could be taken to bring their unhappy friend's career into something like a straight course. He was anxious that all present should freely and fairly state their opinions as to the best line of conduct that could be pursued under the distressing circumstances. (Loud cheers from the Utopian Water Supply Committee.) ' ' 1 Mr. Brydges rose amid loud cheering, and said that he felt sure it would be needless for him to occupy the valuable time of his ifelloyK citizens by narrating the long catalogue of charges he had to make against his late friend. He was grieved to say his late friend, for at one time they were on the most intimate terms of friendship, so much so, that, as was well known,.they ,jvere;always in each other's company ; but now he was sorry to say they had entirely separated, and as he looked upon poor Maitai's pi'esent .position, -he-couW not refrain from tears as he exclaimed,' tishe! but oh how changed." He (Mr. Brydges) was extremely anxious that the close friendship which had existed should be renewed, and he would do all in his power to further any measures that would tend to restore his lost friend. He excused himself .from speaking further, and stated that his own constitution had .been so broken by the late shock he had received, which, had increased ;the spinal affection from which he had always suffered to such an [extent that he dreaded the consequences. (Cheers from various bridge contractors.) " The Ckairman then called upon Mr. Brooks Vale, who addressed the meeting in a very telling speech;. .He called upon the public to remember the large sums that had been squandered away in his own locality upon the education of the brother of .this; unlucky! wight. t All that human ipgenuity and skill .could do in .that education had been done, anil with what result? , The bridge ha,d been.built and rebuilt, moved and removed, the road had been made and remade, and he would ask, what were they, the forwarder for id ? It was patent to every one that the ways of the whole Maitai family'were like Jhe crooked serpent. For his own part he had long been of the opinion that it was useless:tb attempt a reform; he saw no course open to them but solitary confinement; in short it was his firm opiniori that Maitai himself could not be held responsible for his actions; and he' should very "soon begin to think that those who advanced him money were, in vulgar parlance 'a shingle short.' He "(Mr. Brooks Vale begged .to propose that < firm and stringent measures shbiild be at once adopted to confine the delinquent within a proper channel and that a premium be offered for the best and most efficient means of so .doing (sensation amongst thec.E.'s). ■■■:,'■■//;"/■;;:.,,;v.: ; :;:;;\,..;.: ; Mr. W. T. L.'Chainway then rose (or, rather was lifted into position) and said that as his fellowcitizens could see he was obliged to use crutches, he felt sure they would sympathise with him, and not expect a long speech. He was an old—and he hoped he should not be charged with egotism in adding— respected inhabitant of the province; but at the same time he could not help feeling that he had been sadly neglected. , It was well known; he had of late been called to'moum the loss of a ne.ar.and dear friend. Fresh men had been in office, ' who knew not Joseph;' and although he could not complain of having been overworked, $he treatment lie had received aiIthe hands .of? the versatile and hitherto unmanageable Mr.'Maitai had played such havoc with his understanding that he feared it was scarcely safe to trust him as the custodian

of life and limb. He (Mr. Chainway) quite coincided with the concluding remarks of the last speaker (ironical cheers). Dr. Windmill was then called upon, and began to address the meeting in so excited a style, and with such vehemence, that the Chairman was obliged peremptorily to interfere; the Doctor, however, apologised for his excited manner, which he could not help feeling was quite justifiable when it was remembered that he was placed in jeopardy every hour. He never had any opinion of the watery element—it was weak and spiritless; but if the suggestions of his worthy friem i Vale were not adopted, he (Dr. Windmill) felt certain that his coach would be completely upset. Mr. Gorilla Pylk having satirically complimented Dr. Windmill on his flowery speech, said he had for a long time been a pained witness of the sad behaviour of Mr. Maitai, whom he once esteemed at a high rate, and in whose favor he had exerted all the weight ho was capable of; he had been down to him very frequently to help him, and had lately to sincerely condole with him upon the heavy drains that had come down upon him through special circumstances that need not then be referred to; but that condolence and sympathy appeared unmerited and useless, for he had lately taken to abandoned courses, resorted to high gamboling1, was much addicted to cribbage, and put himself in positions inimical to successful speculation or commerce. He (Mr. Gorilla Pyle) had experienced the ingratitude that might be expected to accompany such doings; for, in return for this, only a few days since this ingrate had done all he could to undermine his standing in society, to swamp his efforts, and to call his uprightness into question. Now simply as a matter of justice, and in order to be able to gain time to ascertain to whom this wilfulness of action and waste of property should be attributed, he would propose the following resolution:—' That the funds raised by Rate, for the purchase of minute-books and tiie repairs of the public monkey, be immediately placed under the control of the Nelson Brass Band, in order that the same may be blown away to a better tune than heretofore: and that in future all rates be collected >by the aforesaid Band of Works, until the public can be satisfactorily informed of the efficacy and economy of previous expenditure.' Mr. Brydge Streat would second the resolution. He must say his mouth watered at the sums of money that had been expended upon that family in the province. With regard to Mr. Maitai, he (Mr. S.) could not be expected to feel a very strong tide of love for him, for he had constantly crossed his path and had made many dishonest attempts to obtain money under falls pretences, he had charitably tried to guide his course by long wreylings placed at certain angles, but they had proved weak in th(6 back and had gone to * vegetate on the mud flat' or were ' humbugged' out of their holes by watery efforts, and the uselessness of the attempt made him angry j. it was no use to dam it —he had tried that, but it had all been thrown up to him again in a most ungrateful manner, and all got for his trouble was no end of murmuring and railings, in fact he could not think of the subject without strong feelings arising, which the meeting would excuse when he told them that in consequence of these vagaries of Mr. Maitai he had lost all the pile he once had in the banks, and such a cheque had been given to his prosperity that^ he looked for immediate change at the Union. (Cries of oh, oh, from some New Zealand Bank shareholders). The meeting was also addressed by Messrs. CobWeb, Everwet, Mcßerry, Raywells, and Aching, but nothing of further interest was elicited; in fact the assembly appeared to consider themselves * bored ' by the speakers last mentioned.

The Chairman then put the resolution which was carried by a large majority. Some concluding remarks by Sir Peter Church, to the effect that he did not aspire to guide the public opinion, but he knew what o'clock it was pretty accurately, and although not very bellicose it struck him that money was being wasted like one o'clock, was much applauded, and especially so by some reflective policemen who had lifted up a window from the outside in order to light their pipes and listen to the proceedings.