WAITARA NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 194, 7 September 1900, Page 2

WAITARA NOTES.

(from our own correspondent.) Ur to the present time the reward of £lO, offered for the conviction of the individual, or individuals, who attempted to wreck the punt belonging to the Freezing Works, has failed to elicit any response. Such idiotic attempts to damage property, and to hamper an industry which is of vital importance to Waitara and the district, deserve to be punished by the utmost rigour of the law.

The Waitara Harbour Board held a special meeting last week, but failed to notify the Press, so that only those who are "in the swim " know what it was all about. Perhaps it may have been an enquiry into the circumstances in which the Gerty, with a special cargo of coal for the Freezing Works, was not permitted to come into the river, but went off to the Breakwater, and from thence to Wanganui, thereby causing considerable annoyance and inconvenience. It would be interesting to know whether the statutory notice of the special " Convention " was given, |and whether the business transacted in [this "hole and corner" fashion was 'legal.

The Town Board held its last meeting ou Monday evening prior to the election. Everything went smoothly up to 10 p.m., and there was a prospect that the Board was going to close its career in peace and quietness. But after the general business had been completed, the chairman got up to make a few remarks, in the course or which he stated that " he was not one who believed that a publ'c Board could make a place, but that the progress was dependent upon the enterprise of individual residents " ; and he also congratulated himself upon the impart'nl ity which he hud shown as chairman during the past two years. Mr. B. A. Hignett strongly dissented from tho remarks, and stated that tho progress and welfare of a district was mainly dependent upon the election of li o anil progressive men to public Boards, as the individual resident was generally too much occupied in looking after his own particular interests; and the speaker also denied the impartiality of the chairman. Other members followed with remark-fi'of a purely personal [nature, and the meeting i'nmlly terminated with a few "substraclsfrom the Gospels."