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Temuka Leader, Issue 1189, 22 December 1883, Page 3

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V ■ On meeting was Pleasant Valley, foi e into consideration in the postal There were lidny going tberejProrn Hill Kakauu to take part in the proceedings. Mr Postlethwaite wjas voted to the chair, who read the advertisement inserted in/thdf Geraldine convening the Reeling. He Mp read letter he h’ad sent to the Ijostmasterfe General resolution passed at the Hilton meeting. The letter suggested that there should be two mail services. He remarked that he saw it was hopeless that the two contending parties, viz., Hilton and the Gapes’ Valley andPleasar-j Valley residents would be satisfied, and he thought that if they could get two mail services, one for Hilton by way of Temuka, and the other as at present existing, it would be more satisfactory to all parties. He would now call on some one to propose a resolution, so that the matter could be fully discussed. Mr Booke, as Chairman of the second meeting at Hilton, remarked that' there was nothing said in the letter to the Post-master-General in regard to the Kakahu Bush district, which had been, embodied in Mr Hay’s resolution. The Chairman said there ' was no mention in the resolution he received of Kakahu Bush. That was the only resolution he had sent him.

Mr Booke pointed out to the Chairman that at the recent meeting at Hilton Mr Hay had consented to the Kakahu Bush district being added to the original resolution, He then produced the original resolution wherein the district in question had been added.

Mr Slack in proposing the first resolution, viz “That in the opinion of this meeting it is not desirable to carry out the proposed alteration in the present postal service,” remarked that he would commence with the mail service from Christchurch. If a letter were posted there in the morning in time for the express train it would reach Geraldine at noon and they could; reply to it the same day, but if their letters came from the north by way of Temuka and Hilton, they might be delayed at Temuka all night, or they could not reach Pleasant Yalley till, at the earliest, before 8 p.m., and in the winter time it would be a hard matter to get a postman to travel from Hilton around the district on a dark night, on account of the rough roads he would have to cross. If letters were sent via Temuka, the coach would not leave that township till 4 p.m. for Hilton. He would give the coachman two hours to arrive at Hilton over a distance of twelve miles—not bad travelling at nil events —and the letters would then have to be forwarded on to Pleasant Valley. He did not think the Hiltonians had considered the matter fully when they asked Pleasant Yalley to give up their service to benefit Hilton. (Applause). Were they to give up an old established service simply for a coach to run between Hilton and Temuka 1 But let them set aside the coach and consider the postal service. Who would benefit by the new arrangement ns proposed 1 (A voice : Mundell and Co.) It is a speculation oh Mr Mundell’s part and it is not certain whether it will be a success. He would ask, Who would benefit by it ? He knew every house between Hilton and Temuka. There were only a few houses along the line of road. [Mr Skinner : There are thirty within a mile of Hilton].. At the last meeting at Hilton, Mr Skinner said the fewer letters a man had the better lie was off, because they generally only contained bills. [MrSkinner; I never said so]. Well, he inferred as much. Messrs Bruce and Co. would have a private post bag ; next came Mr Kelland, who would have one also,.and also Mr Hay. Mr Hay was the most important man on the road. His (Mr Slack’s) firm impression was that if they carried out the proposed alteration in their mail service the above three individuals would be the gamers and 300 persons would be the losers. (Applause). He did not say this, hastily, as no one knew the road better than be did. For every one individual gainer, 100 would be be losers. It was one of the most simple problems he had ever undertaken to solve. He had been asked why he had called the meeting, because the Government would never grant such a service as that required by Hilton. He wished for the greatest number to have the greatest benefit, and was in favor of this principle. Did not Mr Hay understand what was sought to be obtained, or did he not wish for the greatest number to have the greatest advantage?. Mr Moore would second the resolution. He entirely concurred in all Mr Slack bad said, and he was sorry he was not present at the Hilton meeting; Very poor arguments had been adduced at them in favor of the proposed alteration in their mail service. Mr Hay had talked there about it doing the greatekt good for the g-eatest number of people, but he replied that it would not do so in that instance. He agreed with the principle, but the greatest number were not at Hilton, but at Gapes’ Yalley and Pleasant Yalley, He was glad to see that Mr Poatleth waite had written to the Postmaster-General in favor of two mail services. If Kakahu asked for this they should get it, and Gapes’ Yalley and Pleasant Vglley would heartily assist them. The present service was giving great satisfaction at jhg present time, Mr Hay had said it was a great inconvenience to him, and instanced this in referring to a letter he had received. But that was no argument, because the letter should have been properly addressed. He had not the least doubt but that if a resolution were proposed that evening for two mail services it would be carried unanimously, but he did not se H why the Kakahu people should try to upset the present service. No doubt they thought that if the proposed service were not carried out they would lose their coach. He would, however, rentuie to say that nine-tenths of the people did not care a straw whether they had a service or not.

Hay remarked that the people jn the lowe,r district were not desirous of interfering wjth t|ie mail service, but they did not see why they should Recast off entirely. He then fffcve his of two Government letters sent him; relating' to the' Property Tax. He had received one by way of Geraldine anyone b'y way Temuka. Hilton desired to

service o y 'some kind or \f tjley got by way of Qc^Hb. He th instead of qualßung- over the lottery they should all Try and arrive at sdime iMgicable conclusion, so t\at all coiild alike. The question Would this Government'' .pay a sufficient aujMdy ffor two mail services ? Thefep# told that they connect with/"?j|Mresent service. He had to go six letters and after waiting he th«a laying at Hilton people must see the were laboring under, and them the settlers were they could get. Mr tter to Government he hoped some at that Mr Cooke that by tijje aide of what said in reference to tetters from Christchurch'' an)i to have full statement of the ca||) it would be as well to notice the f; |b of letters coming from Tiraaru. lie knßw nothing of the upper part of the distract, but in the lower part he himself jgot a great many more letters from TimaiVthan from Christchurch. A letter now ypoated at Timaru over night, or o’clock in the morning, would reach' Hiljtim at 4 p.m. If the proposed alteration were carried out a letter posted at Timaru before 2 p.m. would be received at 6 p.m. the same day, and a letter could be posted atTemuka up to 4 p.m., and would be received at the same time. They were centres just as much worthy of notice as Geraldine, Winchester, and Christchurch. (Applause.) Mr Slack had given them a rather one-sided speech, He insisted the proposed service would be advantageous to three individuals only, but he was one of a number similarly situated. If they received their letters at 6 p.m , they could answer them by return post, which they couldn’t do now. He was at the Hilton meeting and saw a great number of hands held up in favor of the proposed change. When they got a hundred hands held up in its favor it showed they had an interest in the alteration.

Mr Corbett asked if, should the alteration take place, tenders would be called for carrying the mails, or would it be given indiscriminately ? The Chairman, in reply, stated that if the proposed arrangement were carried out it would have to be tendered for. and everyone would have an opportunity of doing so. Mr Davis said that if Mr Mundell were not the successful tenderer, the coach would be taken off the line and then Hilton might be in as bad a position as it was at the present time. ' The Chairman said he would explain as he did at Hilton that at the time a petition was sent to him when in Wellington, it only showed that the proposed serviced would go as far as Hilton and no further, and did not provide for accommodation as the one now proposed. Nothing was said as to the cost. He presented the petition to the Postmaster-General, who naturally asked what the cost would be. He (Mr Postlethwaite) wrote to Mr Mundell, who replied that the cost would be £7O a year. The Government did not see their way for an additional service at so large a cost for so short a distance, and it was not till the meeting at Hilton that Mr Mundell said it would include Gapes’ Yalley and Pleasant Valley. He would do all he could to assist both services. If the two contending parties came to some arrangement as he had proposed, they would get what they wanted and in a satisfactory manner. He would like them to consider the qusstion so that both sides would receive a benefit, and make out a plausible case for Government;. Ho did not wish to see money foolishly spent either by Government or themselves, Mr Maylor said that the Kakahu Bush district had been left out. If the upper part had its dues they would have had a railway long ago and be independent of Messrs Mundell and Co. Mr Hooke would propose as an amendmeet: —“ That the Government be respectfully requested to alter the present postal arrangements and give a separate mail service tri-weekly fronu Temuka to Hilton and Kakahu Bush, and the present mail service from Geraldine via Gapes’ Valley and Pleasant Valley leaving out Hilton be continued as at present,” Mr Kelland was pleased to hear from their Chairman that there was a prospect of the two services being established. There was not a single person in the room who wished to do an injury to any of the districts. They only wanted a fair share of postal accommodation and were entitled to it. They all paid their share towards the revenue, and why should they not reap a benefit therefrom ? There were not so many inhabitants in Gapes’ Valley and Pleasant Valley as there were at Hilton, and it was a mistake for them to say they would not derive any benefit from the proposed mail service. What Mr Slack had said in regard to getting more letters from the North as his reason for not altering the present service would not hold water. At Hilton they got most of their letters from the South As a resident in South Canterbury he considered it his, and every one else’s duty, in the district to do business with those whom they in return benefited and amongst whom they lived. (Applause.) Their only object in endeavoring to obtain a service by way of Temuka was that moat of th.fir business was transacted in Timaru and Temuka, and they would get their letters quicker than under the present arrangement. He cofild not see that Mr Slack and others would suffer by the new route. The great benefit Hilton would gain would be small compared to the loss they would sustain. (App'auset) Mr Rice thought it would be a good thing for the two districts to have a separate ma : l service. As a resident of Pleasant Valley he hoped their service would remain as at present. Mr Alexander Macdonald could not see why the Hilton people should not petition the Government for a service for themselves, and not try to undermine the one that Pleasant Valley and Gapes’ Valley at present enjoyed. Mr Slack, in replying to the various speakers, said he simply wished that the present service should not be interfered with. Let Hilton have a mail service that would suit themselves. He had suffered more than Me Hay in regard to Property Tax notices. He had property at Makikihi, and one of the notices was addressed to him at that district and it remained there for weeks beforp hpgot it. How did the residents in Pleasant Valley and Gapes’ Valley get a mail service? Why, they had to subsidise the' mail, and

the Hilton people it Mr Moore tatoßhe district Service 1)e to Hilton, and the present not interfered whii.” -■• * Mk-Tibllnnd asked, in poBaHK . not granted by GoyeWnent, w thfc'* i sUjMi' and Kakn/Wpeople l^Nin ▼ r |de Chairman.,: TiietGovermrjent would t««tKe theK^yn/hands and aplMtain thoiesYroute forYhV whole of was not in his power to Bffy wVich IjflWe it < iMr out that his amendment wljPPctly the same as that proposed by iv.]r Moore. [was that a to Hilton by (way of and the present amendments second a Pleasant Valley re&dent, and J/mit~'proposed Le Mr Moore was secoi\ded by Mr Rico/' \ Mr Moore afterwards withdraw his amendmentd)i favor of'lhat proposed by Mr Rooke. \ ,*/ Mr Rookdpthen asked Mr Moore to second his /resolution which was complied with. ( Mr Slack,lat this stage of the proceedings, withdraw* his resolution, and Mr Rooke’a amendment thus became the resolution, which the Chairman again read over amidst applause. 4 The was then put to the meeting and carried unanimously.

The usual vote of thanks to the Chair man terminated the meeting.