MASTERTON TOWN LANDS TRUST.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1355, 17 April 1883, Page 2

MASTERTON TOWN LANDS TRUST.

The annual meeting of townspeople was held last eveniug at the upper room of the Institute, . .There were only:about a dozen .persons in attendance, . Mr • Feist, : chairman 1 of the Trust, presiding. / ' ; The Chairman explained that .the meeting was held -in accordance with the Act for the purpose of receiving the annual report and balance sheet, and electing two auditors. The report and 'balance, sheet as recently published was then read, and The Chairman moved their adoption. He said the proceedings pt the Trust must be regarded- as satisfactory, and he hoped the . recommendation ; of . the. report .with regard to the Greytown reserve, (that the sum of £250 be accepted for Mastertori's share of it) would;be carried out. He thought the price a fair one for the land, With regard 'to the selling of the-old Town Hall section to the Government for a courthouse site, he might explain that the Government- would have,to pass a bill to enablo tho sale to be legally effected, but in the meantime would pay a rent (or interest) of £24 a year, or 8 per-cent. This, he thought, was a satisfactory arrangement. It had been found that certain amendments were required in the Masterton and Greytown Trust Management Act, and Mr Hare and himself had been appointed to wait on the Greytown Trust. They had done so, but did not come to any arrangement. ; The Greytown Trustees, however, threw Out a very good suggestion, viz, that when the difference • concerning the 48 acre reserve was settled separate Acts, for the management of each: trust .should be obtained, and each town work under its own Act. ■ With regard to the clause of the report relating, to compensation to tenants of the trust for improvements, he had no doubt the arrangement would be found to be a fair one, and would would work beneficially for both the Trust and its leaseholders. • With these few remarks he begged to move the adoption of the report and balance sheet. (Applause.) .Mr Woodroofe: I would like to say a few words. The Chairman: Are you going to second the adoption of the report? Mr Woodruffe: No.

Mr McCardle had much pleasure in seconding the motion. Without going into details it wasextremely satisfactory to note that the Trust was in a more prosperous condition now than it had ever been during its previous history, Ho would say one word about the exchange of the old school acre with the Education Board for the new school site. When the members of the Education Board came up, Mr Woodrooffe told one of them that the Trust were taking them in. Well, he (Mr McCardle) thought that the Trust had made a good bargain, and the Board had secured a good site for their school. The Court site had given , rise to some dispute, buthe was glad that a satisfactory arrangement had been made, and that a building which would add to the appearance and importance of the town was about to be erected, With regard to the Greytown reserve he considered the proposed arrangement was in every way satisfactory. He, had always regretted that the- original negotiation had fallen' through, but was glad that the Trust was now unanimous in desiring to act fairly by Greytown. The land was not > worth more than the sum offered, and the acceptance by Masterton of the £250 would settle the longstanding vexation between the two towns, and each would work cordially with the other to secure any object, which required combination to (Jbtai i. Ha would like to refer to the' compensation clause which the Trust had just adopted in their leases. He had promised, at the last election to bring this matter to an issue, and now that it was settled he had intended to resign his position on the Trust, He had however been requested by several to retain his seat, and finding he could spare the time, intended to do so. If he found that at any time he could not give the affairs of the Trust the attention it required he would retire from it, He hod much pleasure in seconding tho report.'(Applause,) ...Mr Woodroofe; I cannot exactly concur in the delinition given here to night about things by many speakers. It is utterly, and highly ridiculous to dispose of our lands on any terms whatsoever. The land at Greytown was paid for by the old association, and the half of it is the birthright of Mas-terton,-and the Trustees have a right not to sell our birthright for a pot of pottage. The price offered is perhaps a fair one, but it you send your Mr Brown down to value it, he'll make it fifty times as valuable—at least if he values it like he does other places. I maintain that the Trustees have acted illegally, wickedly, : dishonestly, v unjustly, and—and—in error! A Trust can't sell land vested in it on any' terms. As one of the old settlers who helped to pay for it, I have a right to say that you shall not dispose of it at any price. Mr McCardle is incorrect in his allusions. My argument is based on a fundamental principle, sir. If we are to be a progressive people, likely to increase our', progeny, I say, why not have given a school for Kuripuni and' one for Ma6terton. I pointed .out to.tho members, of, the Board the diseases; brought home by children in a crowded-, school." "500 is tbo inany to have,undei; :one w robf, .'arid the old school should be kept iri the hands of the Trustees, (The Chairman;

We are not trying to sell it I) I have known many things done by the Trust that would not bear the light of day, The Trustees should stand on a legal footing, Mid the Chairman conform to the law, and deal impartially, carefully, fairly, uprightly, and—and—lxoneatly. I will read you clause 8 of the Act. (The clause stated that each .Tnist should appoint a Treasurer, Collector, Secretary, Returning Officer, <fcc.) I say, sir, that the Trustees in appointing one man to all of these offices are utterly illegal. I could forgive Mr Brown being everything but fietuming Officer, but this I cannot 1 forgive, I don't wish to say anything about Mr Brown who has eome noble - qualities, but, sir, when we read of ','constaiit| Embezzlements, it is easily seen that if the Returning Officer, is a bad man he can return his own creatures, or men favorable to him who will gjv ; e liim a large salary. lam not speaking aboiit Mr Brown. : I consider, iheHTrastr is acting illegally in giving , him 1 the office. I must. admit that it is done in other places, but,, sir, is ' out .of tho boundsof common justice; look at the collectors; in'all the towns in America. They all ran away with . the money they collected, I don't wish' to cast any , insinuation against Mr Brown, if I was in his position I would.take all I, could get, J blame the Trustees.: Appoint Mr Brown auditor, and you can all go about your business, and let 'hiin .have • ;the .'Trust'' Ah I there are, many, things done :by Trust, that cannot, as; I said, before, bear the light. -1 speak in no spirit;of revenge or' cavilling,- biit I tbinlc ,: it;un-. fair that youappoint onp 'man jto -all the offices, one who. rises and •: rests above, and uncontrollable. ■ anyone else wished to ; say : a on the motion, Mr Bish said he could not; ql&j follow Mr Woodroofe in his speecL He had spoken a great: deal and yet had not said much, He (Mr Bish) liked to see opposition in anything—it kept matters alive, but he could not understand Mr Woodroofe's opposition, He (the speaker) held that the Trust were to be congratulated and supported in their past and proposed actions. With regard to the Greytown land, if the Trustees were to pu 1 ,. the block into the market they would not obtain £l2 10s an acre for it, and if Greytown was prepared to give the Masterton; Trust ' that, sum .for its i share in the section he held that 'Mas* terton should take it, and thus settle differences and enable the two towns to work harmoniously together, . He believed this was the wish of the majority of the Masterton people,— (Applause). The Chairman: Would any, .other gentleman like to speak to the motion J MrThos, Hall said they must all feel pleased at the large credit balance the Trust had, and feel satisfied at the way the Trustees had worked, but he must say he felt on reading the report, in which it was proposed to sell their Greytown Reserve, as he did two or three years ago when the same ques? tion' was before the people, that the Masterton people, should not give.up their birthright. (Mr Woodropfe! Hear! hear!) - There was no argu* ment in favor of it, as the Masterton Trust did not want .fundß, and the settlement of the question would not do away with any vexation, as;,Masterton was simply retaining what was her own.

Mr Bish would like to ask a question, He had been given to understand.that Mr Carter had said at a public meeting that Greytown had the best right to the section. He knew, the Greytown people thought they had. The Chairman said he believed sucli., a statement had been made. He would l like to say a fow words with regard to - some remarks which had fallen from one or two speakers. Mr Hall had made his remarks in a temperate, iair spirit, and every man had a right to his own opinions, but Mr Woodroofe made somo extraordinary statements. He had said the trust were illegal and dishonest. (Mr Woodroofe: did not , say "dishonest.") ' (The Chairman; Excuse me Mr Woodroofe, I have it down in writing.") This , was hardly fair. The proceedings of the Trust were all open and above board. The balance sheet shewing every item of expenditure was before: the meeting. Such statements as those made by. Mr 1 Woodroofe if coming from any other" source would be very serious,. but coming from him hardly needed reply. Mr Woodroofo's idea about the " birthright" was entirely erroneous.' ".The'; Trustees did not propose to give up the land and throw away the money. They intended simply to charge the form of the " birthright," With the £250 they might be able to do far more good for the town than by retaining their hold on Grey town's town belt (Hear I Hear.) The Trustees only desired the good; of the Trust. Mr Woodroofe, in read* y ing the clause of the Act, '> did not apparently notice that it did not com- \ T'' pel the appointment of a separate person to each;office, (Mr Woodroofe: Your own common sense tells you that), and another thing he was, ignorant of was the fact that 'Mr ; Walter Perry, and not Mr Brown, was treasurer of the trust. Mr Brown was clerk and collector—a very efficient and able officer, who could not be injured by the insinuations of Mr Woodroofe, (Mr;Woodroofe: I did not insinuate Mr Brown, and only ' attacked' the Trust.) Mr Woodroofe'"-wished to explain the origin of the Trust to Mr Bish, but the chairman (muoh to his indignation and disgust) ruled him out of order. Mr McCardle suggested he should speak later on.' Mr Woodroofe: I know the chair-. man has an antipathy against me,'arid* I know why. 1 claim the right to make an explanation. The Chairman: Well, please don't make it too long. Mr Woodroofe then gave hia aversion of the origin of the 48 acre reserve. Mr'Hogg asked if ; another meeting was nece&ary 1 to sanction the sale of the 48 acrest / The Chairman did not think another meeting-was necessary, i ,C;' : Ma Hogg only asked as it niight be made a,, reproach against |hat meeting that a valuable reserve was allowed to be frittered away. He was taken by

surprise, and was not irntt of th 6 nature of tho report till lie heard i? read. (Several voices: It has.been published a week ago in both papers!) ■ He thought Mr Woodroofo had only dono his duty., If Greytown obstructed he did not see why. tho stronger should give way to the weaker, and therefore did not see why the Masterton Trust should give up the land. Grey town might improve, and tho land become very ivaluablo. ;• It did seem.: strange that' they should have waited all these years, and : now choose tho most depressed time in tho township's history to offer a paltry sum for a valuable reserve. If they sold the land the worst consequences might ensue. : The Chairman, in putting the resolution, regretted that there was any opposition, • (Mr Woodroofe : Of course you do—ha! ha I—of courßO you do.) It certainly seemed strange that . after the Trustees' report had 'been published for more than a week .anyone'should come there and say tbey did riot know its contents. If they really took an interest in the Trust it •was the duty of every resident to have made ; himself acquainted witii : the i report, and if ho objected to it, to attend the meeting and state his objection. He hoped the proposals of the Trust would be carried out, and if •there was not a manifest opposition they would be. . The Trust were not bound over by law to call another meeting (Mr "Woodroofe: You are, you aie!), and lie believed they could .carry out their proposals without doing 8).. Mr Woodroofe: No. -■ The Chairman then put the adoption of the report; ' Seven voted for, and two against—Messrs Woodroofe and Hall. The Chairman then declared the mption carried. WMv McHardle then moved a cordial of thanks to the Chairman, and the two retiring members of the Trust for the able way (Mr Woodroofo: .Tyrannical way you mean,) in which they had discharged their duties. With regard to Mr Woodroofe's speeches that eveniug, coming from some they would be serious, but Mr Woodroofe did not mean half lie said, and when he ■saw it in black and white, would not believe lie ever said it (laughter). He (the speaker) always understood it was held by the old members of the Trust that Greytown bad a better right to the reserve than Masterton. Mr Hall paid a cheerful tribute to the impartial manner in which the chairman had always conducted the meetings of the Trust (hear! hear!) and the people felt that the Trust was in good hands. (Applause.) The Chairman said he did not like to continually hear Mr Woodroofe state that he (the Chairman) bad an "antipathy" to him. He wished to say such was not the case, and he could shake hands with Mr Woodroofe outside that room as heartily as he had ever done. Mr Woodroofe opposed tho resolution and declared the chairman was not impartial, but tyrannical, that the Trust were guilty of somo mysterious 'crimes, and went through a brief but Incomprehensible history of the .Trust, Mr Hogg supported the resolution, and said the reason ho opposed the one clause of the report, that re Greytown, ,was that they would lose £2l year ■ rents and gain £250 in cash, which, judging by the fact that they had £SOO at per cent interest now would not be a gain to the Trust, The motion was then put and parried, Mr Woodroofe voting against, The retiring auditors, Messrs Sellar and Wilsone, were re-elected,' ■ The Chairman said he was glad there tad been such a free discussion and only regretted there was not a larger attendance. ' . The meeting then adjourned.