EKETAHUNA.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2127, 23 October 1885, Page 2

EKETAHUNA.

Left Sitting.

[from our own correspondent,] On Saturday the 17th inst., a public meeting was held in the Eketahuna Schoolroom for the purpose of forming a Small Farm Association in the Mangatainoke Block, Mr Anderson, after being voted to the chair, said it would be to the advantage of Eketahuiia if an Association was formed for the purpose of taking up SQOO or 10,000 qf the southern part of the Mangatalnoke Blook, Already several associations had applied to the Government for about 30,000 acres, so that only about 12,000 acres of the Block remained unappropriated, The land ill the block was firstelass, and the conditions under which the association could be formed were very, favorable. , . ■Mr Sigversen thought most settlers in Ekotahuna were anxious fcq tako up land if suoh an Association were formed. He knew the land to be of very good quality, only some small patches being'stony. 1 ■ Mr Von Reden suggested that a list of intending members should be opened, and a Committee formed to make the necessary application to the Government. Eighteen names were subsequently put

down, and a Committee of five waß nominated to make all preliminaty .Arrangements. The second subject Mr Anderson introduced was the expenditure of £7OO by the County Council on the Manawa bridge. This money had been borrowed under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act for the Eketahuna-Tinui road. The Manawa bridge was not on this road, nor in the rating district of the road, but for all that, those in Eketahuna were taxed to pay interest on the money. He (Mr Anderson) thought the County should be petitioned to refund this money to its legitimate purpose. Mr Yon Reden said it would be better if their two representatives in the County Council were asked to look into this matter. He would therefore move that Messrs Macquarie and McCardle be asked to ascertain whether money borrowed for the Eketahuna-Tinui road had been spent wrongfully on the Matiawa bridge, and if so, to take steps to have this money refunded to the roads' account. The motion was seconded by Mr Bayliss and carried. With regard to forming a road board iu Eketahuna, Mr Anderson said that they at present belonged to the Alfredton District, while they had common with Alfredton, The separation would entail no additional expenso, they would have just the same rates as now, and would be able to spend it themselves. Since Pahiatua had had a Road Board, land had risen enormously in value there, and he felt sure it would be the same here. He would therefore move that the necessary steps be taken for forming an Eketahuna-Mangaone Road Board. Seconded by Mr M. Neilson. Mr Yon Reden was of opinion that it would be against the interest of the place to separate. The Alfredton Board was quite small enough as it was, Mr Anderson was certainly wrong in saying that the working expenses would not inorease. For instance, the advertising would cost as much for Eketahuna, as it did now for Alfredton and Eketahuna. The office expenses would also increase in proportion. The short time the Alfredton Board had been in existence, both Eketahuna and Mangaone had been very fairly treated with regard to expenditure, He had always been of opinion that the meetings of the Board should be held in Eketahuna, as Eketahuna wbb certainly the business centie of the district, If they could accomplish that, it would be better by far than to separate from Alfredton, as their interests with regard to roads were identical with Alfredton.

Mr Bayliss would veiy much like to see a Board in Eketahuna as he did not like playing second fiddle to Alfredton, but he very much doubted whether it was not better to wait until the country was more settled. The resolution was then put and carried, only two voting against it. Messrs Anderson and Jones were appointed to carry out the resolution,