ARATAPU OBSERVER NOTES.

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 228, 15 December 1893, Page 5

ARATAPU OBSERVER NOTES.

The burly form ef the defeated candidate for Eden at the late elections, has been frequently seen in our township of late and people have been asking what scheme is on foot. The old politician moves about in a cunning sort of manner with a profusion of hail fallow-well met-edness about him and puts on any amount of face but it is pretty well known now that he only stirs when moved by self interest. He has, I find, had two principal matters in hand, in both of which self is very prominent. The proposal of the County Council to lease the Dargaville foreshore has been troubling him, and lie has been endeavouring to induce some of our leading citizens to convene a meeting of ratepayers with the object of carrying a resolution calling npon the Council to stay all further steps in that direction. I could name two or three persons whom he ap - proached on this matter but without success. If a meeting of ratepayers is so necessary why not call one in Dargaville itself on the spot where the question is of paramount importance ? On Saturday last further attempts were mat?e> but still without success, and the work yraa pursued even on Sunday last. Two messengers, on the morning of that day, came to one armed with a let.ter from Mr J. M. Dargaville to Mr Woollam urging upon the .'.atter the necessity of Carling a meeting of ratepayers for Monday evening, and enclosing form ot resolution to be proposed and carried u s' the voice of the ratepayers. Pretty cool 1 ycis'/ jmfc he

sent it to the wrong shop that time; that sort of work won’t suit Mr Woollams. It was pretty well passed round that there was to be a meeting on Monday evening, but no one could be prevailed upon to convene it under such circumstances and no meeting was held. The second matter is in reference to a petition to Mr Houston which Mr Dargaville brought to Aratapu and wished Mr O’Connor to take up, and with which he doubtless tried other people. It has not jbt been, publicly circulated and I venture to state will never appear, or if it does will meet with but scant support, whereas a counter petition would be almost unanimously supported. As this matter may yet come to a head X leave it for the present. Anonymous letter writing seems to be a weakness in this locality, X have heard of several lately flying round. Your contemptible published one last week (evidently manufactured in the editor’s office). The old man, in blindly hitting out evidently forgot Mr Vousden’s telephone or he would not have ‘written as he did.