The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1880

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 628, 25 November 1880, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1880

At intervals during the past two years the spectre of that awful feast which celebrated the opening of the railway to Featherxton, rises before the public in the most disagreeable shape of a claim for unliquidated liabilities. ,As the matter now restSj a stigma is cast on the community which is hardly deserved, The latest manifestation of the ogre is the following letter addressed to our contemporary the Standard :—"Sir,.—l'note a paragraphin the N.Z. Mail of Saturday last from the Wahwapa' correspondent to the the following effect:' As a contrast to the Featherston Railway opening ] may mention that the Masterton Celebration Committee satisfied all claims within three days after the festivities concluded. 1 Certainly there is nothing in this that can be considered to cast any reflection on the Featherston Railway Opening Celebration Committee. But the correspondent may be a new arrival and not aware of all the misfortunes connected'with that opening at Featherston. If he will make himself known to me, I will gladly give him all particulars, Before I have the pleasure of his acquaintance let me inform him that the celebration was a Waimmpa one. Only four Featherston gentlemen out of sixteen sat on the Reception Committee, an equal number of gentlemen from Masterton, Carterton, and Greytown formed it, About £4O is still owing on the old account. 1 take this opportunity of acknowledging the receipt (a few days ago) of a cheque for £5 from 6. Beetham. Esq. This sum I paid over to a creditor who has commenced a legal process for balance due to him. Mr Bentham has periodically remembered this indebtedness, Would that others were like him! But all the members of the Committee in the various townships have had very short memories indeed.' Let us hope this may awaken them.—l am, .jfec., J. G. Cox." Our recollection of the action taken by the sixteen members of the Reception Committee differs somewhat from the account given by Mr Cox. the sixteen made a full estimate of the probable, expenditure, and pledged themselves to collect the meney. This pledge was fulfilled There was, however, a considerable amount of irregular and unauthorized expenditure, for which the sixteen could hardly be "held responsible, as we believe the sanction of the majority of them was never obtained to it. The sixteen nevertheless, we believe, after the affair was over, subscribed more or less liberally towards the deficit, In one that of Mr Beetham—it is rumoured that nearly £IOO has. been dragged out of him, at intervals, to meet cases of emergency. In our opinion, this drain on Mr Beetbam's purse hits very much resembled the levying of black, mail, aud wo almost regret that he-had not the courage to/resist' it.; There is An impression abroad that there has been'gross blundering and mismanagement, and that the affairs of,theCele ? bration Committee have' been wound [ iip # in anything but a bjisjness-like

manner. Wo in o of the opinion that' tliQ more tlieinoretho niatter.is stirred up the more disagreeable will become its ocloiiv j but "■'if <be neo&siiry... to/ : 'agitate, let us haveanindependent andexhaustive investigation of 'the wholfi ftliair, so that tho blame may; rest on the right shoulders. At present! there ore very different opinions as to who should bear it. If there is a genuine claim ' on the sixteen who formed - the . working committee, or on the sixty ho formed tho general committee, we believe it will be met at once. : ; -