TOWN LANDS TRUST.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2574, 16 April 1887, Page 2

TOWN LANDS TRUST.

The annual meeting of voters,in 'the above Trust was hold last■' ovening (Friday) in tlio Masterton Temperance' Hall,' There were about fifty persons present, ptesided over by the Chairman of the-Trust, Mr E. Feist,

The ("Jlerk read the report and .balance sheot, as published" in yesterday's Daily, andthe Chairman moved its adoption, He.referred t.6 the land' i'ecatly.acqmred on tho Dixoii estate, which ho coiiQrdorecl would prove to be • a yeluable investment, of the Trust,.; He §a'itl it was not the intention of the Trustees to rush the proposed new Bill through the House, without giving it due publicity and consideration. The Truatoea intend .to ask Mr Renall to givo his assistanco in framing it, as they considered that ho was fully acquainted with the doings of the Trust from the commencement, and could place thiugs before them, iu the proper light. Ho explained the past history of Renall-street, as far as the Trust were concerned, and said it was to .tho interest of; the town- tliet it should be widened, and that he would unhesitatingly vote in favor of it, but there wero other feelings to be considered iu the. matter, some that the Trust Bliould receive ,an equivalent for tho land, and they. had 'therefore- decided to let the people decide the ; question' by ballot. Ho explained that-voting.papers would be. prepared bo that tliq electors would be ..able to vote'for giving either 30 -feet;' 33 feet, or none, for., the ; street widening.,, : Referring to the about tlio absenco of Mr Hare from the meetings, be said that gentleman had always leave of absenco, when required from the Trustees, and that he had not ceased to to a resident in tho town, andarmied that because he had to leave-the town for atimoon business or other.matters, it did not follow that lie was not a resident in tho district.

Mr Parsons seconded the adoption of the report. Mr Renall; Can you inform me, Mr Chairman, to your knowledge, where Mr Hare's residence is in Masterton 1 Chairman: He lives at his son's residence at the Upper Plain when lie is here. -■ Mr Hare still looks upon this place as his home.

Mr Renall: At his son's 1 Has Mr Hare, to your knowledge, got a bom fide residence here? Of course ho has not, and you know it, I put that clause in tho Act to prevent this kind of thing, and I know that Mr Haro has not had a residence hero for the past two years, and besides, you nor nobody elso havo got the power of giving him leavo of absence, it's against the Act, and if tbete was an oiistor-of-oflice cluuso, 'lie would have forfeited his aeatlong ago. When this .new Act comes into operation, why'l I could v summons tho Mayor, ' (The Mayor You had better not J) and make-him prove ho is a hona fids ! resident,' or out he goes, and it'would be .the same with Mi' Hare, vT.hen.they talk, about the land' being given' lo thorn for Trust purposes. AVbyi It was no sucli thing; it was given for road purposes! . .

The. -Chairman: We ; ' have the minutes of the Trust to confirm it. • Mr.'Renall;, No 6uch .thing.!,'.there wasmo .Trust till 1871. AH you have got is something that I did in 65, which don't amount to much, V QhairmaD : "There was;the Sniall Farm Association.

Mr Eenall: Just so, of course there was, and I have got the document here relating, to the Association, which is the Crown grant for the 120 acres given in trust to Mr C, K. Carter for the Association. Thtise minutes you refer'to was only a meeting fudged up by flare and me, near an election time just to smooth the people over, jns most of us wanted to get into the provincial Council, but I was the only one that was successful. Mr Eenall then went, oif into the history of the Trust from the commencement, travelling over oft trodden ground, blaming the Trust for selling their Gceytown interests, and for keening the money so long before they invested it, defending Mr Woodroofc's character against rhe many supposed imputations made against him, accusing Mr. Allen of selling the acre now owned by Episcopalian Church for £5, and keeping the money, and wound up by stating that he wanted no sympathy from anyone, nothing but fair play, and considered that the Borough Council by even hinting that be should -contribute towards the widening of Kenallstreet had dono a most ungenerous thing, Beeing that he was one of the donors of the property 'and should be the last man to be asked, and as for giving £SO, why he" would'nc give SO pence towards it," s

Mr Woodroofo followed with hi version of the Trust history, and the part he bad taken in the advancement of tho town. He pointed out the dangcrsjof Freemasonry and secret societies generally, and without making, aiiy charges against the returning officer, gave his idea as to how theso things should, be managed, so as to avoid tho present-(to him) linsatisfuctoryAtato of affairs, ..

■ • Xiio' Jlayor ftsbecl. who were tho Trustees at? the tip when tfio land was sold by tbo Groytown Trustees to Masterton, why tbo act was passed, and.did tlie Trustees represent both : townships'! which i having; been answered by the Chairman, hewnsinforby Mr Renal! that "tlio sale took place after the present Trust ■ was created," Tlio Mayor sgid that after the explanation given he waa prepared to 'think that Messrs Woodroofe and Renall had acted quite differently to what he had been given to understand, Ho thought- they were on tho • Trust when./the sale tpok place.. The district owed a great deal to Messrs Rotiall, Carter, unci Jackson for their past actions which had greatly benefitted. tho people, although at tjie time iof giving the 'land it was of very spall vplue. Tjje progress of the town had created the increment, and as it advanced no cloulit the lands would prove to be & most valuable endowment, sufficient to establish 'a local university, and make other improvements of permanent advantage to the. town,' With reference to the Greytown sale, that'was all over now, and he.did not: think any. good would be done by • crying over

spilt milk. The Trustees aoted for the best''interests of both, towns. Greytown was entitled to be dealt with in a spirit of equity, and. ho belioved the- bargain mado was satis--factory to botli parties. Tho report was the annual account of the Trustees gtewardship,'^and, should be looked upon as such, ; antec|d6nt matter should not-b'a ihtfodftced,' and it was quite evident that the Trustees gave every satisfaction,, as'they were re-elected tp. the position time after time. He was in favor of an ouster of office clause ;beingMnse?tßd inHha new Bill, and (lid not agree with leaseholders Df' Trust property becoming members of the Trust, as it was repugnant to the fitness of thing's. ' Mr Itenall asked if the two retiring members were coming.forward" again for re-election. • The Chairman- said that Mr Muir had signified lti3 intention of not comiug forward,.

Mr W. Perry informed the meeting that although he hold property undor the Trust, he should again seek reelection,. and let the voters' decide whether he was to go in or .not, .

Mr Parsons said,-lie could.sgo no very great harm in leaseholders becoming members of the Trust-. Ho held .property of the Trust, but had obtained it at public auction, and as tho -regulations specified that tho leases be put up to public auction, ho thought' that by ..debarring leaseholders from being 'elected on tho body, it would be to the interests of the Trust, Ho.was not in favor of giving more than. 30 feet' for widening Kenall.street, as .they would be parting with the whole of their property in that part of the town By what he could gather from Mr Keuall, thoy gave the land becauso it was valueless, and they could not sell it, and now he wants tho people to believe that he has done this .and that for them. His opinion was that if they had thought the land would have proved so valuable thoy would never have given it, and there would have been no Trust lands in Masterton; ■

Mrßenall: Those arc nice remarks, certainly, after what we've done for yon, 1£ Mr Carter was here, he would say something else to you !

Mr Parsons: Mr Carter would not have mado the remarks you have tonight. He would not have told us lie gave lis this and ho gave us that. I am sick of'.hearing this thing thrown up every timo we meet, and of being reminded that "it it hadn't been for me, you would not have had it." A long Wordy war resultedovor the past history of the Trust, which • revealed nothing new, aud gave the inajorifcy of the voters time to leave the meeting. ■ The rop.orl was eventually adopted, Messrs Renall and Woodroofe being the only disßenliut's. Messrs W. Sollar and J. lorns were te-elected auditors, for the ensuing year. ,

, A voto of v tbauks to tbs.Chairman and Timstees for past services, evoked a long discussion, in which Messrs Hogg and Ecnall were the principal speakers, the Gt:eytown question being rovived, and talked bare, Tiie resolution was eventually carried by seven to four, tho Chairman inadvertently declaring the resolution lost, amidst great laughtor, and the meeting was brought to a close at'a quarter to eleven.