PUBLIC MEETING AT WETHERSTONES.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 285, 17 July 1873, Page 5

PUBLIC MEETING AT WETHERSTONES.

On Monday evening a public meeting was held in the Schoolroom, Wetherstones. There was a fair attendance of the residents. Mr. Carr was called to the chair, and stated the object of the meeting to be the formation of a Progress Committee to attend to the wants of the place. The meeting had also another object in view, viz , the getting up of a memorial to the Provincial Council, requesting the cancellation of a portion of the runs of Messrs Cable and Drummond, and Poison and Sutherland, as an extension of the commonage. Mr. Johnston proposed that a Progress Committee be formed consisting of nine members. The motion was seconded by Mr. Cranley, and carried unanimously. The following committee was then elected from fifteen persons nominated, viz., Messrs. Kofoed, Cranley, Carr, Riddell, Mooney, Hart, Hay, M. Coxon, and D. Johnston. The following memorial waa then read and approved of :—: — To his Honor the Superintendent and the Provincial Council of Otago. The petition of the undersigned miners and settlers of Wetherstones and Tuapeka humbly sheweth : — 1. That a large number of your petitioners are gaining a livelihood partly by digging and partly by cultivating small holdings, with a few head of cattle, which run on the commonage as far as the limits thereof admit. 2. That in consequence of the Wetheratones and Waipori commonages being separated by a strip of pastoral country occupied by Messrs. Cable of Waipori, and. Poison of Waitahuna, the cattle belonging to your petitioners are constantly trespassing on the said strip ; and we are also informed that the Waipori settlers are also subjecr to a like unavoidable inconvenience, and that your petitioners' cattle are constantly being im-^ pounded at the Lower VVaipjri— a distance of thirty miles from Wethers; one 3. 3. That a road i 3 now being formed from Waipori through Bungtown to Tuapeka, and when completed will open up a large area of the country alluded to, and which is very well adapted for settlement; and which being now held by the parties before referred to, acts as a trap for our and the Waipori settlers cattle. 4. That your petitioners would humbly submit that it would be of great benefit to the district, and afford the opportunity for settlement if your Honor should see fit to proclaim that portion of country between the Waipori and Wetherstones commonages as a commonage. And your petitioners will ever pray.

In renly to a question asked by 2> r .:. Millard,* Mr. Kofoed stated that rh> people of Waipori had got up a sitoilir petition, so that the two would be presented to the Council simultaneously. It waa arranged for Mr. Kofoed to gefc signatures to the mercurial in Lawrence and the surrounding district, and Mr. Riddell in Wetherstonea. There being no other business, a vote of thanks to the Chairman brought the meeting to a close.

A meeting of the Committee was held on Tuesday evening, when the following business w»3 transacted. Present — Metisrs. Kofoed, Cranley, Carr, Mooney, Johnston. Riddle, Hay, and Coxon. Mr. Carr was elected as permanent Chairman; Mr. Coxon, Secretary; Mr. Johnson, Treasurer ; five to form a quorum ; Messrs. Mo.»nty, ii.iy, Cr »nJ«y •! : Kiddle were appointed coliectura.