PUBLIC MEETING AT WOODVILLE.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 77, 6 July 1878, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING AT WOODVILLE.

A large aud influential meeting, m I which most of the residents and land owners m the district took part, was held at Murphy's Hotel, Woodville, on Wednesday evening, having for its object the bringing of some pressure to bear upon the Government m order to gel, the long-promised, bridge erected over the Manawatu at the Lower Ferry; Mr Holder, was voted to the chair ; and there were present, MrD. Macarfchur, representing the Feilding Corporation, and Messrs. .McNeil and Linton, from Palmerston. The Chaibman after reading thp- advertisement convening the meeting, said from time immemorial the utility of bridges had been acknowledged, and there could be no question as to notonly the utility, but further, the necesaily for the erection of the one under consideration. However, as it was not his particular business to address the meeting at length, he would call upon Mr Linton to do so. Mr Linton said that the bridge was a matter that not only affected Woodville, but also materially concerned Palmers- ; ton, and that, was the reason he was , there that night. Although the former El ace was not m the same Provincial ►'•strict, still it was looked upon as part of the Manawatu; the greater bulk of its business was done with that district, and its interests had the sympathies of ihe people of Palmerston. The mass of f he residents of Manawatu were m favor of the bridge, and those who opposed Jit were influenced by the j land speculators who had; bought proj pevly on the south side of the river, lie could tell. the meeting that. strong means bad been adopted, and a powerful under current at work to frustrate the era-lion of the bridge. Motions, had been introduced into the Highways Board, and the County Council, and the Waste Lands Board had been influenced to make a road along the south side of the river to Palmerston, instead of fulfilling jthe hiromise made years ago, and on the faith of which land had been purchased from the Government. He held that even if the proposed road were made, it would by no means obviate the'necessity for the bridge, as it would practically shui. out from the Napier traffic, nob only the peopleof Feilding, but all those settlers who were located from *ptarigaki along the Stoney Creek road. li. might be remembered that at a public meeting held at Palmerston sometime ago, the question of the Fitzherbert road from the Gorge was sought to jbe introduced by a side-wind. It was certainly carried, aud appeared in' the papers' as „if the."public were favorable to the idea, but: he maintained that if the question; Were whether the bridge should be erected or the road be made to the abandonment of abridge,; nine : tenths of the residents oil the other side of the river would vole for the former propositidn. People in' Palmerston had; got the name of asking "for too much; Well, perhaps they had, but it was a good fault, and he believed with the exception of that bridge, -they had gob everything they had asked for. The Woodville people should follow the same course; have a meeting every month, and keep agitating until their wants were acknowledged, and their grievances redressed. It might be said that he took part m the meeting from interested motives. He freely acknowledged that such was the fact. He owned property m Palmerston, and m conjunction wiih others Who had bought laud upon the good faith of the Government that the bridge should be built, and tbe road made ihe main thoroughfare from Napier, he held that if that promise were not carried out, the value of his land will be depreciated and that con r sequently he had a right to, arid would, protest against it. Mr Hughes proposed, and Mr W. Ellis seconded, the first resolution, to the following effect :— ; . That this meeting take all possible mea,su<*es, to urge the Government to erect a bridge at the Lower Ferry, at the West-or Lower end of the Manawatu Gorge. Mr McNeil would support the resolution, and perhaps he might as well s! ale also that he did so from interested motives, as he held considerable property m Woodville. He had written to Mr Murphy because he knew that there was a clique at work trying to obtain the erection of the bridge by underhand and unfair means. The work had been promised for years, and he himself some three years since, after the completion of the Gorge Bridge had interviewed Mr Biackett, on the matter. In the course of 'conversation lie told that gentleman, that if the bridge over the Lower Ferry were then proceeded with, he (Mr McNeil) would undertake to execute the contract at a much lower figure than that at which it could afterwards be done, inasmuch as he then had all "the necessary plant and gear ou the spot. From the reply he was made to understand thatthe Government

was m possession of information to gdide them m the plans and specifications, for which tenders would be 'called without * delay. He thought there was a direct breach of the promise made, and on the faith of which he aud others had expended large sums of morey. Mr Macabthub said that unfortunately he neither held laniin Palmerston noi* Woodville, but he wa/ somewhat interested m the township of Feilding, which was of about the same age a the latter place. Mr -Linton had told them of certain intrigues which were being earned on, aud it might be as well that he should enlighten the meeting as to their particular nature. Some short time since two settlers from .the Wairarapa had applied to the Feilding Corporation for the purchase of some of its' land, and under the idea that it was lot bona fide settlement— as it was a rule not to deal with speculators — negotiations were opened up for the purchase of property pn the south side of the Manawatu. The buyer asked that the matter should stand open for a fortnight, and at the end of that time returned and concluded the bargain, for 1600 acres m the locality above stated. To the utter disgust of the Corporation when the sale had been effected, and was beyond recall, it was discovered that the buyer had been . but an agent for a party of speculators .m Wellington, arid that; it was contemplated to cut up the land, and lay it out as a bogus' township. Mr Halcombe, as agent of the Corporation, was exceedingly wroth at the deception which had been practised, but. as the negotiations, had been .legally concluded, he was powerless m the matter. Shortly afterwards, one of the members of the Manawatu Highways Board — and ho was not afraid to mention his name, it was Mr Dalryiriple— urged that instead of the proposed bridge, a road 'should be made on the south side of the river to join m at Palmerston, asserting that it could be constructed at. half .the cost, ' thus flagrantly ignoring the claims of bona fide settlers, to further the ends of a pack of non-resident speculators." He (Mr Macarfchur) did not by any mearis object to the making of the road, r but let: it not be done to the detriment of prior vested interests, or by the dipping into the pockets' of others. At the Manawatu County Council a resolution was brought forward' by Councilor Snelson, to tlie effect that the ! Government should be urged to make the road on the south side of the river, stating that if this were done it would obviate the necessity of the ferry. As m duty bound the Manchester Highways Board resented such unwarrant- ; able interference, and a very strong resolution was passed condemnatory of the action. He would urge the people of Woodville to agitate, and keep agitating, and they would have their demand complied with. If they did not, the result would be that the land would be depreciated m value to the extent of about £1 per acre^ which would be a manifest and flagrant injustice to those Who had borne the heat of the day from the start of the district. The Feilding Corporation had been making arPad to put it m communication with Woodville andthe'Napiercountry, and if 'the bridge were not to be built as promised, all the past -outlay - would prove so much money wasted.- There were already 10. miles formed and metalled, and it was expected that by the; end of March the only gap between Feilding and Woodville would be filled.- Ho thought it his duty to'- expose the gross swindle which was sought to be perpertrated, for certainly he could characterise it by no other term. ■ s Mr McNeil, suggested that m forwarding the resolution to the Minister of Public Works, it would be well if it Were accompanied by some, statistics with regard to population and traffic. Mr Macabthub pointed out that the most valuable statistics which could be produced, was the fact that it paid the ferryman ,to Hgive £75 a year "for, the punt." The resolution was then put, and '•arried unanimously. Mr Sowbbv moved, and Mr Monteith seconded, the next resolution : ; That the inhabitants of Woodville and its surroundings ask the co-operation of the inhabitants of the Manawatu m pressing their claims on the Government for the erection of this bridge. In moving the resolution, the speaker said that the want of a bridge was -self-, apparent. He had not been more than a year m the district/ but had been struck with the exorbitant charges levied at the ferry.^ With the rapidlyincreasing population he felt that ere long they would become, a 'riost serious tax upon the community. He. was very sorry to learn that there, should be anything like opposition to the. erection of so necessary a work as the bridge should certainly prove, arid he thought no effort should be lost m having the matter successfully dealt with during the coming Session. The Government was now flush with money, and the influence of the members of the two districts should be brought to bear to have their wants attended to. As Mr McNeil had stated, the township had rapidly increased, and he was -^ quite sure it would double, if not treble itself , within the next year. . , - ; , .'. : Mr Linton wished to know by what means the , riieeting intended; tp give effect to the resolution. If by a petition, he would undertake; to have it signed, even at his own expense, by; the residents of Palmerston and Foxton; after whic V it might De passed to Mr Macarthur -fpr signature m Feilding* Mr Macabthub would only be too happy to act m the same manner. The resolution was carried unanimously^*. The* third was proposed by Mr Fountain, seconded by Mr C. Beva-n, and carried, reading to the following effect: — That the thanks of the inhabitants of Woodville., be conveyed to the Q-overnment for the prompt manner m which they have attended to. the request for telegraph connection with- Palmerston. ':,"'-'■'.-" Mr J. B. Ross proposed and Mr C. J. Campbell, seconded the fourth resolution, which was carried, by acclamation; — That the thanks of the community be conveyed to those of the Manawatu residents, who have so long agitated for the erection of the bridge, and other matters intending to benefit this district. ' Mr Linton said that gratitude of ,

any sore, was such an unusual commodity m the present day, such an expression would go a long way towards recompensing the people of Manawatu for whatever little good they had striven to effect. . Mr J. J. Mubpht ip rising to propose the next resolution, said that he should take credit to himself for being the second settler m Woodville, ana no person knew better than he did the difficulties .and expense entailed upon settlors by the ferry, for the very good reason that he had to paypreli^' smartly for the . knowledge. During' the first year of his residence m the, district it cost him £32 12s 6d, and since "•hen he had grown grey m thinld ng over the matter, and would not wish to know himself what he had been called' upon to pay. The matter of. expense, however, was riot the only drawbaclc or difficulty to be contended against; \ which was largely supplemented ; by delay,, and damage to goods. No mau could control the elements, and there could be no bar to the river, rising,, or „ the shifting* of the sand. It would be impossible to construct a better punt, as m the summer there would not be.; sufficient draught of water; while m winter the current "would be such as to render it unmanageable;- To hi» ; sorrow, he had experience of the in-. "" adequacy of jthe Iferry days since, when he had. two men with there* horses -and drays bar bound, r involving ari expense of £5 12s 6d* instead or ten shillings. Freight, wag now £2 10a between Palmerston and Woodville. and if the ferry existed for the next twenty-years it would not be a penny less, consequently the imposition y<&* I a toll was not only a detriment to* but a swindle arid fraud upon, the* settlers. He would therefore move— ' That the Government will not be biassed by any reports that may reach them fron. , speculators, who, m order to benefit themselves have represented that a road on the- , south side of the Manawatu V— l removethe necessity for the bridge. .-,.-. The. resolution was seconded by Mr W. Crawford, arid carried. The next resolution passed was proEosed by Mr Crawford, and seconded yMr Hughes, and was tojthe follow-, ing ; effect -:-*-■'■'.-- ...y That the members m both districts he requested to press the resolution on the Go* rernmerit, and that the Chairman be requested, to write to them to that|effect. Mr Muebhy proposed, and Mr Lloyd seconded :-—; That if this bridge is erected, and atoll ' charged, one man could collect the tolls om the bridges, which will effect a saving of. . £150 per annum. This , item alone would . ' go a long way towards pying the , interest '. on the coat of the building. ; In speaking to the proposition, Mx Murphy said that the* bridge was an admitted want, as if it were not erected . ; it would have the effect of driving drovers from the road. A common expression amongst that class of travellers was that when they came to the Manawatu their troubles began, for not only was the tariff ruinous and exorbitant, but vexatious, delays, necessitating camping for a couple of days* were often enco*fl_tered. : A hearty vote of thanks was passed by acclamation to the MAsXwJStr ' Times, for sending a representative fo y l'uporl the meeting, and another to the Chairman, which brought the proeeedngs to a close.- v