Public Meeting.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2962, 13 August 1878, Page 2

Public Meeting.

A public meeting of burgesses was held at the Academy of Music last evening to consider the desirability of sending a delegate to Wellington to look after Thames interests, and specially to further the carrying through of the Thames and Waikato Bail way Bill. The meeting was convened by the Mayor in response to a requisition signed by a number of influential citizens. There were about four hundred persons present, and at eight o'clock the Mayor stepped on the stage and stated the business of the meeting, and briefly touched the various matters of Thames interest which required special looking after. He then proposed that Mr W. Davies take the chair.

This was seconded by Mr W. Wood and carried by acclamation. Mr W. Davies took the chair and read the advertisement calling the meeting. He said he was sorry the necessity for calling such a meeting had arisen. It seemed at first that having two members, one of whom was Premier of the Colony, their interests should be well locked after, bat it appeared that lobbying had become quite an institution, and if they wanted their rights they would have to do what other constituencies were doing. They must use the most effectual means if they wanted to gettheir rights. The proposal to construct the Thames Valley railway had been frequently before Parliament, but was still a dead letter. As.His Worship had already dealt fully with the various matters, which required attention, he would but briefly refer to one of them —the construction of Harbor Works— which was of second, if not equal importance, to the railway. He would now leave the matter is their hands. (Applause.) Mr J. Brown said he had readily signed the requisition, as he was of opinion that the ratepayers were almost unanimously in favor of sending a delegate down. He would move the following resolution:— " That having in view the furtherance of the interests of this district, it is highly desirable that the Mayor or some other qualified accredited delegate be appointed by the Thames Borough Council to proceed to Wellington for the purpose of sustaining the efforts of those members of the Legislature and others who are seeking to pass into law the Thames and Waikato Railway Bill." At a late meeting of the Thames Borough Council the matter was discussed, but objections were raised by several Councillors, and no action was" taken, and the matter was allowed to drop. It surprised' a great many of them to find the Council doing this after sending their Mayor down last year. In sending the Mayor last year it was more risky than if they sent him this year. Last year there was a Ministry in power who were very lukewarm in respect to them. (No, no 1

Yes!) It . had looked like a forlorn expedition, as one of our members was strongly opposed to the"Miuistry» To-day they had iiir George Grey as lead* r of the House, and in the Hon; John Sheehan they also had a tried and staunch friend of the Thames. With these gentlemen in power no better opportunity for getting their rights than the present occurred. Last year the Council had no scruples in spending £100 of the ratepayers' money to send a representative down and it had been well invested, a*s they had got £7000 or £8000 for the expenditure of that £100, and to his mind it shewed great timidity in not being willing to risk a similar sum this year. Every one present knew the efforts they bad been making to get the railway, and for years they had been moving heaven and earth to get it carried through: Meetings had been held and resolutions passed, and the matter had been advocated by the Press, for by the making of the railway alone could they secure the weU fare of the district. A permanent com* mittee had been appointed to watch passing events and try and turn them to our wishes. If they gave a strong hearty pull together to get the bill through, and were not particular about a little money, they would get what they wanted. No better man than the Mayor, who was also Chairman of the Railway Committee, could be sent to represent them, as none was better posted with all, the information necessary. Let them put him in a position to say " I am sent by the Thames people to remind you of your promises." The Premier had given at least an implied promise to make the railway, arid he believed that nine* tenths of the people believed that our Premier was pledged to make the railway. If they intend to shirk their promises we will think we have been befooled. (Chejrs). The time had passed for being mealy mouthed. If they had a line into the Waikato it would afford an opening for the surplus labor; It had been urged that they had two members already. Let them take a lesson from the County Council who had sent down.Mr Brodie to keep nagging at the Government for; what they wanted. He had. a telegram from that gentleman stating that he wished the assistance,of the Mayor. The necessity of having a duly accredited agent was so apparent that no man, woman, or child could have two opinions about it. He moved the resolution he had read.

Mr J. Eead seconded the motion, and in doing so pointed out the necessity of the railway and of Harbor Works.

The motion was carried unanimously. Mr J. Grigg said that good resolutions were of little use unless given effect to. He moved the following resolution :— " That the Mayor be requested to cnll a special meeting of the Borough Council for the purpose of considering the foregoing resolution, and taking such steps as may be necessary to give it effect." Mr Speight seconded. He said it was only proper for them to do this as, however willing some people might be to subscribe, the Mayor or whoever went down could not as an accredited agent of the people. (Where's Power.) The speaker brieflj referred to the' petty difference between the Mayor and Councillors, and said ii should not be allowed to stand ii the way of. the interests of the district. For years the Mayor had a crotchet, on his brain—the Thames "Valley railway. (A voice: And the Uppah House.) ' Mr Ehrenfried said to prove he had always taken a great interest in the railway he might state that some years ago he had subscribed substantially towards an agitation to have it made. He denied that there had been any difference .about sending a delegate. They had agreed on the desirability of sending one, but thought the expense should not come out of the Borough funds. During one of Sir George Grey's visits he had spoken about his dislike to back stair work, and knowing .he was favorable to the railway; did he require a sleeve-pull: • to remind him of his promises P (Cries of Yes !) Well, he might, and he (the speaker) was sorry for it. Let them subscribe to-night, and have a meeting of the Council tomorrow to appoint a delegate. Mr J. Byown said the proper course was to send the Mayor with ratepayers' money, if he would not go at his own expense. He was amongst the first to propose to send the Mayor to Wellington and Mr Ehrenfried was the first to point out that he was doing wrong. (Laughter.) If half a dozen gentlemen put their hands in their pockets and asked the Mayor to go, it would be said he was the representative of a clique, and was going to do a little, log rolling. The local papers would attack him tooth and nail if he went that way to work the oracle. '~ (Cheers). Mr Ehrenfried said Mr Brown's memory was defective- He adduced the very same arguments for not subscribing. Mr Brown denied this, and' promised 1 £1 to the Hospital if he was wrong. Mr Ehrenfried, amongst great applause also threw down a ' £1, after which the motion was put and carried with cheers. Mr Butler proposed—" That this meeting views with alarm the loss of time! and apathy of the Government in not providing lands for settlement on deferred payments, and as the Attorney-General declared the Broomhall agreement invalid, that no time be lost by the Government in opening the Te Aroha land for settlement." He said this matter required as much attention as the railway, and they should impress it on their delegate. Mr Logan seconded. He said there were a great many people here desirous of settling on the Te Aroha block, which had been given to a company in England.

Mr J. Eeardon urged that steps should be taken to secure to occupiers the freehold of agricultural leases at Ohinemuri.

Mr Grigg moved that the portion of the resolution the Te Aroha land be struck"out. * They were not quite cartain that the agreement was illegal, and if, it was the Broomhall people were not to blame.

Mr Speight thought that Mr Butler's motion was premature, as the Government had not had time. He pointed out that when the land was through the Court it was in the hands of the Waste Lands Board, who would have the control of it. He moved that all the words in the motion after the word "that" be left out. '!.

This was seconded by Mr A. Hume. Mr Butler said he could not coincide with Mr Speight. They knew as much of the matter as Speight did, who was perhaps looking after a billet. They must not be gulled by him. (Hisses). He was hoodwinking them.

Mr Speight: The people know if I ever hoodwinked them.

Mr Kenshaw moved an amendment as follows:—" That it be an instruction to the delegate to be appointed by the Borough Council to get c Te Aroha

and or other good land in the neighborhood opened on the deferred payment system as speedily as possible." He spoke to the amendment, and, on being asked what he knew about Brown and Ehrenfried's dispute, said he thought both were right, as they had spoken on two different occurrences—one of which referred to the sending down of Mr Macdonald, and the other to the sending down of the present Mayor.

Mr Nolan seconded, and the amendment was carried with applause, the others being lost.

The Mayor: Before leaving you, gentlemen, I wish to convey to you my appreciation of your confidence in my integrity, honesty, and ability by sending me down. (Derisive cheers, and crieß of, " Who said your were a-going down ? " "Go it.old pill box.'-') T-heduty which lam going to perform—(A voice : " You're not appointed yet.") The duty lam going td perform is a speculation. [(Upper House). It might be a success. I will endeavor if I go (That's right now) to make it a success. This is an honor I have not sough;. (Derisive cheers.) The speaker further expressed reluctance at going. Mr Henshaw commenced to speak on the Gold Duty question, but/the feeling cf the meeting was contrary to the matltv being th< n gone into, an&^^as decided to call another meeting to^oni sider it.

The meeting then dispersed.