PROPOSED TOWN BOARD FOR GERALDINE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1187, 5 June 1884, Page 3

PROPOSED TOWN BOARD FOR GERALDINE.

Public Meeting of Householders

A public meeting of householders, convened by Mr R. H. Pearpoint, Chairman of Town Board Committee, was held on Tuesday evening last in the Good lemplar Hall, Geraldine. There were about sixty person# present. j Dr Foster was voted to the chair, who read the advertisement in the Geraldine Guardian calling the meeting. He was sorry that Mr Pearpoint was unavoidably absent. He would ask for a fair bearing for each speaker. Mr Maslin, in proposing the first resolution, said that perhaps most of those present bad heard a little about what had been dene in the matter in endeavoring to get a Town Board for Geraldine. It had been done with the best of motives to serve tbe interests of all connected with the township. It was due to MrTwomey, the proprietor of the Geraldine Guardian, that the idea was first originated. When in Temuka some little while ago 1 met him, and he asked me if I was'going to take out my auctioneer’s license in Temuka, ss the Town Board to be established there would benefit thereby. Then occurred the thought tome, ‘Why not try and get a Town Board for Geraldine also.’ I saw the force of this argument, and mentioned it to Mr Mundell and several others, amongst whom where Mr Coltman, The Act made no mention in regard to calling a public meeting, and seeing that the time was very short to the end of June, when th# various licenses fall due, a petition was got up at once asking Government that a Town Board be established for Geraldine, We needed, in order to get this, the signatures of twothirds of the householders. In a public meeting a person may be swayed to end fro, but in calmer moments they would see that the step to ba taken wii & proper one. But with the signing of a petition it showed that those who did so were desiron# of having a Town Board constituted under the Act. The petition went round and was signed by more than the two-thirds required. It was then forwarded to Wellington, after which a letter was received, asking what day could be convenient to hold th® election of Commissioners, and that very day was the one that had been fixed for the purpose. I was afterwards met by a party in Temuks, Mt Coltman, who said tome, ‘You don’t think you’ll get the Town Board, do you f You won’t have a penny of the Geraldine Road Board money.’ I thought from this that some undercurrent had been at work and wrote to Wellington and found that there was an opposition to the movement, consisting of Messrs Shier#, Postlethwaite and Coltraan. When I heard that misstatements had been made broadcast, and misrepresentations made 1 thought it was time to substantiate what had been done, and accordingly Messrs Pearpoint, Mundell, myself and others formed a Committee, and we thought it advisable that a public meeting should be called in order to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a Town Board being constituted. One of the advantages'of having a Town Board i» that a considerable sum of money will thereby accrue to the Board in license fees, dog taxes, court fees, ate., which, instead of being spent in the town where it is raised, goes into the coffers of the Geraldine County Council, and is spent near Tiraaru. We know how far thut •urn would go in improving the township, in forming footpaths and erecting a few lamps, thereby giving work to laboring men. If we can, by having a Town Board established, obtain this money instead of it going to the County Council, and have it spent here it will ba a boon to every person, and we therefore should try to get the Town Board, If anyone question# the amount stated by mu, I am fully prepared to substantiate what 1 hare said. There is over £2OO payable at the end of this month, which will otherwise be lost to us. At the present time we are connected with a rich Road Board that has a fine nest egg, and now is the time to separate and not when the funds are exhausted. The Waimate town was in the midst of a prosperous County, and they resolved to be formed into a Borough which afterwards took place. But the County Council and the Borough Council could not arrive at a decision as to the amount due to the Borough and a Commissioner was sent down to determine it. Although the fund# of the Waimate County Council were only £9OOO, he awarded £I9OO, which was over one fifth of the accumulated funds of the whole County, which is far larger in extent than the Geraldine Road Board. If the matter comes to arbitration here I have no hesitation in saying that we shall receive a much larger sum, about £SOOO. Waimate was a #imilar case to our own, and if the sum I have stated were put out to interest there would be a sufficient amount realised to expend on works that aru urgently needed. I cannot see what there is to object to. Some have said that we shall no 1 ’ get a penny from tha Rond Board, but I know different. The opposition say we are going to ba pressed down with rates, and yet: the provision in the Act, singularly enough, is the same for the Road Board as the Town Boaid, word for word. Although that clsuso is there it does not follow that a rats should be collected any more for ths Town Board than for a Road Board. The opposition say that as soon as a Town Board is formed a rata will be levied of 2s or 3s in the £. (A voice : But then there may be sped d tales). No special rate# can beitruck or collected unless at tbe desire of the ratepayers for a special work. I don’t think the expouditurs would bo much, it woul i dwindle down to such an infinitesimal sum that you could baldly state it. If wu had the £3OO to spend in the township, see how much better tha footpaths could be made, and lamps erected. In Temuka, they have lamps and they only cost £l7 per y«ar. Wa will also eftcane any rate that may be collected bytlko Geraldine Road Board, and the proposition mads at the last annual meeting, winch was adopted, to levy a Gd rate, wo shall escape. Tha oppod ion again say that all the money would l>e spent in salaries. No such thing. Only some £2O or £3O a year. If we keep a

surface man we will have the bench!

of his work. Tho opposition also have add we only want to create a job for a person, and have gone the length of even

naming him. That is absurd, for we cannot constitute ourselves into Comm'ssioners, for they mu't be elected by the householders, and whoever- are elected

their own ofli .‘"rs, which will hi done by tender. IT* * w therefore cnu th r . oppovitino say *hat it >s a jib, when all is in Re future? if i thought it was a ec-herae to entail expense «n«I be a burden on the ratepayers 1 would oppose it, but I believe it is needed to more Geraldin® along. Some say ‘ Let us wait and see how Temuka o-'ita along,’ but with Temuka the case is very different for the Road Board there his no funds I have had conversations with both Mr Wakefield and Mr Barclay, who have both well studied the Act bearing on the matter, and they both say they are confident we will get a proportionate shave of the Geraldine Hoad Board funds, which will be our just due. I now move tbs first resolution—‘ That this meeting is of opinion that the time has arrived' to form Geraldine and suburbs into a ‘Town District,’ under ‘ the Town Districts’s Act 1881 Amendment Act 1883/ to be called‘Tim Geraldine Town District.’

Mr Mundell seconded (ho resolution, and in doing so said : I think it neads no further arguments than those adduced by Mr Masim to urge on those here tonight to uso their utmost influence in obtaining a Town Board for Geraldine. It is a stop in the right direction. The village of Geraldine—for it is notlrug more than a village—should bo made a thriving township. Temuka is only a suburb of Timaru, but Geraldine is ranch farther away and should look to itself. The step now taken is for the welfare of Geraldine, and all who make Geraldine their home should try and push it ahead. Mr Cook remarked that it had been stated the Wiimate Borough had received so much from the Waimato County Council. Ho would like to know how that County had got that money 1 Mr'Maslm From a similar source as the Geraldine Rond Board—from the percentages accruing from the Grown land sa’os.

Mr Cook ; I contradict that. It was from a £ for £ subsidy. Mr Masfin : I hold a letter from Mr Manchester, the first Mayor of Waimato, in which is nil the information in regircl to the monetary matters as between the Waimato Council and the Waimato Borough Council. Mr "Mu n del I : It is only ourjuit dues we want.

Mr Cook ; Mr MundeU is acting in a double capacity. He is a member of the Town Board Committee and he is acting in the opposition: Mr MundeU : Who is your authority ? Mr Cook ; Mr Goltman is.

Mr Maslin : I have heard of this before from Mr Goltman, and in order that this should be cleared up I told Mr Goltman that Mr Mundsll was not only going to attend this meeting but that he would second the resolution, which he has done, and that that step would assuredly put him right with the householders. I also asked Mr Goltman to come to the meeting, so that he could make the assertion regarding Mr MundeU in public in order to° give Mr MundeU the opportunity of refuting it. Mr Cook ; I know that Mr MundeU has attended a meeting of the opposition in his own office.

Mr MundeU ; I never knew of such a meeting. Mr Cook : Mr Goltman and Mr Shiers were in your office one day, and they talked about this matter.

Mr Mundell : They may have done so, but even if they did that does not constitute a meeting. Mr Maslin : When I asked Mr Ooltman to come forward this evening, and say before Mr Mundell’s face that he had acted a double part, he said he would not come.

Mr Mundell ; I think they kept Mr Mundell at home, and sent Mr Cook here to do his work.

Mr Cook : I do not stand up here to do other people’s work. I say here that I am opposed to the constitution of a Town Board and will oppose it. thick and thin. Mr Maslin : The opposition have been adducing lots of arguments to get people who signed the petition to get their names taken off it on the ground of misrepresentation. If the opposition are so much against the Town Board I should like to hear to-night their reasons for so being, as I am open to conviction in the matter. Mr C. E. bherratt : Mr Chairman, it has been reported that a cross was against your name in the petition. May I ask you if you signed it yourself ? The Chairman ; I did sign it mvself under the linn conviction that a Town Board was much needed here. I should like to meet the gentleman who made use of such an assertion.

Mr C. E, Sherratt : The opposition also reported that Mr T. Harlihy did not sign it. Ho is prepared to swear that he did do so. He told me this morning he signed it on the rails of my verandah. Mr A. Celes called out to mo as ho was passing by and asked me to sign his name on the petition. Mr A. Jones and Mr Herlihy were present when he gave me the authority, 1 have been told that when a cow wanders in the street it must bo taken to the pound and 5s must be paid. No such thing. The Town Board must pass a bye-law first. The opposition has also said no p : gs will be al'owed to bo k>*pt in the town bound ary, but in this instance a bye-law must first fie ra*de. T would a : so point ont in regard to the levying of rites by tho Town Board, the Act staled that r shall mica at least in every year strike a rate. But it was n>t compulsory to collect if. r l he Boa 1 Board go s through tho form, make a rate-roll and strike the rate but do not collect it. Mr Ooltman was not so much opposed In this movement in leg ird to a Town Board for Geraldine. He is not opposed to measures hut to men. He told mo that if it had not been the outcome of hole and corner meetb gs he would have g nelnnd in hand in endeavoring .to obtain n Town'B >ard. Mr Maslin: The opposition have gone round and iol lAc <ple at (he lower end tliat if they went in for a Town Board j'd Uio money collected w odd bo wante 1 to drain Mr Taylor’s back premises, and again at the upper end <■( ilie township they liave su'd that the ratepayers at the lower end would swamp them, being a majority of two to one. Thus blowing hot and cold at the same ! uue to accomplish their end ■.

1h i (J.ian m vi : Thu Uk.'U ‘g I have is Uli-. i hull 40 ..)■ 50 yt!(.rs’ exp- ricime

wilh public bodes, find when in (.ho (li! County in im < tliehd capacity had to do with several boroughs Public hodi'S help to cdncile ih- British people. I am sure that if von get Commissioners to do

your work the ratepayers will be better served. I have looked over the Town Districts Act and am sure that Mr Maslin is right in regard to the money to be obtained from the Hoad Board. _ I hope von won’t be beaten down by insidious opposition, One of their tactics w*s to get, people to taka their names off the petition. Let such giv* their reason why they wish their names off, here at this meeting, and if they are feasible I am sure the Committee will willingly let them do so.

Mr Cook: I should like to know who authorised the formation of this Commit t( e ?

Mr Maslin : If Mr Cook will look at the Act he will see that it does not state how to commence proceedings. There is nothing about *, public meeting, only a petition. Tide meeting is otdy called for an expression of opinion. The petition mint doits own work to get the Town Board, The opposition in endeavouring to get persons to cancel their names from the petition are guilty of a tiick. Sec the position it places the people in the nselves. If they were misled in Big dug th» petition the party who so misled them is liable to punishment. Mr Cook : I consider there should have been a public meeting called previous to the defining of the boundaries of the Town Bo :rd District. If a thing is worth having it is worth being made public. Mr Pratt; Mr Maslin came to me for my signature and 1 asked him t» read the petition over, which he did. Everyone know what they were signing for. Mr Cook : I was never asked to sign it. Mr Maslin : Prior to the formation or meeting of the Committee I went to Mr Coltmau and explained the matter to him. Ho said ‘ You will never get a penny from the Road Board,’ and from Ids conversation, I concluded he was opposed to the Town Board. Hence ho was not asked to sign the petition ; also, from Mr Cook’s expressed opinions the same conclusion was drawn.

Mr Cook : How is it Tripp’s name appears on the petition, who is not a resident householder 1

Mr C. B. Sherratt: Mr Tripp saw the petition, and agreed with it, and signed it. 1 afterwards saw him and said, ‘Mr Tripp, I shall have to draw my pen through your name on the petition as you are not a resident householder.’ He said, ‘ By no means, let it remain aj it is.' The resolution was than put by the Chairman, and carried, only two persons voting against it. The Chairman : Yon now want somebody to look after the petition, and see it carried through. (Hear, hear). Mr C. E. Sherratt: There are about 30 or 40 householders still who hare not been asked to sign the requisitiod. It was not thought necessary to go to them, as more than the required number had been obtained.

Mr Maslin : Several who signud the counter-petition have since exprssed a wish to have their names taken off it. I know of at least five. The opposi lion h»ve also spread it abroad that I was not going to take out an auctioneer’s license this year. This is not the truth. The person getting (he counter-petition up will not let it out of his hands, so that those who wish to hare their names taken off it are not allowed to do so. I thought of denying the opposition statements in the papers, but afterwards I came to the conclusion that it was best to refute them at to-night’s meeting. if there is an opposition it is confined to only a few individuals.

Mr A. Sherratt ; Does the Act provide for a counter-petition ? The Chairman ; No, it does not. Proposed by Mr Pratt, seconded by Mr Lloyd, and carried—‘ That the Chairman's name he added to the Committee.*

Proposed by Mr G. Ward, seconded by Mr Lloyd, and carried— 1 That the present Committee be requested to continue to carry on their work, with power to add to their number.’

Mr Cook proposed—‘That a public meeting be called for the purpose of defining the boundaries of the proposed district.’

This proposition, finding no seconder, fell through. Mr Maslin : There was only one person who objected to have bis land included in the proposed boundary, that was Mr Shiers. The very fact of the householders signing the petition showed that they desired to have their land included therein.

Mr Mundell ; In regard to Mr Shiers, ha is a man who if he were deadly opposed io the scheme would have been here to-night to have seated his views. The usual vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the meeting.