TARATAHI ROAD DISTRICT.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 28, 15 July 1867, Page 3

TARATAHI ROAD DISTRICT.

A public meeting of the Taratahi settlers was held in the School-house, Carterton, at one o'clock p.m., on Saturday last, for the purpose of petitioning His Honor the Superintendent to proclaim the Taratahi Block a Road District under the provisions of the “ District Highways” Act. The meeting was the most numerously attended that has ever been held in the Taratahi—the room was crowded to .the doorway. Great interest was taken in the proceedings. Mr. Revans, having been moved to the Chair, read the advertisement convening the meeting, and said that he looked upon this meeting as a new era in the affairs of Wairarapa—it was a step in the right direction to-

wards obtaining justice from the Government and getting back a portion _of the ill 70,000 due to the district. That sum of money would have been spent in it if the good example of Rangitiki and some other places, in having Road Boards, had been followed. A letter from Mr. John McKenzie, which ■was handed to the Chairman, was then read, as follows:

Sir, —I very much regret my inability to attend this day’s meeting. The object for which it is convened is one in which I feel a deep interest, not only because it affects my private interest but also because I think that the general prosperity of the district is dependent upon the opening up of roads to those portions of it that are now inaccessible. I also think that it would be much better ;to have a large district proclaimed (such as the one to be petitioned for to-day) than it would be to have a small one, not only because the roads that are most required will be sooner constructed—upon the principle “ unity is strength”—but also because a Board of Wardens would be more just and impartial in their decision than any elected from a small district would be.

It is to be hoped that those parties in the district who are so fortunately situated as not to require roads for themselves will not ofier opposition to their neighbors getting roads, properties are almost worthless for want jof them

Begging ’that you will communicate the above to the meeting, I have the honor, to be, sir, Your obedient servant, John McKenzie. The Chairman, having road the above letter, said that times were bad and bad times made them thoughtful; roads would improve the country and also improve the times. That timber, although plentiful, was, taking it in proportion to the extent of country, really scarce ; with good roads timber lands would increase in value in proportion to the ease the timber could be conveyed to market and people- who now destroyed their timber in clearing their lands would then carefully preserve it. He did not believe in small road districts. It made their views narrow, entailed heavy rates, and gave but a small number to select their Board of Wardens from.

Mr. Anderson, in moving the first resolution apologised for taking upon himself to do so, as he thought it would have been better that some older settler, better known than himself, had done so. His reason for taking that position is that he had talked the matter over with all the gentlemen who signed the requisition for convening the meeting. The matter that the meeting had to consider was not one of sentiment, but was entirely a question affecting their pockets. The gentlemen who signed the requisition were all in favor of a large district because the roads that would be made first would be those most required and that as not more than one or two members of the Board in a large district would have a direct personal interest in any one line of road, the rest of the Board would act as an impartial jury or assessors to see justice done, and instead of expending their rates upon roads that would never be used by more than a very few persons they would be spent in making roads that would open up a large district. The advertisement convening the meeting included the whole of the Taratahi Block in the proposed district, but as it is considered by many that about 1000 acres of it at Carterton has alreadyjbcen proclaimed, the resolution is framed to meet that difficulty. He then moved “ That His Honor the Superintendent be petitioned to proclaim as a district under the provisions of the “District Highways” Act all the land (not already proclaimed) of the Taratahi block, which is situated between the rivers Waiohine and Waiongara from the hills to the river Ruaraahunga, and that the Carterton district and the proposed Taratahi district be afterwards united as soon as the law will permit of it being done.” Mr. McKenzie seconded the motion. Mr. Armand Bennett asked why did not the mover of this resolution leave out Carterton. The Carterton people did not wish to have the Taratahi people tacked on to them. The Carterton people would be restricted from voting if Mr. Anderson’s resolution will be carried, in fact they would have no vote at all. (Cries of no, no ; do as the Masterton people have done, who have made a difference between town, suburban, and rural lands). There was a meeting of the Carterton voters held in that room last Saturday, when it was resolved to bring the following proposition forward, but as he could not read it himself he requested the chairman to do so for him. He then moved it as an amendment:

“ This meeting is of opinion that this Road Board should be formed, and it shall be named the Carterton and East Taratahi Extension District Road Board, with the following boundaries : From the Walohinc bridge along the cast side of the Carterton and Masterton road to the Wainawa river along the west side of the Wainawa river to where it empties into the Ruamahunga, from the Waiohine

bridge along the east side to where it empties into the Euamahunga river, the west side of

the Euamahunga river being the back boundaries. All that portion of land here mentioned to be called the Carterton and East Taratahi District Eoad Board.” Mr. Anderson submitted that the amend-' ment was out of order and could not be put' without first obtaining the consent of the meeting to do so.. The Chairman considered that Mr. Anderson’s motion was also out of order as it excepted Carterton out of the proposed district. The point of order was then submitted to the meeting when it was decided by a show of hands that both motion and amendment should be put to it. Mr. Burton Boys, in speaking to the general question, regretted that on this occasion he was forced to oppose the people of Carterton with whom he formerly acted. He felt bound to oppose the whole of this large district being proclaimed in one road district. He did not wish the Taratahi plain included. He held in his hand a list of sixteen names, representing 9000 acres, who are opposed to it. It was altogether a question of pocket. He wanted no road. Nature was so kind to him as to give him a good metalled road to his place, and, as he did not feel inclined to be taxed for the benefit of others, he would nail his colors to the mast and fight against it as long as he had a rag left. He would, therefore, nolens yolens oppose both the resolution and amendment. Mr. George Kiddie -aid—Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, Mr. Burton Boys says that he wants no road ; that nature was so kind to him as to give him a good metalled road; but

1 th'e metal is so large that neither horse, cart, or man could go on it with safety for fear of breaking their leg or their neck, for I myself had to leave a horse and cart all one night, on the good metalled road that nature was so kind as to give him. (Roars of laughter.) Mr. Robert Dixon said that Mr. Burton Boys was wrong - in charging the Carterton people with calling the meeting. It was the people of East and West Taratahi who had called the meeting, some who lived in Carterton signed the requisition but their land was not in Carterton but in Taratahi. Mr. Burton Boys had said the same thmg of the last meeting, that Taratahi men had called on this question and had on that occasion called it a Carterton hole and corner meeting. He had been doing nearly the same thing now in getting np a list of names opposed to it which he got through misrepresenting the movement as a thing got np in Carterton. Mr. Anderson, in reply, said that if Mr. Boys and others who did not require roads were opposed to include the West Taratahi in the proposed district, there were others who, fur want of roads, could make no use of their lands and they wanted to be included ; and, as road districts are proclaimed for the benefit of those only who require roads, he hoped his motion would be agreed to. The amendment was then put to the meeting and lost. Mr. Burton Boys was then about submitting another amendment when Mr. Parker said that the meeting ought to confine itself to the purpose stated in the advertisement and simply say, yes or no, as to whether they would have the whole Taratahi or not. Mr. Anderson, with the consent of the. meeting, on the motion of Mr. Hooker, altered the resolution by striking out the words “ not already proclaimed” and all the words after “ lluamahunga.” The motion was then submitted to the meeting and carried by a show of hands. Mr. Armand Bennett moved that the names of those who were in favor of or against the resolution be taken down.

Mr. Thomas Bennett seconded the motion, which was put to the meeting and carried. On the names being taken down 43 gave their names in favor of the resolution, and 14 against it. Mr. George Kiddie said, that if the 14, including Mr. Burton Boys .himself, would work for a fortnight breaking up the boulders with which nature has been so kind as to metal his road, and cart them into the swamp they might make his road passable. Mr. Hooker moved the adoption of a memorial to His Honor the Superintendent which embodied the first resolution.

Seconded by Mr. Hannah and carried by the meeting. The memorial having been numerously signed in the room, Mr. Anderson moved that the chairman be requested to forward to His Honor the Superintendent the memorial which has been adopted by the meeting. Seconded by Mr. Parker, and carried. A vote of thanks from the meeting to the chairman closed the proceedings.