PUBLIC MEETING.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2088, 13 September 1875, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING.

A meeting under the above name was held or endeayoui'ed to be held in the Theatre on Saturday evening. The ostensible object being to obtain signatures to the petition now being signed 3 urging on Government the importance of proceeding with the Abolition and Local Government Bills this session. ISTot more than 100 persons were present at any portion of the proceedings, which were of a very Uninteresting nature.

On the motion of Mr Horton; seconded by Mr Macnab, His Worship the Mayor was called to the chair. He said that the meeting which' was called in a hurry, was for the purpose of sending a petition to Wellington urging the Government to carry out the measure of Abolition. Notice of the meeting would have been duly advertised, had it been known that it was necessary to send off the petition so soon, but having learnt that the mail steamer would leave on Tuesday next the pi-esent meeting had been hurriedly called on the spur of the moment. His Worship then assured the meeting that they were not called together to act in any way in an antagonistic spirit to Auckland, neither, in spite of what had been said to the contrary, did they wish to slight Sir George Grey, for whom he felt sure they all cherished a deep feeling of respect. He called upon Mr William Eowe to make a few remarks.

Mr W. Eowe said that the question now before the House of Parliament, which they were called upon to consider, was the most important that had ever; been under their consideration. There was, he was" very sorry to say, a bad feeling in Auckland against people at the Thames, in fact the "Auckland Star had said some very unpleasant things about the people, and the Editor had said some very hurtful things about himself,.not only had he done that, but he (Mr G. M. Keed) had shaken his fist with menacing gestures in the Speaker's face. However, he would let them all know what he though of Mr Keed and the Auckland Star at the public meeting which His Worship the Mayor , had

promised them to convene, he called upon all present who had not done so to come forward and sign the petition. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings, after which some few people came forward and attached their signatures.