MEETING OF JACKEYTOWN SETTLERS.

Manawatu Times, Volume V, Issue 179, 10 December 1881, Page 2

MEETING OF JACKEYTOWN SETTLERS.

A m^etine of the ratepiyers to tile Manawatu Hivliwnys Bonrrt, resident m <hft Karp.ve- 1 i-t <n>s', was heM it the Town-Hall on Werinosdny, at two o'fclofk. The mccV m? »«a*l boen raVed by the Chairman to got the votes i>f the rate-payer? as to whether th* roa^l shou'd be- closed U-adine fr^m the Jackeytown Boid to M* HamiHon's a<id j another rented by the Jtt^Ewea Brothers tafeea ia lieu thereof: Mr Bruce, the Chairman presided, «nd i explained the business of the meeting, by cpioting from the Public Woks Act. 1881' the legal proeechm) neoespaty tmo*cr the , circumstance^. He snid that the Ursfr step was — that th-* Board should hive a plan prepared of the road propose'! fobe stopped, a B'iryey marie and plan prepared of the new road.; This, as they oouM see-, had b^e- d^ne, and the plan hadlain oneu tor inspection for twelve togclcb ;• heside which, a printed notice caHco-of the proposeti stonpage Bhould 1 be prated rp m a conspicuous place at botifti en'ls of tlie; road, and this also had been done. The n- xt gtep was ihn convening of ths ratapayfr3 t-> endorse or reject : the transfer, and it was for that purpose thpy wore as* Kcnabled together. The matter was m thei' htnd^— if the meeting should decide thatthe road bo not "stopped.' such decision should W finasl and no proceedings for stoppirg pach road be en'ered the Board would have to send tHe plans, a descrjlpMon of the proposed alteration together wilh their dfeci>ion to the County Council. That >»eincr done the natter reverted ta tha County Council, which after giving regular notice; shnuM liold a meeting at which to con t)id*»r the proposed alterations and any objecliott made thereto by any person likely to snflßP Hijury thereby, and it shall then confirm or ''decision* of tbe »?kte«

payer?, the rulingof the ratepayers, toe ml. ing of tho County Council to be tori. Bat if the, ratepayers decision were reversed no proceedings could be entertained for stopping the road for two years thereafter; Bat, on the other hand if the County Couni cil should confirm the decision of the rate* payers the Board may declare, by public noticey that the road is stopped ; and it shall thereafter cease to be a public highway. Thcße were the steps to be taken before the contemplated exchange could tike place or the transfer be legally completed. Mr D. Maw"EN It has been all legally settled years ago; ° Mr ;Bsooß>Pari«g the existence of Hie old Boxrd Mr 51 itbew Hamilton n»d xnade applica'ionfcrthe road--Mr. HAMiLT-K-Execuse me, Mr Chairman. ■ That is scarcely correct, Mr Mathew Hamilton never by either word or letter made any such application, I wrote f 6 "thai Board asking that it should do somethW for me. . s Kr. BBtrcE-Well, if Mr Hamilton did not apply for the; road personally, the ap•plication was made through his Warden Mr M'Ewen.. . ; •--. * Mr. D. MB\rr»— This meeting is qnftouncalled for and misplaced. The chairmanis carrying on the proceeding* under tht Act of 18801 wherfin the matter was settled three vtars ago, arid lone before the Public* i works- Act of .1,880 came into existence*. Acting upon a report furnished by their then Engineer; Mr Hayris, the Board consented to the exchange and to convey the land over to the >M"B wen's free of aH e:c ;pense. It wouM cost £400 to make theoldroad passable, while £100 was the only expenditure ipcossaiy for the new; ■ Mr. Bruce pointed ont tbat the mat er wast not yet complete an<3 the signatures to the : transfer had hot beem received' prior to the t passing of the. Public Worls Act;. 1880 and | the meeting moat know that unless ifea sig* i natoes of fcne two parties^ were- attaqbed ,to the- deed fchere. was no legal cenvej> arice. ; ■■■■' : - r . ■-"■ ■'-■•■■'■ ■;'■■■;■ .'- ';■ - 1 Mr Thomas M'Kwen— The signature oft. . the mortgagee waß attached before I #re?T signed its, Mr Bruce could hurdlyVwe how that could be the case, as it had beei^foand necessarj during the last few months to lend to Wairarapa. to obtain it. Mr Monbau said it ; little mattered whether the proceed ins had been carried" out under the Public Works Act 18&0, or not as thejwescribe-1: procedure under the Public Works Act, 1876 were exactly Binr~ :lar. ■ ■ ■■•.:•' ■'/ '' y '-"-■:. ■■■•„: Mr D. M'Etwss— Tjhey shonM be under ;the District Highways Act,*:i^4. r ffir MoKHkij; said he could not seewhyv the road should be closed ; on the road; ; contrary, he saw very • gool reason why it j should not. It whs a road which crossed the main Jackejtovvri^Road and went a* far as his section and although it was noli : , proposed to close the whole length on/, the* ; west side of Jacks vtowri, still as it would '•stop short and lead- nowhere", it cut. off not . iO'-w ll.l.1 1 . but all connec!i.»njjrith the Native* law! on the < tber »-ide of the new road, ■-. .'. Mr. Di M.'F^VB«-ws»Bjsomewhatsurprised at the gre t desire eyihcJd hy Mr Moriracfe tohave communication witht the Natives,, but th*t gen lie was mataien when he said the old road led to the Native reserve. Ib at,f not, but stopped 6ereral chain 9 ihorEof-' tft. It bad always been his (Mr Mfßwen's) endor.v.or to make roads for thoso- getltera ' wßrt paid* rales. The Maoris bad < nevei? paid one single penny m rates^and'eonse-q-ientTy" be could not see that theji- ahould? be considered m tbe matter. , • Mr HAMtLTos said be dfd; ( not- think Mr Monrad knew much about tbe place, when he a poke about continuing the road to ths Native laud. They '-could not go five chain* antiHhey were into a lagoon and then ont» a little way farther they wpHld bo into one. Daring the, aiscnssion r thos». wbovlinew least spoke "most,. The way tos decide- tine matter was to read th« report wMca. Mr Hayns had written, on th>subject. _^ '.■ Ihe- Secretary to the Board said it was. impo6Bible.forbinvto lathis band upon ife. just- then. ■■.'■ "'...■ , .„ . '-' Mr,MoKK*i> said that iii'-.prd«T to |bnafftbe Tftatter to Wfhissue h- : wonldmoTe— Tlmt tlxe Boad m questioa W-nofedosea.. Th.B was sef-onoed by Mr. George Eichiardson,.but before.it was put to the raeeting '- Mr, Dav-W M'ls wen moved, and Mr. James* 1 B'lick peconded an amendment.— -'. < Bh«t«n3er <ircun»<ance3 the «J»4Bhonia b*i ßt °Mr. -"f ass'bb? said, he thought the new 'roa*wonH : be cheaper.bnt ifit.wrre pro--posed to close the old ono-from its junction,: with the JacVeytown.Bbadj be would most 'dferidenlr object. _;_ .- ' ■" Th««. ChaibMAw said there nad never been any aach, intention. . . _ Mr HAMHi T oNy said be wftttld like to bear which road Mr Bow*; the Warden,., would be inlavrroJ. Mr Row said' he" had- hitherto supported M'Ewen'sßcaa. and- be- would do ro>. still ;He would wish to know from the Chairman was lie entitled to ; Tote. The Chairman- answered m thi affirma- - tiva as bein 1 ? a Warderidid not dtbar him' from bi« right as a ratepayer. - B- > fore-'beamer.d'-nentw:».putMrMd »rd sndbe bad a rogation to mak^. He would not object to Mr Hamilton haviig the road offered' by Mr M-Ewen _but he thought it would 1 be farbeHer tbat tha BoaH should payfor ity and stilt retain fie oil road. Htodidnot t!fcik it wise to. -part with it. . . . . Mr D --M'TCES b-H tlie Board had park* ipUh-tfio' land lor*, ajro.^ TOie M Ewcns h=»d eot it. and wnatever mipht be the result tf the meeting, the ME wen's bad got it. the M'Bwens would stick to.it. fheywere quite rich enough to fight that out. The Chairman said it; wa* quite useless: m such talk^as tsafc He wa* tttereas-Chairman or the Board to caM^ out and aslminisier they provisiftns of theAct m that cßpHcity, who set the h.w afc defi-mce wouldhaTfi to answer Jo the. lwr tnr it ■ * ""'■'-■■' ' : ■'■ - - Mr' "&- M'KWTO wid* he-dld'not findfault m the lea-t witti Mr Bruce. He wai*mpy doiiKj his^duty,. and^were be vxju a similar, capacity he would just do the 8a The amendment was putto the meeting, ana carried by eight to six, the Chairman nnTionncm" that as far as the ratepayera closed. Jle-w-ouldtake the necessary step* of forwMdipr the plan. anrMhe result of the poll to. 'he Count J Council. Mr M'KWEN proposed: a*Hearty rote or fbanksto Mr. Bruce, ta^very im '^ manneism wbicli he bad. conducted the proooedingß. ' „ Abtbe reqnestof tbcmeetjn?..Mr. Brno« stiU 5 continued m the cliair, while Mr. Row, tho wnrdfen for tbe district, remjirtg to bis con^ituentsi ' He _ said that wheiv-be wag elected io Fovr^on^he Board; be hft<l made a promisethatif, at any time,, the ratepayers were dissatisfied with the ma«n*i> P iw ' wbich he was leprPsrntmg them, they b*d only to call upon h«m to re* Bi«rn. 'and be would' be quite willing to do v so" He was now before them, ami he repeated that pledge, bo if tbe^e were any. preset who wished for hi^rPMgnatmn. hawould immediately p T a o.e it im th< ir hands. Mr Hamilton bad- ma<'e a be"c" of cbareefc against -Mm, and as that g ent ' em . au .^f* •present, b^ would like wy wuch like if he wouln repeat them^ef..r- ***&»». _ Mr.- Hamilton charged Mr- «<>w mUk having said that a roai ta hi* place wat ; unnecessary. , ; . ■■■-''--■■■,' v^.;«The Cuait^ijl^ eaid that, ac »> mia i*

| the Boat., he could bear the bighes testimony to Mr. Bow's zeal, energy and ttrict impattiality since he had been elec*. ted to office. The resolution carried at the first meeting of the new Poard wa», that the warden should visit Hamilton's road and report to the Bparc. This had been done, and instead of opposin." Mr, Hamilton-r oad, or throwing any obstacles m the way of the procuring of the transfer he had aided it m every possible manner;. Mr. D. M'Eweri said he took exception to the statement made by Mr. Row at the lastmeeting, toth* effect that Mr. Hamiltonrhad got more than he was entitled to, aa he mi^ht find out at the meeting of rate- ' payers. If he understood the Fnglish language that was nothing more nor less than * threat that he would use his influence to prevent t^m geHing a road . Mr. Row explained that his remarks had not been made m any sue 1 ! spirit. He had been taxed by several of the ratepaytis m doing too much for Mr. 'Hamilton, and expending tod much of the rates on _is Toad, and that was what he b_d alluded tOi not that he intendedto take any action against him. ' ■ A vote of confidence m Mr. Row, as the warden for Karere wa< then proposed and carried without a dissentient.