GREYTOWN ROAD DISTRICT.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 29, 22 July 1867, Page 3

GREYTOWN ROAD DISTRICT.

A public meeting was hel in the Schoolhouse, Greytown, on Satuday afternoon, at two o’clock, to take into coisideratiou the advisability of defining boundaries and taking the legal steps necessary fir forming a Road District. S. Revans, Rq., J.P., was unanimously voted to the chzir. Mr. Revans, upon taking the chair, stated he presided with pleasure, for he considered roads the greatest want of the valley. Timber was by no means abundant in Xcw Zealand and, therefore, should he husbanded, hut was now .destroyed as having no value without roads which would allow of its being sent to market at a moderate cost for carriage. Improve the roads sufficiently and the waste of timber would cease, alike to the advantage of -.the valley and the colony, and the timber of this valley would prove for years to come the .-greatest export of the district, both as giving employment to man and wealth to the vallev. Mr. Wells, one of the Secretaries of State, in j the United States, had, in a report lately presented to Congress, declared that timber was becoming scarce in the Union and warning the people against waste, at the same time reminding them that the great prairie country was being rapidly settled and would need its supply of timber frem without as there was so little timber in the prairie country. His Honor the Superintendent of Wellington, in his closing address in which he stated £40,000 had been mis-spent on the Rirautaka, made very light of the difficulty of driving loaded teams between Wellington an; I the Wairarapa —so very .light indeed that he. the speaker, was fully prepared to find the statement conclude with a declaration that His Honor would drive a loaded team between the vallev and Wellington for the month, to show that the faintheartedness of the settlers caused ■them to be labouring under a delusion he was determined to remove. A tramway is what is wanted. It coaid be'laid from Tv eilington to Masterton on the present road, but coming -through the Tauhereaikau Valley, and so avoiding the Rimutaka Mountain. It could be made at a small cost and would, in the hands of a company, even now pay well; so well, .that’he had no doubt that ere long it would be to the Manawatu Gorge and on the .other side to Xapier. It should be commenced on spots having timber, for then it could lie made to carry its own wooden rails forward to the parts where timber did not /exist. He hoped at an early period to be able to place before the public the estimated cost of such an undertaking made by an Engineer thoroughly practically acquainted with inch works in this colony. He had already •been applied to to supply (500,000 foot of to- j .tara, shewing that a large demand existed for ! the timber of this vallev. j

• Dr. Spratt was of opinion that a Road Board was needed in this portion of the Wnirarapa, but he trusted that we would not let different interests clash and interfere with the large holders of land. He would therefore move as a resolution, though he would rather it was in the bands of some one more interested than himself, to the effect that a road district should be constituted, having for its southern boundary the Te Kopi line of road, and the northern boundary the Waiohiue river. . Seconded by Mr. Kempton.

Mr. 11. Jackson said he was a large landowner and, although tills would affect him, yet for the common interest he would like to see a largo district, as he believed such a district would be able to view and judge more impartially than a small one.—that when you had a large body to choose your Wardens from men of large ideas could be found who would act without favor or affection. As an instance of the requirements of a Road Board he would mention that he had asked the Government to form'a road to his place from Featherston and had been refused on the grounds that when a properly constituted body was formed the matter would be in their hands. But he was surprised to find that the Chairman, who had a large amount of influence with the Superintendent —through personal friendship, what he could not get, Mr. Kevans could, —for the rurreyors were now busy laying off the road. He did not like this backstairs-influence ; and would, as soon as the questions of bounhoimdaries was settled, bring the matter before the meeting. He did not see any reason why the large holders should be excluded, as they benefitted largely by the roads. He would, therefore; move as an amendment:—“ That His Honor the Superintendent he requested to proclaim a District, to be called Greytown, under the “ District Highways Act,” with the following boundaries : the town boundary to follow the southern side of the Tauherinekau into the Lake, thence on the east side of the Lake until its junction with the Ruamahunga river, thence up that river to the outfall of the Waiohiue river, thence up the Waiohiue to the hills, and thence across under the hills, for the western boundary, totheTauherenikau.”

Seconded by 11. Udy. De. Spbatt could not agree with the amendment, as he feared it might raise an opposition and come in contact with those who had different interests.

The Chaikmax stated that the Act gave very large powers to the Boird, and the large holder under jt would not, if a proper discretion was used, suffer —for the rate could be levied so as to meet the wishes of the large holder. The Government was, even although this amendment was passed, not hound to exactly define the boundaries as there stated, if they considered it ■ unadvisable to do so. At the meeting at Carterton, last Saturday, the course of the IVaiohine was taken as a boundary, but the Government might not consider it necessary to take as a boundary from the Waiohine bridge in a straight line to the lulls. Mb.-H. Udy said the Government had no right to alter boundaries to suit their friends. It would be # farce for the people to define

boundaries and then for the Government to act'‘otherwise.' A GbvcriimcnCVlius scTtTrig the wishes of the people aside ought not to remain in office.

•The amendment, on being put, was carried,, there being only one dissentient. Mr. Ghigg moved , and Mr. Ivemp’ton se : , conded : “ That the Chairman he requested to forward the above resolution to His Honor the Superintendent, requesting him to proclaim the district described as soon as possible.” Mr. 11. Jackson then reiterated what he had previously stated and moved;—“ That the Government be requested not to proceed with any works until the district was proclaimed.”

Mr. H. Hot, senr., seconded the resolution. After considerable discussion, in which Dr, Spratt, Mr. Judd, and the Chairman took part, the resolution, on being put was unanimously rejected. After a vote cf thanks to the Chairman the meeting separated.